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Let the Great Work Begin
Jun. 24th, 2014 07:24 pmIt's been 4 years and 2 months since I've finished a manuscript.
It's been 2 years, 7 months, and 23 days since I've begun a new manuscript.
Yesterday, I wrote 1,434 words for The Book.
Today, I wrote 1,627 words.
Total, I've written 3,061 words in two days, after 2 years of not writing anything.
The sad thing is, probably about half of that 3,061 is going to be cut/deleted.
As I've been writing, part of my brain says, "You know, you're kinda just writing things down." I don't have a good grasp on Millicent's voice yet. I feel like the story isn't atmospheric enough. I'm not doing the story justice. It's just. . .there. It's 3,061 words arranged and re-arranged into sentences that end with a period.
The other, louder part of my brain is like, "Shhh! Just get it down and fuss with word choice and voice later." Because after almost 3 years of not-writing, pulling out those 3,061 words was murder on my brain. I don't feel rewarded for my effort; especially since I've convinced myself that those 3,061 words are going to get cut in the end.
It has been 4-plus years since I've written a story beginning to end. I've accepted that it isn't going to be perfect on my first try. I'm basically starting over and it's going to take time to get my MC's voice down. It's going to take time to develop the atmosphere. It's going to take time and a lot of words--a lot, a lot of words--to create something that resembles a story.
But those 3,061 words. . .as shitty as they are, as likely as I'm going to not use them. . .those 3,061 words are mine. That's something to be proud of right now.
It's been 2 years, 7 months, and 23 days since I've begun a new manuscript.
Yesterday, I wrote 1,434 words for The Book.
Today, I wrote 1,627 words.
Total, I've written 3,061 words in two days, after 2 years of not writing anything.
The sad thing is, probably about half of that 3,061 is going to be cut/deleted.
As I've been writing, part of my brain says, "You know, you're kinda just writing things down." I don't have a good grasp on Millicent's voice yet. I feel like the story isn't atmospheric enough. I'm not doing the story justice. It's just. . .there. It's 3,061 words arranged and re-arranged into sentences that end with a period.
The other, louder part of my brain is like, "Shhh! Just get it down and fuss with word choice and voice later." Because after almost 3 years of not-writing, pulling out those 3,061 words was murder on my brain. I don't feel rewarded for my effort; especially since I've convinced myself that those 3,061 words are going to get cut in the end.
It has been 4-plus years since I've written a story beginning to end. I've accepted that it isn't going to be perfect on my first try. I'm basically starting over and it's going to take time to get my MC's voice down. It's going to take time to develop the atmosphere. It's going to take time and a lot of words--a lot, a lot of words--to create something that resembles a story.
But those 3,061 words. . .as shitty as they are, as likely as I'm going to not use them. . .those 3,061 words are mine. That's something to be proud of right now.
