SPACE FOR WRITING

SPACE FOR WRITING

The house is dark. 

Outside the window, frogs are singing.  First one comes out with a solo, and then others pick up and turn into a chorus.   Inside, everyone is sleeping.  Maybe some are dreaming.  No phone rings.  I hear no footsteps in the hallway.

I´m finally alone with my thoughts, and in the almost total silence, it seems that the perfect hour for writing has arrived.

I´m tired though.  It might have been easier to write during the day… though impossible with all my procrastination.  That cup of coffee I felt was essential if I was to concentrate, replying to my sister´s urgent email, and the one time I just had to take a turn in the garden if I was to be inspired.

I recall I have no door. As Virginia Woolf said, without a door between you and the world, there can be no inspiration.  With no wood or other tangible barrier there is no way to protect yourself from people who need to “ask you just one question”.    They just don´t know that a one second interruption can destroy whole worlds.

Of all doors though, the inner door is the most important.

I´m talking about the barrier you need to set up between your creative soul and the critical being who lives within you. The creature who tries to sweep away twisted plots because they´re too time consuming, or strong characters because they tend to run away with your story, or crazy new ideas because they really scare people off.