Many times, writing is a solitary thing that often leaves reassurance on the back burner. The only comfort, according to Goldberg, comes from the continual practice of writing and releasing, moving passed the stuck points, and getting to the writing that lives in the hidden part of ourselves.

Another critical support in this semester's work was Gail Sher's One Continuous Mistake: Four Noble Truths for Writers. Sher describes writing as Zen practice. The title of the book refers to her notion that writing, like life, is about learning. Learning from inevitable mistakes, and not allowing these mistakes to stop the practice, is the central message. These 'mistakes' reveal the most exciting aspects and the richness of life. She approaches writing as Zen practice in this way - the idea that having the "right" intention is the key to being a writer.

By this she means having a regular practice of writing everyday and making a single-minded effort to keep up the practice of writing. This single-minded effort consists also of plodding onward - writing even when you don't feel like it or when you're pulled by outside distractions calling you away from the practice. An important aspect of this single-minded effort for me is the deep satisfaction that comes from the regularity of the practice and the deep dissatisfaction that comes with abandoning it.

Now if I can just remember that when I mentally stutter and stall in front of my computer screen.