Confession: Good for the Soul

Growing up Catholic, I certainly learned the value of a good confession. I’m invoking that power right now.

My confession is this: I haven’t written in over a month.

• Not a single blog post (I keep three blogs and contribute to two others)
• Not a single scene on my novel, or my short story
• Not a single entry in my dream journal

I’ve written a handful of Facebook status updates. A couple emails that were not work related. A few book reviews.  Some critiques. A few notes jotted in my paper journal. All together? It adds up to not enough writing. Not at all.

For me, routine is key to writing well. And stability and predictability are key to routine. I need to stop instigating transitions and adding new things to my life, or else.

Or else, I’ll no longer be truthful when I refer to myself as a writer.

A few entries ago, I posted a poll about why we write, and was surprised that the majority of respondents responded the same way I did: that they write because they feel crappy when they don’t.

I don’t have more time today than I did on all those other days when I wasn’t writing. I just finally got to the “breaking point” I always reach when too much time goes by without putting real words to paper (or, more often, screen). Here’s to breaking bad patterns. Here’s to no longer feeling crappy.