Serious writing demands perseverence, whether when writing a full-length book or a children’s story for a magazine. My cookbook, originally named MILLENNIUM BRIDE, and renamed COOKING WITH CASSIE took over a year to write. What had begun as a small collection of family recipes and fond recollections of my talented grandmother evolved into over 300 pages of everything but the kitchen sink! It was time-consuming–eight hours a day, six days a week for over two months, then re-writing and more re-writing all through that summer and fall. It was worth the effort. I hand-make each one for wedding shower gifts and for special young people who are beginning life on their own. People often ask why I don’t have it commercially published and I must admit, I’m too busy having fun writing for children to send it out.

Two months out of each year, I live away from my husband; that in itself raises eyebrows. A serious writer must, however, separate from the main stream, either physically or emotionally, in order to fully concentrate. It isn’t that we love the ones we leave less; strong creative forces draw us away in order to fully utilize our God-given talent for preserving emotions and memories.

When reading my sister-in-writing’s book, A YEAR BY THE SEA, by Joan Anderson, I was re-assured that I’m not alone in my feelings. No matter how ludicrous it may seem at times, my thoughts do have validity and do have a right to consideration. The whole process isn’t just a diatribe into selfishness.

With a caring husband, four children, six grandchildren, e-mails, telephone messages, good friends, and a lust for living, laughing, and loving, it’s never easy to separate from all that. Those who don’t write may think of my separation as a wonderful adventure or even be suspicious there are ulterior motives, like a hidden lover lurking somewhere in the woodwork. For serious writers . however, none of those negative assumptions should sway the need to write, re-write, and then to write some more. Time has little meaning. (I’m writing this at five in the morning.) There are numerous nights when I awaken at three, four, or five to the urgent pull of thoughts yearning to be set into sentences. Such thoughts must be set down then or be forgotten by sunrise, disappearing into some ethereal mist that can’t be reclaimed no matter how much I search my nocturnal memory. In refusing that call to write and returning to sleep, an important message for someone or a good story line might have been lost.

Robert Frost had his northern woods for contemplation and writing. Other writers seek a quiet stream, river, or ocean. One of my favorite authors, Sarah Orne Jewett, treasured and detailed her Maine mountains and home life. Whether it’s mountains, water, woods, or a quiet place in your home while children sleep, whatever heightens your introspection is what you must find and protect as your own. Of necessity, writing is a lonely business if that endeavor is going to be allowed to perfect itself, but the immense satisfaction of a job done well supercedes all else. When life is hard and rain clouds drip sadness on my parade, I glance through my children’s book, WERFUL AND THE CAPTAIN, and think, but for me this book, which provides enjoyment to children, would not exist. It always works, reviving my enthousiasm to keep writing. What a great feeling of accomplishment. I wish that for you in whatever it is you aspire to achieve. Have a great day today. You deserve it. You’re a good person because God doesn’t make junk.
Be well, Linda