Subject: It depends on what I'm writing
Posted on: 2008-06-26 02:05:00 UTC

Uni essays, for example, tend to be a case of "just write SOMETHING" and, indeed, a deadline tends to motivate me, but depending on what class it's for, sometimes I have the entire thing done weeks in advance; if I enjoy the subject. (Amusingly, I wrote an essay for English a few weeks ago that I didn't like, only to have my tutor ask if they could have a copy to use as an example of an A quality essay!)

My current personal battle with Writer's Block isn't academic at all, though - I'm stuck on a scene for my Stardust fanfic. I've been stuck on this scene for about two months. If I could, I would go and work on a later scene - and I'm sorely tempted to try anyway - but my usual writing style is a very steady flow from one scene to the next, and writing out of order can completely ruin that. So I avoid it, if I can.

And yes, there's a deadline for this, too - of sorts. It's self-imposed and Guilt (which also deserves its capital) is constantly tormenting me; when I first started writing, I updated every second week or so. Now it's been months. I don't ever want to be one of those authors who just fizzles out and is never heard from, but it's so HARD. *sniffle*

Sorry, I ramble. For you, Crystal, I think what the others have said before me will help as much as anything I can say; a good outline helps a great deal, and personally, if I don't know what to write I just start, randomly, anywhere, and write and write and let it start flowing. Usually I get to some sort of sensible result which can then be edited and reshaped into the outline.

Also, as you've said, this is a draft. Don't panic too much; it's not your final version.

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