Tuesday, July 03, 2007

The Essentials for Writing a Book

Let me just launch into this. My writing behavior is inconsistent because I suffer from multiple-writing-personalities-disorder. Here's how it works:

#1: I don't write anything at all and don't feel guilty.

#2: I beat myself up for not writing but I don't have anything to say.

#3: I am on fire! My fingers race to keep up with my mind. Nothing can stop me. I forget to eat, sleep, turn on lights, bathe.

#4: I'm done. I submit my manuscript to my writing group. I can't type and gnaw my fingernails simultaneously, so I wait. And fret. I realize there was a plot twist I left out. A witticism I neglected to include. A loose end I forgot to tie. Too many dialogue tags. Not enough tension.

#5: My writing group sends their critiques. Every word reads: THIS SUCKS!

#6: After I pull myself out of the fetal position, I slam my computer shut, and go back to personality #1.

#7: I am being eaten alive by guilt. I have got to finish that manuscript. I square my shoulders and sit down at the computer. I take off my shoes. Blow my nose. Go floss my teeth. Come back. Read my email. Send my brother a chatty note about myself. Read people's blogs. Eat a bag of Starlight Mints. Write something in my own blog. Go brush my teeth. Come back. File my nails. See what's happening on Rugman.com.

When I am finished with these warm-up exercises, I re-read the critiques. They aren't so bad after all. In fact, they're downright encouraging. Hey, these are some fabulous suggestions! My mind sparks, it ignites, I'm on fire!

1 comment:

eluper said...

I was right with you until the rugman.com part!