Split Personalities

Over the past 3 weeks, I’ve been slowly adding a few more RSS feeds to my collection. Nope, not podcasts, but actual blogs. Blogs that focus primarily on productive writing, zen-like tips for killing writer’s block, and lists that get the juices flowing. Man, are there a shitload of lists. 

Don’t get me wrong, the wealth of knowledge on the nets geared towards writers is comprehensive and awe inspiring. Little nuggets of advice collected for the well-being and success of other struggling (and successful) authors out there. It’s just that, I’ve been reading ten times more words about the craft itself, than I have written actually doing the craft…and that gets under my skin. 

Oh, and get used to these posts o’ mine – I realize they’re disjointed and meandering, but they also help to validate whatever little roadblocks I’m trying to hurdle at the time. 

Last week I set a goal of penning 1000 words per day, and I missed the mark. I managed 5000 this week, but over the course of 3 days (playing “catch up”, heh.) I’m bummed, but not enough to let that poison further productivity, you know? (although since I’ve proclaimed publicly, on Twitter and elsewhere, that YES, this book IS COMING DAMNIT, I can’t but feel a LITTLE under the gun!) 

Yes, self inflicted pressure. It’s good motivation!

Anyway, one of these lists I stumbled across really hit home like blunt force trauma. I found it here. Boy, can I relate. If you’re an aspiring writer, go read it. To summarize: you can’t be a writer AND an editor simultaneously. Separate the two ASAP. That’s the problem I’ve been facing without consciously realizing it. 

(I’ll throw in a tip I haven’t read elsewhere: Turn off your damn spellcheck. Fix it LATER, get the ideas onto the page NOW.)

The Funeral Diaries progresses – I’ll keep checking in. 

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PS: Jasper Sorensen, the main character of the novel, can be found on Twitter…