Confessions and Commitments

Most posts will not be as self-referential as this one, but I'm clearing the woods and setting the stage, so it kinda has to be.
And so. Here we go.

Confessions:
In the 13+ years since I received an MFA in playwriting, I've continued to write, but not consistently; I've had ideas for theatre projects, but only put a few into action. I've published two children's plays, which are still produced around the US. I've revised them somewhat for 2 recent productions, but they were published over 10 years ago. The most recent play I wrote was a commission 5 years ago, and - suffice it to say that it was not my best work.

In the past 18 months, I have started & stopped four new blogs, each with a new name and new design. This has gotten me writing again, but does not constitute a consistent practice. The creation of a new blog identity every few months is a reach toward a kind of performance, but does not result in putting anything new onstage.

Commitments:
With this blog, I will face, meet, and fill the blank space of the page at least 3 times a week, with engaged thought, active questions, vibrant language. I'm leaving a whole lot open (see rules below), because I know that if I think about the outcome - try to create a Body of Work from these posts - I'll just get in my own way. So - it's all about the practice.

1) (As mentioned above) I must write at least 3 times a week. Daily is even better, and will be attempted as often as possible.

2) (Also as mentioned above) I must stick with this particular blog for at least 12 months. Preferably more.

3) I can write about anything, from the war in Afghanistan to the shape of my toenails to the cultural resonance of Michael Jackson's Thriller video to that weird one-night stand four years ago. To a bizarre movie scene that came to me in a dream. No topic is too big, too small, too smart, or too stupid. Or too taboo.

4) I can, and should, write in any genre and/or form I see fit. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, article, essay, memoir, song lyrics, elegy, fake ad copy. Porn. Recipes. Anything goes.

5) I should write for at least 30, but no more than 60 minutes at a time, to ensure that I don't get carried away/bogged down in a topic and end up being late to work or not doing the dishes and then use that as an excuse not to write as often. There will be exceptions - longer projects that demand more time - but they will be deliberate, not accidental.

6) I will only write what I want to write, not what I think someone else wants me to write or what I hope will make me look cool or exciting. I can write with an eye toward publishing or producing, and probably will - but I don't have to. Which will allow me, I think, to be more productive than I would be if I were telling myself I had to. At least that's my hunch about it now.

7) I will remember - and expect - that the process will sometimes be painful and confusing and vulnerable in ways cause discomfort. I will accept this and do it anyway.

8) I will enjoy it and remember that I am lucky to be a writer - the way a dog is lucky to be a dog. I don't really have a choice, but if I accept it and embrace it wholeheartedly, the way a dog embraces being a dog, I can live an authentic, productive life, and also have a whole lot of fun - maybe almost as much as a dog. Which, for a human, is a pretty big deal.