Send C&C to bastion@ix.netcom.com


An Author's Doubts


	"Who am I fooling?" the boy wearily stared at the screen.

	Thinking for a moment to improve on his work, his feelings
overwhelmed him.  The advice he received was sound, and it
should not have upset him.  It was supposed to be uplifting, a
breath of fresh air, but his feelings urgently whispered to give
up.  The task was too great, even for him.  Shaking his head, he
expelled such nonsense.  The vision was still there, he could
see it.  Nothing could stop him.  

	Thoughtfully, he typed out a sentence.  Reading it back, he
furiously pounded the backspace key.  Emotions crawled up his
back, while he sighed with frustration.  He was good, but he
knew he could be better.  He craved recognition as well as
honesty.  What did he expect?  The task grew heavier.  Why did
he fail while others succeeded?  His head throbbed as he weighed
his options.  For a passing moment, he considered the absurd,
giving up, but he dimissed the notion. 

	What did he really want?  Should he let his mind or emotions
decide?  He wasn't sure, but he had to change.  Fundamentals
were the key to his accomplishment.  A gnawing feeling in his
mind urged him to learn them, so he could become a writer.  A
damn good writer.   His chest tightened with more inner turmoil.
 Clearing his mind, he waited for the tightness to dissipate
before resuming.  He calmly examined the new sentence on the
screen.

	"Too many words."  Useless phrases were eliminated.

	He never admitted defeat.  

Bastion
bastion@ix.netcom.com