Friday, July 16, 2010

TV and Bribes for Great Writing

I know this will sound weird, but I've found watching TV while I write can actually help. Sometimes that little bit of distraction frees me to write without inhibition. I think it works similarly to music, which can occupy your nitpicky Editor and free the Writer to do her thing.

I had this experience last night for the second time with my novel. I rewrote the climax after getting an idea I thought was more exciting than the original. With a movie playing in the background, I flew through the scene without pausing to think too much or complain about word usage (I swear I used the word "swerve" a hundred times). Normally, that would drive me nuts. But last night it was all about the creativity. I let loose and had fun and that's usually when things really come together.

Now to the second point of my title: bribes! Yes, people, bribes work just as well with yourself as with anyone else. I don't always employ this trick but with a future project competing for attention with my WIP, I decided a little bribery could speed things along. So I made a deal with myself a day ago. Get this round of revisions done within a week, and you can take a day and work on the next project.

Guess what? I got all my revisions except for the last scene or two done, including writing four new scenes, in about 5 1/2 hours last night. I couldn't believe it. And it was a night of beautiful, pain free writing. So except for a few minor additions, what I expected to finish by the end of next week will be done this weekend. I'm telling you, bribes work! Try it!

How do you keep your Editor at bay while the Writer works? What would you bribe yourself with to double work efforts?

As a reminder, Sunday is the Blogfest of Death hosted by the delightful Tessa's Blurb. Tune in for the best death scenes ever! Happy weekend everyone!


Photo by Frankie Roberto
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