Day Twenty-Nine

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Please post today's updates/excerpts/thoughts/etc. in comments.

Here's today's daily prompt for your updates, excerpts, any thoughts, etc.

Yesterday's post: Day Twenty-Eight

Comments

[octavialuna.livejournal.com]

i have a problem.

Well let me backtrack a little. i haven't written so much as a word on my "project" in over a week. But i'm only about 400 words away from goal. i can probably do that in one or two sittings.

So i pulled up the doc and tried to work on it. And my problem? Is that i realize this is going NOWHERE and is utter crap. i contemplate starting over, trying something completely different... i'm nauseated and i feel like i'm going to cry.

i'm sorry for being all emo. :-(

[catskin.livejournal.com]

Keep going, I say. Maybe you'll find it's not as bad as you think once you've written a bit more?

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

It's a common part of the writing process, I think. Happens to me all the time -- and often when I look at the stuff again, later, I realise that actually there was some merit in the original material, it just needed some minor tweaking.

I'd suggest starting a new page and writing a new scene to get your 400 words, without looking back at the old work. Then putting it away for at least a few days to get a bit more perspective on it.

[six-old-cars.livejournal.com]

Sound advice there!

One of the reasons I keep a stock-pile of scenes (apart from the ghastly tendency to have inspiration for bits that belong the other end of the book already!) is that what flows onto paper/screen/dictaphone seems brilliant as it flows, looks utterly dire the next time I read it, and quite often proves to have some merit in the long term.

[paranoidangel]

I had a similar thing back on mine too but I just forced myself to keep going. The thing that seemed to work for me was that I just told myself I had to write something and not to look back at any of it, that way I had no way of knowing how good or bad any of it is.

[tawek.livejournal.com]

I've had the same experience several times this month.

I think it happens when I am emotionally overwrought (which tends to happen when I am tired): in which case things do *seem* rubbish and to be going nowhere.

I think the best initial cure is to keep writing, and suddenly, the good things in my imagination start sparking off each other, and I remember what moved me in my writing in the first place.

The final cure, of course, will be in my editing process: to cut, polish, and embroider until the writing actually reflects the good things sparking around in my imagination ... But should wait till after the first draft is done.

Sadly, the cure is hard to apply. I find this forcefield in front of my keyboard whenever I open the word processor, and these nasty little demons keep saying - "it's a week since you last cleaned your fridge!" ;)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Wow, do you really clean your fridge every week? (*looks around guiltily*)

[tawek.livejournal.com]

lol ... no. But, when I'm writing, the procrastination demons claim I should.
When I'm not, I can get away with once in a blue moon ;)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'd say keep writing. Because I think that crisis of confidence is a natural part of writing - and that's because writing is about all about being true to yourself. When the going is tough, and things aren't working, that's what makes it so emotional.

That process of making what's going down on the page match what you're feeling in your heart and body takes time - but it can't happen unless you're putting something on the page. So trust yourself, and where the words are taking you. You'll get there, and when you do, it'll feel great.

So I think go for it: write the 400 words and let yourself have that achievement.

(And don't worry about being emo.)