Everyone has their own process for writing. Some will sit for a certain amount of time. Others won’t get up until they’ve written a certain amount of words, no matter how long it takes to get those words. Others write when they feel like it. Still others write when they can. Some don’t compose until they have it perfect in their heads. Others indulge in throwing word vomit onto the page and then sorting it out later in editing.
I’ll admit it: In the past, I was the “write when I feel like” kind of person. This worked for me in high school, as I never wanted to pay attention in class or do my homework, so I always felt like writing. But now that I’m in college and struggling between finding a job and getting my homework done, I’m just too busy to feel like writing.
Things have been changing for the better lately. With the advent of Writing March Madness by a casual status from one of my professors and the excitement of a friend, I’ve actually set a reasonable goal for myself that I only failed to accomplish once this month. My goal is to write 500 words a day. Currently, my progress has taken me to a point I’m not doing so well structure-wise.
My cry for help for people to tell me their favorite ambush scenes went unanswered. Grinding out a painful ambush that works for now but definitely needs to be improved upon, everything’s just gone downhill from there. I know once I get the princess and Ethan out of the mages’ house and on the road, where they can actually interact, the story will be more interesting and read better. It’s just getting past this section that is both painful and terribly important.
So how do you write? Do you force yourself to hit a certain goal? Do you write as the muse comes to you? Do you make sure you’ve got it worked out in your head, or do you let it work itself out on paper?
Send encouragement, cookies, and positive vibes for me, please. Once Mireada and Ethan can actually interact beyond “Who are you?” and “Move it before they catch us!” I know it will be better. Usually escape scenes are more fun. This one? Not so much.
Spell It In Sugar 