I'm pretty proud of myself as of late. I've been doing my best to write everyday, which is hard for me to do. Not because I can't figure out what to write, but because I have four kids under the age of 6. And, even though school starts on Monday (yes!), I'll still have the same amount of time I have now...expect, I'll be living in the car during the morning (Kindergarten in our district is only half days. ugh!).
Anyway- the reason I'm proud? I was able to bang out 1k on Sunday. Yep. I sat down and wrote for 2 hours and it was bliss (there was lunch I had to make, diapers I had to change, etc., which is why it took 2 hours...) but still. I did it.
As I was writing, something occurred to me. I'm too worried about the "rules." I'm too worried about getting the story right and I shouldn't be. Not yet at least. I'm only in the drafting stage--creating the story. I think half the reason that it is taking me so long to write this first draft is because I'm over thinking everything.
I've decided that for this draft, I'm going to stop thinking (you know what I mean). This is my very first draft of the story. I'm going to write it without rules, dang it. There are no rules when writing the first draft--at least for me. Most of it will get cut anyway and over thinking about the "rules" is putting a hold on my creativity.
Has this ever happened to you? How do you stop over thinking or write without rules in the drafting phase?
3 comments:
This is definitely an issue for me. It kept me from writing anything for a long time. But with the most recent book I started, I let myself be telling, and wordy, and whatever it took to get my first chapter on paper, and it was very liberating. I just have to remember that in the future ^_^
I am impressed! I was in your same place about 2 years ago (with 4 kids under 6) and that was a year I hardly wrote anything!
I think having free, uninhibited writing sessions is a GREAT thing. Keep it fun and then you'll actually want to do it. :) I do my best work when the only person I'm out to please is myself.
Good luck with this story! I hope writing it is a rewarding experience.
I think blogger just ate my comment.
Anyway, Kelly... that's fantastic that you're able to concentrate and get those words written. YAY!
Loosening up on the first draft and giving myself permission to be sloppy has been making it flow better for me.
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