Monday, March 30, 2015

Writing Progress...An Enemy?






Ever felt this way? Like you have the story, the whole picture inside your head, but you can't regurgitate it fast enough?

Well, that's doesn't sound right.

What I mean is, sometimes you know the whole story but it takes longer to express and buld that world than you thought, or at least longer than you'd like. I know people who can write a book in 6 weeks. That's not me. (Maybe one day? Eh, maybe not.) From the start, I think I know I'm a 4-draft writer. At least.

When you're painting those pictures, directing that movie on paper, there's a big transition from your head to a reader's hands--and getting it all right, so the reader's experience and emotions are just what you aimed for.

I had a chunk of time I devoted to my WIP this week, and while I made progress, it wasn't as much as I wanted. It's not enough! Why can't I write faster? is what I kept yelling at myself. For some, me included, such thoughts can work against you. Discourage you, make you quit.

But I--WE--must not stop writing.

I know the first draft is garbage, but I can work with a draft; I can't work with an unfleshed idea or an empty page.

So as I take a deep breath and launch into this week (already worried that upcoming commitments will deplete writing time), I'm making the decision to be happy with Progress. Any Progress.

And I'm going to keep telling the story.

Here's an article (a little dated but still good) on writing and making progress.

http://thewritelife.com/trick-yourself-major-writing-progress/#comment-347532

Have a great week of writing, Friends!

WIP Word Count: 18,420

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