Can We Make Writing Easier without AI?
And an update on the $10,000 Jotter Contest
Update: The Jotter FIRST CHAPTER contest has been extended to Dec 31st.
Win between $500 and $2000. There are 11 prizes up for grabs.
All the details are here.
I’m one of the judges, and I’m really excited to see what you write!
You’ve got really good odds with this one because Jotter is still in it’s very early stages. Like early Medium days! (It’s quite fun to get in early).
Getting it down on paper
When people find out I’m a writer, 90% of them say:
“I’ve got an idea for a book…”
Do you know what I wish they’d say instead?
“I’ve written the first sentence of my book.”
So many of us have an idea that never turns into anything more.
I’ve fallen into this trap too. Lots of ideas. Not sitting down to write.
But when I notice myself doing it, I hear Ann Lamott whispering “bird by bird” in my ear. One tiny step at a time.
Here’s my thought process to get ideas onto paper
“Okay Kelly, just write one sentence in this draft before you go on Medium.
You’ve done one sentence and you’re here typing…so you could write one more. It’s not that hard to write just one a sentence. You don’t have to publish it.”
One of the biggest hurdles we face as writers is getting that first word on the page.
Blank pages suck!
They torment us. They scream in their white silence, “You will never write anything ever again, and if you do, it will be terrible!”
I’ve been doing this job for a long time now. Breaking-the-page-in is the hardest and most important thing you can do.
Some people think AI is the answer. But I disagree. There’s a kind of satisfaction with writing you can only get when you do it yourself. Especially if it feels difficult.
A writing coach told me early on in my career during a 10-minute writing session:
Just keep your hand moving, even if you write: “blah, blah, this is awful and I don’t know what to write.” Just keep going. Eventually, something will come.
Begets is a great word
Writing begets writing. Just like sleep begets sleep. When you get enough of it, more comes. It brings about more of itself. It’s a habit.
When you write 250 words, 250 more pop into your head. This is how I accidentally wrote 1000-4000 or more words a day during November a few years ago and ended up finishing a 50K word novel.
You need to unstop that stopper in your mind and let the words trickle out, even if it’s slow and rusty-looking at the start.
An 8-minute challenge
I never do writing tasks or prompts people give me online. I’m so lazy. (Or maybe tired from all the endless tasks and small children?) Most of us are super busy.
But I dare you to do this one. Double dare you.
Give it 8 minutes of your time.
If I wrote a fiction book, where/when would it be set?
Who would my main character be? How would they first interact with the setting? Would they talk to anyone? Would they rebel against it? Is it a familiar place for them?
Now set a timer. Open a blank page or grab a pen. On your mark. Get set. Go!
Now you’re one step closer to entering the Jotter first chapter competition.