IWSG - Insecure Writer's Support Group for 3rd June 2015 - Looking at writing habits

Anna Nordeman


IWSG - Insecure Writer's Support Group for 3rd June2015

This is my twenty-fourth post for IWSG. 


 

Looking at writing habits: What keeps you writing? What works for you?

I am asking this question because I am soon at the end of my rope. I am not writing at all. I am beginning to think that I simply may not be cut out to become a writer. I may not have what it takes. There are already so many good writers, why should I write and add one more book to the pile of unread books?

'Well, with that attitude you will not even be considered for publishing!' you say.

(Many thanks to Alex J Cavanaugh for creating a forum where such questions are allowed. It is just writer's bloc or insecurity or doubt.)  

I feel caught between the electronic world and the traditional world of paper and pencil. I don't write by hand anymore and I don't feel comfortable clicking things down directly into a word-processor. 

I am beginning to feel obsolete. Doesn't anyone write in longhand anymore? By chance I happened to find a few pages of praise for writing longhand in K.M. Weiland's book: Outlining your novel; Map Your Way to Success.

For more information

K.M. Weiland's arguments (see page 38) for writing longhand in the beginning of the outlining process are that writing longhand:

¤ Discourages the tendency to censor or edit.
¤ Brings writing down to a primal level.
¤ Provides a change of pace.
¤ Frees imagination by allowing sloppiness.
¤ Frees us from distractions.
¤ Allows a critical editing during transcription.
¤ Gives us an instant hard copy.

I think I'll break out my pens and pencils and start writing on paper again!


Best wishes,

Anna

First Commenter:

Alex J. Cavanaugh