You down with MeDD
Apr. 13th, 2009 11:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
valis2So. I've decided I need a Mental Dictation Device.
The way I write is pretty straightforward. I have the kernel of an idea. I begin to think about the idea, and where it could go. This daydream state is just as important as the actual writing portion.
As I grow obsessed with the idea, I begin to write it in my head. I narrate it exactly as I would narrate it on a piece of paper, only because it's my mind, I jump ahead to other sections and combine some daydreaming with it.
Then I begin to actually write it physically. At this point, whenever I am not at the computer actively writing it, I am narrating large sections. Like, when I'm in the bathtub, or in bed, or driving, or at work. I start at the beginning of a scene, and I simply start mentally writing the text. The words appear exactly as they would for the page. If any of it is particularly interesting, I make a note of it somewhere.
The writing starts at the beginning. I don't skip ahead. If I've already thought of a section in my head, especially if I've thought of it multiple times, that section will be written fairly quickly. The connecting sequences might be a little clunky, but they'll be better after a bit of polish. As I write, I reread everything that came before first, unless the story is too big for that (I stop doing that around 15-20k, I'd say). In that case, I just read the section I'm working on.
If I had a MeDD, this would be so much easier. As I sat at work, writing a story in my head, it could be transferred via wireless connection to my MeDD, which would faithfully spool it all to the hard drive of my computer. Because I narrate texturally, as opposed to with images, I think that it would work out well. There are some days where I would estimate I've generated 5 or 6k of material. And then I have to go home and write it "again," in a way. The MeDD would be so useful, because sometimes I lose some of the better turns of phrase--I have a terrible memory. Though, as the flip side of the coin, I might lose some better phrases by only writing it once.
I'd just have to remember to turn it off when I start daydreaming about my Mary Sue characters. lol.
How about you? Any thoughts on writing processes? Would you welcome or curse a MeDD?
The way I write is pretty straightforward. I have the kernel of an idea. I begin to think about the idea, and where it could go. This daydream state is just as important as the actual writing portion.
As I grow obsessed with the idea, I begin to write it in my head. I narrate it exactly as I would narrate it on a piece of paper, only because it's my mind, I jump ahead to other sections and combine some daydreaming with it.
Then I begin to actually write it physically. At this point, whenever I am not at the computer actively writing it, I am narrating large sections. Like, when I'm in the bathtub, or in bed, or driving, or at work. I start at the beginning of a scene, and I simply start mentally writing the text. The words appear exactly as they would for the page. If any of it is particularly interesting, I make a note of it somewhere.
The writing starts at the beginning. I don't skip ahead. If I've already thought of a section in my head, especially if I've thought of it multiple times, that section will be written fairly quickly. The connecting sequences might be a little clunky, but they'll be better after a bit of polish. As I write, I reread everything that came before first, unless the story is too big for that (I stop doing that around 15-20k, I'd say). In that case, I just read the section I'm working on.
If I had a MeDD, this would be so much easier. As I sat at work, writing a story in my head, it could be transferred via wireless connection to my MeDD, which would faithfully spool it all to the hard drive of my computer. Because I narrate texturally, as opposed to with images, I think that it would work out well. There are some days where I would estimate I've generated 5 or 6k of material. And then I have to go home and write it "again," in a way. The MeDD would be so useful, because sometimes I lose some of the better turns of phrase--I have a terrible memory. Though, as the flip side of the coin, I might lose some better phrases by only writing it once.
I'd just have to remember to turn it off when I start daydreaming about my Mary Sue characters. lol.
How about you? Any thoughts on writing processes? Would you welcome or curse a MeDD?
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(no subject)
Date: 2009-04-13 06:07 pm (UTC)heh. I did it with the light off. Um. You use a lot of paper that way.
Me too. I tried repeating a phrase over and over in my mind to help me remember it, but there's always something that distracts me and wham! it's gone again. Seriously annoying.
Exactly. And I can't hold more than three things in my head at any one time, so once something else comes along--blammo! Gone.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-04-13 06:48 pm (UTC)I can see where that wouldn't work. *g* Writing in the dark is hard.
~ sera