On the worst day of writing, the work is instructive. On the best day, the act is transcendent. Chuck Wendig
My best day ever of writing was on the 8th of October, 2010 at Le Fontanelle near Siena in Italy. I sat on a lounger overlooking the Tuscan landscape. The sun shone on the vines and my pen flew over the page.
I came up with the idea for women’s fiction novel and met my character. Laura. I wrote a scene that takes place in a piazza in Provence where Laura and her husband share a romantic dinner. The dinner ends with an awful fight and, instead of romance, coldness descends on the couple, signalling an impasse that may lead to Laura leaving her husband.
The next chapter fast forwards to the present and Laura is at her grandmother’s funeral and, by the end of the funeral, she will decide whether she stays or goes. Over five years later I’m still writing this novel and I’ve had other great days of writing. I’ve had days when I want to throw the whole thing in the bin and I’ve also had days or months where I don’t even think about it.
The best day ever writing was the best friend who you laugh, cry and sing with and who always has your back.
The worst writing day ever is the day when your writing seems juvenile, lacking freshness, and you feel like giving up completely. The worst ever writing day is your worst enemy. It’s the bully who tries to tear you down and make the voice in your head speak with criticism.
The best days of writing are where heaven touches earth. Everything is right with the world, your work is filled with purpose and intention and it is transcendent.
The worst days teach us to be humble and remind us that writing is a never-ending learning process. If we’re strong enough to learn from the worst days, we will reach better days. If we persevere enough to keep going, we may just get another best day ever.
