If you ever cry on television, I hope it sounds like this.

(From "Intervention" on A&E)

I generally have noise in my car on the way home from work. A baseball game or some music usually, and sometimes the all-news radio station if a big story in the world piques my interest. On occasion I’ve even listened to classical music, particularly if I’m stressed. But yesterday I tried something new. I turned everything off and drove home in silence, giving my subconscious enough rope to wander around my brain and find a story to pursue.

When I got home, the house was empty. I sat down in a red chair in our living room and didn’t move for ninety minutes. I just wrote. I didn’t stop to edit myself, nor to even think of where I should take the story next. When I finally looked up, I’d written 711 words.

I feel better about things today. About myself. I’m going for it. I’m in the hunt. I stabbed my fear and inertia in the chest and I’m moving beyond them.

One word of advice to the others in the 500 words per day challenge: I’ve been thumbing through a book called Making a Literary Life, and while it’s far from the best book I’ve ever read I did pick up a good piece of strategy. When wrapping up your 500 words, make sure you leave off in such a way that it will be easy to pick up the next day. Maybe the middle of a conversation or a location description.

Would love to hear how the rest of you fared on day one.