These Things Happen — Writing Update

Life concerns continue to prevent me from writing on the novel again this month.  These things happen.  I suppose I was idiotically optimistic to think that life would step back when I wanted it to do so.  So, although I’m on a “leave of absence” from work on Perceval in Love I continue to write notes — most recently about the fifth book in the series and the climax of that book (and the whole series) — and keep up with journal writing, and trying to catch up with some reading. 

Writing in a journal daily serves many purposes in my writing life.  It is where I collect the raw material for my writing — raw material from life — as well as work through problems with whatever project I’m currently writing.  And I challenge myself, review the day, think on paper, try to understand the world and people.  I have been writing a journal since I was eleven, after reading The Diary of Anne Frank.

One of my recent journal writing topics has been how to write about the life experiences I’ve been having the last two months.  Fiction or nonfiction?  Short story or essay?  I am leaning toward the personal essay form, perhaps structuring it like a musical rondo.  I already have the title: “The Itch.”  I’m thinking of titling each short section of the essay, also. 

I may not be working on the novel but I cannot not write…..