Lightening the load...

Even those who know me well would lift a doubtful eyebrow and tilt their heads to hear me say that I have a fanatical distaste of clutter for the fact that of my vast and ever growing collections. True, I do have an extraordinary collection of Depression Glass, Vintage Halloween, Antique Typewriters, Inkwells, Pens, Vintage clothing and accessories, hats....you get the idea, I like stuff. Nevertheless, I am insistent that my goodies live a tidy organized life which means there is an almost constant sorting taking place within these walls. As much as I gravitate towards the image of a wonderfully cluttered environs generally designated for productive and prolific writers (teetering stacks of books, carpets littered with the fallen leaves of carelessly dropped papers, half-empty coffee cups...) there's no way I could ever actually claim such a disheveled workspace for myself. I am after all a a woman of symmetrical organization. Hence the past week has been a whirlwind of activity that Martha Steward would greatly admire. Activity that unfortunately leaves me feeling as frustrated as it does accomplished, for the single reasoning that for every completed task or fulfilled errand there is the constant knocking in my head reminding me, "Aren't you supposed to be writing something? Or at the very least, researching, editing, CREATING SOMETHING????

Hum...well, okay, credit where credit is due. I have in fact taken some time to juggle words here and there. Which is to say that I did manage to rewrite (twice!) the 150 word synopsis I need to compose for one of my novels today. 150 words certain to intrigue, tempt, and inspire the reader of said masterpiece to actually PURCHASE the 376 page novel it describes. That's 376 pages condensed into 150 impossible to locate words. Well, writers do that all the time, you say. Yes, but the question is how? You can bet I've read the books, articles, and testimonials of writer's who have perfected the process and lived to write another day, but it remains for me a hellish task -- hand in hand with the dreaded query. And oh so deceitful! I have taken to rewriting the beast on a daily basis now, each interlude at the keyboard concluding with a satisfied click of the SAVE button, only to find myself disgusted and horrified the following day when I peek-in for a final read which is anything but final. All of which means there will then be another two hours of arranging, inventing, and composing that which will only be hideous and lacking the following day. Thankfully I've been there and know what to expect. That after days of misery there will come a morning, afternoon, or late evening when all at once the words are right and the deed is done.