Your inner censor

[SLThomas]

These past few weeks I've had this little problem; when I write, I always here the voice of my inner censor. I know that when writing a first draft that we're allowed to be awful, that we don't have to revise every single sentence and mistake, etc...

I feel that my inner censor slows me. Yes, it's easy to say that we shouldn't listen to it during a first write but I find it hard to apply.

Does any of you have different ways to shut your inner censor? I feel that I would be oh so more productive if I could.

S-L

[dpaterso]

I suffer from the same malady.

I try to force myself to at least write to the bottom of the current page, instead of going over the previous sentence(s) and paragraph(s) ad infinitum. When I pass the dotted line, I allow myself to go back up and re-read/edit the page. Just the page, from under the previous dotted line. No further back than that. No further back!

-Derek

[Ms Hollands]

Maybe change the location of where you write. I'm constantly going back and checking my words...


...UNLESS...


...I'm outside in the sun with my laptop, or it's 3am and I don't have phone calls/e-mails/message boards* to distract me while I type from the comfort of my bed.

In most other situations/locations will distract me to the point of editing and re-editing.

*this message board is in a time zone that would now probably distract me - damn!

[SLThomas]

Cool ideas...

I'll write it down in the little notebook where I write my ideas. That way it'll be useful in the long run.

[Mumut]

I'm the same but I only have to go over my work when something in my subconscious tells me all is not right in the work I've done. Once it's fixed up I'm able to write again with no problems - until the next time.

[Linda Adams]

What I did: Write the first draft fast. I did it in thirty days, minus the subplots. Just so I'd get the thing done. I did not go back and look at anything, which was hard at times.

If I came up with any ideas for something in the previous pages, I noted it in another document.

[Sophia]

This may depend on your writing process, but this works for me and may help you:

I do it by having one aim in mind for the first draft, which is to get the story down. I outline extensively, and writing the first draft is the test of whether I've actually got a basic story skeleton that works. So the prose quality isn't an issue: it just needs to be the minimum necessary to get the plot twists and turns and the character actions and reactions down on the page.

In the second and subsequent drafts, I rewrite again with specific aims of getting the pacing of the story right. It's only the final draft that concerns the prose, and then, I can be as slow as I want, because it's at that stage that every word choice is scrutinised, and there is the benefit of knowing that I know exactly what I have to convey, and nothing will end up being cut later.

Perhaps knowing that you will have a whole draft specifically for your censor to go wild on would work for you in those early stages?

There is also the option of taking part in events like NaNoWriMo and in word wars with other writers, where you work for a set amount of time and aim to write at least a minimum word count during that time. The emphasis of quantity of quality can help some people to ignore their inner censor.

[Rae22]

Usually to turn my censor off I write as fast as I can without looking back. I make it a challenge for myself to go without using the backspace at all. Word wars can be useful too; focusing on getting the words out quickly overrides the need for quality (at least if you're competitive like me!).

One more method I use is writing with my eyes closed. Granted it's difficult to do longhand, but I find it really helps loosen up the words when I'm typing if I can't actually see what I'm writing. I picture what I want to write in my head, and just let the words go where they want to.

[BlueTexas]

Make a note in the text that says "Fix This" and move on. My notes like this are usually in all caps so I can find them easily later and they don't accidentally get overlooked.

[Grrarrgh]

I have the same problem. I've just tried my best to turn the inner critic off or at least not listen to it. My first drafts are usually terrible, and I'm not quite ok with it, but I'm trying to get there.
For the first draft, I just write what basically amounts to a very long outline. Not much in the way of sub-plots, I don't really worry too much about word choice, etc. I just write it down. The most editing I do as I'm doing the first draft is to use the Insert Comment function in MS Word and make a note of something as it occurs to me. Beyond that, I just try to write fast enough that my inner critic can't keep up.

[Perks]

I feel that my inner censor slows me. Yes, it's easy to say that we shouldn't listen to it during a first write but I find it hard to apply.

Does any of you have different ways to shut your inner censor? I feel that I would be oh so more productive if I could.

S-LYes. Embrace your inner censor. I know it's not the recommended route, but you may be one who can edit as you go. Especially if concern over your editor (and worry that you aren't 'doing it the right way') is keeping you from enjoying your work.

I can't write if I know I'm trailing a swelling wake of drek that needs to be thoroughly re-written at a later date.

More than one method to skin felines, you know.

[ChaosTitan]

My inner censor (or editor) tends to stay off during first drafts. I just want to build the house--get the story out of my head and into the computer. Scenes move, pages get deleted, and characters may get written out. I'll polish the sink and sweep the carpet after I've moved all the furniture into its proper place.

[NeuroFizz]

I feel that my inner censor slows me. Yes, it's easy to say that we shouldn't listen to it during a first write but I find it hard to apply.

Then, don't. This isn't a race, and for some people, the first draft may come more slowly, but it also may be closer to the final version, so the time delay may be negated.

And this follows...
Yes. Embrace your inner censor. I know it's not the recommended route, but you may be one who can edit as you go. Especially if concern over your editor (and worry that you aren't 'doing it the right way') is keeping you from enjoying your work.

I can't write if I know I'm trailing a swelling wake of drek that needs to be thoroughly re-written at a later date.

More than one method to skin felines, you know.

Just write in your style regardless of what others say is the "best way." Personally, I agree fully with Perks (for me and my writing method).

[RedScylla]

I don't know if I recommend this technique, but I haven't had any problems since I fired my every day internal editor. I say things out loud now that are totally inappropriate, but on the upside: I write everything that pops into my head.

[DeleyanLee]

Yes. Embrace your inner censor. I know it's not the recommended route, but you may be one who can edit as you go. Especially if concern over your editor (and worry that you aren't 'doing it the right way') is keeping you from enjoying your work.

I totally :heart: my internal editor. It's my bestest writing friend and one that I can always trust to tell me the truth about what I'm doing. But I don't subscribe to the concept that the first draft is allowed to be crap, so that might have something to do with it.

I spend some time figuring out what each scene is going to contain, what its purpose of the book is, and then write it and then I go back immediately and rework it so it does everything that's needed to do. The internal editor is active during the consideration and automatically shuts off for the actual process of writing, and then clicks on when I'm finished because I go back over the scene immediately to make certain it actually accomplished what it was supposed to. If there's any part of me "alive" during the actual writing, it's the "inner child" who is playing the game of the scene and having as much fun as possible.

Usually when my internal editor kicks in extra loud, it's because I messed up somewhere and need to go back, read, and correct before going forward. When I've ignored that voice, it turns out bad. Really really smelly rotten bad. I don't do that anymore.

Hope that helps.

[Phaeal]

The Inner Editor is an essential part of the writer, but he has a perverse addiction to whipping the writer's insecurities and anxieties into a froth that foams out all over the pages or screen, creating a mess and stopping the action. He needs an intervention, and only the writer can provide it.

Tell the IE that you're both swearing off insecurities and anxieties for the duration of the first draft. No matter how much he whines and writhes, you're not going to let him at them. In fact, every time the two of you approach these tasties, you're going to drive by as fast as possible. Hell, if there turns out to be an Insecurity and Anxiety Drive-Thru on every street corner, offering free samples, offering 2-for-1s, offering the deepest discounts in history, you're STILL driving right by.

If you persist, the IE will eventually fall asleep in the back seat, thumb in mouth. But you must persist!

[NeuroFizz]

The Inner Editor is an essential part of the writer, but he has a perverse addiction to whipping the writer's insecurities and anxieties into a froth that foams out all over the pages or screen, creating a mess and stopping the action. He needs an intervention, and only the writer can provide it.
Not for everyone. For some, the editor is a wonderful collaborator who does just the opposite--builds confidence in the writer's building command of the craft--because the writer and the editor are one and the same person, and recognizing problems as they arise, along with formulating solutions, signals a major, positive step for a writer.

[Shadow_Ferret]

When I'm in first draft stage, I chloroform and tie up both my inner editor and inner censor and lock them in a closet.

[tehuti88]

I'm of the opposite small camp, which can't continue or write a story UNLESS I'm getting it the best that I can the first time around, but...

Without reading all the other replies, one suggestion is you can set out to write something lousy on purpose. Really sit down with the intention, "I'm going to write the crappiest story I can!" Then see if the inner censor will either fritz out in shock or sit there and harp, "You can make that part lousier! Ew! What's wrong with you? You can totally mess this up even more if you really tried!" :D (Seriously, I've never tried this but I'm curious whether the inner censor that works so hard to get things "right" would work equally hard to get a lousy story "wrong.")

Or you can just tell yourself you're going to write a lousy story--not the lousiest, as that might be considered a challenge to the inner censor, just a lousy story--and see if it still acts up so much.

If it continues to do so, you can try bargaining with it. Tell it it can have its say AFTER you've written, say, a thousand words or five pages or some such. Whatever seems reasonable. Ask it to leave you in peace until you've written that, then it can speak up as much as it wants, and you will then respectfully listen to it. I realize on these message boards I'm always suggesting things like talking to the inner parts of yourselves like they're real people, but you'd be surprised, sometimes it really works. Especially since the more you try to fight an inner censor, the harder it'll tend to fight back. (I learned this from having OCD--the harder you fight the obsessions and compulsions, the harder they hit you. It's like a Chinese finger trap.) Sometimes compromise is the only way to go.

[Prozyan]

You have to find the method that works for you. Any advice people can give you is just that: advice and suggestion. There is no "right way" to write a book, just as there is no "wrong way" to do it. Some will swear by the butt-in-chair method, while others will say it stifles them. Some will swear by pouring out the words for a first draft, while others will prefer to edit as they go.

It may take some experimentation to find your particular style, but don't concern yourself over whether it is proper or not. If your inner censor is screaming at you and you can't ignore it, you might very well be a edit-as-you-go type person.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

One of the greatest fallacies of new(er) writers is they tend to believe rules and methods are set in stone, when they are really nothing more than guidelines and suggestions.

[DeleyanLee]

There is no "right way" to write a book, just as there is no "wrong way" to do it.

I would offer that the whole process of figuring out how to write is one's personal discover of what is right and wrong for them, so all the rights and wrongs are individual, not universal. It's only when people try to generalize their experiences for everyone else that the trouble starts.

Which is all just a different way of saying what you said. LOL!

[NeuroFizz]

I would offer that the whole process of figuring out how to write is one's personal discover of what is right and wrong for them, so all the rights and wrongs are individual, not universal. It's only when people try to generalize their experiences for everyone else that the trouble starts.

Which is all just a different way of saying what you said. LOL!
I agree, with one caveat. As we gain more writing experience, we should have to rely less and less on those "crap" first drafts, and with that experience, our first drafts should look more and more like polished manuscripts.

I would contend that the "let yourself write crap in the first draft" is for beginners who are having trouble finishing anything. If, after considerable writing experience (and a good track record in finishing off projects), we are still writing crappy first drafts, something in the writing process isn't finding a home in our brains--that internal editor isn't becoming a seamless functional component of our "writing centers," which is exactly what it eventually should be.

Personally, I will never strive for crap just to finish a story, but since I consider myself a journeyman (developing) writer, neither should I have to.

For those (beginners and others) who have trouble finishing their projects, the "allow yourself to write a crappy first draft" is a wonderful tool to find the joy and establish the habit of getting to The End. However, once one gets in that groove, there should be expected and anticipated advancement in the quality of writing from Chapter One on, with the internal editor becoming a fully integrated feature of writing style.

So, by all means give yourself permission to write crap--just not forever.

[DeleyanLee]

So, by all means give yourself permission to write crap--just not forever.

Your mileage may vary--which is the great boon and curse of this entire writing business.

[Alpha Echo]

For some reason, it isn't that hard for me, at least not while I'm chugging out the first draft. It isn't until later,when I've put the MS away for awhile to cool that I have a hard time keeping my eyes off it. But then I just bury myself in the next book or in research for the next book, and I get wrapped up enough in that that I sort of forget about the MS waiting for my revsion.

Not really.

I couldn't forget.

But kinda. :)

[NeuroFizz]

Your mileage may vary--which is the great boon and curse of this entire writing business.
Agreed, but we all should accept the challenge to constantly improve.

[DeadlyAccurate]

I've found listening to music and handwriting with a pen works. The former keeps my mind partially occupied and the latter means I can't easily correct bad parts. I just scribble notes in the margin ([need to mention this earlier][this is lame][move this to before that scene at the doctor's office]).

[seun]

I try to write faster than doubt can talk to me. It doesn't always work but it's the best defence I've got.

[SLThomas]

Make a note in the text that says "Fix This" and move on. My notes like this are usually in all caps so I can find them easily later and they don't accidentally get overlooked.

I really like this one. Thanks!

But when I think about it, it's true that writing my first draft isn't a race...I don't know how that idea got into my subconscious, to tell you the truth. I should embrace my inner censor but also tell him to leave me alone sometimes.

As for writing a very lousy first draft so that I can revise it later, I just can't. But we all have different methods of writing.

Thanks to all for the advice!

[Peachnuts]

Ya I have that and also I think, what would my mother think of this? She's religious and I love to write smut.

*sigh*

[Layla Nahar]

I managed to start getting somewhere with creative projects by employing stealth - trying to get under the censor/critic's radar by doing a work in tiny steps. its very slow going but, its going.

If one sees that the critic is trying to make things better it can help. The critic has a certain idea of what's best for you and will use any means necessary to protect you.

Have you tried *asking* the critic if it will let you write a certain amount the end w/ no corrections? Try to thank it for watching out for you, and ask if it would be willing to do this one thing. If it lets you, be sure to thank it. Coz it really does have your best interests at heart, and it would help it a lot to know that it had done a good thing.

[Melenka]

I tend to write entire scenes or chapters, then go back and fix them whenever I find myself hesitating to write. So I can be stuck on the transition between chapters 25 and 26 and instead of spinning about it, go back and edit chapter 2. It has turned out to be quite helpful, as I have reminded myself to pick up dropped threads or add in foreshadowing. While I was trying to figure out how to wrap up my novel (i.e., how to say goodbye to my characters), I did multiple search and replace passes for commonly overused words. I think whatever method makes you a better and more confident writer is the one to follow, even if it goes against the advice of others.

[ishtar'sgate]

These past few weeks I've had this little problem; when I write, I always here the voice of my inner censor. Does any of you have different ways to shut your inner censor? I feel that I would be oh so more productive if I could.

S-L
I don't want to shut off my inner censor. I like him alive and active. If I'm writing crap I want to know it and I want to know it right now. The only time I don't listen to him is if he says something like, 'Maybe you shouldn't write that. Your mother, husband, son, (fill in the blank with a family member) might not like it. So-and-so might look at you funny.' I put tape over his mouth if he's telling me what NOT to write. But I like him around if he says, 'Man your writing stinks!! You better fix that.'
Linnea

[J C Coy]

Try not to look back over what you wrote. Keep moving forward. If you don't see it, it isn't going to bother you. If I read back over a section, I start editing...every time.

[2Wheels]

Oh darn, and I here I thought the title of the thread referred to the inner censor which worries me if I have an unpleasant plot line involving incest, or rape, or violent death or, or .....

[Jcomp]

Oh darn, and I here I thought the title of the thread referred to the inner censor which worries me if I have an unpleasant plot line involving incest, or rape, or violent death or, or .....

Me too.

My inner editor has to get quieted down and ignored to a limited extent for me. I overthink things by nature and I will paralyze myself if I let that tendency take hold of me, so I just have to press on with the knowledge that I'm going to come back for a rewrite, hating everything I wrote anyway...

My inner censor used to be more of a problem back when I first started. Even now I'll catch myself occassionally thinking, "This might be a bit much." But I admire and aspire towards a more concise writing style so even the most depraved and horrific things I write aren't elaborated on for several pages or anything, and that makes it easier for me to press on.

[tehuti88]

My inner censor used to be more of a problem back when I first started. Even now I'll catch myself occassionally thinking, "This might be a bit much." But I admire and aspire towards a more concise writing style so even the most depraved and horrific things I write aren't elaborated on for several pages or anything, and that makes it easier for me to press on.

Assuming the "inner editor" and the "inner censor" to be different entities like this then, I find my inner censor to be quite helpful. It keeps me from putting totally inappropriate things in my more PG-13 writing, and to save that for my NC-17-type stuff. :o Though I can't for the life of me put out anything R rated for some reason. That middle ground eludes me. I guess it's because all my life I kept what should probably work better as R-rated material dumbed down to PG-13, then when I started writing adult material, that material jumped straight to NC-17, and my censor has no idea how to convert formerly PG-13 stuff to R without making it NC-17!!

x_x

[J C Coy]

Oh darn, and I here I thought the title of the thread referred to the inner censor which worries me if I have an unpleasant plot line involving incest, or rape, or violent death or, or .....
I've used all of those. :D

[RLB]

I'm polishing my second novel now. On the first one, I let my inner editor run amok and spent hours agonizing over each word and turn of phrase in my first draft. But then, when I had to go back and rewrite, cutting scenes and moving stuff around, I wound up losing a bunch of the little paragraphs I'd slaved over first time around. Which sucked.

This time, I did the write-a-crappy-first-draft thing. It was hard. It was painful. I plowed forward, trying not to be distracted by all the red and green squigglies Word was throwing up behind me. And there were a lot of squigglies. I used cliches. I left out descriptions. I wrote straight dialogue without doing attributions or corresponding actions. I told instead of showed. But I did make notes along the way like: make funnier, fix this, weave in a description here, make this more subtle, show here. And it was actually fun coming back to it second time around.

But it's really what works for you.