The Quarrel by the Ships

Sitting at home, bathed in the warm sun of a Spring Saturday, I was gripped by another of my periodic moments of self-doubt about writing. You know the sort of self-destructive, poisonous thought ... I'll never amount to anything, never produce anything worthwhile, never be published, etc, etc. All of that's probably true but none of it manages to kill the desire.

Ditch the ego, just write ... said Halimah (years ago). I try but every now and then again I wonder, write what? How?

So, I spent a while today wandering the Internet looking for something, not sure what; a spark of genius, inspiration maybe or an easy answer (of which there are none). I did, however, come across this piece of useful advice (from Stephen King). "If you want to be a writer you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot." It's hard to resist the obvious.

It seems like a good idea, therefore, to go back to the beginning (so to speak). That explains the hour or so, probably more, reading aloud book one of The Iliad in a translation by Ian Johnston

Good old Homer, then: my saviour. Maybe. Maybe not. At least I'm writing something, even if it's no more than this blog entry about how I'll never amount to anything as a writer.
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