Little Voice: Write.
Writer: But I don't wanna!
Little Voice: Write.
Writer: But it will be bad. Bad, I say. Mind-numblingly bad.
Little Voice: So what? Write.
Writer: (whining) But it's hard.
Little Voice: When did you think it was easy?
Writer: That's not the point. Don't try to trick me.
Little Voice: I'm not trying to trick you. I'm the Little Voice. I'm always right.
Writer: No, you're not.
Little Voice: Yes, I am. It just might take you a really long time to understand my wisdom.
Writer: Oh good grief.
Little Voice: And I have a weird sense of humour.
Writer: Oh, I know that. You're the one who gave me the idea of someone drowning in chocolate.
Little Voice: That was one of my good ones. Funny and yet ironic at the same time.
Writer: But still, writing is hard. And I've got a kitchen floor that needs to be washed.
Little Voice: Oh good grief.
Writer: What?
Little Voice: You've got to get this through your head. I'm losing my patience. Write. If it's bad, it's bad. Who'll see it? You. You can change it. You decide when someone else reads it. It's all up to you.
Writer: That's true...
Little Voice: But first you've got to put those words on the page. Who knows? Maybe it won't be bad. Maybe it will be good. Or maybe it will be good in disguise.
Writer: What on earth does that mean?
Little Voice: When it looks like it's bad but then you discover the idea is good. The kernel of goodness is there, it's just hidden by the bad.
Writer: That's tricky.
Little Voice: You have no idea.
Writer: Ah. More irony.
Little Voice: Are you writing yet?
Writer: I'm just finishing this blog post.
Little Voice: It's done. Write.
Elspeth - Ah, I see you hear the same little voice that I do. Pesky, control-freak voice! Seriously, though, I think that writing is as much perseverance and discipline as it is anything else. That's not the fun part of it, of course, but it's true...
ReplyDeleteLOL. I needed to read this today. Signing off to write.
ReplyDeleteSounds like dialogue from a Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child. I hear and obey.
ReplyDeleteStephen Tremp
Hehe. Excellent. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLittle voice is quite wise. We should probably just listen from the get-go, but, alas, we're only human!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. :)
Since you're hearing the same voice I am I've decided to give you custody. I' off to write in peace.
ReplyDeleteGiggles and Guns
Margot; No one ever tells you how much self-discipline it takes to write. It seems to be the biggest secret of them all.
ReplyDeleteMaryann; Excellent! I wish you a productive time.
Stephen; Well done. Go forth and write.
Rosie; You're welcome.
JM; Little voice is very wise. Curse it.
Mary; I don't want custody! But I wish you all the best in your writing today - and tomorrow!
ShutUpAndWrite? hee hee
ReplyDeleteI'll be heeding the little voice today. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's what I'm working on today -- a good manuscript in disguise. Just needs a little fixing here and a little tweaking there, and a complete rewrite of the first three chapters. :)
ReplyDeleteAh, the little voice. Somehow I missed this on Thursday. My oops.
ReplyDelete