And oh how I wish I could get my dearly beloved college students to at least give this idea/method a try, instead of believing first (also final) drafts written at 4am and due at 8am are works of genius! 😆

Please note that I make no claim to being a great writer. Or a profound thinker. But this is a heart-truth to me—if you love writing and want to pursue it, whether for purity of purpose (or plenty of profits), you have to practice.

Maybe nobody ever sees those words. So what? Does the world watch the Olympic skater every time she gets on the ice at 5am? Of course not. But if she only laced up her skates an hour before the competition, who would want to watch her?

Note I’m not saying ‘write 1000 words per day’ or work on your next project. I’m just saying write SOMETHING with sentences and structure. Emails, diary posts, Facebook replies—just something. Flex your brain. Throw words on a page and make them dance for you.

When I was in 5th grade a teacher begged us to always read. ‘Even if it’s just the back of the cereal box,’ she said, ‘be sure to read every day and you’ll become a faster reader and you’ll develop your mind.’ I feel exactly the same about writing.

Oh I know that feeling!

Also—I love the research phase of writing. Always fun!

Trying to deduce possible plot from books—servant to queen tries to assassinate/poison her in an unusual but ‘household’ way, directed by secret society with religious/political motives. Someone wrongly imprisoned in bedlam. I’m prob way off!😁