“I do not like to write – I like to have written.” ― Gloria Steinem
I saw this quote earlier today. Reading it, I laughed, and almost agreed. But then I stopped, thought about it for a moment longer, and suddenly objected: But I DO like writing!
I get a thrill out of writing. I love to feel the flow of words swirling around in my brain and out my fingertips. I love it when they come out exactly right, but I also enjoy playing with them, tugging them to and fro until perfectly satisfied. Sometimes it doesn’t settle right the first time, and I go back and play with them some more (see all my posts about revisions!)
But I suppose it’s true too that I enjoy having written.
Sometimes it’s tiring to write. Sometimes it’s like pulling my own teeth out. Sometimes I wish the words would magically appear on the screen, because they just refuse to swirl any faster than cement in my brain. Those are never my best or most productive days. But they are simply part of being a writer–writing no matter what.
Today, however, is a having written day. We submitted the manuscript of Buk Tu to our editor. The draft is complete, and for a short time, I get to relax. It won’t last long. More revisions will come, and there are other projects to recommence. But for right now, I am content to sit back and enjoy having written.