![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
It bears repeating (laws of writing).
Jul. 2nd, 2010 10:25 pmNothing is ever wasted, not even the stuff you throw out.
Law of Writing # 79
Feb. 11th, 2008 07:13 pm2319 words. On a Monday (the days after I've been off are always hardest to get back into the groove).
Not bad, especially since a significant part of the day involved that part of writing which does not look like writing although it is a vital and unavoidable part of my writing process, in which I pace, scratch my head, read something (anything) else, move the towels into the dryer, stare at the wall, and make lists about completely unrelated activities - that is, I know which scene comes next and I know who is in it, but I don't know quite what it is that has to be accomplished except I kind of do but more importantly I can't figure out HOW it is to be accomplished.
It was not until I gave up worrying and told myself that I could just scrawl pointless blather in that space and move on to the stuff I did know (coming back to that section later when, as one hoped, All Became Clear) that a glimmer of light appeared and I was suddenly able to write productively.
Thus, today's law of writing:
Don't try to write in the way other people tell you is the right way to write if it's not the right way for you. Or for that matter, don't feel you are locked into the way you wrote the last book. Figure out how this book needs to be written.
Not bad, especially since a significant part of the day involved that part of writing which does not look like writing although it is a vital and unavoidable part of my writing process, in which I pace, scratch my head, read something (anything) else, move the towels into the dryer, stare at the wall, and make lists about completely unrelated activities - that is, I know which scene comes next and I know who is in it, but I don't know quite what it is that has to be accomplished except I kind of do but more importantly I can't figure out HOW it is to be accomplished.
It was not until I gave up worrying and told myself that I could just scrawl pointless blather in that space and move on to the stuff I did know (coming back to that section later when, as one hoped, All Became Clear) that a glimmer of light appeared and I was suddenly able to write productively.
Thus, today's law of writing:
Don't try to write in the way other people tell you is the right way to write if it's not the right way for you. Or for that matter, don't feel you are locked into the way you wrote the last book. Figure out how this book needs to be written.
Law of Writing #85
Oct. 21st, 2007 07:22 pmAlways have pen/cil and paper, even scrap of paper, available wherever you are, because you may be driving to the gym to work out and suddenly have a revelatory thought that sets up that plot point you've been struggling to incorporate smoothly. Or if not that, something else. And you do not want to have to turn around and drive home lest you forget the all important idea while you are working out.
Fortunately, we have a messy minivan, and lo! With enough digging I indeed did find a pencil and a discarded piece of paper with enough white space to scrawl on.
Fortunately, we have a messy minivan, and lo! With enough digging I indeed did find a pencil and a discarded piece of paper with enough white space to scrawl on.
