A Good Day to Write

Writing can be slow-going.  I routinely sweat over the first paragraph of every story I write, and often still can’t seem to get it right.  Knowing what I want to say is one thing, but finding the perfect words to bring that about is a different matter.  It’s not enough to simply describe the scene visually; the real challenge is to evoke the emotional landscape of the characters in such a way that it immediately resonates within the reader.  And that’s where I sometimes feel stuck.  

Writers certainly know what I’m talking about.  Sometimes the words just flow effortlessly from one’s brain to the keyboard; and in fact there are occasions when the writer can barely keep up with that inner voice as it sprints headlong in its haste to communicate.  Those times are rare, however, at least they are for me.

Most of the time I — and I suspect that this is true for the majority of writers everywhere — have to labor over every word in my quest to find the ideal term that will describe what’s in my head and my imagination.  So I write, then rewrite, and rewrite some more, and change things around, then disliking what that has wrought, start all over again.

Sometimes when I get to that point, I find that there’s a gentle rain falling just outside my window, and I can hear thunder rumbling in the distance.  The cool air smells fresh and sweet, and there’s that subtle sense that autumn is definitely on its way.  It’s a good day to write.