When the real world gets in the way.

By Elizabeth Cutright

What am I doing writing a blog post at 10pm? I’ve got work in the morning and my busy week is only halfway done. I slept poorly yesterday, and I probably wont get my requisite eight hours tonight either.

I should be snoozing, but I’m here at the page, honoring my commitment. In fact, “commitment” has been the keyword this week. So many chores, so many tasks, so many responsibilities and deadlines. I’ve barely had time to think, let alone fold my laundry or get a good night’s rest.

And so I strip it down to the basics. Food, shelter and clothing? Covered. Cat fed? Check! Gas in the car and healthy foods in the fridge? Ummm, pretty much. Work projects in on time? Well, we all know who signs my paychecks.

But marshaling resources and gearing up for the long haul means kicking everything but the essentials out of the wagon. Unfortunately, more often than not, it’s the negotiable, creative endeavors that get the boot.

Yesterday, I said that writers are explorers and astronauts and pioneers. And before we bump and rattle over dusty roads or burst off launch pads, we need to reassess our checklist. Is it really worth it to chuck the keyboard, set aside the notebook and abandon our writing life? Does making it through the day really mean we’ve got to trade our pens for cleaning rags, and skip morning pages in favor of trips to the hardware store?

And are those the kinds of trades we want to make? Is the streamlined life worth living if it means sequestering or abdicating our creative outlets?

It’s a tough stance to take, but if you want to be a writer, you need to write – no negotiations! No excuses. No choices. You just show up. You just honor the promises you’ve made to yourself.

And you write your blog post at ten o’clock at night, while news of Hurricane Isaac drones on in the background and the cat scampers down the hallway chasing imaginary mice.

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