Quick update

I know I would misquote him if I tried to remember exactly what he said, so rather than do that, I will paraphrase an idea that author Larry Niven once put forth.
Well, he may have put forth the idea more than once, but I only encountered it once.
In any case the idea was that a writer’s worst enemy is another writer.
This isn’t due to some sort of competition, but due instead to the fact that anyone who wants to write is likely going to be someone who likes to read.
The most valuable asset a writer has, more so than a good word processing program, a command of the language, or even a good idea, is time.
So Niven’s theory was that, if you’re a writer, other writers can rob you of time by luring you in and getting you to while away your precious hours reading what they’ve written rather than writing your own stories.
He definitely had a point, I think, though he certainly didn’t suggest that writers shouldn’t read. On the contrary, reading, for a writer, really is fundamental.
Still, you do need to find the right balance between exploring the ideas of others and putting your own ideas down on paper (or on hard drive, as the case may be).
For me, that balance has been a little skewed so far this week as I find myself being suckered in by other writers.
As such I’ve made very little progress on “15,000 Years,” and even less progress here.
But I have finished with most of the reading material that’s really been capturing my attention, so hopefully we’ll see some progress, in both places, over the next couple of days.
After all, I do have plenty of time, and no intention of leaving my apartment for any extended period of time between now and Friday morning.
In any case, I thought I should at least pop in and say hello to anyone who may be out there and keep you apprised of my progress.