I woke up this morning with my head spinning. Ideas for the next novel were flying around in my mind so fast I was sure I’d forget something before I found my glasses and made my way to a piece of paper. Fortune was with me, though, and well before noon I had a hefty chunk of the sequel’s outline done.
I think I can finally relate to what athletic people experience when they push themselves to go that extra mile, or power past the muscle fatigue when climbing that extra-steep rock face. There’s a rush of accomplishment that comes with the triumph that has little to do with external forces or validation; the battle–and a large part of the reward–is wholly internal. Today, it was just me and the mountain…
Well, a mountain of index cards (which can be fairly dangerous as well, given the high likelihood of paper cuts).
I guess writing’s not as solitary a pursuit as I like to claim it is. Whether it’s a battle against laziness, a dreary trudge through spans of no inspiration, or a brief, rare reign as master of my invented universe, there’s always two of me hanging around; The Writer and The Hack. All too often it’s The Hack that gains the upper hand, goading me into believing everything is impossible and nothing is attainable. But, every once in a while The Writer surfaces and The Hack gets spanked.
It’s days like this that I’m elated to be a writer. Today, the possibility that there may be no need for a sequel if book Numero Uno is never published can’t faze me. The Hack is out to lunch, and The Writer is all business.
Hell and Wheels 
August 20th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Kate — Hot for others, but for Lucy and Ricky?? I’m not sure; they slept in separate beds. Then again, maybe that was just an act so no one would know they liked it freaky.Stewart — I’ve had the same thought about the detached life of writers. I suppose it’s the same for screen actors, too. Although, they at least have the production staff to play to. All we have is ourselves. But, as my singing voice is awful and my acting is even worse, it’s probably best to keep me off of any stage.Jay– I’m here to help. 😉
August 18th, 2007 at 6:26 am
I think maybe you have done me a great service here today: I feel like many a tiny bit of your elation has rubbed off on me.
August 18th, 2007 at 5:10 am
I’m so happy to hear that you are working on the second book. I was starting to wonder. Also, I don’t know if you wrote any update on the agent you sent off too, but I still have my fingers crossed.
August 17th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
It would be great, wouldn’t it to stand in an arena, read off a story, and have people rise to their feet in wild cheers of appreciation. Not even Stephen King. Two words, Stu – Joanne Rowling. :)Avery – how’s the kitty?
August 17th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
I get frustrated sometimes as a writer. It’s lonely. I sit at a computer, clicking away at something that few will read. And I will receive little feedback from most who read what I produce. And the feedback is slow in return.Musicians, artists, etc..get great response. Immediate. Writers? No.It would be great, wouldn’t it to stand in an arena, read off a story, and have people rise to their feet in wild cheers of appreciation. Not even Stephen King.
August 17th, 2007 at 1:17 am
But, the rest of the time it was just weird.Oh, I don’t know. I know of a few couples right off the top of my head who would think that’s hot. LOL
August 15th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Steve — And I get those blood-beading days all to often. Charles — I’m trying to get The Writer at least up to equal speed with The Hack. It’s a long, painful process.Spy and SQT — Lemme ‘splain. I said that The Writer appears and The Hack gets spanked, hence the photo of another hack–the character Lucy–getting spanked by the ‘pro.’ So, the analogy went over like a lead balloon. At least I got your attention.Those spankings were really pretty creepy, weren’t they? I suppose it fit in the episode where Lucy acts like a five year-old and fills the living room with playground equipment; Ricky was going along with the act she started. But, the rest of the time it was just weird.
August 15th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
See, I’m stuck on the picture too….
August 14th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
I was wondering what point that pictures was attempting to illustrate, LOL. I can never seem to catch one of those I Love Lucy spankings. All this time, haven’t seen one, darnit.Oh, um, writing. Yeah. Go, Writer! Begone, Hack!
August 14th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Too bad the Writer can’t write as fast as the Hack. At least for me. But congrats on a great day. Those are exciting.
August 13th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Those days are such a lovely reward for the others: where you sit staring until blood beads on your forehead…Those days of Luciferean pride make it worthwhile. When writing works, it rings the sweetest bell in the universe…