The only thing good about winter is staying indoors. This gives me more time to read and write. But lately it's been more reading than actual writing.

I'm a slow writer to begin with. It's a deliberate act. Creativity should never be rushed. I am a firm believer in rewrites, rewrites, and more rewrites. Of course there are occasions when the first draft of a story nails it. But even then I comb through the piece just to be sure (and usually find things to change.)

I aim for perfection but have never even come close to achieving it. If I'm not interested in something I've written, I can't expect anybody else to give a damn about it either.

I've got several start-and-stop pieces that will never see publication. They sounded interesting when I conjured up the idea. But once on paper, well, they suck. And that's okay. Writers never bat a thousand--especially this writer. But I aim for it each time out--though never at the risk of becoming bogged down in one story. That's what makes creating something new so exciting--trial and error. The thing to remember is: Just keep writing.