It seems my last blog reared up a great conversation about daily word counts — lots of terrific advice and support. Another blogger, JJ: Tea-Stains, continued it all with the eternal question of how to get on with it. It reminded me of a conversation I had with a writing teacher once with whom I had had just such a discussion. We agreed getting started is just like dirty water. You go into an old house that hasn’t been lived in for a while. You turn on the faucet, and what comes out? Dirty water. Looks disgusting, may even smell if it’s been too long. But eventually, the dirty water runs itself out and you are left with…you guessed it… clear, beautiful, sweet, free flowing water – just the stuff you hoped for when you opened the tap in the first place. Turn it on and let it flow!
I so agree. I think every first paragraph ever written is rewritten at a later stage! The key is to spill, someone once said it was a vomit … I think that I prefer your dirty water image.
Thanks for the link Sue. Your advice is very welcome. Today I started to itch to get going again, which is just fabulous.
JJx
Dear JJ,
Terrific! Better out than in, I always say….
xox