7/6 WIP Tip: Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough
Word of warning: I’m still broken-hearted over Michael Jackson’s death. Sue me…I’m a child of the 80s. But I did think this title was great for the WIP Tip.
No matter what you write, there’s always a point where your writing (and you) hit the wall. Sometimes it’s physical–you can’t sit still one more minute. Sometimes, it’s mental…too many things to do in your day. Sometimes it’s creative–the idea you were so excited to write isn’t coming out the way you envisioned. It’s sooooooo tempting to give up, to close the laptop and put away the pen.
That exact time when you feel you can’t write another word is the time when the best ideas are ready to burst out. How do I know this? Experience. Some of my best ideas have come when I’ve forced myself to write one more paragraph or two more sentences before stopping. If nothing else, these additions leave me with a new place to start my writing the next day. I used to write a scene to the death, then spend several days agitated because I felt like I’d said everything. Now, I write an additional sentence or two to give me a starting place the next morning.
Have you ever forced yourself to keep writing when you’ve hit a standstill? How did it turn out? We’d love to hear how you did it and what difference it made to your work!
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It's pretty simple, really. I'm a writer who loves writing about writing, and sharing all the tricks of the trade with other writers. And when I'm not writing, I'm thinking about writing. I have a hunch you know what I mean :)
Alexis Grant
July 7, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Totally! Took a break this weekend, then forced myself to get back to work on Monday, and today I feel much better, more willing to write. Sometimes I forget that as much as I love writing, it’s just like any other job — we all need a break!