From TING AND I: A MEMOIR
Thinking about writing about Tina and me, I couldn’t imagine where I would find the time. Having started, I find it fairly easily.
Much time spent reading can be switched to time spent writing. Skim email, skim the newspaper articles, be selective going through magazines and websites. Cut back on reading fiction, watching sports, movies. No crossword puzzles.
Anything worth doing at all is probably worth doing less intensively, except book writing. Too long between sessions and there is too much forgotten, misplaced. Jam it together. One idea suggests another. Keep momentum up. This from a one-book expert.
I started with pieces and a vague outline. Some pieces fit. Some of the outline took a different shape. More pieces were written; more were fit in. Not the best way? At least it got the frightening project underway. “The best is the enemy of the good.” Don’t stop.
Now I understand why so many authors’ acknowledgments at the beginnings of their books praise the forbearance of their family and friends during the time they were immersed in writing. Even our dog, Brandy, has gotten short-changed. We’ll take longer walks together when the writing slows and the weather improves.
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