Ack! I missed last week's as I was traveling etc and that always disorients me. Am now house sitting in Santa Fe for a few more days. But FYI, as a coach one of my regular type of clients were writers who became mothers then dropped off the writing world for a string of years. Then one day they woke up and thought, "Mein Gott! It's been 5 (7, 9) years since I wrote! Help!" I don't think there's any way around that gap, unless you're rich, and you're still likely to have one even if it's smaller.
Also great quotes. The one I always tell people who have an active project in mind is to just do something, take care of simple problems that are right in front of them and don't worry about the big picture. Often the big picture overwhelms, and that's when they need to go small. Just work on a scene, etc. Keep *moving*.
Good advice for any big overwhelming project as well - just one little step at a time will get you there eventually. When I was reporter who had to produce something crazy like 8 posts a day, I'd just ask myself constantly, what's the most important thing to do right now.
Glad to have you back - it's disorienting for me without a Steve comment ;)
This probably won't shock you, but Jodi Picoult's explanation is pretty much mine: ain't nobody got time for that!
Also, folks are often impressed with my daily volume, but let's be real here: I write a good first draft every day. Most things I write could improve if edited patiently over a few days, but I just want to get them out there ASAP. I don't really care all that much about making it perfect, because the overwhelming value I provide to the world is with the ideas, not with my florid prose (at least, that's my take! I'm good with words and all that, but for me, that stuff matters way less than the idea).
I got Kristi to watch season 1 of 24 recently but in our time-compressed, 5-minutes is a long time culture and anything can be said in 140 characters or less, 24 episodes in one season is a lot of commitment and time.
Ack! I missed last week's as I was traveling etc and that always disorients me. Am now house sitting in Santa Fe for a few more days. But FYI, as a coach one of my regular type of clients were writers who became mothers then dropped off the writing world for a string of years. Then one day they woke up and thought, "Mein Gott! It's been 5 (7, 9) years since I wrote! Help!" I don't think there's any way around that gap, unless you're rich, and you're still likely to have one even if it's smaller.
Also great quotes. The one I always tell people who have an active project in mind is to just do something, take care of simple problems that are right in front of them and don't worry about the big picture. Often the big picture overwhelms, and that's when they need to go small. Just work on a scene, etc. Keep *moving*.
Good advice for any big overwhelming project as well - just one little step at a time will get you there eventually. When I was reporter who had to produce something crazy like 8 posts a day, I'd just ask myself constantly, what's the most important thing to do right now.
Glad to have you back - it's disorienting for me without a Steve comment ;)
This probably won't shock you, but Jodi Picoult's explanation is pretty much mine: ain't nobody got time for that!
Also, folks are often impressed with my daily volume, but let's be real here: I write a good first draft every day. Most things I write could improve if edited patiently over a few days, but I just want to get them out there ASAP. I don't really care all that much about making it perfect, because the overwhelming value I provide to the world is with the ideas, not with my florid prose (at least, that's my take! I'm good with words and all that, but for me, that stuff matters way less than the idea).
Also: I like your clay analogy a lot for writers aspiring to get started.
24 … my favorite TV show
makes me want to rewatch!
I got Kristi to watch season 1 of 24 recently but in our time-compressed, 5-minutes is a long time culture and anything can be said in 140 characters or less, 24 episodes in one season is a lot of commitment and time.
yeah that's a LOT. We're trying to get through Handmaid's Tale in one free month trial of Hulu, ready set goooo!
It’s awesome you have the ability to get it out and move along. And I’ve never witnessed one mere typo in your work so you’re doing something right!
I like the clay idea too. Or just Hemingway’s idea of “shit” - very freeing!