One thing I've learned is when you attempt to make artistic decisions when drafting, it's relatively easy to make artistic decisions that are creative, yet difficult to make artistic decisions about structure—about what fits and what doesn't and why.
It means you are at somewhat of a disadvantage when drafting.
But the best course of action is to go with what you've got in the moment. You can fix it later.
During the editing process, creative decisions rarely come to you because you're no longer using your unconscious mind to be creative, you're using your conscious mind to work on the structure.
When you're drafting, you're 'kinda-sorta' of in a version of the fictive dream similar to what the reader experiences. You're focused primarily in the moment that's on the page in front of you.
But when you're editing, you have a broader vision of the context, meaning you can make artistic decisions from your conscious mind, and you can have a better idea of whether a particular sentence or phrase or clause or paragraph fits into the structure properly.
That's what fixing it later is all about.
So everything comes down to a collaboration between your conscious mind and your unconscious mind. Since you can't use them together, or be in one state of mind at the same time you're in the other, they need to collaborate. They simply need to take turns.
Interesting! It would explain by one of the biggest kicks I get during writing is when I get a creative idea about structure. For just a second the two modes meet, and it's a noticeable high.
You once talked about the creative process being more like a spiral than a straight line. I think about that when I feel scared or lost in the woods of writing.
I'm so glad to hear that - as this essay details, I am definitely using that technique on my novel. Coming back around, getting just a bit better each time around...it's certainly the only way I have found to survive the stress and fear. Of course, I have watch out for spiraling so slowly that I never get it done, but other than that it's working :)
I feel you so much! I have a finished first draft for an entire novel series (6 books) on my hands. Some days I feel like I know exactly what I'm doing. Other days I feel like "oh boy. What have I done?!". Sometimes the feeling switches from scene to scene as I'm revising. May the decisive magic be with us all. 😅
What an amazing accomplishment that first draft is! I know what you mean, and I take it slow but steady during that revolving door of feelings, because a time will come when the work and the magic suddenly snowballs...when it's ready.
Thank you. I've been working on it for 5 years now. Your youtube channel is an immense help to learn the craft of writing stories. I don't know if I could have finished this draft without your channel, but I know it would have taken a lot longer at least
I am so glad to hear that, the most important value of doing all this is to think that it actually made a difference for someone else working on their art. Thank you for telling me.
I'm going to start pushing my students to aim for "Kinda-Sorta"!
Absolutely. And I'm working on another step, another essay - called: "I Guess This Is What It's Going To Be, Then." :)
Love it!
Know the feeling all too well.
This kinda-sorta resonates with me.
One thing I've learned is when you attempt to make artistic decisions when drafting, it's relatively easy to make artistic decisions that are creative, yet difficult to make artistic decisions about structure—about what fits and what doesn't and why.
It means you are at somewhat of a disadvantage when drafting.
But the best course of action is to go with what you've got in the moment. You can fix it later.
During the editing process, creative decisions rarely come to you because you're no longer using your unconscious mind to be creative, you're using your conscious mind to work on the structure.
When you're drafting, you're 'kinda-sorta' of in a version of the fictive dream similar to what the reader experiences. You're focused primarily in the moment that's on the page in front of you.
But when you're editing, you have a broader vision of the context, meaning you can make artistic decisions from your conscious mind, and you can have a better idea of whether a particular sentence or phrase or clause or paragraph fits into the structure properly.
That's what fixing it later is all about.
So everything comes down to a collaboration between your conscious mind and your unconscious mind. Since you can't use them together, or be in one state of mind at the same time you're in the other, they need to collaborate. They simply need to take turns.
Interesting! It would explain by one of the biggest kicks I get during writing is when I get a creative idea about structure. For just a second the two modes meet, and it's a noticeable high.
You once talked about the creative process being more like a spiral than a straight line. I think about that when I feel scared or lost in the woods of writing.
I'm so glad to hear that - as this essay details, I am definitely using that technique on my novel. Coming back around, getting just a bit better each time around...it's certainly the only way I have found to survive the stress and fear. Of course, I have watch out for spiraling so slowly that I never get it done, but other than that it's working :)
God Bless You!
Right back at ya!
I feel you so much! I have a finished first draft for an entire novel series (6 books) on my hands. Some days I feel like I know exactly what I'm doing. Other days I feel like "oh boy. What have I done?!". Sometimes the feeling switches from scene to scene as I'm revising. May the decisive magic be with us all. 😅
What an amazing accomplishment that first draft is! I know what you mean, and I take it slow but steady during that revolving door of feelings, because a time will come when the work and the magic suddenly snowballs...when it's ready.
Thank you. I've been working on it for 5 years now. Your youtube channel is an immense help to learn the craft of writing stories. I don't know if I could have finished this draft without your channel, but I know it would have taken a lot longer at least
I am so glad to hear that, the most important value of doing all this is to think that it actually made a difference for someone else working on their art. Thank you for telling me.
“Decisive magic.” Not only do I need more of that in my writing, I need more of that in my life. Thanks, Glenn, for sharing. 😎
I know what you mean. After a while you get okay with waiting for it, looking for it - and it always shows up!