After a dry day on the writing front yesterday I woke up and blasted out 1000 words on my latest writing project this morning. After the apathy and indifference of Friday, I awakened on Saturday to find that the mental fog had cleared and I saw the next chapter of the story laid out in front of me. No time like the present I thought, grabbing my I-Phone and happily tapping away for an hour beneath the warm duvet covers. Within an hour I had reached my daily target.
It’s funny how some days the words gush out, almost quicker than I can capture them via my keyboard. It’s effortless, almost as if a higher power has taken control of my mind and I’m a helpless passenger, staring down as my fingers furiously convert the idea into a more tangible format. Those are the days when I think I’ve cracked this writing lark and could write for Ireland, Europe and indeed the rest of the planet.
Those are the good days, the better days, the days when I feel like I’m getting somewhere. Then there are those other days, the darker days when I’m riddled with doubt and greeted with indifference no matter where I turn or how hard I try. The days when blog posts sink without trace, where negative comments and snarky asides slip beneath my defences like a hot knife through butter. Those are the days when I lean back from the keyboard and fear I’ll never return.
Writing is a fickle mistress, one day the cornerstone of your life, the next a fleeting, elusive willo-the-wisp that remains infuriatingly out of reach. All I can do is be patient and respond to the prompts and urges of my inner muse when it deigns to grace me with its presence. I’m just grateful for the better days and seize upon them where and when I can. It’s taken me decades to find my love of writing so I’m prepared to wait for her now and again.
#truth
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Thank you 😊
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Strange isn’t it how some days the ideas and words flow & other days it all dries up? No better feeling than writing but so frustrating when the ideas stop.
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I agree Ian. Hoping you are having a productive time 🙂
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Love those days when the words flow and I can barely keep up with the characters — when they seem to take on a life of their own. Wish we could bottle those creative days to use on days when the well seems dry.
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I agree. They are special moments 😊
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You nailed it as usual! 💚🙌🏻
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Thank you. How are you today?
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Hanging in there my friend. It’s busy times indeed. Here at the resort, Covid has hit. I’ve worked many extra hours leading up to my departure in a few days. I sold my RV yesterday, and will close on my new “small” house within the next two weeks. Lots of changes and things to do. But I’m blessed beyond measure. I’ll be devoting my time at the start of the year to focus on daily writing. My goal is to write full time and put money back to visit my kids and grandkids in nice weather (they’re in Alaska and Washington State). I’m redefining my life and that was my goal at 50! I hope you and yours are doing well. I’m going to be hit and miss on WP while I adjust things a bit. Sending prayers and wonderful thoughts of support, peace, and health! 😊
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I hope you keep safe as I always look forward to hearing your thoughts 🙂
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Thank you so much! I feel the same way!
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I want to let you know that I finished Skelly’s Square (finally), yesterday. And, as the title of your blog suggests, today, it blew me away. I loved it!!! The story was captivating, and I fell in love with your characters, especially Meredith.
I’ll be putting my review on Goodreads this weekend, when I have a little more time. One thing I will say, and I hope this is a compliment. For some reason, this story reminds me of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. Neverwhere is my favorite of all of Gaiman’s writing, and I happen to be listening to the Audible version on my daily commute, right now. Skelly’s Square has a similar feel to me. The dynamic between Meredith and Kirkwood really reminds me of the one between Door and Richard Mayhew.
I’ll save the rest of my gushing for the Goodreads review. I really, really loved it, sir!! Thank you!
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I’ve just read your review, Jeff, which I’m truly grateful for. Thank you very much for your kind words 🙂
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You are most welcome. Thank you for writing such a great book!
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I hope you enjoy the next book in the series just as much 😊
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I read recently that on the days we are unable to focus, unable to fall into the beauty of writing, because other things are taking up more of our mental capacity, that maybe we should not try to fight this feeling. (If I remember correctly I think it was in a post on Medium, but I am sorry for not having a link right at this moment.)
This is not to say we should give in to the feeling that we are unable to write, but let our mind do whatever processing it needs to for us to better make use of the time when we can.
I hope the days when you find writing easy outweigh those when it is not. Peace to you and family.
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Thank you. I’ve picked up the thread again and am now nearing the end of the first draft of Book 3.
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Awesome! I’ve dived back into editing my book, and realised I might need to split it up into multiple shorter manuscripts!
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The fun never stops 😂
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Sometimes I use fidget toys like pully noodles to get my ideas moving.
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