Have you ever had trouble?
By Outcast
@Outcast (632)
United States
February 15, 2010 2:20pm CST
I have had trouble trying to write. I start a story or subject and start writing and put out like three or four pages but when I go back reading it the whole thing sounds stupid and not right. Have you ever done that? Or am I just to hard on my writing? I really don't know which one.
5 responses
@LaurenInLA (2270)
• United States
15 Feb 10
My advice to you is not to edit while you're writing. Just write until you are done with your story. When you finish it, set it aside for a couple of days. Afte those couple of days, edit the piece. Some of it will be junk and some of it will be brilliant. The rest of the piece will be something in between. You don't have to get it right the first time not even the most successful writer does. Every once in a while I have a tendency to edit as well and when I do, I turn off the computer monitor so that I can't see what I've written. You'd be surprised how much of what you write the first time is actually good when you put some time between your writing and your editing. Good luck
@imagenius128 (109)
• United States
16 Feb 10
I agree completely. I'm in the process of trying to write a screenplay, and whenever I go back to read what I have so far, I get cool new ideas and try to edit it, and that screws of the next part and it becomes a never-ending cycle of re-writing that is inescapable. I've actually started writing another screenplay (or two) just to take my mind of the first for awhile.
@dark_joev (3034)
• United States
17 Feb 10
Yeah I have and from what I found is you need to space it out and your brain is in the creative mod not the editing mod so your brain isn't able to tell if it sounds good really. It is trying to be more and more creative. So yeah it is just the space that you are in. You need to be in the editor mode not the creative mode. So yeah every writer at some point has felt your pain.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
16 Feb 10
I do that sometimes. As a matter of fact, I have a whole folder titled "Starts" that I just could never get together, although there are some good ideas in there. When I get writer's block, I'll sometimes go through them. Now and then I'll find one that doesn't sound bad at all, so I polish it and finish it.
I think it's a matter of mood more than anything, at least for me.
@sunyskies (126)
• United States
15 Feb 10
I'm just like you! I've been trying to write a novel for several years, but I keep editing it out of existence. I have always heard that it is more important to get your words on paper and go back and edit it when you're all done than to edit as you go, but I can't help myself. It's tough to break the habit, but I think people like us need to learn to stop being so hard on ourselves. I even find myself editing and re-editing the things I post on mylot.
