Writing at different times of day brings out different kinds of writing, different thoughts. Perhaps we even access a different part of the brain. I'm generally a morning person. I prefer to rise and write while sleep still clings to my brain. I would wake before the family and stumble out here to the study and pour my rough stuff into morning pages. Then I'd sit at the computer and skim off the top of whatever rose to the surface of my mind.

I'd drop off the family to their various places and then come home and write some more. That's when I'd work on my projects, whatever they were at the time. I loved the habit of writing in the morning.

Writing in the evening is a different matter. Not only am I struggling with fatigue and the fact my entire family is around, I'm also less inspired. My brain tends to close down, at least enough to make writing a lot more difficult. I can do it and I have been these past few weeks. But it's not the same kind of work I produce in the mornings. I've lost that freshness, that sense of adventure. The act of writing feels less a joy and more a chore. I don't like writing to feel that way.

It's not that I can only write when inspired. If that was the problem I wouldn't have made all these entries so far. I learnt a long time ago to simply get on with the writing no matter how I felt. Some might call it discipline. I'm not sure what I call it; perhaps determination. I think it was Woody Allen who said, "The secret to writing is to show up at the page." I'm willing to be corrected if someone else knows who I should attribute that saying to. I probably have the quote incorrect, too. I am writing this after lunch.

The secret is to simply be there, do something, make a move with your fingertips, and engage your brain, even if it is sluggish, even if what you write is wrong grammatically. Like the sentence I just wrote. I've learnt to do that, just write. It matters just to do it. That's the only way to learn, by doing. It's like a lot of things. You can't be a great piano player unless you sit down and play, regularly. You don't become an artist overnight. There is talent, but you must build on your talent. It doesn't carry you through. Determination and some of that bum glue is about all you really need.

Talent can go to waste and often does. I see talented writers all the time who write terrific work then never send it off anywhere. You've got to keep trying, even if they do send it back. Just because one place didn't want the piece it doesn't mean they didn't like it. What happens is your piece simply didn't find the right home. No big deal. It might take some effort to get that piece published. Anyway, I've raved on long enough for now. The rain is coming down again and the baby is crying.