JUST F’IN WRITE ALREADY!

Approaching my computer to surf people’s New Year’s Eve photos, I have the following windows open: two “respectable” job boards, “How to take control and reignite passion for your career,” “Transition from full-time to freelance,” “Top 5 regrets of people on their deathbed,” an unpublished manuscript reigniting my passion for my favorite vampire, and Google-search results for female mid-life crises.  Call it what you want, I’m wandering along researching all possible scenarios, creating plans and back-up plans but choosing none.

When people ask, “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” I say WRITE.  I have loved writing since high school when I had a superb mentor and teacher who taught us to just let it flow.  It was a way to be in touch with myself and to bring life and sense to my random thoughts.  After having children I tiptoed back into creative writing with some classes, collecting, but not developing, ideas.

“What have you written?” comes next. I list a few adapted works and present a long list of “I’d love to write…” So truthfully – nothing.  I feverishly start, grow tired of the story, or claim “too busy” to finish.  I am easily distracted and have a tireless imagination that creates obstacles to keep me from writing.  Some were carelessly thrown there, some I put there to force me to follow into a more stable, less isolated destination.  However, the bottom line is, I’m not writing.

Oprah always says the universe speaks first in whispers, then messages, then a good friend smacks you upside the head [paraphrased] “Love the idea, just f’in write it already!”

After re(ally soul)searching, and being a big believer in baby steps, I created a plan to have NO plan besides committing to write 365 words/day for 365 days!  That is 11,102 words a month, 133,225 a year!  I will try new experiences, read new books, swim upstream when necessary, re-visit favorite haunts or just catch the tail of thoughts that flitter through my mind – or distract me with something sparkly from yours – and wander along to see where it goes!  This journey will be more fun with great conversations, so please, wander with me!