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And yes, it is an actual other person, not some vague shimmering imaginary person I put out there because I want to talk about my own problems. But my own problems are involved.
But I have this friend. And I told her about National Novel Writing blah blah blah. And I made the mistake of making, more or less, a deal with her. We were both to spend at least three separate hours each week of November writing on a specific project. After each hour, we are to send the other an email regarding what was written--how we feel, how much we got done, that kind of stuff. [Jenn, this should sound really familiar to you!]
The problem is that I'm off to a rough start because I'm kind of a loser like that, and won't be able to get rolling for a while just yet.
And that I promised her a long, inspirational email. I don't know anything about inspiring people...so I just kind of wrote what follows.
Writing should be a lot less like fishing and more like catfish noodling. Fishing is where you're just sort of casting your line into the who-knows-where and hoping some stray idea comes along and thinks, "Ooo, tasty bit of tinfoil." Then you write. Noodling is a bit more risky. Instead of doing a lot of casting and pull-backs, you're trudging out in the mud in a creek or pond or whatever, where you cannot see through the water and then finding a hole. There's no tinfoil here--you stick your arm in, and you hope to high hell that what grabs you will be big, juicy, and kind of awesome. Sure, you're spending a lot of time, because a lot of the time you are spending is looking for the catfish--you start out writing in a direction and hope you get what you want. Unfortunately, with writing like this you run the risk of getting your hours [instead of your fingers] sheared off by a bad idea, a snapping turtle instead of a catfish. The effort might have been in vain, but you have gained experience and hopefully some drive.
I know it makes sense for how I write--I pick a direction and go until I can't anymore [Greg, look out for that wall!], you know? Sometimes it works, sometimes I really do lose it to the snapper. I was wondering what tidbits others might have. Your thoughts, additions, subtractions, corrections, witticisms...
[Also to be posted on facebook, just so you know.]
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