Why I Hate Mike, My Writing Action Buddy

"Have you done your writing today?" Mike holds me accountable.

I’ve known him for ten years. We went to film school together and worked side by side for long hours on numerous films. We went to the Cannes Film Festival together with a group of fellow students, drank beer and danced on tables.

I still hate him.

I own a house in his home town (Cumberland, MD). He’s been to my home town (Potter Valley, CA). We have mutual friends. We know each others’ families. He’s an adopted uncle to my kids. We’re even friends on Facebook.

I still hate him.

And it’s not just because he’s my most challenging opponent in “Words with Friends“.

I hate Mike because he holds me accountable.

He’s my Writing Action Buddy.

He knows my work schedule. He knows my writing schedule. He knows my writing goals. He knows my story. He knows the stories I make up to avoid writing my story.

And… he’s on skype.

All the damn time.

He yells at me in the morning: “Are you writing?!”
(I’m supposed to be between 5:30am and 7:30am.)

He yells at me during the day: “Are you writing?!”
(I’m supposed to be between 2pm and 3pm.)

He yells at me at night: “How far did you get and what are you doing tomorrow?”

I can’t get away with anything.

I hate Mike.

Fortunately, I still regularly beat him at Words with Friends.

That alleviates the pain.