Years ago I attended a day long writing workshop I vaguely remember the title to be something like, “Getting Published,” or some such thing. I only remember one thing from that day, “Writers write.”
That was something the workshop leader said during the day. I vaguely recall a conversation about writer’s block and one about how to write a query letter.
“Writers write,” still comes to my mind whenever I think of writing. For all the advice out there on writing, the best is still – just sit down and write. Often times, the block I have as a writer is simply connecting my butt to the chair and my fingers to the keyboard.
They are connected today. I’ve made some progress, finished edits on my poetry book, spent some time on my novel, and now before the pizza goes in the oven I am writing this post. Nothing special or exciting is happening in my writing world, just fingers on keys and words forming on the screen. This is that place were I just need to spend time ,effort and get something done. I have no expectation other than progress.
Sometimes writing is like that. Nothing world shaking happens. No great insights are found – just another 500 words from my brain to the page.
Sometimes that is enough.
Sure, it would be nice if I could report that I’ve made some major break through, but I can’t. I can say that I am moving my writing mind more and more into my novel work. This novel is something that I started many years ago, maybe twelve years, and then put aside as I couldn’t make the pieces fit. Maybe eight years ago I tried to figure a way around the blocks I was having – the places where the narrative in my mind made no sense on the page. The full expanse of my world refused to sit in the single time line of the protagonist.
I don’t remember exactly when, but one day the phrase, “fracture the crystal,” came into my head. Some of you might remember Jim Henson’s movie, “The Dark Crystal,” with the innocent Gelflings, the enigmatic Mystics and the evil Skeksis. The Gelflings had to heal the crystal and thereby save the world, but before that could happen, Henson had to fracture the crystal and let chaos reign.
So I’ve shifted how I am going to tell my story. There will be no strict chronological timeline with events moving nicely from place to place. That’s not the story in my head. My story is messy, incomplete, and full of inconsistencies.
This writer is writing and I’ve written the ending.
Now it is simply a matter of writing the beginning.
Till next week,
Andrew
Andrew's View of the Week 
Good advice. Simple but true.
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I really appreciate this, as it so clearly states what I’ve been struggling with. Sounds like you and I started writing our stories at the same time! I’ve put it away, pulled it out, put it way again, too many times to count. My biggest problem is that the story in my head is brilliant, but the one that comes out is anything but. Very frustrating!
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I can be frustrating. Sometimes the best is to ignore brilliant and just tell the story. Even if you have to start at the end and work backwards. or sideways.
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Hmm. I like the idea of entering the tale sideways… like I’m sneaking up on it. Sounds more fun and a lot less intimidating. 👍🏼
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Well, I’m glad you got down the basics. 🙂
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Simple is better.
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A broad grin for this one! Being disorganised is so much more fun than planning!
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It certainly is!
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I am writing a book too and I wrote the first draft out by hand (I know that sounds crazy but that is how it came to me). Now I am typing and editing and this is harder than writing it by hand. I will take my cue from you, except for me it will be “Writers type” lol. Great post Andrew.
Lynette
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Keep writing! Typing is good too.
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It seems to me that writing is the easy part of the process. After writing my book the problem was what to do with it? Agents are hard to get to read your book, publishers won’t read it without an agent bringing it to their attention, and publicity is expensive and hard to find. I finally self-published mine, but getting it known to the public is almost impossible. Good luck to you, Andrew. I hope you produce a Number One best seller and become rich and famous!
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Getting a book published is a different thing for sure. I haven’t decided if I’ll try to get this published or not. For now it just needs to be written.
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Just do it, is probably the best advice us writers can hear. Sounds like you are on the right track.
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The project is coming together.
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These off-the-cuff writings are often the best–as is this one. Authentic, pithy, honest. Well said, Andrew.
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Thanks, sometimes it’s best for a write to be honest with themselves.
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That’s good advice. I must stop whinging about writers block and just get on with it. And yes, I too figure out my endings first!
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If you are blocked, you can always write about why you are blocked. Often times a bit of free writing on why I am having trouble writing does wonders.
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I think the Nike advertising slogan “Just Do It” fits in well here. Waiting for perfection halts so much creative progress. It’s good you’re on a roll…don’t stop! 🙂
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Most think that art comes out perfect the first time, when it’s really about just doing and refining later. Just do it is often the best.
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Nice to know how it ends. You won’t be in suspense writing and the ending won’t feel like you ran out of ideas/time and just said “I’m done”.
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It takes a lot of the pressure off.
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Amen.
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Amen
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