Write On: The Fun Part

So I knew what kind of story I wanted to write about and I knew the setting and the tone. I’d done the research, thought long and hard about my characters, and mapped out the story beats. All that was left to do was sit down and write.

Read enough about writing, and you’ll inevitably stumble upon this:

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at the typewriter and bleed.” – Ernest Hemingway

FUN FACT: Hemingway was often referred to as "Chuckles."

FUN FACT: I made up that last fun fact. Hemingway did have a variety of nicknames -- Hem, Ernie, Champ and most famously Papa -- but not Chuckles. No one ever called him "Chuckles." Ever.

Respectfully, I think Mr. Hemingway was doing it wrong.

In my mind, this was the easy part. I love writing, sure, but I did all the heavy lifting in advance. I wasn’t making things up as I went along or figuring things out as I wrote. I knew who my characters are and where I was going from scene to scene. All I had to do was sit and do it.

Okay, so the “sit and do it” part was a bit tricky. Between the kids and that pesky day job and all the usual life stuff, the writing happened in fits and starts. Typically, I’d carve out an hour or two at night when I could (or when the day hadn’t taken the stuffing out of me), and once in a blue moon I’d find a three or even four hour block on a weekend. 

But during those times when I could sit down and write? It was glorious. I’d just write and write and smile and write, and when I was done I’d always feel so content and wonder why I can’t do this all the time. Then I’d remember I have bills to pay, a house to clean, etc., etc., etc.

All told, it took me just under a year to finish the first draft. Which meant that the fun part was over, and now it was time to work.