Sunday, March 4, 2007

Back out of the Blocks

53,500 words (pedal to the metal once again...)

Dylan and I've been friends for years now. When my last book stalled last year (seemed like forever but actually a couple-three weeks or so), he was surprised to find out I get writer's block the same as anybody. I just try to nip it in the bud.

This one wasn't the Inner Critic. I wasn't worried my words weren't good enough, though if I'd let the situation continue, I might have started.

It wasn't What-Happens-Next. I've got a good sense now of where I'm going, even if I don't know how I'll get there.

Problem was, I was trying to write forward while my mind was writing back. That is, I sat there asking for the rest of the current scene, and what started playing was an earlier scene I knew I would need but hadn't written yet.

So last night I sat down and made a start. Fifteen hundred words and a couple of hours later, I had my earlier scene and a lot of surprising revelations that streamlined the plot and made stuff I didn't understand make sense.

Now I've got to sit down and do it all over again today...

3 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

Writing is like cleaning the house. You just have to clean it again in a few days.

cs harris said...

A good way to put it. I've discovered that often when I'm "blocked" it's because I subconsciously know something is wrong with the story, either what I've already written or the direction I'm trying to get it to go. In those times, the block is a gift.

Wayne Allen Sallee said...

indeed, the words are like dust motes in the sunlight. just keep writing, my friend, full throttle or power to turbines, engines to speed...da da da da da da dada batman!