Monday, October 19, 2009

We're All Unique. Except Me.

Well, this is interesting enough to bring up:

A discussion about writing by some of the writers attending the International Festival of Authors.

Two big takeaways for me:

1)I'm not the only one who procrastinates.

2)I'm not the only one who kicks myself for procrastinating.

Y'know, it's a wonder anything ever gets done by anyone.

4 comments:

Amalia Dillin said...

I procrastinate on my writing by rereading. This is doom for my daily wordcount/goal if I open up and start reading the beginning, middle, or anything other than the last paragraph where I ended the previous day.

My own writing is my worst enemy.

Ulysses said...

Do you ever wonder if artists in other fields have the same problem?

I mean, does a sculptor spend three hours sharpening his chisels in an effort to avoid tackling the marble?

Does a painter spend a whole day getting the roses on a bouquet just right while avoiding painting the woman who's holding it?

Writers. I tell you, we're a weird bunch.

Amalia Dillin said...

I honestly would not be surprised if that example for the painter wasn't true. Any artist can touch up and "revise" one part of their work for an eon instead of tackling something knew. Musicians can keep playing the same song, changing a note here or there instead of writing a new one. The problem/challenge/beauty of art is that it will always be in progress, and you're the only one who can determine where the finish line is--if you never say "enough" you never get there.

Ulysses said...

Da Vinci said it well (although he said it in Italian): "Art is never finished, only abandoned."