Writers Not-So-Anonymous: Day 7

Hi.  My name is Benjamin, and I'm a writer.  It has been 7 days since my last writer's block.
If you haven't already, please read Writers Not-So-Anonymous: Day 1.

That's right, people.  Seven days!  No screw-ups!

As of today, I have officially written for one full hour every day for one week, and I am PUMPED!  Honestly, this is longest I've gone with consistent writing in well over a year (despite what I may have told some people).

Possibly even more exciting, I spent almost the entirety of that week on my book and . . . drumroll please . . . CHAPTER 2 IS DONE!!!  It still has to go to my primary editor to make sure it doesn't completely suck, but I really don't think it does.  I love it!  I had one little section that I got frustrated on, but I think that it could end up paying off.  Basically (without giving anything away) a character had to do something in order for the scene to progress, but that something was very vague.  Later on, the narrative process demanded that I reference that action again, but I didn't know why the action had taken place in the first place.  Thus, I was as confused then as you probably are trying to read the gibberish of the last couple sentences here.

Yesterday, we spent the entire day moving my sister into her new apartment, and carrying lots of heavy things up and down stairs when you're as out of shape as I am is exhausting.  By the time I got home and was in a place where I could do my writing for the day, I was so tired that I seriously considered not doing it.  I persevered, however, and maintained my streak.  I'm not saying it was a particularly productive hour, but dammit, I wrote!

I've found over the years that one of the most frustrating things about writing is that no one else ever seems as excited about it as I am.  I can't blame them.  I know I don't get as excited about certain things as other people.  I probably wouldn't be very excited if I were in their shoes, but that doesn't change how frustrating it is.  It's extremely disappointing and lonely to realize that you have no one in your life that you can talk to about something.

I'm not saying that I don't have anyone that I can go tell things to.  My editor and my accountabilibuddy are both huge supporters along with several other people, but I don't feel like any of them really understand.  There's no one that I can dance around with because I finished a chapter and it didn't suck.  There's no one that I can spoil the plot to who would understand why I don't know what my characters are doing.  I don't feel like there is really anybody in my life who understands what it's like to be both completely in control of someone and, simultaneously, be powerless to stop their actions.

I could be wrong.  Every single person reading this (you know, all four of you) might completely understand what I'm talking about, but if you do, let me know!  I need someone to get excited with me.

Having seen other people accomplish things, I know that once I have finished the book, there will be a line of supporters waiting to congratulate me and tell me how proud they are of me, but that doesn't help me right now.  It doesn't change the fact that I felt supremely alone when I finished chapter 2 and threw my hands in the air in triumph.  It doesn't make it any easier to celebrate by yourself.

So I now make this offer to you (Yes, you.  The person reading this right now.):  Tell me what you're celebrating.  Tell me what little thing you've accomplished that no one else seems to care about.  Tell me what you're proud of that others might not consider an accomplishment.  I will personally respond to every single person who tells me something, and we will celebrate together!  If you are close enough that we can celebrate in person, let's do it!  I will do my best to make it work.  If not, we'll celebrate electronically and still have a blast!

Just this once, don't celebrate alone.

My name is Benjamin, and I'm a writer.  It has been a week since my last writer's block.
Today I wrote from 10:30pm to 11:30pm.