After an interminable number of days unable to dedicate substantial time to writing each day due to free web work for my beloved cousin, Daphne, and free graphical work designing my son's cycling team's full kit, I found the transition back to my regular writing pace a mixed bag.

On the positive side, the energy to write released like a flood. I'm typically neither a speedy nor particularly focused writer. But driven by so many unrealized ideas that had gathered at the door, the words came fast and furious, like releasing puppies from a basket. 

On the negative side, who wants to read the disorder a basket of puppies can produce. The result was similar to that well-known Cheech and Chong moment when they have to follow around the dog who ate their stash. There was a great volume of words and little in the way of quality to sift out.

I guess that is arguably a good thing. Still, I noticed a general dulling of my writing, a lack of stamina and ability to focus singly on the desired story path.

Regardless of the confusion, I'm confident I'll normalize soon. Writing may not be one of those impossible-to-forget activities but the curve back to full fitness should be a short one. Setting is everything. Providing oneself with the proper setting and ample time to allow true writing to begin, typically 20 minutes after beginning, is essential to growing as a writer. I may have written every day during my semi-hiatus, but I may have been better off not writing at all rather than forcing myself forward out of pride through asphyxiating conditions.