I know that no matter how much I brush and floss the dentist will clean my teeth better. So, why do we spend the extra time getting ready? (You know you do it too.) I think it's because, deep down, we're show offs. We want to look good for other people.
Don't fight it. You know you are. So, let's use it to our advantage: Writing Groups.
One of the ways my writing group helps me is that I'm motivated to step up my game. I spend a little extra effort polishing. I double-check my grammar. I make sure I have clear descriptions, the conflict is front-and-center, internal reactions draw the reader close, and the whole chapter moves the story forward but still leaves them with questions. In short, I'm trying to show off.
By stretching myself each week I've found that my best is getting better. It's not that my first drafts are awesome now. Ha! But my ability to fix and polish on the second (third, fourth, fifth) draft has improved markedly.
* Smile picture taken by joyousjoym can be found on Flickr.
3 comments:
And not only did you brush and floss twice, but you spent WAY more time doing each. What was it - twenty, thirty minutes in front of the mirror? (Ah the things a wife can reveal . . . )
You make a good point about writers groups. And not just the extra polishing to show off. But it's also good to have a deadline each week. If you're a deadline kind of person.
I love my writing groups (I've got two). I've learned so much from them, and they're tough but not destructive.
Nice observation about human behavior. Are you a writer or something?
You're right! I do clean my teeth extra carefully before I go to the dentist.
Great plug for writing groups; I need one.
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