“A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”*

Writing Worries II - LargoScreenshot

Every year for the past #idrathernotsayyears, I’ve submitted an original tale to the CBC Short Story Prize competition.  Without any success whatsoever but, they do send me (three times each week) their newsletter with writing tips.  Thursday’s tip:  Figure out a writing schedule.  Um…. That would suggest that, to a schedule, one might be able to sit down and begin writing - on command, as it were.  I know four published, well-recognised Canadian authors, two of them quite well, and I’m very sure each one of them could do just that.  Me?  Not so much.  Oftentimes when I open my files, spread out my research and prepare to write, my mind is like a blank page.  Like a field of snow with no footprints.  Like a blackboard wiped clean.  You know?  Now then, at two o’clock in the morning, when I’m wide awake and staring out the window at the woods, the ideas come fast and furious.  Or at least I think they do, perhaps they’re all useless ideas and most mornings I cannot remember what I’d thought was so very brilliant during the night.  

Back to the CBC’s advice.  Cam is hoping to watch a curling tournament (ooops, bonspiel) this week in the afternoons so, as suggested by the magi at CBC, I’ve scheduled those two-hour blocks of time for writing.  Nicely soundproofed with my earphones, I plan to work on my book.  Indeed I’m writing at this very moment - a blog post, ‘though, not book material.  See?  I’m hopeless!  Proven by today’s photo.

Largo, a very slow tempo, is my bridge book progress in a nutshell! But steady? I’m happy to record that yesterday afternoon I wrote ten new pages — I put my head down and wrote non-stop (no editing, no second-guessing, no deleting).  I’ve not looked at it since, indeed much of it may be utter crap, but some of it must be worth keeping, non?  

To no one’s great surprise, including my own, the CBC team knows what it’s about!  

’Til next time, y’all…

*Paul Thomas Mann, Nobel Laureate (Literature), author, essayist.