I find steam-powered locomotives fascinating. These older trains take a lot to get them moving, but once they’re going it’s actually harder to stop them than it is to keep them chugging along. Picture those giant brakes and how much distance it takes for them to stop.
I wondered after the last month, and my last post’s difficult subject, how the next one would go. I settled on sharing a few things I’ve been “up to” in my “down time.” Yes,
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Writing is a solitary experience. Send all of your friends away, lock the door, put your butt in the chair and write, right? This is true, but often the inspiration
to write comes from hanging out with friends, chatting with family and from our everyday experiences. How can you have the time to get serious about writing, find time to keep up with family and friends, and make sure your pets don’t die in the process?
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You might occasionally see your mailman deliver the mail. They’ll greet you with a smile, hand you any mail or packages, and they’re prepared to take anything you’re 
sending out. As a writer, I like to see the mail come and go. Even though much of our communication is done by email and by electronic payments, the mailman is a welcome symbol of the writing profession. There are still companies that send checks by mail,
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Can you remember the life story that taught you a life lesson? How about an article that showed you a new way of thinking, or the short story that made you feel emotional – good or bad? Perhaps another time you even laughed so hard your ribs hurt. I’ll bet certain writings and writers come to mind.
It might be an inspirational poem, a non-stop adventure, or a heart-wrenching personal struggle,
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Valentine’s Day has passed. I hope your loved ones benefited. Romance is great for relationships, but no so good for progressing in your writing.
A recent comment from Dana Mentink sparked this blog post idea. I commented on her article “Why there is no such thing as Writer’s Block…” This was her response:
“Thanks Peter.
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Have you noticed any horrendous writing lately? You may be skilled at spotting a split infinitive at 50 yards. Poorly worded and badly punctuated sentences might make you cringe, but there is a more objectionable kind of writing – non-existent writing. You know about it only because a person talks it up, but they never get around to doing the work.
My friend Thomas Smith often says,
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“Where did I put that editor’s phone number?”
Most creative types have some difficulty with organization. I’m no exception. Everyone misplaces their keys, but we seem to have a more difficult time with order. Surprisingly, we can be good at rearranging words, but poor at keeping track in other areas.
Over the years I’ve discovered this: Find what works for you. There are endless suggestions,
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How do you eat the elephant in the room that you are ignoring? One bite at a time (yes, I know I am mixing metaphors a bit). The elephant that keeps coming up in writing is, “Where do I find the time?” The truth is we all have the same amount of time, we can only control how we manage it.
I am not a number cruncher, but check out the following:
1 hour a day x 6 days a week (take one day off) = 312 hours in one year.
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