Inspiration | Cathy C. Hall Writes

You know how you have those days when everything seems to go just right, and you’re skipping to Lou or Mary or Jim, smiling and whistling away?

This is not about one of those days. This is about the no good, horrible, very bad writing day. And if I’m being perfectly honest, there’s been more than one. In a row. A whole string of stinkin’-up-the-joint writing days.

Rejections? I’ve had a few. Flagged articles? One or two. A column that completely got left out of the magazine? Been there, done that. I could go on about the NGVBHWD, but I think you get the picture. It’s not pretty.

But I woke up this morning feeling kinda “Tara-ish” and decided to put on my Scarlett britches. You know the ones…the “I can’t worry about that today. I’ll worry about that tomorrow. Tomorrow’s another day,” britches. And you know what? Little by little my day changed.

My flagged articles were unflagged. I signed up my services for a virtual writing conference (more on that later). And an old friend sent me the most wonderful, made-me-smile, writing comment on Facebook. Just like that, I felt a little zing come back to my writing.

Which is kinda the point here today. You’re not always going to feel like writing. But sometimes, if you put on your Scarlett britches, you can push through the no good, very bad, horrible writing days.

I’ll send those rejected stories somewhere else tomorrow. Tomorrow’s another day.

You know how on Thanksgiving you skip breakfast so you can really stuff yourself when dinner comes around? It’s all about leaving room for the delicious turkey, gravy, dressing, crescent rolls and pecan pie. You don’t want to fill up on cereal or scrambled eggs on Thanksgiving. You’re holding out for the really good eats.

So, I’m skipping WNTDW today so you’ll be ready to stuff yourself when George Singleton comes around next week to guest post on WNTDW. I’m leaving room for all of his writing wit and wisdom. No filling up on one of my more idiotic writing gaffes, grasshopper. You’ll want to come back for the really good lessons from a master (in writing, not writing gaffes).

Then you can gobble up his delicious What Not To Do’s. And I’ll be hanging out in the kitchen, waiting for the thank yous.