Outside the Zone

[mallorys_camera]

After three weeks of not writing, started Chapter Five.

Typed "CHAPTER FIVE" all in caps. Stared at it for a while.

Typed a sentence. Wrong sentence. Deleted it. Stared at the blank page. Typed another sentence. Still no good. Hit delete. Rinse, lather, repeat.

This went on for a while.

Of course, the truth is always assuming you've reached a certain level of skill, it makes absolutely no difference to the end result how you feel about it. When you're reading it later, you won't be able to see a difference in quality between what you wrote when you were in the Zone and the stuff that came out of you like dry heaves.

Makes a helluva lot of difference to how much fun you have during the writing process though.

Comments

[shfantom.livejournal.com]

What is your book about?

Re:

[mallorys-camera.livejournal.com]

Well, the first four chapters are about about a half-naked hooker running screaming down the aisles of the Sand City Costco, the woman who tries to save her life and the police detective who gets the case. Subsequent chapters will explore a Ukrainian sex slave ring operating out of North Salinas.

Seriously!

I'm trying to write a commercially saleable novel.

fictional aspirations

[idylld.livejournal.com]

You are way more industrious with your writing than I've been lately. It's impressive. If I ever do finish anything, it'll be hopelessly uncommercial. I did a whole draft under the influence of the November Novel writing madness last fall, but haven't dared look at it since. Currently, I'm retreating from that naked truth by telling people I'm finishing up my travel journal before getting into re-writing. That story will work for awhile.