The important thing is to keep writing...

I've decided the most important thing is to keep the creative flow going.  And trust that the rest of it will take care of itself.

I have to trust that the creative-wellspring will just keep refilling.

Obviously, once I get going I get pretty prolific.  What I didn't see a year and half ago when I started this process was that it would be a long slow descent into a writer-frame-of-mind.  The writing is an offshoot of the intent.

I once had a college professor tell me, I had a "facile ability with words."  He didn't mean it as a compliment -- I took it to mean, I could easily do B level work, but that I should be striving for A level work.

But I find writing is just writing -- and how it comes out and what comes out and how good it is -- is almost beside the point. 

Re-writing, on the other hand, is where I need to be hard-working and patient and strive to get better.  The mindful attention to the skill, and how to get better.

The creative flow is soothing, spiritual and fulfilling.  And fun.

Re-writing is a horrible bitch.

So, for instance, Freedy Filkins is filling the creative flow need in-between more serious work on the novels.  I'm holding back one last quick rewrite to Nearly Human in case any agent or publisher ever asks to see it.  I'm going to get serious about a rewrite of The Reluctant Wizard right after the holidays.

Freedy is an attempt to do what I always wondered if I could do -- write a book like I write my blog, a little bit each day, first drafty-ish, some corrections but mostly move on to the next day.  Let some colloquialisms slip in, some made-up words and purposely artful awkward phrasing, and just have fun with words...

I couldn't hardly write a thing the last two days because I was working.  (couldn't hardly?  see what I mean?  relaxed writing)  I'd mostly already finished one entry, and it took me two days to write the other entry. Time off is crucial, not because I take so much time writing but because I take so much time maintaining the creative-wellspring by cogitating and pondering and just kind of sitting in the flow and trying to catch whatever flows by.

I figure there might be some nuggets among all the dross.

I know intellectually that getting an agent will be very hard, and getting published even harder.  I'm trying to prepare myself for the inevitable rejections.  Meanwhile, prepare the way for going digital.  Linda and I both have websites registered, and I continue to try to ponder the proper routes, which will undoubtedly include Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  (Meet the devil.)

So the important thing is to just keep writing.