Life’s been busy lately, and the only writing I’ve really had a chance to do is these posts and the blog I write monthly for get born.  That gets me down.  (And if it wasn’t for our summer hiatus, it would get my writing group down too, as we rely on one another to submit our chapters and stories.)  So, I’m happy when I come across someone or something that makes me feel better about myself as a writer.  This quote by Laurence G. Boldt, author of ZEN and the Art of Making a Living helps me see the big picture.

“How does one stay motivated working at building something he will never see finished?  Zen responds:  by concentrating on the process – working for the sake of the work, losing yourself in the now moment of the action.  Work without attachment.”

I know I’ll never catch up with everything I need to do, with everything I’d like to write; when I die, my checklist will be next to me – with items still undone.  But, as I’ve said before, I like to write, to play with words.  And this blog gives me that opportunity even if it isn’t a short story.  I still feel I’ve accomplished something when I click on the WordPress “publish” button.  As J.A. Jance said:

“A writer is someone who has written today.”

It’s as simple as that, and that makes today a good day.  Not only will I have written this, but I have plenty of time to sit outside in the summer sunshine and scribble in my journal.  Plus – the other people who live in this house with me are gone!  That gives me privacy, peace, and quiet.  I might even have a little time to work on some fiction too.

What about you?  Have you been getting down on yourself because you aren’t writing?  It doesn’t take a lot of time.  You can get a journal entry done in less than 15 minutes.  Tell us how you’re a writer today.    

PS – You can substitute in words like painting, composing, rug hooking, sculpting for “writing” in this post.  The important thing is to DO something, to CREATE.

Author: Laura

Laura Salamy is a published author. Her essays and short stories have appeared in print and online. As the owner of The Polished Paragraph, she edits and proofreads other writers of all kinds. She is currently an assistant editor for the lit journal Fifth Wednesday, and she blogs on the fourth of every month for get born magazine. In her past life, Laura spent many years in the environmental, health and safety industry. She also worked for a non-profit completing grant applications and doing other "stuff." In her spare time, Laura creates colorful and less-than-traditional hooked rugs and mats. Many are "up-cycled" from old clothes, funky fabrics, and notions. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, a teenager (oh no!), and two silly dogs.