To Create or Not to Create...

...That is the question. If you were take a pole of people who want to write a book, a good majority would say they have a book in them they'd like to write someday.

But most of the time those books never make it past the idea or restaurant napkin stage. Why is that?

Well, simply because writing takes time, effort, research, and more time. And who has time to sit backside in chair to punch out 90,000 plus words. (Stephen King, James Patterson, John Grisham excluded) Not many of us can devote the time energy blood and sweat a novel requires, because (let's be serious here) unless you are King, Patterson, or Grisham you're probably not going to be paid very well. It's one of those sacrifices for your art.

So what will force you to sit down day after day, pouring over minutia to make an attempt to join the ranks of literary greats? (you decide who makes the list-King or Grisham may not make it)

One of the blogs I read Between the Lines, had a focus on motivation this week. Which got me thinking on why I can't 'shake this habit' of writing. The blogger Rachel Zurakowski gave a list of motivations ranging from revenge, proving worth, to entertain, or strengthen or challenge a readers world view.

I find myself often on a sliding scale if my motivations are selfish, leaning toward revenge or trying to impress someone my writing is stale. Which makes it even harder to get my backside in the chair and my fingers at the keys. But if my motivations lean toward challenging, encouraging and helping the reader I am almost disappointed to have to pull myself away from the PC and face life. Much to my husbands chagrin.

So I encourage you to test your motivations from time to time; check yourself against your own sliding scale and get your eyes off this blog and onto the excitement of the blank page.

Happy Writing!

A Bloggers Purpose

Okay, so last night I was at my critique group (Diann Mills-rocks!) for the first time in (I hate to admit it) nine months or so. I was going through my spiel on someones piece and once I was done one of the ladies asked, "do you teach".

Scary idea, me teaching. There is a reason this blog is called the Absent Minded Writer. Besides the fact that I burnt hard boiled eggs yesterday, but that's another story.

But as I got to thinking about it, I was reminded how I love critiquing or just talking about the craft of writing. I love talking about it, learning about it, and from time to time writing about it.

So here she(or he) is...a blog to talk about writing.

Sure there are a lot of them out there, but hopefully here you can be encouraged, challenged, and understood. Because writing often doesn't pay well, and life requires things big and small from us. So in those momentary pit stops in life where you get to write, and can't, come join me in the craziness of a writer's passion