When your mind is exhausted and your body has had all it can stand, occasionally you can reach a heightened sense of concentration and revelation.
By now I've begun to wrap my head around what my daily schedule will be going forward, which isn't really optimistic for book-writing. The end of each day provides me with an hour or so most of the time to utilize it in the best possible way I can. There are so many things that I want to do and accomplish that for some reason work doesn't fit into the equation. Often enough I use every free second to write or edit in some form or fashion, while blending in family time and the odd television program that previously ensnared me in its web. Frustration sets in at times, and it's in those moments that I have to keep my eye on what's most important.
Everyone has responsibilities, which inevitably interfere with all of the fun stuff in life. Time is so short that it's easy to lament that you can't go to the movies or shopping even on the weekends. With time so precious, it's important to focus on what makes you the happiest and most complete. Sure, one could become enraptured by ten different television shows, which would consume an entire week's worth of time. Or one could focus on physical fitness and exercise, while ignoring other interests altogether. If watching twelve hours of television per week, or working out non-stop makes you feel productive then by all means enjoy. Productivity is a relative term.
Sorry for jaunting off the beaten path there for a second. I hear many people all too often complain about not having time to learn to play instruments, or write or read a classic novel. Time is wasted constantly throughout the day. Next time you sit down to play XBOX or watch the latest episode of "Dancing With the Stars," think about all of the things you think you'll never have time to do. Then ask yourself where your priorities lie.
So, back to the first sentence of this blog...
Around the middle of last week I was laying in bed, editing "The Plunge," in the moments before sleep overcame me. My wife was sleeping, and the puppy was already in his kennel for the night. The grind of the week's commute had already stripped any last vestige of energy from my system, and I worked on the book for the sake of moving forward with the project. My eyes skimmed the lines of words, and like fine wine revelations of improvement flowed into a streaming conscious. Suddenly I became a better writer, and I quickly scribbled the improved sentences and anecdotes next to the original text. The new output was simply amazing.
There's a quasi-famous philosopher/author named Colin Wilson who has written many books on a variety of topics. He is perhaps best know for his work, "The Occult," which is a broad research on various topics of the unknown. Throughout "The Occult," Wilson speaks frequently of, "Faculty X," which he claims is man's latent and lost missing sense, like sight or sound. Over time, so he claims, we have lost the ability to connect with this faculty as technology has evolved and made life so easy. According to Wilson, "Faculty X" sleeps deep within us and is an untapped resource that is dulled by modern conveniences, but at times it shows itself when our mind is at its most quiet. "Faculty X" is most likely to show itself when we're on the brink of exhaustion, and as I rested on the bed, almost asleep, I couldn't help but wonder if my new insight into my work was spurned on by the missing ability.
Work still continues on both books at this time. Early feedback on "Waterglade" has been extremely positive, and I continue to tweak "The Plunge" daily. I've set a tentative summer deadline to have both works prepared to send to prospective agents. We'll see if I can hit the mark.
Until next time...
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