Editing

I loved this ‘in a nutshell’ piece of advice, so I’m sharing it with you. Credit author: Matt Rudnitski.

Today, we’re getting into the nitty-gritty of actually writing your book. And we’re going to start with a somewhat unconventional piece of advice:

Write drunk, edit sober.

Now, before you break out the shots, let me clarify. This isn’t about literal intoxication (unless that’s your thing, I guess). It’s about letting go of your inhibitions when you write.

Here’s the deal: Your first draft is going to suck. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s necessary.

Most authors will tell you writing is a long, arduous process. In fact, the only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts.”

The goal of your first draft isn’t to be perfect. It’s to exist.

So how do you do this?

1. Set a timer: Give yourself a specific amount of time to write, and don’t stop until the timer goes off.
2. Don’t edit as you go: Turn off that inner critic. You can fix it later.
3. Embrace the mess: Let your writing be weird, wild, and wonderful.
4. Keep your hands moving: If you don’t know what to write next, write “I don’t know what to write next” until something comes.

Writing metaphorically drunk is about finding flow. It’s about getting into that state where the words just flow out of you, without judgment or censorship.

Your homework: Set a timer for 25 minutes. Write without stopping. Don’t worry about quality, just quantity. When the timer goes off, stop. Don’t read what you’ve written. Just close the document and walk away.

Remember – while the above gives you a way forward it might not be for you. But give it a try. Let me know how you get on. Also look out for my not so regular facebook writing prompts. I’m always amazed, and honoured by my writing groups, what they produce off the back of them.

Next time, we’ll talk about how to make writing a habit. Because consistency is the key to actually finishing your book. And finishing the book it the goal.

Keep puking those words,

Credit: Matt aka Rud

P.S. Projectile vomit your first draft. Clean later. Trust me, it’s easier to edit words that exist than to perfect words that don’t. Sorry for the images, but now you’ll get the point 🙂

Less grossness next time, I promise!