Where Oh Where Did My Post Go?

I'm back from New York and wrote a nice long post about the trip. Unfortunately, it's missing. I don't know why it's missing. I just know it is.

Fortunately, other things aren't missing. Like my kids. They all survived unscathed.

It's always fun to be away from home and always great to be back. Of course, now I must write, write, write. Which means feeling better about my writing. Which is sometimes much harder than it seems.

That's the trouble with what we do. No matter how many books we publish, how many compliments we get, how many rejections we file away, how many contests we fail to final in, writing really comes down to one thing - belief. Belief in self. In one's ability to succeed. Belief in the story, the characters, the plot.

Some days that's easier than others. Sometimes we ride on a high, feeling good about what we're doing and where we're headed. Other times we realize how little we know about our craft and how little talent we have in comparison to the great big pool of talent that exists in the world. Granted there are people who are always riding that high, always convinced they've got the key to success in the tips of their fingers. Personally, I think it's healthier to have a little doubt.

Sometimes, though, I have a lot of doubt.

If you ever have that problem, if you're ever dwelling in the pit of uncertainty, frozen by your conviction that you're not good enough to succeed in this business, take my advice and write anyway. The only cure for the writer's blues is to sit down and do what we love most.

Gotta scoot.

Who knows. Maybe that missing post will show up one day!