The shadows fall, the young day grows weary and old.

And you haven't written a damn thing.

You promised yourself you would make this the day you started the short story.  The great idea for the commentary about Palin, Oprah and Barbara is rattling in the back of your brain, and the Christmas poem you know would be your "break-through" piece needs a first stanza.

And what did you do today?

You worked your job, picked up the kids from day-care, cooked dinner for your family, threw on three loads of whites and collapsed in front of the Sony to watch "Glee"  while your darling spouse put the little binks to bed.

Solid day, sugar.  Lots of stuff got done.

It doesn't matter. does it?  Because you didn't write today, you feel useless, worthless; a sloth in the land of the gazelle.

Don't punish yourself for being lazy.

But don't languish in the languid, lovely land of the loose. 

Make one more promise to yourself; that tomorrow will be another day.

This is not a race to the finish.  The writing life is a stroll down the avenue, arm and arm with your personality, dreams, imagination and humor.

Take your time. Try not to try to hard.

When the inspiration is right, you'll write the inspiration.

Until then, keep the faith - and give yourself both time and permission to get this thing right.

Trust me; if you want it, you can have it.

One day, when you least expect, you'll awaken and realize you are indeed, a real writer. 

When that occurs, everything changes.  Your world has new curves; the sunrise new meaning. 

The possible surrounds you.  Everything becomes infused with purpose. Metaphors no longer elude; images arise when you least expect and ideas overflow.

This happens, bunky, when you write every day.  And you will; someday soon.

Without your permission, you find yourself making time for what you need to do, what you must do.  You cannot imagine your life without a large part of it devoted to words, words, words.

So up, up, up off the couch, Sugar. Turn off "Dancing With the Stars."  The Osmunds, my friend, are not all that interesting.

And none of this will happen if you don't make it happen.

One step, followed by another.

The road to publication begins with your firm, determined will to write.