Writing as therapy. Readers will understand.

I spent a month not writing.

And it bugged me.

I did it because I thought I needed to recharge a little.  I had other things I wanted to do, exercise and losing weight, which are like having a second job.

But I got more and more antsy as time stretched on.  I started to doubt myself.  The fun started to fade.

As soon as I started writing a couple of days ago, I felt a calm come over me.  It felt comfortable and right.  I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.

As I've mentioned, when I'm actually writing, I don't care whether the book is ever going to be published or successful.  I just care that the book feels good to me. 

People have asked if the writing is enough.

For reasons that are somewhat unexpected, I'd have to say yes.  The process itself to me is very satisfying.  Telling a story is very fulfilling.  I love the challenge and the technical details.  I just like having that subconscious flow going.

Readers will understand how I feel.

I think if you are inveterate reader you feel antsy if you're not in the middle of a book.  For me, it has always been like a 'second life' if you will; just under the surface of my everyday life, I've got this other narrative going.

Writing is like that for me, only more so.  Without it, everything seems a little more shallow, has a little less meaning.  It somehow adds depth, some inner meaning to the day's events. 

It may be an illusion.  But it feels so good that I think that I could do without most anything else as long as I have a book to read.

Or a book to write.