O, my little Garbanzo Beans! This week, we will turn our Exercises to the Internal. We shall Investigate our very Souls, and thus armed with Precious Knowledge, we shall Gird our Loins and Write bravely Onward.
You may do these Exercises in your Note-Book, and make your Report here to discuss your Findings. Gustav and I are busy with our own Investigations of the Insidious Evil that has Infected the Directorate, but never Fear that we do not have you in our Hearts.
Your Exercise:
Why are you not Writing? What are your Excuses? Simply Observe: we will attempt to Remedy the situation later. For now, simply Observe and Record every Recalcitrant instinct. Here is a Sample from my Journal this past Week-End, when I undertook this Exercise:
9:15 AM: Reason: Would prefer to eat Crumpets.
9:25 AM: Crumpet crumbs between the Keys of the Type-Writing Machine. Also, Out of Crumpets.
9:30 AM: Too Distracted by the Harsh Screams of the Mad.
9:35 AM to 7:15 PM: Laudanum, O Sweet Laudanum! Strictly Medically Necessary.
What are Your excuses?
Sadly, my excuses are simply pathetic. “I don’t have the skill to pull off this vision” is the one that keeps coming up the most. Also, “I’d rather watch this old episode of ‘House’”. And also, “Everything I’ve written sucks, and this new project will suck as well.” No need for me to keep a journal. These thoughts seem to be a permanent fixture in my wee little brain.
Hey, Richard?
I’ve published you twice, and enjoyed your Nano novel.
Just sayin’. It’s possible that the part of you that is so convinced you suck is full of shit.
The part of you that is most vocal about how awful you are is almost invariably wrong. And the more vehement it is about you sucking? The closer you are to doing something of real value.
Carry on. I insist.
And I suspect that Ethelie will insist as well; hurry up and write something before she sics the Verbhounds on you!