Barf Draft: My version of the vomit first draft. I think WAY TOO MUCH as I write this draft. I have to remind myself to barf it out. Limit the descriptions of anything that doesn't precisely move the story forward/develop the character (in this draft). I am wasting too much time wordsmithing and worrying about minor issues. The order of the chapters, etc. Just get the damn thing written, THEN worry about that stuff.
Goals: I am not a "writing this many words daily" guy. There is too much self-inflicted pressure. But, as we know, structure and dedication are needed. I started with a dedicated one-thousand word(ish) a day plan, give or take. That worked until I reached…
The Swamp: The part of the barf draft when I have gone past the stuff I was eager to write and have stepped into the mucky middle. The difficulty is that I need to figure out what is happening. Where I would rather eat my laptop than type on it. I am internalizing, "Why am I doing this?" "This is garbage." "What was I thinking?" "No one will read this?" Eventually, I will step from the muck, hit the last third, and barrel to the end.
Plansering: I am not a detailed outline plotter planner or a pantser. I am a "planser." I wrote more outlines for this suspense novel, breaking out central chapter ideas—the same "guidepost," a version of the get from here to there writing. I know where I need to get, just not how. In my interviews on the House of Mystery Radio, many writers say this is their method.
Write People: This concerns my anxiety about writing a female protagonist. The age-old question is whether a man can properly write a woman's character. The answer is yes, of course. Many have done it and done it well. I researched, as I am known to do, looking for advice. I saw a quote—which might be from Terry Pratchett—saying he didn't write women; he wrote people. That really had an impact on me. Just write people. Write realistic, good characters. Be aware of people's differences in situations and life and use those if they assist in their development and storytelling.