Self-edit-itis

              
                     Brainstorming is my favorite part of writing. ::blows a kiss to the imaginary brainstorming god:: I've spent the better part of this month and last lost in the fantasy world where anything is possible, free from the restraints of drafting. However, agents don't accept queries based on a terrific bubble chart no matter how many good ideas are floating throughout it.Unfortunately. I know it's time to start the drafting process and I've have started about a hundred times but I just can't stop self-editing. Does this plague you, too?

   So much is riding on those first few pages..an agent will either request more or deny you, readers will either keep or return your book to the shelf, everything one needs to know about the tone, style, and writing ability is in those first few pages.

Here is the state of my first chapter:

It's a mess! For the life of me I cannot sit at a computer and type out something neat and orderly. It's chicken scratch for me until I get it right but that's how I work. Of course, the irony is that by the time the exploratory draft is complete my story has changed so much I'm going to chuck the first chapter and re-write it. The plus side is that I learn a lot about my novel in these re-writes, which is the big idea behind drafting besides drawing out the storyline.

I have diagnosed myself and if you're struggling with the same thing, chances are that you're suffering from self-edit-itis more informally known as why-is-it-taking-me-three-hours-to-write-one-freaking-page-where's-my-inspiration!? Do not fear, it plagues the best of writers (so I hear). DRAFTING is the best medicine and should be taken in large quantities; you CAN take more than six times in a 24-hour period however you also need to leave your desk and actually, ya know, have a life (again, so I hear).

Tomorrow I'll post my personal list of do's and don't of the "firsts" page, chapter etc..until then, I'd love your input. How do you combat Self-edit-itis? How do you settle down and start the drafting process?