Shoutout to the 'write drunk, edit sober' method over my usual 'stare at a blank page for 3 hours' approach

Honestly, after forcing myself to just type nonsense for 20 minutes straight last Tuesday, I ended up with a usable prompt about a sentient, grumpy toaster, which is way more than my old method ever gave me.

3 comments

3 Comments

caleb_ross1212d ago

That method is actually "write drunk, edit sober" which is a famous quote... but the real trick is just getting the bad words out first. The staring at a blank page is the real enemy. Forcing yourself to type nonsense is basically the same idea, just without the hangover. It works because you stop judging the first draft before it even exists.

the_sandra12d ago

Exactly, the blank page is the worst part. I have to just start typing absolute garbage to get past it, even if it's just describing my desk.

miam7512d ago

Disagree about the blank page being the main enemy. The real problem is the second page, when you realize the nonsense you typed has no direction. Describing your desk just gives you three hundred words about a coffee stain. The trick is forcing a bad version of the actual thing you need to write, not just any words. A terrible first scene is still a scene you can fix.