Open that door!

Open door on Writing Life - Today! Now!

So here’s the thing about my writing life. It’s uneven.

Yes, all the experts say writing takes commitment. That you just have to show up. That you need to apply yourself to it every day. That you shouldn’t wait for a muse to get it going. That it’s work. That it’s not just something you do in your spare time.

Yup. All true.

But my writing life is uneven. It’s rough. It’s something that ebbs and flows, and I ebb and flow with it. My creativity sometimes goes away.

Can that really happen? Yes, it can. It has happened to me more often than I would like to admit. It’s as if all the air in a balloon seeps out, and I’m left holding this weary, deflated piece of plastic on a string. Nothing there.

Why does this happen? Life. The many distractions and obligations of Life, and the people I share it with. I guess you could say that I compartmentalize. I sometimes feel the need to put my writing life in a room, where it will be safe, resting, and patient.

And I close the door. I’m actually quite good at it.

So Life goes on, but my Writing Life goes into a deep sleep, behind the door.

To be fair to myself, it’s not like I’m not writing – I’m writing a lot. In fact, that’s my job. I write stories about curling clubs, and curling people. I write news reports from the media bench at national and international events, and I produce media releases and marketing materials and corporate documents for my employer. Lots of variety. Lots of writing.

And while the deadlines loom and the obligations of my job pile up, my creative writinglLife goes to sleep behind that door. I miss it, oh yes I do. But I don’t have the time or energy to open the door and let it out.

Besides, it’s a bit like having secret treat stashed away, just waiting for the perfect moment to indulge myself.

But now it’s April, and there have been stirrings behind the door, recently. Little bumps in the night: whispers, characters, scenes. Quite exciting, actually! It’s like looking forward to going on a trip and enjoying the anticipation of dreaming up the itinerary. The places I’ll go! The people I’ll meet!

Now, today, I have my hand on the doorknob and the hinges are creaking. Yup. The door on my writing life is swinging open...