Only 751 words written so far this week. Seems I’ll be playing catch-up again this weekend.
I’ve had some trouble writing the new scenes, particularly dialog. I want to be sure to capture each character’s unique way of speaking, along with their thoughts and feelings in the moment, all the while maintaining the right intensity level for the scene.
It leads to doubt, which leads to feeling blocked. Which means no words.
To unblock me, I’m trying something new: let them swing for the fences. As in, instead of internalizing something like:
I wanted to tell him to go to hell. But I knew I shouldn't, because that might set him off again. Get me in trouble with the Warden.I go ahead and let the characters say what they want to say:
"Go to hell," I blurted. "You've wanted my job for years, and you're just looking for an excuse to take it. But I'll be damned if you'll get it without a fight."...and then, sure, they get in trouble. But it's more interesting to write, it's easier to write, actually, and hopefully it's more interesting to read.
What about you? How do you get over the fear and doubt that come from staring at a blank page?
