I know we all had too much grilled food over the long weekend, and too much family, and too much fun, right? Right. So let's get back on track. Here is an interesting tidbit you may not know about writing.

It's fun.

Yes, you did hear me say that. I mean seems like lately all I have done or have seen done on blogs is the critical side of writing. The work that goes into it, the tedium of getting everything JUST so-so. The edits, the revisions, the submissions, the rejections... and so on ad nauseum.

So why do we subject ourselves to that? Because, it is FUN. It is! I swear I can never tell you what it feels like to be able to just let words pour out of my fingers and create a scene that just startles even my own senses. And how great it feels to know that I got it right the very first time. And how wonderful it is to go long stretches of writing, until as the Zen masters say, I am totally empty.

It is fabulous fun, and fulflling work. Only another really devoted writer will understand this, but, writing sometimes releases those endorphins that doctors talk about. It has to, because we feel so animated when we write good, substantial prose. There is no other explanation for it.

So -- what's holding you back? Don't you want to feel good? Get that computer word doc open, or that notebook if you are a pen and paper sort. Write until you feel like you have exhausted the urge. You will be amazed at what you turn out. Oh yeah, and do this just for you. Don't worry about anyone reading it. Just some free-style writing for your own enjoyment.

Do you need a prompt? Okay, here ya go:

You have just gone out into your back yard. You pull up a chair and listen to the wildness around you. What do you hear?

__________________________
Kim Smith
author of Avenging Angel, a Shannon Wallace Mystery
Beach Bummed now available at mouthfullofbullets.com
The Blue Goose now available at mystericale.com