The Agony and the Ecstasy

Few things can be more frustrating that trying to write a story or article that refuses to take form. Or worse, being desperate to write and not knowing what to write or where to begin. Writer's block is probably the disease writers dread most.

But, when it flows, and the ideas are there, and the characters take life, the story develops a life of its own - there is nothing like it. It's better than almost anything else I can think of. To quote the late Terry Pratchett, who said 'he lives in constant dread that someone will find out how enjoyable he finds writing, and stop him doing it.'

This week has been one of those wonderful weeks of writing for me:

- I've sold an article to a paying market (the best kind!)

- I finished a short story that I started months ago, but couldn't figure out what to do with it, or how it would end. It has been irritating me like a pebble in my shoe, refusing to take shape. (Sometimes it's like that - stories for me start with anything - a concept, a storyline, a great character. Sometimes I have the first line, sometimes the last one. Then I mull over that tiny seed, water it, nourish it, and finally it grows into a something I can use. Some seeds grow much slower than others)

- I've written another 3000 words of my novel, and I know what happens in the next few chapters

- I've edited work that was rejected, and sent it out to new editors (what one editor doesn't want another one might like.

- I've sent in a story I rather like for a writing competition

- I've had some constructive feedback from the editors at Cut A Long Story short https://www.cutalongstory.com/ which I can use to fix the stories, and hopefully sell them.

I still need a 'day job' as I don't earn enough from writing to write full time, but I have found paying online work, and that is going to help towards the goal of writing full time.

For me, this has been a wonderful week of writing, and I feel quite high with exuberance!

Sadly, I have a day's contract work today, so the writing has to go on hold until Saturday or Tuesday when I'm free again. It's going to be tough to wait that long!