Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Force vs Flow

This is topic Force vs Flow in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :

I recently posted the first 13 lines of a story. When I was writing it the first couple of drafts were tough. The first draft was forced, it didn't seem to go right. The second draft screamed "Info Dump!" I knew I was getting it right when it flowed.

In this post http://www.hatrack.com/writingclass/lessons/1998-10-29.shtml
OSC talks about writing Ender's Shadow and the difficulty he had with the beginning.

quote:
What matters is that not until I got the opening right did the story start to open up for me. Now, I could have forced my way through using any of these openings, and the result might even have been a pretty good book. But it wasn't coming to life in my own mind. I was coming up against a wall each time -- later, mind you, so I knew I was getting closer, but still there was a wall, my unconscious mind telling me that I couldn't trust this opening, I couldn't hang a story from it.
When it did work, then I could flow on. It "wrote itself" -- that is, I never had to stop and ponder, for ideas just popped into my head the moment my fingers needed to have something to type. For me at least, that's when it's working, that's when I know the story is alive. Of course, you may have a different opinion -- but you aren't the one who has to write the story. I am! So if it comes to life for me, then I can write it. Your story, obviously, has to come to life for you.
If the opening is wrong, there's almost no point in going on until it's right.

Matt

Posted by Phanto (Member # 1619) on :

I agree but disagree. For me, I know I'm doing a good job when I have the page on the table in front of me, coffee cup to my right, and I am editing in a smooth flow; the metaphors are beautiful, the flabby words chopped off, and the writing improving.

Posted by tnwilz (Member # 4080) on :

Oh, sorry I'm in the wrong place. I thought this thread was about medical problems.

Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :

quote:
Oh, sorry I'm in the wrong place. I thought this thread was about medical problems.

I'm glad I had already swallowed my hot chocolate, otherwise it would be on my computer now.

Matt

Posted by lehollis (Member # 2883) on :

It seems like sometimes you have to Force a few times before you get Flow. It also seems like somedays, there is just no Flow.

Huh. The above statements could be either medical or about writing.

Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :

Was about to make a comment on the ambiguous nature of the topic name. I'll stop myself.

I find that if I have to force the writing, there's something wrong. I think most of us juggle enough projects that we can switch to something else. I switch between editing my novel to writing short stories. If those fail, I can critique stories here, or just post to the open questions forum. All of those have to do with writing. As long as you do something rather than nothing, you are progressing.

Matt

Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :

I am perfectly capable of writing something that's a joy to write, thinking it's great, and having everyone hate it. Wish I weren't!