The Chore of Writing

I've certainly had moments as a writer when I sat down and the words just wouldn't stop. Most of Lost Edens, actually, was that way because when I wrote it I was still fresh with the pain of it. Well, I like to think there was causation there. Pain equals art, right?

Now that I'm working on the follow-up to Lost Edens I've had a much, much harder time. I think the trouble is that I'm giving way too much meaning to the words and not paying enough attention to the bigger story. Or maybe I don't really know the bigger story just yet. Or maybe I'm just too darn happy.

In any case, I'm finding it's very, very hard to take my own advice and am feeling a good deal of sympathy for my students. Okay, I get it. I've been reminded: writing is really hard. I'm still hoping inspiration will hit, though, and I'll find the story in the last 5 years that needs to be told and that will be that.

Here's to hoping.