Writing can be like flying, when it's going well, a seemingly undending flow of brilliant, witty words. Or that's how it seems at the time. When I read it back, it isn't usually quite as brilliant as I remember. Sometimes it doesn't even make sense.
I think it was Sol Stein who said the blank page is God's way of showing us what it's like to be God. Creating something from nothing is terrifying. But it's not nearly as frightening as fifty thousand words that aren't as brilliant as you remember. This is where editing begins, staring at the same words in endless combinations, character unravelling as fast as plot as you pick it apart then try to put it back together.
If you don't write, and want to know how it feels - just imagine picking apart your cat and putting that back together.
More About Writing a Novel...
I think it was Sol Stein who said the blank page is God's way of showing us what it's like to be God. Creating something from nothing is terrifying. But it's not nearly as frightening as fifty thousand words that aren't as brilliant as you remember. This is where editing begins, staring at the same words in endless combinations, character unravelling as fast as plot as you pick it apart then try to put it back together.
If you don't write, and want to know how it feels - just imagine picking apart your cat and putting that back together.
More About Writing a Novel...
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