I’m staring at a blank page and it’s staring back. The black cursor is blinking. Binary signals switching on and off like the waving of a traffic cop. Proceed. Move Forward. Do something. But the cursor doesn’t move and the blank page is open, oppressive in its potential. I should be writing. I should be …
The Unlikely Relationship Between Perfectionism and Procrastination
If I ignore a work in progress too long, I start to catch myself avoiding it completely. Perhaps the best strategy I've used to fight this is self-imposing deadlines. Of course, as the deadline looms, I conveniently push off each short story until the week of. I know procrastinating is self sabotage. I know my …
Continue reading "The Unlikely Relationship Between Perfectionism and Procrastination"
The Dive
Freya’s silhouette was barely distinguishable from the dark line of the sea shore, but that didn’t bother Catherine; not when she could hear her voice over the soft waves. “So tell me about this boyfriend you’ve been so caught up with.” Catherine smiled and shook her head without regard for sand tangling up in her …
The Gamble
The perpetual stench of stale cigarette smoke had permeated into the cracked fabric chair. Renny O’Reilly dropped his jaw as he took a drag of his own cigarette letting the smoke leak out of his mouth and nostrils in a loose, unconscious exhale. Fresh air was hardly a necessity at this point. He barely missed …
Setting the Bar Low: How to Make Lifelong Goals You Might Actually Accomplish
I'm fantastic with setting goals. It's a skill I exercise daily. Just this morning, I set goals when I silenced my alarm twice and told myself I would get up at some arbitrary time my sleep-brain told me would be sufficient. Right after, I cleaned the house and cursed past-me who promised to clean the …
Continue reading "Setting the Bar Low: How to Make Lifelong Goals You Might Actually Accomplish"
Valentine
The bell rang brightly and Zuzu pulled her plump, red lips into a smile. The next client was right on time even with the foot of fresh snow outside. Her bridal party trailed behind her like a brood of baby ducks as they streamed into Gingersnap Bridal. This would be a fun one and she …
Taking a Break from Doing What You Love
I’m one of those write-every-day kinds of writers. Don’t get me wrong; writing every day does not mean I tune out polished, ready-to-publish content every time I hit a keyboard. My process starts on paper. I scribble inspired bits down on my notebook in whatever order they come to me. When I have the chance, …
The Dog: Part Two
The overcast sky was a particularly forgettable shade of white as if a child neglected to color it in. Kelp and foam sketched the boundaries of the waters. A stretch of driftwood was shoved up at the head of the shoreline and the waves reached for it, relaxed, reached and relaxed continuously in a rolling …