This is How-To, an entry originally posted on February 16, 2004 in the blog nebulose.net. In chronological order, before this was Fire. After this comes Progress. If you're lost, I recommend the about page.

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How-To

How to write a story you’ve been putting off:

Start with an empty page and a full box of fudge-covered Oreo cookies.

Write a first paragraph. Get stuck. Skip around. Write a last paragraph. Erase your first paragraph because it sucks and doesn’t fit with the ending any more. Then erase the ending.

Write a new first paragraph. Get stuck.

Take a break and play backgammon with R. Lose badly.

Go back to your first paragraph. Write another sentence, something to get out of introduction mode and into the story proper.

Get stuck. Go take your laundry out of the drier. Take twice as long as necessary to fold and sort it, ostensibly while thinking about how to continue your story. Remain stuck.

Sit back down at the computer. Institute a “no erasing or backspacing, advance the plot at all costs and revise it after you’re done” policy.

Erase everything.

Write a beginning you think you could actually tolerate. It really grows on you. Nice.

Write until you start to run out of steam. Then run downstairs, eat 1-2 Oreo cookies, and get back to work. Glasses of milk as necessary.

Repeat until results are achieved or Oreos run out.

Nearly empty box of Oreos.

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Comments

You sure finished those cookies fast, No resupply till next Christmas. Leave some for emergencies

Posted by oldsuci at February 17, 2004 11:23 PM :: Link

I should use that for NaNoWriMo this year.

Posted by Dave at February 18, 2004 7:11 PM :: Link

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