Making the Write Moves



Sunset view from my office window

I told you last week that I was ready to get to work making my dream a reality.  Well, I've been making some moves toward one part of my dream:  writing.

One of my firm requirements for my dream house was an office for my business and for writing.  It's right off the kitchen, and has a lovely sunset view.  When I install a ceiling fan and a comfortable chair, it will have everything I need:  piano, music player, wifi, printer, bookshelves, filing cabinets.  You'd think I'd be writing, writing, writing in this little retreat wouldn't you?



Indian Corn

 My first summer at the farm was spent working in the yard, and getting used to the farm.  My second summer at the farm, my aunt passed away and I spent the summer helping with the business side of her estate.  My third summer on the farm, we dealt with the physical side of my aunt's estate:  cleaning out the house, maintaining the yard.  Many of her books and knickknacks ended up at my house, dumped in my office.  You'll notice that I'm not mentioning writing.  That's because very little writing was going on.  The things were getting in the way.  And I'm ready to remove, or reorganize, the things that are getting in the way.

This week, I've been working in the office.  Many of the things are finding a new, permanent place in my cabinets and storage closets.  Some, I can finally bear to send to a new home.  The good news is that I can see small areas of the top of the planter's desk which came from from my aunt's estate.

There are still boxes of books to go through, and furniture to arrange, but I can see the end in sight by the end of weekend.

More important than the reorganization of the physical space is the mental reorganization that's been going on.

I've been writing.  Actually writing.  It's not great.  But it's writing.  I've also discovered a few Interent writing memes that I plan to try.  The first is "5 minute Friday" by thegypsymama.  Today's prompt was "grit," and, five minutes of furious scribbling (typing, actually) later, I had a rough piece for my journal.

As important as actually writing, for me, is reading about the craft.  On a whim, I recently subscribed to Writer's Digest.  My first issue arrive this week and I have been devouring it.  Seemingly every article applies to my particular writing predicament.

So, I've pulled out my pile of sticky notes (yes, I'm addicted to them!)and, Writer's Digest by my side, have been making notes, recording ideas, making notes, and thinking, thinking, thinking.  It's exhilirating.  When I have the time.

So, it's an issue of time. 

Again. 

It's about choosing how to use my time.  This time of year, it's really difficult to choose to choose to be inside and write when there are seeds to be planted, planting beds to be cleaned up, and general yardwork to do. 

My grandfather had an expression for it:  burning daylight.  Daylight was a precious commodity for that ex-farmer.  He was not easily ruffled, at least in my presence, but one thing that would really aggravate him would be to do inside chores during daylight hours.

But I'm going to, at least a little.  I'm going to write.  I don't think Granddaddy would mind.