I hit my wordcount goal yesterday (Nov. 6th, 2020), but it took longer than usual.
Why? Because I did a loopback!
I’m a huge advocate of writing forward, and keeping momentum going. But sometimes you don’t remember what you wrote two days ago. It’s okay to loop back, read through it, fix little errors, and add in details as long as you stay in the mindset of discovery and avoid the overthinking that comes with invention.
This is not the time to be “polishing” or rewriting. Many writers get trapped in a loop of continuous polishing of early chapters and then grind to a halt because momentum is lost. (You know who you are.)
The purpose ofa loopback is to refresh your memory, regain momentum, and pick up where you left off with your creative mind fully enganged in discovery.
When I start writing this morning, I will only loop back a few paragraphs. In a day or two, I’ll probably loop back a few thousand words.
Write forward, loop back a little bit, get a running start, write new scenes, loop back a little bit, get a running start, write new scenes.
“Write. Don’t think. Relax.” —Ray Bradbury
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