Blank Wall

I write, preferably, staring at a blank wall. That’s not the best scenery for a writer—better for an artist, but not for a writer. I have a lovely study, but once you’re into it, it doesn’t make any difference. But the difficulty is cranking up the machine, getting it started. You can sit there for hours, actually. When you’re at an impasse, you have to go back to it. Every morning or afternoon, whenever you write, you have to go up and shoot that old bear under your desk between the eyes. That’s right. You have to have enormous discipline, especially if you like your drink. I know so many writers who went down the drain. If you like to drink, you can’t do it. It’s a reward. It should never be a crutch.

ROBERT LECKIE