The Stardust Of Ability

I’ve hit a purple writing vein of late, averaging around 1,000 a day on my latest book. I’m hoping to pass the 25,000 mark today and have decided to work at it on my lunch break at work. If the weather is decent I will head out into the square opposite my office, appropriately named ‘Writers Square.’ I’m often at my most creative there and the words flow thick and fast, as if the characters have run out of patience with me and decided to write the book themselves.

When I start a chapter I have a rough idea what it’s going to be about but invariably the narrative evolves and changes as I write. I often have no idea how the chapter will end and the ideas and words unravel in front of me, thankfully revealed as I tap away at the keyboard. All writers have different styles and this is mine. It suits me which is odd as, otherwise, I’m a fastidious planner and list maker. I tried to write Book 1 that way and it was much more difficult to write than the sequel, which I largely wrote as I went along.

I always get anxious before I start writing, the whispered doubts flooding my head, but once I start they dissipate and my mind clears. I chip away at the coal face, taking short breaks as I inch towards my daily target. When I reach it there is a temporary sense of achievement before I look ahead towards the next mountain top. It is a process, a journey, and a slow one at that. But I know I’m on the right track and determined not to stray from it.

Large, seemingly impossible challenges can be conquered if we break them down into manageable, bite-sized chunks. Aim for the sky but take small steps to get there. Celebrate the victories, no matter how small they might seem. You are working towards that day when you can stand triumphant upon the summit and look down with satisfaction at how far you have come. Anything is possible with a bucketload of determination sprinkled with the stardust of ability. You have both.