I’m making it a habit of writing about writing on Tuesdays. It’s been two weeks of writing at least a sentence of fiction every day. My accountability trick has worked since I’ve always written more than a sentence … the first one is the hardest. The last one is hard to pick so I’ll write another and another until I’m satisfied and the plot has moved another 200 words. Here’s my collection of last week’s sentences:
- 3/19: It’s bizarre when Gabby looks at me for an answer.
- 3/20: I was going to delete it.
- 3/21: Luke laughs. “You’re learning.”
- 3/22: I lose time.
- 3/23: That’s not how it happened.
- 3/24: This time his words drop like dead weight.
- 3/25: He starts running.
Not especially poetical or moving but progress is progress and at the moment progress is word count. Writing every day in this way has made me feel more connected to my story than in a long time. I’m simply thinking about it a lot more, trying to smooth out some plot bumps and talk aloud about character arcs. I spent an hour yesterday scanning the writing I had so far to get a feel for the pace of the story. It’s going to need some work in the second draft.
I was listening to a song while getting reading for bed and unconsciously thinking about writing until I started talking out loud a few sentences. Next thing I was diving for my laptop and typing out a few paragraphs before they left me. That’s what I mean: this story is just in my head a lot more. Forced to stay top of mind because of my insistent squeeze a sentence out rule.
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” -Louis L’Amour
Whatever works.
With Love,
Natalie