Originally posted in the now deleted “Marchers of Khaldenthea” blog

July.

A month I had hoped would be without interruptions. What a joke…no, what a lie I believed. On one hand how could I be so naïve as to believe that I would be left alone. My anniversary is today (but I planned that); the 4th of July at A’s (I did not plan that); my birthday is the XXth (but I planned that too); my wife’s vacation is this month (I did not plan that); school–intrusive, despicable, invasive school–requires my presence at a, “How to use your new text book three-day seminar” (something I did not plan—who knew the not-so-old texts books weren’t good enough?) and a five-day seminar to Tahoe to learn how to teach a class I will not be teaching. Well, what of today? Sorry; unforeseen circumstances make the next few days non-Marching days too as I have to finish my Wizarding Culture and Society project (yes, my choice, but one I do not so much mind making—Finn has been very affording and I will honor that trust). Thus, I have lost at least 10 days out of the 30, I had hoped for. That means less 30,000 words.

What cracks me up is how unsympathetic those who are doing the interrupting are. When I told folk I wanted an uninterrupted month and why, they sort of looked at me with a glazed look and said, “oh, that’s nice”, but then proceeded to act like they did not hear what I said. Do they all think I am some sort of super-human? That words simply flow off the pen or through my fingers to the page? Writing is hard work, people; it is not magic and it takes time to do well. I swear, they all think that anything artistic just happens. These are the same folk who are going to ask, “So…did you get your manuscript/novel/writing done?” It is going to be so hard not to resentfully tear into them. No wonder writers have to go to such lengths to get folk to leave them alone and do their thing.

Lord, I hope this blog/journal is not simply a list of daily excuses and I can find time to at least do some of the manuscript. Today’s entry, however, does not bode well.

Well…Finn’s project will not get done here. I am off to expand Wizarding culture and society.