To all the pantsers residing within this degenerates’ lair, have you ever had a moment when you “just write” and end up completing the entire story?

[BlackKnightX]

When you search for writing advice on the internet, you’ll most likely come across this one: just write.

For many, it makes sense. The message seems to be, “Stop looking for advice or any excuses not to write; just type the damn words and go on with it!” Yes, it does make sense. If you write, you’ll get the thing done; if you don’t, you‘ll end up not accomplishing anything. It's advice against procrastination, I suppose.

Here’s a thing: there’s some moments for me when I just write without thinking about anything at all—no plan, no technique, no idea where I’m going or what I’m doing. I’d just write in wild abandon. And the funny thing is, the words flow endlessly. They just keep pouring out onto the page. And once I’m done with a chapter and start reading it, I’m surprised to find out that the damn thing’s cohesive enough and flows really well. It turned out better than I expected.

I don’t know if this is the so-called writer’s instinct or not since I’ve written more than 100,000 words already, and I was also an avid reader before I even started writing. Maybe I’ve already internalized the flow and the rhythm and the cadence of writing. That’s why the words just flow like that.

Have any of you—preferably a pantser like me—ever had that experience of “just write” and end up with something good? Do you have that moment when you just don’t care about anything, don’t think about anything, and just write the damn thing in wild abandon? Ever feel so drunk or possessed by the muse to the point that words just keep pouring out? Please share.

 

[Agentt]

Lovely if you managed to do that. I would had bruised my fingers by that point

 

[Anon2024]

One thing I can say is that if you write without getting in the mood your mind might put in a lot of weirdly worded sentences even if you think it sounds good while typing/writing. I realized that the chapters I've published on SH with minimal editing contain difficult to read sentences (I've since edited them as I find them). Makes me cringe at myself, but I'm writing smut so I don't think most of my readers care. I'm using it for writing practice anyway.

I think the problem is we started writing because we had a good idea or wanted to see a kind of story done the way we envision it, but then attempting to put it into words makes us realize how difficult it really is to convey what we want the reader to feel and understand.

 

[BlackKnightX]

I would had bruised my fingers by that point

Seems like you haven’t used your fingers enough. It takes practice to use them well. I suggest start with the middle and the ring fingers. Oh, and be gentle, okay? You’ll thank me later.

I think the problem is we started writing because we had a good idea or wanted to see a kind of story done the way we envision it, but then attempting to put it into words makes us realize how difficult it really is to convey what we want the reader to feel and understand.

Exactly this. Rather than an idea, for me it comes in the form of a movie scene. Maybe I’d do well in the screenwriting business, but I love novels, so why the fuck not? But, like you said, it’s hard to translate the scene in your head into written words. Though, I just found out that what you really lack is the writing skill. That’s why Stephen King tells the aspiring writers to “write a lot”.

 

[K5Rakitan]

It's rare for me, but it feels like my brain has had a massage afterwards.

 

[Minx]

That's a cool witchcraft, mind teaching me?

 

[BlackKnightX]

That's a cool witchcraft, mind teaching me?

Whisky’s nice, but I prefer wine.

 

[Ai-chan]

Not even when Ai-chan went commando had Ai-chan ever managed to finish a story without planning first.

 

[SailusGebel]

The answer to the question in the title would be a no. The answers to the following questions are yes, yes, I don't know.

 

[lambenttyto]

Have any of you—preferably a pantser like me—ever had that experience of “just write” and end up with something good? Do you have that moment when you just don’t care about anything, don’t think about anything, and just write the damn thing in wild abandon? Ever feel so drunk or possessed by the muse to the point that words just keep pouring out? Please share.

I don't consider myself a pantser (although that's usually my approach) because I sometimes outline as well. And yes, I almost always have this experience. It comes from being relaxed. When you don't care about the writing, your mind is free from critical thought, which opens up your creativity, and writing fiction is an art, a creative process. Storytelling is NOT a critical process. When I outline, I subconsciously tend to lend too much importance to the work, and it locks me up. It's the same problem with most writers who have trouble starting or finishing a work. They're letting their critical thinking get in the way.

So you've found something that most writers don't have. Hold on to it. It CAN be lost! If you're interested, you might like Dean Wesley Smith's book Writing Into the Dark. It's short, but the entire book is on this topic specifically and I think you'd really enjoy it. I've read it like fifteen times.

 

[doravg]

When you search for writing advice on the internet, you’ll most likely come across this one: just write.

For many, it makes sense. The message seems to be, “Stop looking for advice or any excuses not to write; just type the damn words and go on with it!” Yes, it does make sense. If you write, you’ll get the thing done; if you don’t, you‘ll end up not accomplishing anything. It's advice against procrastination, I suppose.

Here’s a thing: there’s some moments for me when I just write without thinking about anything at all—no plan, no technique, no idea where I’m going or what I’m doing. I’d just write in wild abandon. And the funny thing is, the words flow endlessly. They just keep pouring out onto the page. And once I’m done with a chapter and start reading it, I’m surprised to find out that the damn thing’s cohesive enough and flows really well. It turned out better than I expected.

I don’t know if this is the so-called writer’s instinct or not since I’ve written more than 100,000 words already, and I was also an avid reader before I even started writing. Maybe I’ve already internalized the flow and the rhythm and the cadence of writing. That’s why the words just flow like that.

Have any of you—preferably a pantser like me—ever had that experience of “just write” and end up with something good? Do you have that moment when you just don’t care about anything, don’t think about anything, and just write the damn thing in wild abandon? Ever feel so drunk or possessed by the muse to the point that words just keep pouring out? Please share.

We, pantsers, are always like that. The only thing I do is light research.

 

[Paul_Tromba]

Once, long ago. It lies in the depths of my Google docs untouched by human flesh as it rots into oblivion.

 

[authorajhenry]

I've had that happen to me recently. I got rid of my phone and social media (literally went to an eco-atm and sold it). I was able to finally get rid of five years of writers block, and readers block. I sat down yesterday and started writing. Wrote almost eight thousand words in my A Gaze of Flames & Passion novel, and it's only three chapters ( considering that I use to write ten chapters with only 10,000 words and way too fast paced). So, yeah I can relate lol.

 

[AliceShiki]

Ah, yeah, I don't really plan much for my stories.

I have a vague idea of my ending and how I want to get there, but... That's about it. A vague idea. The rest is all created on the spot as I write.

... And well, later I do edit things and stuff, but... Well, I just ain't that good at writing things while planning it out too much. I prefer to let the story kinda create itself... It works well-enough to me~

 

[BlackKnightX]

If you're interested, you might like Dean Wesley Smith's book Writing Into the Dark. It's short, but the entire book is on this topic specifically and I think you'd really enjoy it. I've read it like fifteen times.

Already finished reading that from a while back. Thanks for the recommendation, though.

 

[lambenttyto]

Already finished reading that from a while back. Thanks for the recommendation, though.

Very nice. What about The Pursuit of Perfection and How it Harms Writers?

 

[BlackKnightX]

Very nice. What about The Pursuit of Perfection and How it Harms Writers?

I have to check this out. Thanks!