Page 100 of my 20th journal

I’m guessing, at this stage, that these journals won’t end up in some literary archive to be studied at length to see the original sources and inspirations of my greatest works. Their main contributions to literature, in fact, may be if the paper is recycled and becomes the journal of some truly great writer. ButContinue reading “Page 100 of my 20th journal”

The mind-boggling power of words and music

And here I go again, looking at the books and records lined up on the shelves and contemplating how many hours or days it would take to read all of the books and listen to all the waiting music. I think about how long it takes to craft a book and send it to market,Continue reading “The mind-boggling power of words and music”

Just create

I should be writing the novel, not writing in this journal. I should be writing to share in the blog, not writing for myself. But wait — I am writing. And both those sentences began, “I should be writing.” In one of my favorite films, a dying man tells the hero, “I don’t care whatContinue reading “Just create”

Update at 900

Back in August 2020 I challenged myself to make sure I added something to this blog every day for three months, a 92-day commitment. Today is Day 900 of that challenge. This is my most successful attempt at a writing discipline ever. If I could translate that discipline to my efforts at fiction, I’d beContinue reading “Update at 900”

Superheroes to the rescue

It started with Greatman, who had a kind of purple costume and Spider-Man eyes on his mask. He could fly and he was super-strong, and he was the flagship hero of a line that also included the Fabulous Five, Brink the Atomic Man, Moss Boy (who later evolved into Moss Man), and some other superheroesContinue reading “Superheroes to the rescue”

The 2 imperatives for writing success

Oh, this is just infuriating. There I was, out in the back yard, and a thought occurred to me. “Oh, that’s an interesting thought, I could write about that,” I said to myself, but when I went back inside all I could remember is that I had had an interesting thought that could have beenContinue reading “The 2 imperatives for writing success”

Planning to plan a planner

Something about the approach of Jan. 1 makes us set goals and resolutions and make plans and bold proclamations. I have begun to shift back toward keeping my goals and resolutions to myself, without proclaiming them. There’s something to be said about the idea that revealing one’s plans releases some of the tension that isContinue reading “Planning to plan a planner”

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