Who's getting a real rush...

**sifutofu** · August 18th, 2012, 10:07 PM

...from their writing these days? Man, I've written my story out of so many long-standing corners these past few weeks, it's just blowin' my mind. Had the "Ah-Ha!" moment many times ("This is what I've been created to do!"). I've been writing my story scene-by-scene. This gives me so much versatility and focus in my process. The task of writing a book no longer seems to be so daunting. Every scene I write is much like a story in itself. One will have a beginning, and one will have an ending, but those in between will be "ragged" at either end, for the ease of joining them together. I've been leaving space between paragraphs. Stephen King called paragraphs, "maps of intent". By spacing them, the emerging map becomes far more clear to me. And yes, grammatical errors, typos, and such are much easier to spot, and correct.
I am now actually very excited to get back to my writing. "Excitement" for me used to be finding a movie in the Redbox (DVD kiosk) that I had been wanting to see. Now, those 1.28 rentals have become a waste of money. I rarely watch the movies I rent now. I can write any movie I want...control every aspect of them. How much better can entertainment get?
I've been recalling all the times in grade school, when a teacher would choose my story out of all the others, to read it to the class.
I've learned so much these last several weeks.
I'm far from perfect, having a lot to learn, and experience. I never knew one can experience such an incredible adventure, sitting all alone in a room, just pecking away on a laptop.
Is there a literary equivalent to Muhammad Ali? There is now!

**tmso** · August 18th, 2012, 11:45 PM

Better than drugs, no?

**Slynt** · August 19th, 2012, 04:47 AM

Beats my current situation where I rarely have the discipline to get into it, and everything I write feels old and boring and samey

But good for you, and hope it lasts a long time

**Cirias** · August 19th, 2012, 02:57 PM

I wrote a post today on my blog about the joys of writing unconstrained by chapters and just tackling the story scene by scene. It's sometimes difficult to see that you don't need to write in the same format that you submit for publishing. That space in between the chapters tip is an interesting one.

**sifutofu** · August 20th, 2012, 05:37 AM

Originally Posted by tmso

Better than drugs, no?

"Ah-say/ah-say hold own there, my good man, uh, WO-man, uh, PERSON!"

**sifutofu** · August 20th, 2012, 05:42 AM

Originally Posted by Cirias

I wrote a post today on my blog about the joys of writing unconstrained by chapters and just tackling the story scene by scene. It's sometimes difficult to see that you don't need to write in the same format that you submit for publishing. That space in between the chapters tip is an interesting one.

...I'm double-spacing between paragraphs. It really helps
me as it's easier to do re-write on the fly widout breakin' da flow, yaw! Whew! Got all urban there, for a sec!

**sifutofu** · August 20th, 2012, 05:52 AM

Originally Posted by Slynt

Beats my current situation where I rarely have the discipline to get into it, and everything I write feels old and boring and samey

But good for you, and hope it lasts a long time

...you've got a DVD you've been wantin' ta see, but you find yourself thinking, "Dang, I want to finish this scene, but I need to watch this, Hunger Games" movie, since I paid for the rental, an' all...
I've got two beotches (can I say, "beotches"?) wailin' on each other with swords, an' I'm really hurtin' ta git back ta it!

**SilentDan** · August 28th, 2012, 08:54 AM

That's the way it should be. Because if it's fun to write, it'll be fun to read (but rewriting should make you hate it). I've reached a diet version of this; my first book took several re-tries to finish, as I kept revising the setting, fleshing it out, and it didn't help that I didn't have a full plot when I started. I've finished the first book now, but it was a monumental effort of will to write because I didn't have any flame left over and no incentive to complete it. It didn't help that I only wrote it after midnight, on sleeping medication, with music going (I just figured out that I am NOT a music-needing writer; more on that late). No incentive... until an editor asked me to submit it, having read a sample on a forum (which was dodgy as hell but that's okay). Then I got the boost I needed, and finally finished it. It was a blast to read, some people said. I'm glad that they liked it, all three of them.

I recently finished book 2, and damn, was it easier, smoother and more fun to write! "Finished already?" Of course I'm editing now and that may kill the joy, but it's entirely possible that I'm the crazy type who'll enjoy rewriting. I do tend to be keen to 'fix' chapters critiqued by my local group.

**Noumenon** · August 28th, 2012, 09:47 AM

I'm writing daily for the first time in more than ten years and it's great. In order to avoid my typical problems (starting strong and faltering at the first obstacle, usually; I have been part of the have-idea-and-wing-it crowd in the past) this time I spent several months plotting and world building before I wrote any actual prose at all.

Since Breaking Blank at the end of July I've not looked back. I've had maybe three days in the last five weeks when I took a break, and each time I was half nervous I'd not be able to pick up the pace again, half cross with myself for wasting valuable time at the keyboard. Twice I've found myself blocked when "trivial" details of my plan didn't come clear in time, but being able to just move on to another part of the story in a controlled manner has made all the difference for me.

So far it's coming along in a very satisfying manner. First draft stuff of course, but the feedback I'm getting has been nicely encouraging. Plus, like I said, I'm having a great time doing it.

**Wulfen** · August 28th, 2012, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Noumenon

I'm writing daily for the first time in more than ten years and it's great. In order to avoid my typical problems (starting strong and faltering at the first obstacle, usually; I have been part of the have-idea-and-wing-it crowd in the past)

I can sympathize, that was my 'process' for years. It's been hard to break, but I think I'm finally starting to understand how I write best, and what it will take to maintain that.

Been having a blast lately, and I'm hoping it comes through in my writing.

**sifutofu** · August 28th, 2012, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Noumenon

I'm writing daily for the first time in more than ten years and it's great. In order to avoid my typical problems (starting strong and faltering at the first obstacle, usually; I have been part of the have-idea-and-wing-it crowd in the past) this time I spent several months plotting and world building before I wrote any actual prose at all.

"World-building"...maybe that's one reason why we do it, eh? In the world WE CREATE, we get to be god-like for awhile. However, though I might describe God as The Master Chessman", I find myself stumbling over my own pieces, requiring me to go back, and fix things as gently as possible, so as not to set off a world-crumbling "earth-tremor". Sometimes, things turn out for the better. At other times...

**RedMage** · August 28th, 2012, 03:16 PM

I'm coming out of nearly a year of not writing and generally being blocked. I have lots of ideas and have written them all out but I am just now beginning to progress from the planning to actually writing anything on any one of these ideas. As I slowly come back to writing and finding my process again I keep looking back at all the great moments I had in the past, which all of you guys are experiencing now. I can't wait to get back to those points! Good luck to all of you with your stories. I hope to join you in the Land of Awesome-Writing-Experience soon.

**sifutofu** · August 29th, 2012, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by RedMage

I'm coming out of nearly a year of not writing and generally being blocked.

IMHO, it seems writer's block can be remedied by ingesting more input...other books, movies, etc. If one is in need of an idea, newspapers are full of them. If you're doing a period piece, as I am, it seems to help in reading up on the mythology of the culture,
etc.

**RedMage** · August 29th, 2012, 04:13 PM

Oh definitely, Sifu. Completely agree. For a while it helped to read other books, see movies of the same/similar genre and tone, etc. Then it stopped and I think it was because I wasn't putting that inspiration to use like I should have. I am remedying that now. Hoping to be back in full writing gear soon!

**sifutofu** · August 30th, 2012, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Wulfen

I can sympathize, that was my 'process' for years. It's been hard to break, but I think I'm finally starting to understand how I write best, and what it will take to maintain that.

Been having a blast lately, and I'm hoping it comes through in my writing.

The coolest movie ever! Read the book? Awesome!