Writer's Block and Other Thoughts . . .

I don't know about you, but Sunday mornings around here are fairly routine. Take this past Sunday for instance.

The weekend ends on Saturday night in our house since my other half works for one of the major television networks. Because they're always on the air somewhere, everyone works at least one weekend day, his is Sunday.

I take advantage of that and try to get a head start on the week ahead by working on Sunday afternoons, but the mornings belong to me. Well, me and Brewster, our 4 year-old Treeing Walker Coonhound that is.

We start our morning with a long walk around our little burg, stopping to chat for a few minutes here and there with neighbors and other dogs who are also out and about with their owners in tow. It's our chance to catch up on the local gossip--both human and doggie version--and check out the progress of various projects around town.

Once we've worked up an appetite, or I can no longer carry on a coherent conversation without the immediate infusion of massive amounts of caffeine of the coffee variety, we return home. Fed, watered and caffeinated, we settle in for some play (hound) and reading (me), which brings me to the real topic of this post . . . Anna Quindlen.

If you missed this week's PARADE, there was a great little piece called Sunday With . . . at the back. (For full article, CLICK HERE.) I've always enjoyed Quindlen's writing, but it was the following that I wanted to pass along to all of you writerly types:

"Some days I fear writing dreadfully, but I do it anyway. I've discovered that sometimes writing badly can eventually lead to something better. Not writing at all leads to nothing."

Sad, but it's true. Some days are just like that. You can't think of a thing worth writing about, let alone string two sentences together in a reasonable manner. The same is true for editors by the way, we have our difficult days too! As always, Ms. Quindlen's found a nicer way of saying what I often say: Butt in chair. Write!

Getting the right words on the page in the right order is important, but just getting some words on some page (paper, screen, tablet, phone, whatever) is more important.

Write. Write often. Write lists, scenes, descriptions, story ideas, character profiles, anything. Just write!

Now, by the time you read this Sunday will be long over, but for now excuse me. The puppy is snoring and there's a pillow that's calling my name . . .  Ahhh, Sundays!