Text/ Quote Response
If one of the characters wants to say, “Well, so what, Mr. Poopy Pants?” you let her. No one is going to see it. If the kid wants to get into really sentimental, weepy, emotional territory, you let him. Just get it all down on paper because there may be something great in those six crazy pages that you would never have gotten to by more rational, grown-up means. On many occasions when I write I notice that sometimes writing certain random words or phrases ticks a switch in my head, which allows ideas to come flooding in and it becomes very easy to connect my ideas together and have strong outcomes overall. Like Anne Lamott said these ideas might have never existed through “rational/ grown-up” means.
Even after I’d been doing this for years, panic would set in. I’d try to write a lead, but instead I’d write a couple of dreadful sentences, XX them out, try again, XX everything out, and then feel despair and worry settle on my chest like an x-ray apron. While I haven’t been writing professionally as in a career, I do face the same feelings. I think that it’s partly due to the pressure we put on ourselves. For example, while a food blogger might feel pressured to come up with a perfect food review as it will pay for his food/ bills, I, as a student might feel pressured to write a perfect essay to get the grades I want.
I’m not going to be able to get the magic to work this time. Sometimes while writing under certain circumstances, A.K.A. one hour before the assignment is due, it feels like magic the way ideas come to mind.
A friend of mine says that the first draft is the downdraft — you just get it down. The second draft is the updraft — you fix it up. You try to say what you have to say more accurately. And the third draft is the dental draft, where you check every tooth, to see if it’s loose or cramped or decayed, or even, God help us, healthy. I think this is very informative and can help me when I am feeling stuck or lost, I will keep this in the back of my mind when writing to hopefully help me keep on track and always be prepared.