[During my January update, I shared how writing a story has monopolized my chess time. This explains that in more detail. It's not chess related, so don't say you haven't been warned.]
I have a love-hate relationship with writing. It's something I really enjoy ... and also something I never voluntarily do. Given the amount of digital ink I've spilled on this blog, I can understand your skepticism. Allow me to explain.
Have you ever taken a little kid to an after-school activity? A decent percentage will whine and beg and plead not to go. It's a real struggle to get them into the car ... and then you get there and they have a great time. Absolutely love it. Can't wait to go back ... until the next day, when the struggle repeats anew.
When it comes to writing, that's me. I'm a grumpy kid.
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| Source: peacefulparent.com |
I never write by choice. I write because I have to. Something compels me to do it. For this blog, I literally have time scheduled into my calendar to write something. If I didn't do that, I'd have 1/5 the content, probably less. Without the schedule, my writing doesn't get done.
With fiction, it is even harder. I never "have" to write. The scheduling trick doesn't work. I'll just stare at a blank screen for an hour. I can't force myself to write, and usually I don't. I have gone years without writing a sentence of a story ... and then I turn around and write something in a single week, start to finish.
Why do I write? It's because I must. It's because something demands to be written. It's because the discomfort of not writing starts hurting more than the pain of writing. This is why.
