Saturday, November 01, 2008

1717

I find it a total struggle: Writing is so often like pulling teeth. Even here on Day Number One, when a million people are streaming words by the thousand, far from their mid-month wall, I find myself stuck. Stopped. I wonder if it's the calcification of my imagination, which is neither so flexible nor so fearless as it used to be; or maybe I'm just distracted by aspects of life that can't yet be dealt with. Whatever: It's nothing a million other people don't deal with, even if we add the inevitable doubts, doubts inspired by the fact that the back of my mind continues to arrange Beatles songs for a capella quartet, that I'm annoyed at how ramshackle I've let the chicken coop become, that now could be a really good time to catch up on work. And not even those doubts about what I really should spend my time doing, what was I really put on this Earth to do, set me apart from any other writer. No indeed. Work ethic, focus, discipline, fundamental ability -- these may set me apart, but I know the doubts do not.

7 comments:

Paula said...

I'm at 1522 and will do more after dinner. Though I really don't know where I'm going with this idea AT ALL.

Paula said...

Start now, Jodie!!

Anne said...

the rookie has just 807 words.it's worth a try, i always say. and tomorrow's another day.

Teacake said...

Jodie, it is SO NOT too late!

I don't usually have doubts about whether time spent writing is time well spent, altough as the years (and failures) go by they creep in a little more.

I suspect I'll be going slower this year. I usually finish early but I kind of feel like I'll be eeking this one out in bits.

Don said...

Annie, give it a good go, don't worry about word counts too much, the thing is to force that baby out. Which you should know a lot more about than me already.

Anne said...

har! bless it's pointed little head. :)

Unknown said...

I'm behind schedule myself. I got bogged down in a conference (work and NaNo are tough bedfellows) and in the election. I'm making good resolutions to write a lot this morning and here I am blogging.
Good luck to you!