Writing is as fundamental as reading, running, or walking. The idea is that if I can’t excel at anything else, I have everything to gain by practicing to become a better writer. But not just any writer; an adaptable one. Someone who can write under any conditions, pressures, and time constraints, and in difficult environments. Just like running, my philosophy is that as long as I don’t get electrocuted or impaled, the run happens, because we humans were made to run; it is the most natural activity after walking. I apply the same focus to writing. Reading and writing come before everything, even math. To understand math, you have to read the instructions. You see? Basics. Elemental. Raw.
I’ve read and heard many stories about writers and writer’s block. Some wait for the right ambiance. The right place. The right inspiration. The right tool. The list never ends. Other writers say it’s all about the preparation: researching, reading, extracting documents and information, which then allows the writer to write because they have “meat on the bone.” I believe the latter. I also think that with practice, you can teach yourself to write anywhere—no matter the prep work, noise, tools, or room; some wait for conditions to be perfect. Not me, fuck that. Ernest Hemingway wrote 500 words a day, six days a week, and is considered one of the masters. Then I say, I can also aspire to be one-tenth of the writer he was—to ship my work, let my thoughts be known, and hopefully attract some eyes, turn some heads, get some thinking, and maybe even have fortune knock on my door. But even if she doesn’t, my ideas are out there, and my children will be able to read them if they so desire. This is how I leave my mark: by mastering the basics—walk, run, read, write. Every day. No excuses.