Writing Wrongs

February 08, 2006

I�m having another one of those �d�uh� epiphanies like I had the last time I was between contracts.

Time matters.

Having time to write, not having to shoehorn it into my schedule. I know, I know, if you want to write, you�ll find a way to do it--well, I�ve been doing that for nearly ten years now. But there�s something magical about having uninterrupted blocks of quiet time to write, to get into the flow of the story. None of this eking out 250 words when and where I can.

The key, of course, is to use the expanse of time and not get seduce into thinking you can write �later.� If that eking out has taught me anything it�s to use time when I have it. So I�m proud to say I have been using that time. I think I�ve written +10,000 words since last week Wednesday. That�s pretty darn amazing, at least for me. I realize some people might do that in a day (or two).

I think it was Piers Anthony who said his writing career didn�t take off until his wife went to work and he stayed at home to write. To me, this makes sense. Writing is a craft and if you�re practicing your craft for several hours a day versus whenever you can grab a few minutes, things are bound to happen.

Also, when you�re eking, you forget, or at least I do, the pure joy of writing. How much fun it is. And even though I�m in the process of breaking poor Kit�s heart, I�m having lots of fun.

And you may have noticed I added back that section of the story. After two friends agreed to run the gauntlet--er, volunteered to read--and came to the same conclusion (independent of each other, I might add), I decided that the segment should go back in. I�ll worry about word count later.

As for now, I think I�ll go add to it.

Charity Tahmaseb wrote at 8:55 a.m.

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