Take a Moment...

Sometimes we have to reevaluate why we write. We can get completely caught up in craft discussions, marketing strategies, contests, and promotion. But there comes a time where we must distance ourselves from all those things and think about the writing.

When is the last time you asked yourself, "Why do I write?"

Are you missing that spark? Has your writing become a daily job - but a job that you really don't enjoy all that much? Have you lost that childish enthusiasm for your manuscript?

I think I have. I've been so focused on the "big picture" - i.e. getting published, branding myself, trying to prepare for my career - that I have lost sight of the simple pleasure of stringing words together.

There is a time and a place for all of the things I mentioned above. In fact, all those subjects are imperative to being a writer. We must think about marketing and publicity and craft.

But if you need to slow down for a minute and reimmerse yourself in the whole reason why you write, then grab a copy of Brenda Ueland's If You Want to Write. I've already read this once and I loaned it to someone who unfortunately, did not return it. Today, I bought another copy because I had the urge to read it again. Some part of my soul is begging to go back to that quiet place where I think about the wonders of writing and of why I love it so much.

If You Want to Write will help you to slow down and take a moment to remember why I first put pen to paper. Because in the end, it's all about the words.