The Fourth D

Writing is a solitary experience. It is like most anything else. It's about what I call the 3-D's: Discipline, Dedication and Drive. You have to want it, yes. But you actually have to work at it. A writing routine is important. Getting into a routine is key. I sometimes suffer there. I have the time. There is a fourth D. It' can be a killer to a writer. A downer. (No, Downer is not the fourth D).

Distraction. That's it. The Fourth D. Distraction.

Remember the song, Video Killed the Radio Star?

Facebook and other social networks killed the writer.

I remember back when I wrote on a typewriter. There was no internet. I mean, there might have been. People didn't have home computers. Facebook wasn't alive. Breathing. Twitter was more of a sound-effect. Birds flapping wings.

I wrote my first horror novel on a typewriter. The Party House. A slasher story. Took place in a ... well, yes, a party house. I was a fourteen year old busboy at the time. It was all I knew. It's what I wrote about. And I wrote about it without distractions.

Back in 2000, my first novel was published. Mind Play. A psychological thriller. I was then on target. Released a new book every year for seven years. Life got in the way. It has been a while since I've had a new book come out. That is until now.

Pulse Of Evil was recently released. It's in E-book and Paperback format. I have three other manuscripts started, and a young adult novel still under consideration by a different publisher.

It is the three started manuscripts that bother me. They, in and of themselves, are now a distraction. I know why. It's like being so hungry at a restaraunt, that you can't decide what to order. Too much selection. That is a distraction. Especially when you think it all sounds so yummy.

I know what I need to do. Of course I do. It's like wanting to lose weight. You know what you have to do to drop pounds. Meal portions, exercise and lots of water. It's simple. But people would rather spend money to meet goals. Weight Watchers, and diet-fads, buy books and videos on how-to. Those are not needed. They are frivolous at best. Meal portions, exercise and lots of water. Quite simple.

What I need to do is pick one tale.

One.

And finish it. Slave away at it. And get it done.

It's not like the other stories vanish if I concentrate on just one. They won't. They'll still be there. Waiting for my attention.

The tough part, though, is picking which one deserves my utmost dedication.

While writing this, I have narrowed the choices down to two. Hopefully by the time I hit "publish" I will have selected which manuscript I will choose and vigorously move forward...

Hmmm. I think I know.

In the mean time, while I get back to writing -- because, yep, you guessed it, blogging is not much different than Facebook, and Twitter, and YouTube, and the Internet -- it's part of the Fourth D. Blogging, although necessary, is a distraction from my actual writing -- why don't you check out some of the links below!

Look at the time. Way behind schedule. Got to run!

Phillip Tomasso

Pulse of Evil Book Trailer

Pulse of Evil For Sale (Just click on the book cover)

Other titles for sale for Kindle

The Molech Prophecy for sale on Nook/Paperback -- writing as Thomas Phillips