Take it one chapter at a time
"It's just five pages a day. It's not a whole book."
I have to keep repeating this to myself to avoid "brain lock." It's kinda like a deer freezing in the middle of the road in the headlights of on-coming cars. If I try to think of the entire book I'm writing, it gets overwhelming. Immediately. And if I'm stuck trying to start a scene or a chapter, I tell myself that "it's just scribbling, you're not really writing anything you'll keep." I know that's not true, my "business brain" knows that's not true, but my "writing brain" just might buy it. That's what I count on. Every day. Fooling my writing brain into taking it a page at a time -- and most of all, to keep going.
"Five pages a day isn't much," I tell it. "It's not even a chapter," I continue in my best soothing voice. "It certainly isn't an entire book, or two books; and yes, you're under contract to deliver the first one by May 1st, but that's not your problem. You have no problems. No worries."
If all goes as it should, my writing brain takes what I'm telling it hook, line and sinker. If that happens, my characters start talking, I start taking dictation, the work progresses, and the deadline will be met. My business brain knows what date it is and how much time I have left; my writing brain doesn't need to know. Ignorance is bliss, or in my writing brain's case -- ignorance is production, accumulating chapters, progress being made.
People ask how I can write a whole book. I tell them it's because I don't write a "whole book," I just take it one page at a time.
NEWS UPDATE: I just got the cover art for Armed & Magical! It is magnificent! I've sent it to Webmaster Todd who will try to get it posted tonight, by the weekend at the latest. Keep checking back. Believe me, it's worth it! ; )
I have to keep repeating this to myself to avoid "brain lock." It's kinda like a deer freezing in the middle of the road in the headlights of on-coming cars. If I try to think of the entire book I'm writing, it gets overwhelming. Immediately. And if I'm stuck trying to start a scene or a chapter, I tell myself that "it's just scribbling, you're not really writing anything you'll keep." I know that's not true, my "business brain" knows that's not true, but my "writing brain" just might buy it. That's what I count on. Every day. Fooling my writing brain into taking it a page at a time -- and most of all, to keep going.
"Five pages a day isn't much," I tell it. "It's not even a chapter," I continue in my best soothing voice. "It certainly isn't an entire book, or two books; and yes, you're under contract to deliver the first one by May 1st, but that's not your problem. You have no problems. No worries."
If all goes as it should, my writing brain takes what I'm telling it hook, line and sinker. If that happens, my characters start talking, I start taking dictation, the work progresses, and the deadline will be met. My business brain knows what date it is and how much time I have left; my writing brain doesn't need to know. Ignorance is bliss, or in my writing brain's case -- ignorance is production, accumulating chapters, progress being made.
People ask how I can write a whole book. I tell them it's because I don't write a "whole book," I just take it one page at a time.
NEWS UPDATE: I just got the cover art for Armed & Magical! It is magnificent! I've sent it to Webmaster Todd who will try to get it posted tonight, by the weekend at the latest. Keep checking back. Believe me, it's worth it! ; )
posted by Lisa Shearin at
8:22 AM
3 Comments:
Ooo, cover art just in time for this week's toasted-scimitar theme? Whee!
And you know, there's a reason I never do NaNoWriMo. :/ I don't think I work well under pressure of a deadline. Maybe I should be glad I'm not querying agents yet!
Oh, and thanks so much for the sample chapters! I love that last line about lawyers. *snickers* Can't wait to read the whole thing.
-- skip
Todd was going to try to get the cover posted tonight, but if not tonight, then definitely tomorrow. I can't wait for everyone to see it.
Fortunately, I do my best work under deadlines. ; )
So glad you liked the sample chapters!
Been checking back. No cover yet. *sigh* I'll check again tomorrow night.
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