Every writer knows that the urge to write is not always present. As a result, the dedicated writer writes anyway. Professional writers face the task without think too much about the actual activity. They have established the habit, so they sit down and put their thought to paper whether they are relevant to the project or not. They know that they can rewrite, revise, edit, and improve. They know that the first draft is not or need be the last.

The writer forces him or herself to write, usually at a prescribed time and in a set place. Most successful writers have an office, a place set aside for writing, and so they go to that place to write. Seldom do such writer's experience what is know as writer's block which is a state of mind that can be changed with a conscious effort.

And interesting thing about writing-putting thoughts to paper-is that the very act clarifies one's thinking, and fosters more thoughts. The simple act of putting thought into words, sentences, and paragraphs causes the mind to sift, to correlate, to organize, and intensify thinking. From a blank mind to one teeming with ideas is the usual process that occurs as one writes.

Thus one sees that writing is related to mood, which changes from one moment to the next. During the day, one experiences many moods from joy to sadness, from calm to anger, from activity to idleness, while state of mind tends to be less volatile. Since mood is so capricious, it is only a matter of time until the urge to write takes over, and writing becomes a joy rather than a chore.

So what is difficult writing can be excellent and worthwhile. Often, after reviewing earlier writing, it is difficult to know what was arduous and what was effortless. Often the burdensome is the finest.

Charles O. Goulet has a BA in history and BEd in English literature. He has several historical novels published and available from Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Barnes and Noble and many other bookstores. His website is http://www.telusplanet.net/public/go1c. His blog is http://go1c.blogspot.com