Just Write!

 I was busy scanning through my Facebook news feed the other day, and came across a post originally shared by INDIEREADER, but referencing an article in Huffington Post. The title of the article was “What are some tips for aspiring young authors?” and was written by Steena Holmes originally for Quora.

The 8^th point on the list was:

Don’t edit while you write – just write. Let that story pour out of you, get it down while you can. Once you’re done, then go back and edit it. Rewrite sentences, find better words to use, dig deeper into those emotions. Don’t be afraid of the revision process.

This reminded me so much of some of the questions I had on my blog tour back in February, that essentially asked for advice on writing.  My response was:

My advice, if you feel something calling you to write a story....sit down and write. Let it flow. Don’t fight the process, don’t rationalize, don’t edit. Just let it flow. Later is the time to analyze what has appeared, but don’t cut off the process in the middle.

So, there it is, multiple people say the same thing…just write, don’t analyze, don’t edit, just let the words flow. And yet here I am, about to publish my second book and trying desperately to get the third book in the Past Lives Series written….and what do I do…..  Ignore the advice above!! I can’t seem to allow the words to flow. I’m forever trying to craft a perfect sentence, or look back at the words I’ve typed and immediately go back into edit mode.

Anyone have suggestions on how to turn off that “WHY” engine or the “EDIT BRAIN”? I really want to finish the next book this summer, so I can start the edit process. I know who’s story will be written; I know the main characters (hero, heroine and antagonist); I even know some of the past life aspects that will come to mean so much to the characters. The basics of the story are there. Now I just need to get out of my own way, and write.

Stay tuned over the summer as I update my progress on this third book!

With love

Allison

AC Chenier.