Tag: chopping block

Aim for the chopping block. If you aim for the wood, you will have nothing. Aim past the wood, aim through the wood; aim for the chopping block.
~Annie Dillard from The Writing Life

Almost a year ago, I decided to aim for the block daily on this website of reflections, as if words were wood and pictures were kindling.  I have ended up with a quite a pile of almost 1000 blog posts strewn about my feet due to my random chopping, having been drenched in sweat at times, and garnered my share of splinters.

The reason for writing daily came after I learned that a well-respected publisher’s interest in printing a collection of my work had fizzled with dwindling resources for creating hard copy books, particularly for new authors.  There needs to be assurance of selling at least 3000 copies of a book for a publisher to break even.

I could offer no such assurance.  This blog, on a “good” day, gets 120 visitors.

So I’ve started storing up the wood of words and pictures, chopping away every day in case I’ll need this storehouse of fuel in the future.  It is not that the world needs another blog post but that I need to keep aiming, keep chopping and keep my eye on the block, cutting through and past the wood.  This is something I do because I feel better when I do it, like the redemption of aching muscles after a work out.

My ax needs constant sharpening and I keep my aim focused.   The days are shortening.