As writers, we are often advised to write daily, same time, same place, and to meet our daily word count. Showing up on a “bad” day and still getting words down separates the true writers from the imposters. I beg to differ. Yes, daily writing matters and helps, as does daily reading, and walking. But same time, same place? That is nearly impossible for anyone with children, aging parents, pets, or another job. Having a household to run means certain duties must also get done, and some of these are unexpected. I have found that flexibility in my writing practice has served me well, and not just in the habit of writing, but in the type of writing itself. Writing shorter pieces in between the “muddle of the middle” of my WIP gives me a sense of satisfaction at completing something, and gives my brain a refreshing break from the same-old, same-old. When I need to switch up my writing, a short story is often just what I need to prioritize. Daily word count does not matter. Rather, the sense of getting to know a different character so well in so short an amount of time is thrilling. That this character’s world can come to life so vividly in only a few pages stimulates the creative juices that I can carry back to my WIP. This is not to say that short stories are easy to write. My most recent published story, “The Red Shoes,” was written over a period of two years, off and on, when I needed a change in routine. I had a hard time with the ending (see the previous blog post) until I changed the main character’s age, which changed the stakes and then the ending fell into place. Once this piece was accepted for publication in Back Roads Literary Review, I felt a new energy towards my WIP, and now I am happy to say that it too, has fallen into place, and is done. I’ll be querying that soon, and hopefully will have good news to share in the near future.