Lessons Learned from Stephen (and Tabitha) King

Inside My Writing Head, Again

I haven’t been writing much in the blog department while I’ve been writing my novel. The great, American, elusive, kick my butt novel. This writing thing is funny, because I love the short form immediate-gratification of blog, post, hear responses, see applause, collect some actual writing money (my last monthly payout from Medium’s Partner Program was a whopping $3.23), but every moment I spend on that is time that I am not writing The Book, and that is exactly the kind of thing I’m trying to eliminate right now. It’s all distraction.

I’m trying to eliminate a lot of distraction, but still find fuel to keep going.

I’m working to maintain the daily (yes, daily) routine of word count (it’s all about the word count), fueling my spirit with inspiration (woo woo kumbaya motivational talks as well as books and articles about writing), engaging my brain and intellect (podcasts and audiobooks in the car), all with a balance of the other parts of life that connect me to people (hello all volunteer work). Writing is solitary and lonely, except for my characters I have created in my head. When the writing is going well they live and breathe as much as anyone.