How do I know I am well past the beginning of my writing? Because I have already pressed the delete button numerous times...that's how.  

It works something like this:

I think I will write about the past few months.
Delete. The past is not interesting.

I think I will write about what's happening right now.
Delete. Nothing has happened yet.

I think I will write about writing.
Delete. What can you possibly write about writing that someone else hasn't already written?

Hmmm....

I think I will not write about anything in particular.
OK. That sounds safe.

I think I will just put one word after the next.
OK. That doesn't sound too threatening.

I think I will allow words to form...like dew.
OK. That doesn't sound very important.

Snoooozzzzzzzzzz.

Allowing words to form like dew upon ones awareness and then jotting them down is what writing is. Words can only "form like dew" if someone or something doesn't keep wiping away the first signs of "moisture."  

 (:At the level of a whisper:)

Shhhhhh.

Of course I am talking about the inner critic.

It is one thing to talk about "it" and an entirely different thing to dance around the extended leg it puts forth to trip us up whenever it gets wind of the first whiff of creativity. That's all it does actually, it's quite mechanical. It's obviously some sort of primordial part of consciousness that kept us successfully in the trees and away from danger.  Apparently it fears words as much as lions, tigers and bears; after all, words are more powerful than the sword right?

Now just look at that word...sword.

Sword contains the word, "WORD". It is the ultimate s-word...the actual s-word.

Anyway, which ever way you slice it... "the words that form like dew" are more powerful than the sword-wielding creature that hits the delete button. All we have to do it tell it we are about to do something really unimportant and it dozes right off...blade in limp hand.

And so a new day begins sneaking past the thing with the s-word.