Writers write. It's kind of in the definition of the word writer. Writers write. None of the voices in my head can change my mind on that score. None of them want to change that because my writing is their voice. If Ed Landry has a story to tell, he comes to me and says, “Write.”
Writers don’t only create worlds they conjure time where none seems to exist. Writers don’t schedule time, find time, or plan for time—they make time. That time may be at three in the morning, and the act of creating time may leave the writer exhausted. That is simply the cost of doing business. What? You thought writing was free?
Money may flow to the writer, but writing isn’t free. It costs you something and I’m not talking about hiring editors and cover designers. I mean it takes a piece of your heart and soul. There’s a line from a song I like that says, “You got to pay the dues if you want to sing the blues…” It works the same way with writing.
November is National Novel Writing Month. You will likely only find that on a writer’s calendar. It’s a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. I’m participating this month. This is my sixth year. I confess it’s easier to do since I retired. But I didn’t wait for retirement to take it on. The vagabond dreamer in me mounted his steed and charged the giants long before that.
Let me tell you a bit about what NaNoWriMo is like and why it matters. It means the daily to-do-list has just one item—write at least 1667 words. Hitting that goal takes over your life. It wakes you up early and keeps you up late. It gives you a whole new perspective on what it takes to be a writer.
Writing is an art, but it’s also a discipline. It takes practice, study, and most of all commitment. To thine own (writer) self be true? Here’s a way to find out how true you are to your writing. Solomon did well when he applied his heart to know wisdom. It all fell apart when he had many lovers.
Writing requires faithfulness. It demands saying no to the siren’s song of other things. I don’t normally write at the pace this challenge demands. I do not write every day. That’s not because I’m lazy. It’s usually because my characters are off doing their thing and I must wait for them to tell me what happens next.
I have a life outside of writing. When I’m not writing I: edit writing, create ads for writing, set up booths/tables to display writing, sign and sell writing, talk about writing, and, oh yes, blog about writing.
Let’s see, how many more words do I need today?
