pbray: (Default)
pbray ([personal profile] pbray) wrote2007-01-27 08:44 pm
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Saturday night's alright for writing

Troll report: 4,500 words today in two long sessions, one in the morning and one just wrapping up.

The secret of production? Giving yourself permission to suck. In this case that means when I don't know how to start a scene, I don't allow myself to stare at the wordprocessor forever trying to craft the perfect opening sentence. Instead I just write
INSERT TRANSITION SENTENCE HERE
and start by writing the second sentence.

See? Doesn't that sound like I know what I'm doing? Why wasn't I this smart two months ago? Or six months ago? Why does becoming a professional writer mean learning the same lessons over and over again?

Can't answer that one. But I do know that it's time for chocolate.

[identity profile] mizkit.livejournal.com 2007-01-28 10:18 am (UTC)(link)
Why does becoming a professional writer mean learning the same lessons over and over again?

I don't *know*, but *man* I wish I'd just learn them and not have to do it over and over again!

I've got to train myself to do that transition scene one. Or give myself permission to, perhaps more accurately. That's a much better idea than staring grumpily at the screen, especially if I know what happens later.

Yay for 4500 words!

[identity profile] pbray.livejournal.com 2007-01-28 02:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks!

Yeah, it's amazing how that opening bit can be so hard to write, but if you give yourself permission to skip over it, once you've finished the scene it's completely obvious what that opening sentence needs to be.