Writing Productivity – Page 6 – Marie Alice Writes & Reads

Diary of a Writing Project: Burden of Words

Agatha Christie once said that she « accepted the burden of a profession ». Like it or not, in the writing mood or not, she would sit down and write.
And she would keep writing even though she didn’t like what was happening on the page.

Now, it’s one way to look at what needs to be done to be a professional writer I guess, but one that never cease to haunt me.

Sit down and write, I say to myself almost every day, even if the words are bad, even if you’re constantly interrupted, even if you’re not in 1920 and the world of books has changed a great big fridgin’ deal since then.

However, in the past few weeks, I kind of look down on my writing ambitions. After all, let’s be real, it is in fact crazy to want to earn a living writing novels.

I found myself many, many other things to do. Finding a new day job, chores… the usual excuses.

If I had a word for all that time I’ve waisted making excuses instead of getting to work, the YA paranormal revision would be done!

Hard at Work… Almost

Continuer la lecture

How to Simplify the Written Words? A Writer Impossible-to-Answer Question!

While looking at the computer screen, struggling with my seasonal down-with-the-writing-motivation, trying to get on with revising the YA paranormal project (I think I have a title, hooray!), I wonder.

I wonder about many things. Among them, how to simplify my writing in the first draft. In order to spend less time revising – or so I wish.

Of course, the novels – most of them anyway – we read are polished work. Writer, editor, proofreaders have work on it. It’s as good as it can get.

After I’m done with the revision, more work will have to be done. There’s more revision to come, and proofreading. Hours and hours of proofreading.

End my wondering. How to simplify my writing? Is it a simple matter of writing shorter sentences, or outlining more thoroughly?

The good thing about toying with a Christmas rom-com writing project is I get to try out different writing approach.

I like the pastiche method very much. Putting myself in the shoes of successful authors I like and don’t like, all with very different voices, just to test out the chosen rhythm, words, general treads of the story.

It shakes up my own writing rhythm. It forces me to think more and to get as far as possible from writing comfort zone.

But it’s also a very good way to procrastinate on the revision…

A Good Bad Idea

With the revision, I had a good bad idea. To rush into action second characters. No matter what I tried, it sounded forced. And the writing was baaad.

Back to the original idea, which still need to be re-written, but now, the goal is clearer.

Deleting paragraphs of legitimate bad writing, strangely enough, usually gives my writing motivation a second wind.

Dear fellow writers, I’ll keep you posted.

Once more, thanks for reading the rambling. More than ever, I’m grateful for your time. What a crazy quest writing novels is!

I hope you’re well, healthy and I hope all the good words are with you.

Take care!