Chapter 23 - Just Write
Alright?
When Writing, Write
Quantity first, quality later.
Send your inner editor out of the room.
Write as though it is impossible to fail.
If you don’t believe it, give yourself permission to write as though it is true for the next minute, five minutes, half an hour, whatever.
Suspend your fear and disbelief for that time.
Just write words as they come out — don’t stop, don’t worry, don’t think.
Just write.
It doesn’t matter what, just write.
It’s better than nothing.
It’s better than just sitting there with your thoughts, just write.
Don’t even look once you’ve done to see what you have written — just write, and put it aside.
Go about your day — you have written, these pages are safe.
Go about your day then with the knowledge that you have written SOMETHING!
Turning off that inner Editor can be really difficult. I’ve never been able to truly follow this advice even though it makes logical sense to me. I actually write in loops so I go back and read and revise what I wrote yesterday and then continue. So by the time I get to the end of a first draft it’s really more like a 47th draft.