Comments on: Sneaking up on the first draft—part 2

By: Kim Flodin

Kim Flodin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:32:14 +0000

I’m all about bullet points, dashes and lists. They really help me organize my thoughts without feeling overwhelmed.

By: Janet Bailey

Janet Bailey — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:29:43 +0000

@Michelle – A menu of options is indeed what we’re after! Glad these are helping.

@Sarah – There’s something about the computer screen that makes it all seem so official and formal, which is funny since theoretically, editing is easier on the computer. Maybe the hangup is that onscreen, the doc looks (graphically) closer to a finished product.

By: Sarah Bray

Sarah Bray — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:01:35 +0000

I am going to try this today. I’m also going to do it on paper. For some reason my plain jane notebook is less intimidating than my computer screen. And since it really is “just a list”, I don’t have to get annoyed that I’m writing long-hand just to type it later. I’m writing a *list* and then typing the actual thing. Totally different.

By: Michelle Russell

Michelle Russell — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:57:20 +0000

This is so cool–thanks, Janet! I think I’ll experiment with this one, too. The only issue I see is that you have to be pretty darn clear on your topic even before you start writing…sometimes I am, and other times I’m not. During the latter, I tend to free-write until chunks of things give me a “yes!” reaction, and then “structure” (heh) the rest of the writing around that.

Maybe what we should be after is a menu of options, so we can pick and choose whichever method(s) will get us through a particular writing session on a particular day?

Please, keep ‘em coming! These are helpful! )