Saturday, April 10, 2010

Getting the Flow On


I have started and restarted Chapter One six times now. Each time, I get about 800 words in and stop.

I'm driving myself crazy.

I know I just have to get the first draft down. It will stink, most likely. It's supposed to stink. This is where I audition ideas, see what works, play with the possibilities. I'm not worried my writing will stink.

Yes. I am. Arg.

I want the voice to be right, that's all. And I think, maybe, this morning, I got it right.

Now, I've got to loosen up, already. If it takes six restarts for every chapter, I'll be eighty before the first draft is done!

What do you do to override the perfectionist in your head? I've tried timed writing, music, calisthenics between paragraphs. More coffee. Less coffee. Handwriting. Writing in public places.... I'm open to any new ideas!


In the meantime, I hope your weekend is full of sunshine and ignored inner editors!