I Never Write Alone

7-8-23

It's early in the morning when I first sit at the computer and peck away at the keyboard.  It's quiet.  The world outside my window is usually dark.  The only sound in my office is the rapid clack of the keyboard and my occasional sigh when I struggle to find the right word to express myself.

The thing is that I'm never alone as I write.  As odd as it may seem for those that have not had this experience, the characters themselves talk to me.  They tell me how they feel.  What they most desire.  It makes the pre-dawn writing much easier when they allow me to be part of their conversation, their thoughts.

But there are days when even the best suggestions from the characters fail to move the story forward.  I can't recall ever having the dreaded writer's block.  Never have I stared in frustration at the cursor blinking on a blank screen.  That said, I can't even begin to image the number of times that I have written myself into a corner with no apparent way out.  When that happens, I walk away.  Yep.  I shut it down and take a break for the day. I found nothing I write after I'm stuck ever proves to be worth keeping.  I'm better off giving my brain a break.

Oddly enough, an idea or solution will pop into my head while I'm showering or when I'm in the process of waking up the next morning.  It's a small voice.  I tell my grandchildren when this happens, there is a Muse sitting on my shoulder whispering in my ear.  That may not be true, but that small voice has redirected many a wayward storyline.  I'm more than happy to credit the Muse.

And so it is as a writer, as it is in life itself -- nothing of significance is ever accomplished alone.  A good writer draws from those around him/her be they real or imagined.  After all, I can never claim to have all the answers.  And I hope I will be smart enough to always remember that.