tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post2453947827568364280..comments2024-03-20T02:49:17.606-07:00Comments on Between Fact and Fiction: I Still Write Crap, And I'm Okay With ItNatalie Whipplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-64127575691284468842010-12-07T18:47:15.459-08:002010-12-07T18:47:15.459-08:00Ugh, I need to be okay with writing crap. That...Ugh, I need to be okay with writing crap. That's my problem- I labor over a scene, or a word, or the fact that I used "suddenly" three times and it take me forever to finish my first draft. So I really need to embrace my crap so I can just get it done, and worry about it being perfect after.Abby Minardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963640263845561309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-47129841049833537352010-12-07T10:56:40.453-08:002010-12-07T10:56:40.453-08:00Nope, you don't write crap. Crap stinks and co...Nope, you don't write crap. Crap stinks and comes from, well, you know. Your rough drafts are "raw". I learned this new way of looking at it from Josin's <a href="http://josinlmcquein.blogspot.com/2010/12/first-drafts-are-not-crap-writing.html" rel="nofollow">Post</a>. Doesn't that sound much better?<br /><br />Read her post, it's great.Charity Bradfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01960821077619680661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-73447391671513221622010-12-07T09:35:37.508-08:002010-12-07T09:35:37.508-08:00I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one w...I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one who writes crappy first drafts! I have to get the words down in order to fix them. And then the plot. And then characters. And then everything else. I can't worry about adverbs or characterization or even punctuation or I'll never get it finished :) <br /><br />My crit partner is completely the opposite - makes for some interesting discussions.<br /><br />Like you said - good thing I like doing revisions!Jamie Greyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07504892632149036762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-69089645103300185032010-12-07T06:44:41.293-08:002010-12-07T06:44:41.293-08:00It's good to have such a nice, self-forgiving ...It's good to have such a nice, self-forgiving attitude. Good for you.Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12399082789777816445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-7963070217872505872010-12-07T05:47:39.896-08:002010-12-07T05:47:39.896-08:00My characters smile so much, I think their faces m...My characters smile so much, I think their faces must have cracked by now.Claire Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14354840714847021685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-48317087470845759512010-12-07T04:16:31.455-08:002010-12-07T04:16:31.455-08:00I agree with you and everyone else here. Have you ...I agree with you and everyone else here. Have you read 'Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within' by Natalie Goldberg.<br /><br />She gives us permission to write crap. In fact we can't write well if we don't write crap in between. As long as we keep going!<br /><br />I often start writing my blog posts and then delete them because I feel like I'm writing a load of drivel. Then I don't post for months. So I'm glad I've read your post and the others responses. We're obviously not alone.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09799962484985682362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-46201479860354652132010-12-07T03:38:57.707-08:002010-12-07T03:38:57.707-08:00Writing well is in the rewriting. I'm doing a ...Writing well is in the rewriting. I'm doing a lot of rewriting lately. Hopefully it will result in writing well.lotusgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06663641163048764869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-50187780756829165012010-12-06T22:08:06.237-08:002010-12-06T22:08:06.237-08:00When I'm drafting, things tend to go in fits a...When I'm drafting, things tend to go in fits and starts.<br /><br />I can write long passages that end up being transcribed more or less verbatim (barring plot tweaks), but the moment I get more ideas than I can write down, notes give way to sentences containing 'blah's and I end up with sections tthat can take an age to pick through.<br /><br />Annoying.Whirlochrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09846196906206886945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-42316069785717404832010-12-06T18:41:14.245-08:002010-12-06T18:41:14.245-08:00My characters do a whole lot of nodding, along wit...My characters do a whole lot of nodding, along with their sighing. I also begin an AWFUL lot of sentences with "I" and "My." ;) But, like you, I figure there's time to fix it later, and I try not to worry about it too much in the first draft.Debbie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03119207763941673358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-71463260329404626742010-12-06T17:50:36.316-08:002010-12-06T17:50:36.316-08:00You have the best pep talks, Natalie :)You have the best pep talks, Natalie :)Maegan Langerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17335946908481515797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-76152554108483015732010-12-06T17:00:26.041-08:002010-12-06T17:00:26.041-08:00Yes how do you write? That has concept has always...Yes how do you write? That has concept has always facinated me were does the story come from? Is it more important to get the story down or polish the prose? For me I find that the prose is the last aspect the most important function of writing is to commite the elusive story to visible words before it escapes. In fact I never look at what I've typed for minutes just letting the story come out.<br />Of course after that the editing is always amusing!Gregory Househttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04476560824795563382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-50633182135580677432010-12-06T16:01:32.503-08:002010-12-06T16:01:32.503-08:00Love this -- I'm right there with you. My char...Love this -- I'm right there with you. My characters sigh too much. And play with their hair too much. And sometimes they talk too much . . . yeah, you see where I'm going. <br />My writing process varies. Sometimes I just need to write the scene, crap included. Other times, I need to go back and work on revisions before I can move forward. And I've definitely had the experience of working a scene over and over for months . . . and then cutting it in the end. For me, it's just all part of the process. And the fun.lahnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04241202051199204819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-27609321358367658932010-12-06T16:01:19.883-08:002010-12-06T16:01:19.883-08:00Great reminder. I'm in the same place right no...Great reminder. I'm in the same place right now and, like CKHB, I think I believed that one day I'd get past this "rough draft" phase. LOL.Jordan McCollumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16523599384793856702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-49232414351444167022010-12-06T15:53:37.252-08:002010-12-06T15:53:37.252-08:00I once spent 2 weeks on the opening scene of a boo...I once spent 2 weeks on the opening scene of a book, managed to get it what I thought was perfect, and ended up deleting all of it in the first round of revisions because it sucked.<br /><br />So yeah. It's easier to suck now and get it out of the way.Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06376697563995394878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-27110906033858150882010-12-06T15:48:50.832-08:002010-12-06T15:48:50.832-08:00I work the exact same way. My first drafts are alw...I work the exact same way. My first drafts are always awful, but I accept it quite cheerfully because I actually love rewriting. I love taking the crappy words and even the crappy plot and characters and turning them into something better!Shalleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09907680428735740943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-72966579489362876992010-12-06T14:31:32.442-08:002010-12-06T14:31:32.442-08:00My MC loves to snort.My MC loves to snort.Angie McCullaghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13338130265872869124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-67879023376265743272010-12-06T14:07:37.114-08:002010-12-06T14:07:37.114-08:00I think I need to accept that it's ok to write...I think I need to accept that it's ok to write like crap. Since I'm doing a rewrite of a novel, I keep feeling like this rewrite needs to be perfect. But, in essence it's just a rough draft of THIS version of my novel. It's got the same characters but the story is different. I need to chillax. And like you said let the story come out first, then go back and fix it. I get all writer blocked sometimes because I'm trying to make everything perfect. Thanks for this post.Anita Saxenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12444339735834716979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-51506314240552140412010-12-06T13:47:47.774-08:002010-12-06T13:47:47.774-08:00Between sighing, shrugging and nodding, I'm su...Between sighing, shrugging and nodding, I'm surprised my characters have time for anything else! =PMeghan S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12447149254455271636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-67850925341958204282010-12-06T13:41:40.101-08:002010-12-06T13:41:40.101-08:00I used to adamantly refuse to believe that a first...I used to adamantly refuse to believe that a first draft should be anything less than your best... and I wrote like a slug. Then I did NaNoWriMo, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me! To be honest, it wasn't that much worse than my slow rought drafts. It's just like you said: there's something very valuable about just getting it down and focusing on one thing at a time.Teralyn Rose Pilgrimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04586129403789427592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-53563140666858482032010-12-06T13:22:06.591-08:002010-12-06T13:22:06.591-08:00*dedication!*dedication!Ghenet Myrthilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12621168379560585094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-4622592961930066072010-12-06T13:21:20.894-08:002010-12-06T13:21:20.894-08:00I just wrote a blog post about how I'm embraci...I just wrote a blog post about how I'm embracing the "$hi*ty first draft," a term Anne Lamott talks about in her book, Bird by Bird. I'd been struggling to get through my first draft because I'm constantly self-editing but I'm not doing it anymore! I need to let go and just write, knowing it may suck but I can always go back and fix everything later. <br /><br />I just recently found your blog and I'm super impressed by your decication to writing and how quickly you get through your drafts! :)Ghenet Myrthilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12621168379560585094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-18442226280572311912010-12-06T13:11:23.583-08:002010-12-06T13:11:23.583-08:00I used to try to write perfect from the get-go, bu...I used to try to write perfect from the get-go, but I'm a convert. I write crap then fix it. I'm okay with that . . . otherwise I'd never get words to paper (or computer as the case may be).Janet Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12688012956157161889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-20268773831496038592010-12-06T13:09:12.290-08:002010-12-06T13:09:12.290-08:00Glad I'm not the only one! I find myself pleas...Glad I'm not the only one! I find myself pleasantly surprised when I go back to look at a first draft and find things that are actually decent - lolJulie Hedlundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04477115458570906449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-10193402763150987602010-12-06T12:46:29.669-08:002010-12-06T12:46:29.669-08:00I don't get to write very often. When I do, I...I don't get to write very often. When I do, I have to make sure that every word that goes on the page COUNTS! <br /><br />But sometimes it's still crap. Oh well.Becky Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02880501542510014819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-27776180537370657992010-12-06T12:44:16.707-08:002010-12-06T12:44:16.707-08:00I'm scared of editing hardcore like that. What...I'm scared of editing hardcore like that. What if it's SO BAD that I can't even fix it? So I've been trying to make everything I write good enough and wow... really has slowed me down. Someday I'll let go of my perfectionism... SOMEDAY.Jessica Silvahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405267450788581689noreply@blogger.com