I haven’t posted here in over a week because I took a vacation and headed off into the wilds of the Pacific Northwest of the United States.  I wrote little during the last week, but I’m not going to beat myself up over it because I spent several days hiking through temperate rainforests, viewing waterfalls and wave-swept beaches, visiting historical sites, and spending time with family.  The Olympic peninsula and the San Juan Islands were beautiful–wet and cold, sure, but also I think some of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.  (I’d like to think that’s saying something having visited some truly amazing places on this planet.)

While I think writing consistently is important, sometimes I thinks it’s just as important to “recharge the batteries” by getting away from the daily pressure of putting words on the screen.  Once I accepted that I wasn’t going to be writing much last week, my mind was set free.  I was amazed how a few days away from the word processor and lost in the mist of the Olympic Mountains caused new ideas to percolate up from the subconscious and allowed me to work through some issues that were blocking a few story ideas I had.

I got back late Sunday, and yesterday I wrote a little (no fiction; a critique of a story for another writer) and outlined in my head a short story that I plan to start today (as soon as I finish posting this).  I hate missing a writing day, but I think the time off did me more good than I thought it would: I’m refreshed and ready write again.