Honesty is the Best Policy

I think the last time I really concentrated on my book was sometime back in August.  I’ve dibble-dabbled since then – but nothing serious.  I’ve maintained my Twitter and my blog under the pretense that all was going well with my writing.  It wasn’t.

I’ve pondered why I all but abandoned what seems (at least to me) to be a great story.  At first I blamed procrastination and laziness.  Then I blamed writer’s block – or whatever you want to call it.  Them I felt overwhelmed by the whole mess.  Now, I think I realize it was because I was still not writing for myself.  I was criticizing and critiquing as if it were ready to go to a publisher instead of enjoying the writing process itself. 

When I first started, I got pure pleasure from seeing the story unfold in my mind’s eye.  Then, I think I started to get bogged down in the details and the questions.

“Is it good enough?”

“Am I good enough?”

“Is this word better than that word?” 

“Will anyone want to read this?”

“Will this get published?”

I think it is time to go back to square one.  To finish the story.  To get Christine out of those woods in one piece.  I owe it to her.  I owe it to myself. 

Right?