Sit Your Ass Down And Write!

[sirbruce]

I've never been very disciplined when it comes to my writing. I get distracted very easily, and I always procrastinate until the last minute. These are not good character traits for an aspiring author. And the best advice established writers can give new writers is really just that simple: sit your ass down and write! Write every day. No one else is going to do it, and no one is going to buy it until you write it. WRITE!

So today, I sat my ass down and wrote, the most I've written in many, many months.

It felt really good.

Did you write today? WRITE!

[Moejoe]

Every single day Unless I'm ill, then I let myself off the hook.

[sirbruce]

Wrote another thousand words today. Should have my short finished by Friday!

[montsnmags]

Terry Pratchett once said "Too many people want to have written". I'm one of those people.

Cheers,
Marc

[sirbruce]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

Terry Pratchett once said "Too many people want to have written". I'm one of those people.

It's an oft-repeated maxim in writing from long before Pratchett. I don't think it's the case with me, but I made the all too common rookie mistake of getting too bogged down in the minutae -- reading books on the craft, making lists of markets, spending hours agonizing on just the right manuscript format -- and not actually writing, which is the most important part.

[HenryP]

Moejoe,
Your Cervantes reference reminded me that I'd never read 'Don Quixote' so I downloaded it from MobileRead and loaded it onto the Sony reader I've just had delivered.
This, by way of joining in here to say that I have phases. When in the one I spend all available time at that extreme of the reading-writing spectrum and when I finish, say, writing, I switch to the reading pole.
This particular bi-polar condition occasions no suffering.

henry

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by HenryP

Moejoe,
Your Cervantes reference reminded me that I'd never read 'Don Quixote' so I downloaded it from MobileRead and loaded it onto the Sony reader I've just had delivered.
This, by way of joining in here to say that I have phases. When in the one I spend all available time at that extreme of the reading-writing spectrum and when I finish, say, writing, I switch to the reading pole.
This particular bi-polar condition occasions no suffering.

henry

I've had phases just like that I think there are plenty of authors who work that way too, and don't have the "write every day" thing going on. I don't suppose it matters in the end, as long as something is produced that you enjoyed creating. Everything after that creation is just gravy

[sirbruce]

I agree that it varies from author to author; some write very intensely for months and then nothing; others do it in dribs and drabs. I don't think it's necessary to write every day (unless it's necessary *for you*), but it is necessary to write eventually!

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

Terry Pratchett once said "Too many people want to have written". I'm one of those people.

Cheers,
Marc

If you don't write, I'll nail your head to the floor. And then run around in circles like a silly sot yelling "He wouldn't do it! He wouldn't do it!" in front of all your neighbors. And then raid your refrigerator and eat all the ice cream. You'd better write!!

[sirbruce]

I wrote yesterday but not today. But today wasn't wasted; I spent it outlining and fleshing out my fantasy novel to completion. Now I can put that on the back burner again. Tomorrow I'll get back to writing my short story (still want to finish it Friday).

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

If you don't write, I'll nail your head to the floor. And then run around in circles like a silly sot yelling "He wouldn't do it! He wouldn't do it!" in front of all your neighbors. And then raid your refrigerator and eat all the ice cream. You'd better write!!

I apologize for my outburst, Marc. Sometimes, I just can't control myself. Look, you people should write or not if you want. You should always do what you think is best. Me, I'll just go to my corner and sit quietly. And count the spots on the wallpaper. And sob gently.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

I apologize for my outburst, Marc. Sometimes, I just can't control myself. Look, you people should write or not if you want. You should always do what you think is best. Me, I'll just go to my corner and sit quietly. And count the spots on the wallpaper. And sob gently.

Pfft. Sirbruce's forceful encouragement is most certainly quite welcome of course, but you know me, VR - it takes at least the recollection of the threat of having my head nailed to the floor just to get me to open my eyes of a morning. You keep it up. It's very much appreciated in this quarter (I suggest in future the use of staple guns, angle grinders, and possibly a hammer drill).

EDIT: The icecream bit might be taking it a bit far though, okay?

Cheers,
Marc

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

I like working on the minutia--the characters, timeline, notes, etc--until I reach a critical mass. At that point, either the words just start to flow... or I know I'm ready, but I need to craft the opening, and then the words just start to flow.

I don't consider non-writing time wasted, because when I'm not writing, I'm still thinking about the minutia, and ways of improving the writing.

I also spend a lot of non-writing time working on ideas to promote myself, which includes... more writing!

[LazyScot]

I think it is Iain (M) Banks who says he only writes for about 3 months a year -- but spends the rest of the time trashing out the storyline/characters/.... In contrast, I think Pratchett says he writes 300 words every single day. I think each person has a way that works best for them.

[sirbruce]

I agree. But you've go to write sometime!