Watching a baseball game the other night, I realized that it is insane to wait for the last inning of a game to try to win it. The opposing team puts in a 'closer,' the pitcher who is fresh and knows the dynamics of power baseball. So - if your team is behind at this point, the odds are - they won't win.
Seems to me the same can be said for writing. I must have my ending before I can begin. I know that sounds insane. It's true. The ending doesn't necessarily have to be written down, but it's got to be in my heart and in my soul. I think the ending forces me to write the beginning, and helps me to continue through the middle. You want to have the ending happen.
The ending is kind of like a cavity. Your tongue finds it and worries it until it becomes unbearable to live with.
So - I'm gonna focus on my ending for 'Blue.' It's not written down, but it is set in my mind. If I remember that I really want to save my poor hero/heroine, that might help me keep focused and disciplined.
I will not, however, make an outline. I'm just not an outline person.
I start with the beginning, then wonder what happens next. Then I start filling in odd places. I may have to move these scenes around later. When about a quarter is written I write the end. I do better with a sketchy outline about this point. It helps me see what needs filling in. If I'm stuck, I find that turning from the computer to pen and paper helps, something about changing how I look at it. I've also found that cooking, which I enjoy as a physical creative process, helps me focus on my writing process later in the day. It's so important to learn what works for you and do it! Go you!
ReplyDeleteListening to rock music helps me. I keep forgetting that, but eventually, the old gray cells remember. *g*
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