Playing hooky by writing.

So I've embarked on a new book. I loved a title I came up with and I decided I needed to write a book to match it. I'm about 10,000 words in and the plot thickens and I'm really enjoying it.

Really, I shouldn't be doing it, because I have a TON of rewriting to do. I've got to go over The Darkness You Fear in the next couple weeks if I want to have it published anytime soon. I've got to do a rewrite of Deep Sea Rising.

But that's work.

Writing a first draft is play. I swear, if I'm not going to get anywhere in this business, I should just write story after story and throw them up and be damned.

But I've gotten far enough in this business to back away, give it a second thought, and then -- with a heavy sigh -- put the rewriting work in. There is no doubt the rewriting improves the books.

I'm thinking maybe I can still write a short chapter earlier in the day, and then spend the afternoon and evening on the rewrites.

There's no pressure. This book is completely meant to be fun, a lark. I'm writing 1000 to 1500 word chapters, unlike my usual 1500 to 3000 word chapters. Just taking one at a time.

I've found a new walking path in the Badlands. It's a little more out of the way and there never seems to be anyone there, which is what I like. The route is exactly 5 miles, and if I set myself the goal to write a chapter, I've so far always written the chapter. The drive, the turnoff into the Badlands, the walking -- all are strong triggers to get writing.

You're not supposed to wait for inspiration, but I generally do nowadays. If I don't have inspiration, I have to luxury of waiting until I do.

So this is pure fun. But it's a little bit like playing hooky. A form of procrastination. I tell myself that I should strike while the iron is hot. That maybe I'll find myself blocked, without inspiration someday.

Thing is, I'm showing no sign of that. Within a day of finishing one book, I'm always impelled to write the next book. They are starting to pile up.

But...well, I want to have fun with this above all, so I'm going to play hooky every chance I get.