Thoughts on writing...

Writing isn't just a hobby to me.It's part of my daily routine. Like brushing my teeth or combing my hair, Icouldn't imagine a day without putting words on paper. Writing is my bowl of ice cream. It's my Christmas morning and I'm eight years old. It's the firstthing I think about when I wake up.

But getting started isn't always easy.I have to sort of psyche myself out before I can begin pounding away at thekeyboard. Everything has to be perfect. My workspace has to be clean andtidy—the room must be quiet and the cat off in her room. There can't be asingle dirty dish in the sink. I know…OCD, right?
I've learned not to stare at ablank page. You have to start typing. That's the only way you'll get anythingaccomplished. Once I have the protagonist, the setting, and what it is he orshe wants to accomplish, I begin pummeling my character with obstacles toovercome. Soon other characters join in—some helpful and some downright nasty.But all serve to either help the protagonist along or stand in his or her way.They are the story.
Hemingway says to stop writingwhen you know what's going to happen next. But I can't do that. I stop wheneither my eyes get too tired or life interrupts me. Or, the dreaded but all soreal, writer's block rears its terrifying face. Writer's block for me is whenmy character arrives at a fork in the road and the right direction is unclear.That's when I stop and think about other things. I usually have to sleep on it.
The next day I do my best tocontinue where I left off. What about you? What does writing mean to you? Bythe way, my eyes are getting tired so this looks like a good place to stop.
For now, keep reading andwriting.