Are you the type of writer who sits at the keyboard for hours while the story gushes out of you? Or are you like me, the leaky faucet who drip, drip, drips their way to a finished manuscript?Some writers literally can't stop themselves when they're writing. I'm not that type of writer. Little by little my wip is dripping its way toward the first draft finish line. It hasn't been a speedy process, but I'm okay with that.
I appreciate the cooling-off time between writing sessions. My brain doesn't work fast enough to pour all that out at once, and I need a little down time in order to refill my creative well.
How about you? Are you a tidal wave writer, a leaky faucet, or somewhere in the middle?
In case you missed it, please read this guest post by Elana Johnson over at Adventures in Children's Publishing. Elana defines perseverance, and I'm always inspired by her story. Elana says,
"Publishing a book is not a race where the winners come in first. It’s not important WHEN you finish, just that you DO. Oh, and one more thing: Your journey is your own. It won’t look or feel like mine. It shouldn’t. Don’t compare journeys. Just be grateful you can take one more step."
photo credit: flickr
Most often, I am a leaky faucet. I think that might be because I turn my own tap off though - lol
ReplyDeleteI am definitely a leaky faucet. Though I can force myself to write for a long time, it is never a tidal wave. :)
ReplyDeleteI refuse to call myself a drip, but I write slowly and in spurts.
ReplyDeleteA bit of both, Julie, when I am writing the book it flows, but when editing... another story!
ReplyDeleteYour WIP hasn't been a speedy process? I disagree! I've been really impressed by your twitter updates. I think we started working on a WIP at the same time, and I'm about 15K words in whereas you're talking about finishing! You go, girl.
ReplyDeleteI tend to write just one day a week, so I pretty much write all day long. But then there's a lot of sputtering until I start again. ;)
LOL! I'm a bit of both, sometimes I gush in torrents and other times I drip, drip, drip! Good luck with your WIP, mine has pooled in the bottom of the sink for the moment ;O)
ReplyDeleteAh, when the portal is open, out gushes all that stuff that has been kept pent up for a while. I'm a bit of both.
ReplyDeleteNice to know other types.
I'm a little of both. Some days, I enjoy the tidal wave and dive right into it, immersed in words. Other days, that faucet drips all ... day ... long ...
ReplyDeleteTidal wave writer I am not. Leaky faucet all the way. I get distracted very easily so I just have to work with brain. I can't force it. If I do, I just come back the next day and end up trashing everything I wrote.
ReplyDeleteJulie, I have that whole percolating thing going where the creativity works between sessions. When I sit down the next day everything comes out until it's all written down. Then I get up from the pc and the process begins all over again.
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking,
-Jimmy
I'm in the middle. Sometimes I write bit by bit because of my schedule. And other times I play catch up, the writing gushing out of me.
ReplyDeleteI'm SO a leaky faucet! Especially lately. It takes time. Drip, drip, drip!!!;)
ReplyDeleteOff to check out the guest post!
I'm somewhere in the middle, like Medeia. I write every day (or most days), and for the most part, I'm just...consistent. I tend to write between 1-2,000 words a day, but sometimes it's more and sometimes less. It's interesting reading about everyone's experiences with this! It takes all kinds to make a writing world. :)
ReplyDeleteI can be both. Sometimes the words come faster than I can type, but other times I sit at the keyboard and sigh a lot. But I don't think the quality of the writing depends on the gush or the drip. If you get there, you get there no matter how long it takes you.
ReplyDeleteThat's an excellent quote by Elana. I may have to use it later.
ReplyDeleteI used to be a tidal wave writer, but this new manuscript was coming out like a leaky faucet. This month the drip has turned into a stream. I'll see how it continues.
And I'll keep Elana's words in mind.
I'm usually more of the leaky faucet, but I occasionally have a a spurt when the tap's on full for a few minutes. It never reaches tidal wave status for me, though. Someday, maybe. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm more like an arterial spray writer. The words come out ugly and messy in short bursts. (I know. Eww. But it's the only analogy I can think of that works.)
ReplyDeleteJulie, I'm dripping away with you. I never work in a big long stretch. Admittedly, I get too distracted. Thanks for mentioning Elana's post over on our site. She's awesome!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Marissa
gotta say, I think I'm more of a gusher. It's hard for me to trickle... I was doing that earlier and I never felt like I was really connecting on the story. But reading back, that part flows well also. So who knows--whatever works, right? :o)
ReplyDeleteI'm a leaky faucet when I start a new project (which I'm doing right now) and a tidal wave when in the middle of a rough draft. Editing/revising though...that takes a long time and squeezes everything out in droplets. I think my non-writing life also affects which way my brain functions at any one time. The less stresses, the easier it is to get the tidal wave to take over...and I kinda have to close off the world to have all the words gush forth. Unfortunately, that isn't always possible...
ReplyDeleteI often write for the content - get the idea down, in rough form, then may spend days or weeks revising,
ReplyDeleteJane
I'm usually a drip... uh, leaky faucet kind of writer. Sometimes it comes it gushes, but not often enough!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I don't know. With two kids, even if a tsunami hits, I would have to put it on hold. So leaky tap it is for me :-(
ReplyDeleteI'm a little bit of both. It all depends on how my muse is feeling that day. But regardless of the flow, I discipline myself into writing three pages five days a week.
ReplyDeleteI'm the pipe burst that happens when you're not home. I constantly use the notepad on my phone even when I'm walking because the ideas usually gush when my endorphines kick in.
ReplyDeleteHmm, can't imagine who you are referring to...
ReplyDeleteI'm a tidal wave writer and I love it that way. I love writing and writing and writing--and having to force myself away from the computer. Not because I'm out of ideas or steam but because I need to sleep or I need to be somewhere. And even then, the story is still brewing in my mind. The only sad part is that the stories end so quickly that way and I feel like I didn't get to spend enough time with my characters.
ReplyDeleteI go in streaks. Sometimes it comes like a tidal wave--it all depends on my prior planning and mood:)
ReplyDeleteIn some several ways, I consider myself as a leaky faucet.
ReplyDelete