Comments on: Ann Aguirre and the Block http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/ Guess what I'm reading? Wed, 16 May 2012 07:49:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Kelly McCrady http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19268 Kelly McCrady Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:40:19 +0000 http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19268 Another benefit to just slapping the words down and moving forward, and then making multiple passes to edit, is that you don't have time to marry your words. They aren't pretty, so you can move forward and get the skeleton of the story out. Having learned this the same hard way as most writers (by spending years mulling over an unfinished product) I can now cut whole craptastic scenes with abandon or cut/paste background to a later part of the story where it becomes relevant. They're just words on a page now, not babies. Thanks, Ann for wonderful pro-writer advice and to Bam for posting it here! Another benefit to just slapping the words down and moving forward, and then making multiple passes to edit, is that you don’t have time to marry your words. They aren’t pretty, so you can move forward and get the skeleton of the story out.

Having learned this the same hard way as most writers (by spending years mulling over an unfinished product) I can now cut whole craptastic scenes with abandon or cut/paste background to a later part of the story where it becomes relevant. They’re just words on a page now, not babies.

Thanks, Ann for wonderful pro-writer advice and to Bam for posting it here!

]]> By: Ann Aguirre http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19240 Ann Aguirre Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:53:56 +0000 http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19240 There does come a point where you start to edit all the life /voice out of your book, particularly if you're trying to adhere to certain "rules", but I think beginning writers do this more than experienced ones. I'm glad y'all have found this helpful. And hi from RT! There does come a point where you start to edit all the life /voice out of your book, particularly if you’re trying to adhere to certain “rules”, but I think beginning writers do this more than experienced ones.

I’m glad y’all have found this helpful.

And hi from RT!

]]> By: Bonnie Dee http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19239 Bonnie Dee Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:49:30 +0000 http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19239 Oh my gosh, our processes are so similar it's scary. Write no matter what is my mantra, too. Don't think about whether you're "in the mood" or "feeling creative". Just do it. And I, too, tend to agonize over sentence structure and finding the exact word. Sometimes I have to remind myself to just spit it out and go back later to groom it. Editing numerous times is good. The words will only get better. Oh my gosh, our processes are so similar it’s scary. Write no matter what is my mantra, too. Don’t think about whether you’re “in the mood” or “feeling creative”. Just do it. And I, too, tend to agonize over sentence structure and finding the exact word. Sometimes I have to remind myself to just spit it out and go back later to groom it. Editing numerous times is good. The words will only get better.

]]> By: Lorelie http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19237 Lorelie Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:08:39 +0000 http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19237 :) Great timing tonight, considering North and South has arrived from Amazon and Torchwood has come from Netflix and I've only done 1250 words. I'll listen to Ann, I won't quit until the words are done. I promise. :) Great timing tonight, considering North and South has arrived from Amazon and Torchwood has come from Netflix and I’ve only done 1250 words. I’ll listen to Ann, I won’t quit until the words are done. I promise.

]]> By: catie http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19236 catie Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:49:01 +0000 http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19236 Thank you Ann. I *SO* needed to remember that it's all right to write shit. :) Thank you Ann. I *SO* needed to remember that it’s all right to write shit. :)

]]> By: Samantha http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19234 Samantha Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:34:41 +0000 http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19234 You're a genius - seriously. This is some of the best advice you can ever give someone. It took me forever, years of agonizing fear, before I just melted down and finally said "screw it, no one ever has to read it, and I can write <i>whatever I want</i>". It's liberating and exhilarating. Now if I just weren't so lazy and also didn't suffer from edit-as-I-go syndrome. Then maybe I could finish something. You’re a genius – seriously. This is some of the best advice you can ever give someone. It took me forever, years of agonizing fear, before I just melted down and finally said “screw it, no one ever has to read it, and I can write whatever I want“. It’s liberating and exhilarating. Now if I just weren’t so lazy and also didn’t suffer from edit-as-I-go syndrome. Then maybe I could finish something.

]]> By: Tumperkin http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19233 Tumperkin Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:40:19 +0000 http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19233 Not too long ago, I picked up a book about writing by John Braine. This is how it starts: "A writer is someone who writes". I read that sentence and started writing. Not too long ago, I picked up a book about writing by John Braine. This is how it starts: “A writer is someone who writes”. I read that sentence and started writing.

]]> By: Jill Sorenson http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19232 Jill Sorenson Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:02:47 +0000 http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19232 I think this is great advice and totally agree that sometimes writing is like pulling teeth. I've often had to give myself permission to write crap and only then could I continue to work. What I struggle with, and am struggling with RIGHT NOW, is that I have trouble slapping an ending together. This seems like a time when sucking is not an option. I know, it's just like anything else. Write SOMETHING, and fix it later. Because it's the end, I feel like I have to make it "right." Damn it. Sometimes it's worse than pulling teeth. More like punching yourself in the face? I think this is great advice and totally agree that sometimes writing is like pulling teeth. I’ve often had to give myself permission to write crap and only then could I continue to work. What I struggle with, and am struggling with RIGHT NOW, is that I have trouble slapping an ending together. This seems like a time when sucking is not an option.

I know, it’s just like anything else. Write SOMETHING, and fix it later. Because it’s the end, I feel like I have to make it “right.”

Damn it. Sometimes it’s worse than pulling teeth. More like punching yourself in the face?

]]> By: Carolyn Jean http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19231 Carolyn Jean Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:11:00 +0000 http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19231 This is a really wonderful and thoughtful post, Ann. I agree with everything you said - you just have to slap the stuff out and not be precious, and just work it over later. As somebody who writes on tight deadlines for a living (in addition to writing novels on no deadlines for no living) I've totally come to see that the muse and writer's block are just myths. It's just about practice. Like a sport. This is a really wonderful and thoughtful post, Ann. I agree with everything you said – you just have to slap the stuff out and not be precious, and just work it over later.

As somebody who writes on tight deadlines for a living (in addition to writing novels on no deadlines for no living) I’ve totally come to see that the muse and writer’s block are just myths. It’s just about practice. Like a sport.

]]> By: azteclady http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19230 azteclady Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:06:16 +0000 http://dionnegalace.com/wordpress/2008/04/15/ann-aguirre-and-the-block/#comment-19230 What does it say about me that I'm imagining Ann as the soup nazi from Seinfield, saying to each person in a loooooooooooooooong line of writers, "No block for you!"? What does it say about me that I’m imagining Ann as the soup nazi from Seinfield, saying to each person in a loooooooooooooooong line of writers, “No block for you!”?

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