Things That Make Me Go 'Hmm' ...

Elida, a long-time friend from my days at the Tribune (who has since wisely move on, as well), produces television these days, and as such, I get some e-mails with some crazy timestamps on them. This came through at 4:53 a.m. (and she was writing from the east coast).

"You're doing a lot of writing in your blog about things (writing) you did a long time ago. The Algren entry made me think of that. Go back and look and you'll see I'm right.

What are you writing TODAY (except for the blog)?

Are you writing TODAY (except for the blog)?"

What good questions.

And the truthful answer is: not much. On both counts.

I try to post to the blog everyday, but outside of that, I'm not committed to a writing project the way I should be. I write the occasional story for a client. I jot down a scene or two for the screenplay when an idea moves me. But unlike L.A. Dave, who regularly returns to a book idea he's been working on for a couple years, I don't have anything larger in the works.

After reading Elida's note, I started to wonder why. I'm a writer, and writers write. So what's my deal?

It's kind of a chicken-and-egg thing. I work best where I have a deadline, but I won't have a deadline unless I sell something, but I haven't sold anything because I haven't been writing.

Sure, I can have self-imposed deadlines, but I'm not that disciplined. At least, I haven't been yet.

Or maybe it's just that I haven't really struck on the right idea. I know that I'd love to write a book. Non-fiction. About some aspect of my life. That's as far as I've gotten.

I don't think I have a novelist in me. I've tried writing fiction. And my writing friends say kind things, but it just doesn't feel right.

I don't want to be a reporter, covering events. I've written things for newspapers. Those never felt right, either.

Still, the answers are found in action. So I write here. I feel accountable to the people who stop by every day, that I should have something new for them to read. So I write. And it's not in vain. Maybe I'll see a theme in this blog someday that I hadn't considered before. Maybe someone's comment will make me think of something in a new way.

In the meantime, yes, I know: Just do it.