When the words don’t come easily, when I have to fight for every one of them, I take solace in Richard Hugo’s thoughts. He says the hard work put into one piece of writing makes for the sudden ease of a future – not subsequent but future – piece of writing. I keep writing in hopes of finding that “sudden ease,” however brief it may be. A brief moment of ease is like the first drink of water after running a race. Nothing tastes quite as good as that water. Nothing is quite as refreshing.
National Poetry Month 2013
This National Poetry Month, I’ve decided to focus on a few poets who have contributed to the way I write or to the way I think about writing. It should be an interesting exercise because it’s difficult to limit myself to a few poets. I start with one and find myself referencing another. I start with a single idea and end up with ten or more. The ideas proliferate, like rabbits or the never-ending, multi-colored scarf.
You Don’t Find Time; You Make It
I don’t believe in finding time. I make it. I make a conscious choice about how I’m going to spend my time, then I spend it. I determine which projects require immediate attention and which ones can be deferred. I choose whether I will take on a new project. I figure out how to allot my time so that I can tend to my new project or opportunity. I decide how long I will work before I’m allowed to play.
Write Right and the War of the Worlds
From There to Here
I’ve been trying to do my own thing for almost three years. My path has been filled with missteps, restarts, and shifts in direction. I sometimes wonder if more knowledge could have prevented some of those things. Most of the time, I recognize that where I am now would not be possible without the route I took. It may have been the harder, more circuitous one, but it was the only one I had.
When Do You Write Best?
Some people write best in the morning, probably because they are morning people. They awaken and are ready to write. Their brains aren’t sluggish or filled with thoughts or worries from the day. Everything is fresh, like grass covered with dew. That time is precious to them. They try to safeguard it.