Edits and rewrites

Captain’s Log, Stardate 04.10.2005

Since it’s technically Sunday already, I’ll post for today.

Writing: I had a hard time writing earlier today--easily distracted, chronic procrastination--but this evening I came into a writing zone. I think it has to do with the fact that I’m a night owl. My best writing time is usually in the evening, often after midnight.

I had wanted to be done by tonight, but I blame it on laziness and preplanned events. I’m so close I can taste it. I already wrote my heroine’s spiritual epiphany scene on Friday (during that creative episode at work), which was probably one of the hardest passages.

I know I’m not supposed to edit while I write, but I have a hard time allowing myself to lay down trite and clichéd prose. I write something and think, “That’s bland, that sounds funny. What’s a different way I can phrase that?” I also have a tendency to reuse words within a few pages of each other, so I try to reword things as I go. I probably shouldn’t, I should just throw it down and rewrite later.

My problem is that I’m not a fan of revision. Some writers absolutely SHINE when they do their rewrites. I do not. My fear is that I’m stifling my creativity by not just slamming down garbage to fix later. I’d probably be done quicker if I did, but then I’d also have to take more time on the fixing part.

However, maybe I should try to separate right and left brain activity more. I might come up with more creative writing without trying as hard.

Diet: Not bad. Sandwich for lunch, salad for dinner, a few brownies after youth group meeting tonight.

Comments

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