I have been away for a short while, blarghers, but I’m back. Not in black, but gray. Because…I was too lazy to dig up a black shirt to make this comeback awesomesauce.

Today, I have words on writing. Writing can be hard.

Deal with it.

That’s all you have to do. Deal with it. You write anyways. There are going to be days when you don’t feel the magic. Deal with it. Write anyways. Why? Because at one time you did feel the magic. That spark’s still there, buried somewhere deep inside you. You need to write to get it back. Letting it sit and wane isn’t doing your story, our yourself, any favors. Write. Sit down, shut up, and write.

But it’s hard…

Yeah, but hard ain’t impossible. <Leave my ain’t alone. I know it ain’t a word.

You can write. What’s hard is losing your momentum. What’s hard is getting it back. Nothing is easier than keeping a ball rolling. Nothing is harder than starting it back up again, especially when it feels like it’s uphill. Do your best, and write.

But it’s hard…I pysch myself out and tell myself nobody wants to read it, or no one will like.

I’m so very sorry to break this to you, but there are 7 billion people on this planet. 7…billion. You’re not so specially unspecial that no one will want to read your book. Sorry to say it, but you’re the the special person that everyone will hate, and ignore. Oh well. Because the truth is, someone will read your book, someone will yearn for it. The truth is, that at the very least, there are two people out there who need your novel.

You. You need to finish it. And your biggest fan, who does exist. Sorry, but remember, 7 billion people. You’re not the most unspecial person who doesn’t get a fan. Everyone has one, you do to. Shut up and understand that.

7 billion people. Anything you could love, you can like, you want to write about, you will find others interested in it too. There are people, and will be more born, who want to hear your stories only the way you can tell them.

But it’s hard.

Yeah, well, so is just being a person these days. Life is hard. If you’re reading this, you’re clearly doing a good enough job at that. So you can do the writing thing. Trust me.

You chose to pick up the pen, put ink to paper, press the keys. Well guess what. It comes with responsibility. You have to finish what you start. You want to move on as a writer. Then write. Finish. Publish.

But it’s hard.

It’s always going to be. So what? You don’t do something because it’s easy or hard. You do it because you want to. Because you love to. In the end. Hard or easy are irrelevant. The only thing left is, did you do it? Did you finish? Did you love it?

You are going to have off days. That’s okay. I’m not saying you can’t. I’m saying finish. It’s going to be hard. That’s okay. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done. You’re going have haters and detractors. That’s okay. You’re also going to have fans and believers who want you to write. So write for them.

7 billion people. You’d be surprised how many need your story. How many will love them. How many will chat about your characters and hate and love them. How many will make art of them, some peppered over the web, others hidden but just as loved in the pages of a private journal.

7 billion people. Sorry to say it, but you’re not so special to be unspecial. You are special. You’re voice is singular among those 7 billion. And many of them will want to hear it.

7 billion people. And tons of them are waiting to hear your stories. You have work to do.

But it’s hard.

So is a kick in the butt. Go. Write. Now.