Joe Augustyn
I've heard some writers say they never get blocked, and based on their experience they declare writer's block a fictitious ailment, simply an excuse not to be productive. To me that shows a close-minded lack of understanding of the range of human nature. Just as some folks can balance their checkbooks quite easily while others can barely remember where they last left theirs, not all writers share the same mindset.
When I was starting out years ago I wrote obsessively, 24-7, up to 18 hours a day. Sometimes I'd even come home from a party or club at 3am on a Saturday and write for a few hours before finally being able to sleep.
I finally realized that discipline wasn't my problem--and also that quantity of time invested doesn't always equate to quality. I learned to write when I was ready to write (in the zone)--not because I felt compelled to put in the hours. I do know extremely successful writers who keep a rigid schedule, so I'm not disparaging that habit; it's just not how I work.
I'll usually write a continuous portion of a work until I tap out and need to ponder what comes next. Then I'll put it down, take care of some mundane business or play with my friends or my cats, and I'll keep jotting down some loose notes for future scenes or dialog. When I'm ready to move forward I'll start at the beginning again, rewriting what I've written to polish it and reacquaint myself with what I've already written, but also to ease myself back into the process of writing. I'll tweak things, building up already established characters or setting up what's to come in future chapters based on my newer ideas.
I'll repeat this process over and over. On a long novel, or even a short story, I'll have rewritten the first quarter at least a dozen times. After I'm halfway through and have locked down half of that, I'll move my re-start point up and begin rewriting from there. As I lock drown more and more text after many re-starts, I'll keep moving the re-start point further. By the time I'm finished, everything has been polished many times.
Oh yeah... about the writer's block. When I run out of inspiration and take a break to recharge, I'll wait until I'm ready (as described above) then I'll wait another day or two, until I'm really anxious to write. Then I'll throw myself into it, writing with vigor until I run dry again.
It could be that I'm just not as sharp as other writers who work 9-to-5 and religiously crank out several books a year, but as long as I get four and five stars reviews from fans of my work, I'll stick to my method.
When I was starting out years ago I wrote obsessively, 24-7, up to 18 hours a day. Sometimes I'd even come home from a party or club at 3am on a Saturday and write for a few hours before finally being able to sleep.
I finally realized that discipline wasn't my problem--and also that quantity of time invested doesn't always equate to quality. I learned to write when I was ready to write (in the zone)--not because I felt compelled to put in the hours. I do know extremely successful writers who keep a rigid schedule, so I'm not disparaging that habit; it's just not how I work.
I'll usually write a continuous portion of a work until I tap out and need to ponder what comes next. Then I'll put it down, take care of some mundane business or play with my friends or my cats, and I'll keep jotting down some loose notes for future scenes or dialog. When I'm ready to move forward I'll start at the beginning again, rewriting what I've written to polish it and reacquaint myself with what I've already written, but also to ease myself back into the process of writing. I'll tweak things, building up already established characters or setting up what's to come in future chapters based on my newer ideas.
I'll repeat this process over and over. On a long novel, or even a short story, I'll have rewritten the first quarter at least a dozen times. After I'm halfway through and have locked down half of that, I'll move my re-start point up and begin rewriting from there. As I lock drown more and more text after many re-starts, I'll keep moving the re-start point further. By the time I'm finished, everything has been polished many times.
Oh yeah... about the writer's block. When I run out of inspiration and take a break to recharge, I'll wait until I'm ready (as described above) then I'll wait another day or two, until I'm really anxious to write. Then I'll throw myself into it, writing with vigor until I run dry again.
It could be that I'm just not as sharp as other writers who work 9-to-5 and religiously crank out several books a year, but as long as I get four and five stars reviews from fans of my work, I'll stick to my method.
More Answered Questions
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more