Discipline. Whoopee.

I haven't had much to say here lately. Truth is, the reality of writing a book is much different than the idea of it. No surprise there, you say? Probably true. However, now that I am definitely on my way (48 pages, yahoo!!) I am realizing that the nuts and bolts of the thing is way bigger than I thought. Writing is a discipline. It doesn't matter if I feel inspired, or creative, or even remotely into it, I write because this is now my job. My gracious husband is giving me a year (or rather, that's what I said I need and he said 'okay') to get this book written, revised and ready for its future life (whether that's publication or the circular file) and so I am taking it seriously and writing every day. Except on the weekends when life with the family takes priority, but even then I spend a little time each day either re-reading or researching or reading one of my many 'how to be a writer' books.

Which brings me to another point. This is a mental game to be sure. I read a book by Sol Stein, a brilliant author and editor. He had some great stuff in there that is really going to help me in my journey. However, after I read it and I sat down to write, all that information came barreling through my brain and I found myself trying to edit as I wrote. Is that dialogue true? Are the characters interesting enough? What point of view for this scene? And whammo!!! My mojo was gone. For days I moped around singing the blues. I can't do this! Who do I think I am! All the familiar demons made an appearance and I listened.

Then I sat with a friend and talked and she gave me a smack and got me back on track.

Thanks, friend. I needed that.

So, my point is that I am learning about the discipline of writing as a job. And, just like any job, it has it's good days and bad days, lessons have to be learned and stuff has to be done that I don't want to do.

So maybe my next post will be about something fun, instead of writing about writing.

Maybe I'll write about the awesome turkey soup I made yesterday, or the gorgeous leaves of fall I found on a walk.

Stay tuned.