/lit/ - Literature

just finish what you are doing.

Discipline is better, as you need to be able to keep writing the day after a writing splurge. Day in and day out. Still, you should roll with it; knock it the fuck out. It's not uncommon to hear from an author describing this behavior on occasion, plus the occasional coke or meth fueled – locked in a hotel room – three day run. Pulling a King or Thompson say, where they wake up afterwards sitting on a complete yet really fucked up novel. A novel which becomes a best seller, after some serious revision.

So keep in mind a commitment to revision time when it's over. That's a necessary part of the disciplined binge writing method too.

OP here. I'm at 21000 words.

>>8880

I don't think that's going to be a problem.

>>8883

Thanks for the advice. Right now, I'm quite proud of my work, but I do know it will need some serious polishing before it's even ready to be proofread. It's like watching your child trample around. Objectively speaking, it's utterly pathetic, but who wouldn't be proud of it?

>>8865

>be me

>wrote 3k words a week ago

>stopped writing to read another fiction book for research purposes (style or how the author approached a scene etc. etc)

I'm worse than you OP. I do continue plotting what will happen next, though.

>>8901

>I do continue plotting what will happen next, though.

Same here. One thing that I'm divided on is whether I should make the main villain a brainwashed rogue agent who thinks he's working for a global conspiracy, or a genuine agent working for a global conspiracy. Although I think I'll go with the latter.

>>8903

> There are people out there that try to write a novel before they finish a proper short story.

> There are people out there that don't know how their novels will end.

> How do these people achieve harmony and foreshadow properly.

Terrifying.

>>8904

>There are people out there that try to write a novel before they finish a proper short story.

I don't see what's wrong with that. Sure, it helps you with getting published if you have some credentials, but I don't plan on getting published in the near future. And as for learning how to apply writing techniques, I think that can be done when writing a novel, too.

If I find I have a short story in me, I'll definitely write it down. I just don't have one right now.

>There are people out there that don't know how their novels will end.

If I go with the crazy rogue agent, that will make my story more contrived and complex, and it will bring out more depth in the villain. And that's about it. The fate of the main characters and the world at large remains the same.

>How do these people achieve harmony and foreshadow properly.

If necessary, by going back and rewriting entire passages of my book. That was the plan from the get go, anyway. Or rewriting it entirely. Or both.

>>8865

The most important thing is to get your shit down on paper before you forget what you wanted to write. Once that's done, you can take the time to revise and do other things. The greatest tragedy is for a good idea to be forgotten before it was written down, after all. That's the way I see it, at least.

>Do you just give in to the flow, or do you try to restrain it?

I personally just write stream of consciousness style for as long as is necessary when a new idea pops up- even if it means I don't get any sleep. I don't plan out a schedule for writing unless I have a deadline coming up. In that case, I just force myself to write (which is fucking horrible I must say), but other than that, I just let everything flow free. That's the way writing is supposed to be, I think.

>>8908

> The greatest tragedy is for a good idea to be forgotten before it was written down

This happened to me while I was lying on the bed. I thought I could recall the idea by tomorrow but I only recalled it after some time. Now, I have a pen and paper on my night table so whenever the ideas flow through me, I would turn on the lamp and write that shit down.

Other than that, I'd let my characters do the scene instead. Some were awkward at the first write but becomes better at revisions.

>>8914

>Other than that, I'd let my characters do the scene instead.

You mean you take your characters, put them into a specific situation and see what happens? If so, then I know what you mean. It's great how they can take a life of their own while you write.

>>8908

>>8914

I had the luck of never forgetting a truly great idea I had. Not sure how I do it. Maybe my memory is just really, really good, but that does not account for me remembering exciting dreams. Today, I did have a flash of inspiration that left me confused, on the other hand.

Sage for doublepost. I know, that's but a polite formality on a board as slow as this one.

>>8919

>I had the luck of never forgetting a truly great idea I had

I only forgot what I deem trivial but I disciplined myself later to write the idea down no matter how inconsequential it is.

For the dreams, some are retained and I immediately write that shit down. Although some bothered me if I forget a good dream.

>put them into a specific situation and see what happens?

This is what I meant.