The first time I sat down to write my novel, I was so intimidated that I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to start the first chapter. So I didn’t. I wrote Chapter 6 instead. Then, because I still couldn’t figure out how to write Chapter 1, I wrote chapter 4. Then chapter 13. By that time, it didn’t seem like as big a deal, especially since I kept reminding myself that it didn’t matter if it was crap – I could fix it later. It was just important to start. Period.
Another thing – about that infernal editor. If you have problems turning it off, you can try any number of things to force it to be silent. You can give it a name – and a whole other personality – and tell it that it’ll get its say soon. Or, if you have decent typing skills, put on a blindfold and type away – can’t edit if you can’t see, right? Or write by hand – there seems to be more of an emotional connection as opposed to typing (or so I’ve heard). And keep reminding yourself that the first draft is just that – a first draft. There’s plenty of time to chop, change, add later. Just get the flow down and worry about the rest later. You can start in the middle of some action or conversation – that way you have something to propel you forward.
That’s my $0.02 (that’s $5 Canadian).
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- Writing without editing. Also known as Blitz-drafting.
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