Ever had anything pop into your brain that just really freaked you out? Did you write it anyway? It was all vivid and graphic and strong and everything, but I think it's gross, now that the initial inspiration has passed. I have and dump a lot of ideas...despite what the books say we all know they're not created equal, you know. Like "The Breast"...man should that ever have stayed a jot in Roth's notebook.

erika, you bet I have. I think the best thing to do is write it anyway, get it out of you, and then don't look at it for a while. In a couple of weeks, or months, whatever works, go back to it, and see if there's anything in there that jumps out as worthy of keeping/expanding -- whether it's one word, one sentence, a character, an image -- which could take you in a totally new direction from the original graphic piece.

My feeling is, if it's there, it wants to be written, so for god's sake, get that puppy out of you!

But maybe I'm being uptight and it's edgy and outre, not "Gee, maybe the group will take me back?"

You can do it, Erika! Big writing happy thoughts!

Write now. Censor later. Never, ever, do it in the other order.

Second

You're right. Cause since I started thinking about it, I can't write my name. Can't fic. I'm like the guy in Adaptation thinking he's fat and ugly and can't write anyway.Except for fat, substitute "helpless" or something.

Cause since I started thinking about it, I can't write my name.

I am paralyzed by my fear of not finishing my book. Rewrote the first 80 pages three times before finding a solution of sorts. The only way I'm able to work through it at all is to just say "Okay, if it's crap it's crap. Just WRITE."

Yay for shitty first drafts.

But that implies that there will be better next drafts.