Every summer for the past seven years, I’ve lived in a tiny town near the Catskills of New York State. Two years ago, we changed locations so that our picture window faced a towering hill behind a university. At the top of this hill, high above all the other athletic fields, is a wide swath of mowed lawn surrounded by wilderness. At one end of this lawn stands a set of football goal posts, rising up out of the grasses like Druidic ruins.
Do You Believe in Magic?
As a rational human being, I don’t subscribe to magical thinking. I know my thoughts don’t make things happen, and of course I don’t believe that coincidence is anything other than random chance. I’m a human, though, and humans like to look for magic; finding explanations is a pitfall of being an intelligent creature with a brain that seeks out patterns.
Writing Tip: Lay Your Notes Out The Night Before
An editor friend of mine recently commented that for her, writing is like exercise: she feels good once it’s over, but she finds it hard to start.
I agree on both counts. Starting anything is the hardest part.