In the beginning, there was night.

Despite my best efforts, night has been the time I do my best work. I'm a morning person by nature. But there's something primordial about the nighttime that breeds desperation and exudes pressure. From an evolutionary standpoint, we're not meant to be nocturnal. There are things we can't see in the darkness that can kill. We're meant to rise and fall with the sun. 

I reluctantly embraced the night when I started working on a newspaper copy desk. The setting sun brought on a sense of urgency that deadline was looming. There's a reason I've never left newspapers. I need deadlines. I thrive on deadline. The closer the clock counts down to zero, the more focus I find. The more resolved I am to spike the ball in the end zone. I make deadlines.

But not all creativity operates under pressure. A professional shows up to work and puts in their eight hours. A professional writer is no different. Some days, you're moved by the spirit. Others, you just have to get up and fucking move. This is a blog for people who need that reminder -- myself included. 

This is my way of paying it forward. Here, you'll find a running account of my struggle with writing, and, if all goes according to plan, ammunition to fight your creative battles. You'll probably also find some stuff about endurance races, hunting, kettlebells, fishing, coffee and whiskey. But I promise you, it's all related.  It's all about process, time, patience and commitment. It's all about the struggle.

Keep up the fight.