z

Young Writers Society


The OCD author's pledge.



User avatar



Gender: Female
Points: 300
Reviews: 0
Mon Jul 18, 2011 6:59 pm
missalaineus says...



Do you get hung up on every tiny syllable, every literary detail? As you try to pound out that rough first draft, can you not resist polishing to perfection on the way? Do you currently have a shining first chapter, but can't seem to get past that point because you worry about the kinks you have yet to buff out? This pledge is for you.

During my draft-writing, I pledge to:
--not hold down the backspace
--not touch the mouse
--not spend hours flipping through a thesaurus
--skip over the little details that you haven't worked out, and get back to them later
--keep that draft under lock and key until you've actually finished the darn book

Where are my people? If we could all stick to this pledge and save the editing until later, who knows how many new books we could have written in a few months? If you're too OCD about your writing, say so below!

I sign the pledge.
I'm the type of person that gives such good advise, people frame my quotes on a wall and don't follow them.
  





User avatar



Gender: Male
Points: 990
Reviews: 1
Sat Jul 23, 2011 7:21 am
ZeroKelvin says...



I should probably try to stick to this pledge. Editing is what holds me back at the moment.
"He who fights with monsters should take care lest he in turn become a monster...
...And if you stare for too long into an abyss then the abyss stares back into you."
- Friederich Nietschze.

Phn'glui Mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'Lyeh Wgah'nagl Fhtagn!
Ia Cthulhu! Ia Dagon!
  





User avatar
158 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 425
Reviews: 158
Sat Jul 23, 2011 7:41 am
Payne says...



I feel so ashamed! Definitely guilty of this. I spent seven years going OCD on a novel.
I aim to misbehave.

Is it weird in here, or is it just me? --Steven Wright
  





User avatar



Gender: Male
Points: 990
Reviews: 4
Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:21 pm
Jongosi says...



This is exactly what I need to do. I hate it when my internal editor starts tearing up a first draft before it's even finished. I'm going to print this out and put it on the wall next to my computer.
"God made you and was happy. You make the lord happy."
Anis Mojgani
  





User avatar



Gender: None specified
Points: 1040
Reviews: 3
Wed Jul 27, 2011 12:52 am
View Likes
GummyWorm says...



I ought to make this into a plaque and frame it on my desk, right in front of my face to remind me while I'm typing... Inner editor just crushes all my hopes and dreams of ever finishing a novel....
"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that it's difficult to discern whether or not they are genuine." ~Abraham Lincoln
  





User avatar



Gender: Female
Points: 300
Reviews: 0
Thu Jul 28, 2011 6:18 pm
missalaineus says...



Same here >.< My inner editor really tears me apart sometimes. I've been trying to stick to the pledge though, and I've been making progress! :D How are you guys progressing?
I'm the type of person that gives such good advise, people frame my quotes on a wall and don't follow them.
  





User avatar
20 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 408
Reviews: 20
Thu Sep 01, 2011 4:30 pm
ShadowPrincess16 says...



I should definitely stick to this. Unfortunately, I don't think that is at all possible. Oh well, I suppose I'll have to live with my supremely annoying Inner Editor. :)
“wanting what you could not have led to misery and madness”
― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Prince
  





User avatar
65 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 816
Reviews: 65
Fri Oct 28, 2011 6:37 am
View Likes
Fizz says...



Eugh, yes! I'm the worst. Actually, it is taking a lot of effort not to backspace all of this. Eugh? Is that a noise people can make?
  





User avatar
202 Reviews



Gender: None specified
Points: 8831
Reviews: 202
Sat Oct 29, 2011 12:14 pm
Octave says...



Dude if this was a club I'd so join it. >>

I'm going to take this pledge, but I don't think I'll be able to keep it very well. :S
"The moral of this story, is that if I cause a stranger to choke to death for my amusement, what do you think I’ll do to you if you don’t tell me who ordered you to kill Colosimo?“

-Boardwalk Empire

Love, get out of my way.


Dulcinea: 2,500/50,000
  





User avatar
178 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 652
Reviews: 178
Sat Jan 21, 2012 4:53 am
Paracosm says...



SIGN! SIGN! SIGN!
Review unto others as you would have others review unto you.

Don't panic!

Also, Shino!
  





User avatar
192 Reviews



Gender: None specified
Points: 19207
Reviews: 192
Fri Mar 02, 2012 3:13 am
View Likes
EloquentDragon says...



ARGH! Are you kidding me? I make so many typos, I would DIE w/o backspace!!!
(Actually, it's not that bad...it's just everything i'd write would be illegible.)
P.S. I use a pen & paper for my first draft (usually) so I'm not tempted...the only editing I do is scratch outs when somethings really, over the top idiotic, spelled horribly, etc. But not very often...
Other than that I would do the pledge...neat post
No more countin' dollars... we'll be countin' stars.

Enter, if you dare.
  





User avatar
70 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 1778
Reviews: 70
Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:25 am
WrittenInStone says...



Here I thought I was the only one! I'm glad there are others like me. I used to make the backspace stick and erase entire pages so that I could rewrite them. Ugh, it was so frustrating where every single error stood out like it was a blotch of red ink on a white page! I will definitely stick to this pledge, and might do as one of the above mentioned: framing it and hanging it in front of my face, over my writing desk so that it will remind me that until the first draft is done - my novel doesn't need to be torn apart. :)
To fly away on gossamer wings, sheer as night's reflective glow, I would could I cradle child hecate to my breast.

|| Wisp. ||
  








I communicate much better on paper than I do when I open my mouth.
— Aaron Sorkin