On Having Something Important to Write
Thursday, December 9, 2010 Question of the day: I am (as I have always been) compelled to write on a fairly regular basis. Most often, though, I find myself sitting down and staring at a blank page until the frustration becomes unbearable. Say something worth saying; else, say nothing. Is that a fair maxim? Am I being stymied by a false belief? And regardless of the validity or invalidity of the maxim, what am I to say when I honestly feel that I have, at present, nothing worth saying?
This is one reason why Nanowrimo is such a great (if exhausting) exercise. Because, especially when you're just getting started, you absolutely should not feel the pressure to put anything down that is close to genius. The idea behind Nanowrimo is that any form of writing is good, as along as you're writing: that this is a necessary muscle to be flexed, and in flexing it, you'll strengthen it until it's strong enough to be taken to another level.
Think of it this way: if you were a really excellent tennis player, you wouldn't have acquired such skills by simply showing up one day and knowing how to serve aces or whip backhand winners. No, you'd work on these tools over time, getting stronger and stronger until that backhand in the corner base line became instinct. And EVEN ONCE it was instinct, you'd still show up and practice with your coach.
That's how I feel about writing. Look, at a certain point, it's important to just put something down on page. It can be total crap, but it gets you in a mindset, a rhythm, and you really will learn things as you go. Even now, four books later, I write PLENTY of paragraphs and dialogue that are total stinkers. Less than I used to, sure, but still...plenty. But I've gotten in the practice of being okay with this because I know that propelling the ms forward in the early drafts is much more important than making in perfect. That's what revisions are for. But without anything on the page, there's no chance to revise it - and learn from those revisions - in the first place. So I say, consider a character, his or her life, what you'd like to explore about that life and the themes behind it. Let that information gestate and sink in, and then, just start writing. See where it takes you. It may not be anywhere, but you'll never know until you find out.
Craft
Reader Comments (4)
Chances are tha tif you want to write, at times you've pictured some sort of plot,even if in the most general form.When you're going about your day, if you think of anything -- a line, an idea,a character name -- jot it down somewhere. When you go to write, these ideas will be there to jog your brain into writing.
Thanks for the pep talk. The desire to do it right or perfect can be numbing sometimes.
I can't recall the writing book (I have shelves and shelves of them), but it said to give yourself permission to write badly. When I have days that it isn't coming, or what is coming is vile, I tell myself to keep going. It might be three pages of crap, but there might be a great line or description in the middle all of it. Writing is a craft. Just like with any other craft, for me knitting, you have to make mistakes in order to learn. And yes there are sweaters that have uneven sleeves or dropped stitches- but the next sweater will be better.
Agree - without some form of imposed pressure, it's too easy to let something simmer as a concept and never get it on the paper. Though I didn't finish formal NaNoWriMo this year, I'm planning to do my own version over my Christmas vacation time. Hoping 100k words will either lead to a good product, or at least I'll have something to work with.