Jill, seeing your comment caused me to reread these words of Virginia Woolf. So interesting because as I finished writing today, I thought to myself, I hope I can make some sense of this tomorrow when I reread it. And I agree–what a shame she had any doubts. Thanks for leaving a comment.

Thanks, Cristina. Nice to see you here : )

Sarah, I loved that shot of the sea too. I had no idea what I had either because I didn’t have my glasses. I was just clicking.

I hardly ever talk about my writing so I may take a week and try to make a few notes as I go–see what comes out of it.

Hi Christi-I’ve always wanted to write morning pages, but I’ve never had the patience for it.

About the quotes, I keep trying to figure out why these were the ones I kept going back to on Monday. Maybe it’s because lately I’m trying to write with a lighter touch, with less intention, and trying to figure out how to reach that thing I want to write about and how to know when I’ve gotten there.

Also a good point, Jeffrey. Writing about how the writing is going often leads to, or catapults us to, or if necessary “tricks” us into, the “real” writing.

Ohhh, Peggy, you make a great point about the difference between the two types of writing: writing in a journal helps us process and keep track of the minute to minute whereas writing fiction is a much more delayed processing. What did this mean at the time and what does it mean now? Basically, it’s two ways of getting at what’s inside–each one the richer for the other.

I wasn’t aware of that one and will look for it. Thanks!

Dory, nice to hear from you. Yes, it’s true–every 6 minutes. It’s because of the VCFA packets that I’ve recently started keeping notes on the writing, and as I responded to Jennifer above, I think it is adding a level of awareness. I also love Steinbeck’s Journal of a Novel.

Have you looked at his Working Days–the journal he kept while he was writing The Grapes of Wrath? A quote of his I love from that journal is, “The weeks swing by but they don’t seem to get me much nearer to completion. They do, of course, only they don’t seem to.”