Sometimes even the most dedicated writers need to abandon their desks, and take some time to dream.
I’ll admit that when the holiday spirit comes over me – somewhere around now – I find it hard to stick to my writing schedule. Of course I have commitments that I must honour, but now, in the middle of December, I’d rather be doing anything but work. I’m sure we all feel that way as the holidays approach.
One thing that helps to keep me in a writing frame of mind is making a list of practical and fanciful things I’d like to learn more about in the New Year (and that I might decide to write about, as well). Reading the newspaper or one of many magazines teetering in a corner of my living room gives me inspiration and lets me dream. So do conversations with friends, and fellow writers.
Last week I had one such conversation with a woman who has decided to mothball her computer (on Sundays only) and dig out her old Smith Corona.
“I love the sound of the keys hitting the paper,” she said, somewhat sheepishly, then took a small step backwards when I exclaimed, “I do, too. I have a little portable that I play around with from time to time.”
We both laughed. As technologically savvy as we both pretend to be, it’s the sound of typewriter keys hitting a piece of white paper that makes us swoon. Hum … writers who still use typewriters, if only for fun … there might be an article in that.
