Writing, procrastination

Feeling like I should be writing tonight, taking advantage of the stormy weather, but really I just want to do nothing. I have told myself that doing nothing tonight is just fine; there is

no reason I must always do something! My writer's group was cancelled tonight, so I am off the hook a bit, (something about cancellations, unless it is a flight, that I enjoy), but I always feel like I should write during that time anyway. So...this is in some small way my writing exercise for tonight. I have told myself that I want to have a functional manuscript for my own purposes by the end of 2009, well this is not going to just appear now is it? I write primarily because I must, and then because I enjoy it, but when it comes to sitting down with a purpose and a writing goal I tend to procrastinate, find fifteen other things that must be done at that very moment. Perhaps my goal should be to lock myself in my writing room once a week for a period of time until I can find my burning house for my novel. (I like writing out the words "my novel").

What is a burning house you might ask? I had the same question when the topic came up.. It was answered for me at a retreat this summer. It is the part of a novel that the writer leads up to, some crisis I suppose. The climax, whatever you want to call it, it seems to be the most difficult part to write. I was told by the experienced and wise instructor at that retreat that sometimes this is the most difficult part to write, and that the author herself might not know what it is until she actually writes it. It can also be that the author does know what it is, but avoids writing it. I think that is the case with me. In fact the very word that is covered up in the above photo is my burning house I believe. I just noticed that. Interesting.

Planning to attend another retreat this summer I hope...if they will have me...a good gift for myself, and a great learning experience usually...oh...and fun.

Well, I'm officially rambling. If nothing else tonight I thought about writing and perhaps set myself a goal. Eventually I would like to put some links of interest to other writers on my blog, but that is a weekend project for sure. Stay tuned.