I meet and work with a lot of aspiring writers, and I have heard every imaginable excuse as to why they want to write, but can’t—everything from where they live (like only people in London, New York, or Istanbul can pick up a pen or sit down at a computer?), to having too many demands at home or at work, to not having enough other things to do to “feed” their muse. Sometimes I find myself making up reasons for why I couldn’t, why I didn’t, why I shouldn’t write today….
I have also met countless writers who achieve mind-boggling word counts in spite of brutal schedules and complex life situations. I aspire to be like them (in terms of output, not suffering!). I want to write 30+ novels. I want to craft essays, articles, and short stories too numerous to mention…. I want to reach out into the void with my words and have even just one person respond with, that’s how I feel.
I love Barbara Kingsolver’s line, “There is no perfect time to write…. There is only now.” The three forces—writers’ excuses, writers’ examples, and BK’s wisdom—forge my own writing motto: Write here. Write now.
May this blog be an encouragement and a motivation to those of us who write, not soon, not later, not when we’re moved to, not when it’s easier to do so, but now.
Author Ev Bishop: page-turning stories about family, friends, and finding your true home. 
Very happy to have you in the blogging community, Ev!
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Yay!
I just checked your website to see if the links went anywhere yet and to tell you I’ve finished the book. I liked it a great deal. Many of the stories and characters stuck with me. I’ll be loaning it to Ilanna soon and will let you know what she thinks. Congratulations again Ev, and thank you for going in to autograph it for me. I didn’t know you had a blog and am thrilled to find this and add yours to my blog reading compulsion.
You hit the nail on the head with this entry. I run into the same thing with artists. I’d probably be still saying why I couldn’t paint if the grannies hadn’t pushed me down the stairs to show me that it was all poppycock. Sometimes I still start cooking poppycock but, thankfully, I can recognise it for what it is and generally put the spoon down fairly quickly.
Lately I have been looking out the windows, thinking “My world is gray and green….”
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Dear Noreen,
Thanks so much for your enthusiasm about my blog, and your kind words about Cleavage and “My Mom is a Freak.” I’m so glad you liked the stories!
And all I can say re: your painting and the very idea something might have kept you from it is ARRRRRGH and phew! Thank goodness the grannies pushed you down the stairs.
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