Why go a day without a line? I’m sure that Donald Murray said why writers should write every day, but I don’t recall what he might have said. Last night, as I was writing my dispatch, it occurred to me, too late, that the most important reason is for consistency. The subconscious is, when you are working on a more involved project, continuing to do its job. It ponders, problem solves, then lets the conscious know what it has determined. If the writer fails to go for the bait, the idea that the subconscious presented to it will fall by the wayside. And the longer the writer procrastinates, the less likely it is that there will be narrative continuity.

This, of course, applies to fiction and nonfiction, and also poetry. The poem may require problem solving, and this make take far more than one go round. A series of poems may also require problem solving, so it behooves the writer, in both instances, to focus their energy on the task or tasks at hand.

My example – I’m now working on a difficult chapter. It’s the one in which I write about Melina Sevigny’s involvement in the BLBP. I was looking for a reason to avoid having to deal with this because I was lacking in detail, but none materialized. Fortunately, I had already written a very rough draft of our meeting for the first time, at Suzy’s Crosby’s Cottonwood Creek Farm. This was enough to again get the wheels turning. I edited it some, then had just enough time to begin working on a handwritten draft about our interactions, as these related to the BLBP. I say had just enough time because I had a few calls to make and, as well, had to get the horses out.

Now tomorrow I will find the time to resume work on the draft and maybe type it into the computer. I won’t procrastinate to the degree that I did today because as I was writing, sought after details surfaced. I now know that had I blown off writing today, that I might put off writing tomorrow, because the perceived degree of difficulty would be that much greater.

Today, Robert brought in a load of books from Title Wave. Seven boxes of children’s books and 23 boxes of grown up books, to be exact. Pete and I went to town to meet Robert and help him unload the books. We got to the former banquet room of the historic Eagle Hotel just as he was midway through this task.

After, Pete and I sorted books, and Pete sorted and stamped and categorized them. We were joined by Pam, the Project Manager, and by Alicia and her son Clark, who cleaned children’s books. All the while I was thinking about the book and what I had to do next.

As I rehearsed (a Murray term), I expanded upon an earlier idea, one I came up with when I was walking Hrimfara ,which was my “Inside of a Book idea.” I was originally going to write about what I have found in books, but I am now thinking about including excerpts from salvaged books.

I am fully aware that my subconscious is now hard at work. If I cease to remain consistent, it will cease to work on this particular project.

Next: 8. 1/8/24: Nulla Dies Sine Linea: Idea Days