Two weeks ago, I wrote about my life lacking balance. All too often, writing is causing short shrift in other areas. The last couple of weeks, though, I’ve been under the gun at work. Ever obsessive, I’ve made great progress on what was pressing me, but in the process, I broke a daily writing streak that had lasted for eight months. I started a new streak yesterday. The bigger question, though, is what I will write for the next seven weeks. I have worked on all of the novels on my shelf recently enough that it is time to let them sit. I found as I tried to work through one last week that everything was too familiar. In editing, distance, at least a little, is essential. I do not want to start on a new novel until November. Besides, no ideas have me brimming with confidence. The obvious alternative in the meantime would be short stories. Unfortunately, I’m short of ideas there too.

I know the best way to deal with a block in writing is to simply write. As the words begin to flow out, the inspiration will finally come. Still, I’ve found that hard to do as my job pulls my thoughts away so constantly that writing becomes painful and frustrating. Nevertheless, I must write. After all, writers write, and if you don’t write, you’re not a writer. That realization inspires me to write each day, even the days that I am uninspired. So today I started a new short story. I do not have faith that the idea is good enough to make a great tale, but the writing will tell. And if this story is a weak one, at least it will give me more practice. And I do need the practice.