DEVIL’S ADVOCATE

Now my last post was filled with triumph. I don’t want to mislead you too much with the impression that once I sit down at my computer the words fly from my fingers and the each word is pure gold that I can publish right that second.

Not even I frequent La-La land that much.

The truth of the matter is every morning I wake up and start where I left off. Sometimes that scene is clear in my mind. I can hear what needs to be said and I know the goal I’m going towards. Most days all I know is what’s going to happen next(if that), not sure of the goal, not even sure of why I’m sitting down at my computer when I have no freaking idea of what I’m doing.

I guarantee you I can go back and pin-point when I was stuck. There is usually a page of introspection or detailed explanations of what the furniture looks and feels like in the room my characters are in.

So what do I do?

I keep writing until inspiration bites me on the ass or else. In essence I give myself an escape clause. If I can make it to at least 1,000 words I can quit for the day. If I at least give myself a road map of what needs to happen to get to the next scene then I can stop having a staring contest with my cursor. (The damn thing always wins). I do that and it may take me all day. My mornings usually start at 6:30-7:00. I got to work, come home for lunch type some more crap. Then around five o’clock in the evening, if I’m lucky, the words start to flow.

Okay, I’m exaggerating. I stop describing furniture because now my character’s are talking and moving. Now I’m sensing what the conflict of the scene is. Phoenix sends me a quiet thanks because she’s an accountant not an interior decorator and if she has to look at one more curtain and describe it as soft flowing lace she’ll scream.

So as a spin off to Dory’s song (in Finding Nemo) Just keep writing, Just keep writing . . .

Oh, and I’ve added Alison Kent to the blog roll if you were wondering what 70 Days of Sweat looks like.