# Gonna write gonna write gonna write **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 28, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525 "2003-07-28T21:57:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/21 "2003-07-29T08:01:07Z")
Does it have sex in it? If so, get writing, doggone it! I wanna read it! ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/22 "2003-07-29T08:17:17Z")
Writing isn’t as fun as thinking about what you’ll write. Do that some and then play Grand Theft Auto. That’s the system that works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/23 "2003-07-29T13:20:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > All I’ll say is it’s a mainstream novel (read: not erotica 😉 ) set in the Adirondack mountains, dealing with forgiveness, repentance, second chances and the mandatory reporting of sexual offenders in New York State. 🙂 \*\* You do know that Shakespeare already did that one, don’t you? On a serious note … congratulations. I spent three years, off and on, writing my first manuscript. (Okay, to be technical, it’s my _only_ manuscript to date.) At some point in the process, the work reached a critical mass, and it simply wasn’t possible not to finish it. I shopped it around for a while (the very first agent I sent it to liked it, started talking about movie rights and overseas publication and a whole bunch of other head-spinning stuff, then went and died just to spite me; after that, 30 straight rejection letters from other agents) and finally quit. I’m working on a different novel now, and I’ve got that one in the drawer ready to go when the publishing world is clamoring for a followup to my first bestseller. I think it was Lewis Grizzard who said (paraphrasing): “Writing is easy. Just sit at a typewriter and wait until you sweat blood.” Good for you, **jar**. You can do this. You know it, too. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/24 "2003-07-29T13:52:03Z")
**Bren\_Cameron** , are you going to do NaNoWrMo this year? I’m getting in the mood already, lots of story ideas tumbling through my head, soon to read the outline stage. Er, that’s not cheating, is it? So long as I don’t write any actual text, background research and outlines are allowed, I think. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/25 "2003-07-29T14:12:39Z")
I usually take a nap when I get writer’s block. 15 minutes of lying on my back, mulling over where to go next is usually enough to recharge my batteries and remotivate. ---
**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/26 "2003-07-29T15:18:28Z")
I’m currently printing out a 17-line poem and a 8-page short story to send out for scholarships to send my poor butt to college, so I can get going on becoming that writer I’ve wanted to be since I was a kid. And with that said, I have to get back to work. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/27 "2003-07-29T19:38:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by StarvingButStrong \* > \*\ ***Bren\_Cameron** , are you going to do NaNoWrMo this year? I’m getting in the mood already, lots of story ideas tumbling through my head, soon to read the outline stage./b] I’m planning on it. Right now I’m cleaning up the pile of stuff that this year’s NaNo produced. Then, once I drop it in the mail, I’m going to start thinking seriously about the next one. I’ve got a vague outline–very, very vague, but I’ve found that nothing clarifies a story quite like actually sitting down to write it, at least for me. > [@](#): > > \*\*Er, that’s not cheating, is it? So long as I don’t write any actual text, background research and outlines are allowed, I think. \*\* Nope, that’s not cheating–outlines are completely fine, according to the FAQ. Hey, maybe I should try outlining, I wonder if it would help me any… ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/28 "2003-07-29T21:47:41Z")
I win the procrastination award. Really. Last night, as I was finishing up chapter 1 for GOOD and ALL, I spilled a diet coke all over my keyboard, so today I had to go downtown to buy a new one, and ended up buying speakers, a new cellphone, lunch, an eyebrow wax, an external hardrive and some flowers. But TONIGHT! The writing will be complete. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/29 "2003-08-01T19:16:30Z")
So was the writing completed? ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/30 "2003-08-01T20:10:17Z")
Throw in an insane elder god, a nubile heroine, some cleavage for the pic on the back jacket, and I’ll give it a read. A bit of advice: buy the speakers and the drive _after_ you hit a milestone. Rewarding yourself beforehand is no way to break out of your procrastinating. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/31 "2003-08-01T20:23:02Z")
He was a dark and stormy knight… ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/32 "2003-08-01T21:00:01Z")
The writing is complete, it’s in the mail, and now I’m going out drinking to have adventures to fill out the rest of the book with… That is IF I run into any ex-convicts. ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/33 "2003-08-01T21:58:30Z")
You _did_ remember to put a stamp on it, right? ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/34 "2003-08-02T01:16:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*The writing is complete, it’s in the mail, and now I’m going out drinking to have adventures to fill out the rest of the book with… > \*\* You writers. You get yourselves into the most spectacular messes, and justify it all in the name of experience. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/35 "2003-08-02T01:33:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*The writing is complete, it’s in the mail, and now I’m going out drinking to have adventures to fill out the rest of the book with… > > That is IF I run into any ex-convicts. \*\* Hey, jarbaby, YAY. This is indeed deserving of a night on the town. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/36 "2003-08-02T01:38:53Z")
Way to go, JAR! On so many levels, too (the interest in the book, the actual writing, the drinking, it’s all good). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Beastal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Beastal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastal)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/37 "2003-08-02T15:23:44Z")
Ever had a dream, and then woken up and gone “Woah! That’d make a **good** novel!”. No? Well… screw you. ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525/38 "2003-08-02T18:21:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > Neato. I hope to get together with you in Chicago. Maybe I can throw a few words your way as well! Thanks for the kind words masonite, and everyone! > > Cervaise hit it on the head though. I’ve just got to stop fooling around and do it. Part of the curse of my imagination is that very often my mind just starts wandering to easier, more fun, more bizarre things, and my work is abandoned. > > Urrrgh. In all honesty, I’m probably about 80% done with the first 50 pages now, and about 75% with the total book. I’m at that scary stage where you read through everything and say **"wait, does this whole thing suck?"** > > Just got to get past that. Don’t you hate that? _Bolding mine_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonna-write-gonna-write-gonna-write/191525.md?page=1)