Writing Badly

[delboy]

Can't remember in which one of my many books on writing I read this pearl of wisdom, but I think it's one of the best pieces of writing advice I've ever heard. Basically, it goes that if you're struggling to write well, or even struggling to write at all (which are usually part of the same thing) then simply allow yourself to write badly. At some point, you're going to be rewriting the thing anyway, maybe several times. So just get some words down, get the story moving.

And the thing is, most of it who have been doing this for any length of time and with any degree of intent, will discover that even when we try and write badly it's still coming out pretty good. Often, when we come to reread the work it's difficult - if not impossible - to tell where we were struggling and where we were flying.

The last few days have been a real struggle, but I pushed on by applying the above, and sure enough lunchtime today the words started to flow and come easy again.

Try it, if you're ever in need!

Regards,
Del

[delph_ambi]

That's excellent advice. Thanks 

[Ed]

Hmm - yep, sounds like good advice. I've been terrible lately. Last night, for instance, I sat down and wrote a bit, and it was like pulling teeth. When I finally finished the bit I was doing, I highlighted it and pressed the word count button, and it turned out I'd only put down 275 words. Felt like at least a thousand

That's about average for me at the moment - 250 ish words per sitting. Awful.

[Shannon Lee]

I totally agree

I keep writing out ideas, not matter how crazy they sound at first, I usually find a way to work it into a story later on, or it becomes a different story all together! Sometimes, writing bad, brings out the best ideas! 

[Grillmeat]

Definitely agree.
One of my first writing professors said much the same.
Write it all down, don't worry about good or bad, just get in on paper. There is plenty of time for you (and others) to tear it down and rework it.