Don't Think, Just Write!

Disclaimer first—I do not consider myself a professional anything, so my suggestions and tips should be taken as just one more person on the internet sharing his personal opinion based on his own experiences.  These tips and ideas may work for you too, but they may not.  Just saying.  

Writing Tip #012

Don’t write, just think.  No, that’s not it.  Don’t think, just write.  

Get the story out of your mind an onto the page.  Don’t worry about finding the most unique word for your character’s action, you can always put the fancy words in during the editing process.  That’s what the editing process is for!  

I’ve been reminding myself to take this course of action more often these past few weeks, and I believe it’s been the reason for my substantial progress on my upcoming book.  I’m trying not to worry much about the actions of the characters, or why they are doing what they’re doing—I’m focusing on getting the story on the page.  Beginning, middle, end.  Just put it out there.  Sometimes that consists of just writing short chapters and filling in afterwards.  

I get it, this might sound a little reckless, and no doubt a good way to create a bunch of unwanted plot holes in your story.  You probably already know this, but the plot holes are most likely already there.  That was the case when I finished the first draft of The Gouge.  I just hadn’t noticed the problem yet.  It was only after I had the plot of the story written out in full that I could see them clearly.  Lucky for me, the plot holes were easy enough to fill, and I attribute that to the fact I already had the grunt work of the book finished.  

Just a thought.  Maybe give it a try.  It might not be for everyone.  Keep writing!