I can't believe July is almost gone.  Where did it go?  This year is speeding by and all I can think to do is slow down? BUT there's so much I still want to do.  Priorities.  That's the key.  Pick your priorities. 

1. Family time. 2. Health time - work out, eat right, sleep plenty.  3. Manage stress.  Ouch.  That's one of my major issues.  What to do with the stress that seems to appear from nowhere and multiply.  Get rid of it.  Okay, how?  3a. Relax. Read. Write. Exercise. Hopefully you'll start wondering where the stress went.  Don't go looking for it - it'll find you some other time when you least expect it.

The title of this blog leads to many more questions than answers, but hey, maybe we'll learn something.  Like, where I put my pen or where did I file that folder on stretching.  There's just too much paper.  Too much to do.  Too little organization going on. 

Do you keep lists?  I do.  Most of the time I know where they are, but occasionally I'll write something down and lose the note.  That drives me crazy.  I distinctly remember writing something down, maybe I'll remember a word or part of the phrase, but not the whole thing. Eventually I find it, but not before I've worn out the carpet pacing and wondering where did it go?

Write on my friends,
BD

You just never know where inspiration can be found or maybe I should say will find you.  It might be a snippet of conversation, a newspaper article, your dog's antics, or a sticky six-year old.

Recently the sticky one came to my writing rescue. I've been a bit stalled in my writing. I have a lot of projects going, but nothing inspiring or magical was happening on the page.  Until my little grandson and I started brainstorming silliness.  One thing led to another and that lead to us drawing pictures and later I sat down and wrote a 1300 word children's story.

You just never know, so pay attention folks. The muse can be blatant or elusive, you just have to be the scribe.

Write on my friends,

BD

As writers we have a solitary job.  Although it's important that we live our lives with others so we have fuel for the story, it's also critical we get in touch with our muse.  I don't know about other muses, but mine is shy.  She doesn't come out much in public.  But when I am writing, it doesn't really matter if I'm at home, sitting under a tree, or sitting in a coffee shop or book store - she finds me. 

Please don't confuse the muse with the inner critique.  My inner critique is a monster.  Not cute like the Ugly Doll, but ferocious and mean with very sharp claws and teeth.  When my inner critique comes out the muse goes into hiding.  I sit and look at the crap I've just written and I feel so alone.  Even the characters in the story seem to disappear.

Don't let your inner critique have the last word. A writing friend and mentor once said that it's okay to confront your inner critique.  It must be put in it's place now and then. You can even go so far as to punch them or throw them away.  I like to draw my monster's picture and wad it up and throw it in the trash. It's very satisfying, but it will take a while to get to that point. I don't always have the confidence to do what I must.

My advice dear writers is to keep trying. Don't fear the inner critique, just put it in it's place.  We all have a job to do - writer, muse and critic - so let's do our jobs and help each other out.

Write on!

BD