In it til ‘The End’

What no wife of a writer can ever understand is that a writer is working when he’s staring out of the window.  ~Burton Rascoe

It’s been four years and I can say without shame that I’ve done a lot of staring out windows like Burton.  Thank God I live alone.  Sometimes I regret that writing is such a  solitary endeavor, that it’s easier to observe those who interact around me than to actually participate.  But if I didn’t observe with such stalker-like intensity, I wouldn’t be much of a writer, because those observations have provided ideas that  morphed into words on a page.  From there came the story that I am still trying to tell.  I’m not sure what makes this novel so hard to write.  I’ve written plenty of decent things over the years that haven’t taken near the effort.  I’m pretty sure I wrote an entire book when I should have been paying attention to organic chemistry.  But this project is different.  It has taken on a life of its own and sometimes I feel as out of control as the characters and I have no idea what’s next for any of us.  I’ve thought about giving up and moving on to other stories, but something keeps me tied to this particular book.  And even if I’ve taken time off, there is often a gentle nudge or a sharp jab to guide me back.   I’ve accepted that nothing new can happen in my life until this book is done, until the characters are settled in their rightful places.    I’m in it ’til ” The End” .

This blog is going to be a stomping ground for ideas and inspiration.  I’m not sure if anyone will read it, but if they do, they’ll get some insight into my particular writing process.  I’m not actually sure what will pop up here, but I’m sure it will be interesting.

To Be Continued….