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to anyone else currently struggling to write a Thing: this week i reintroduced a good habit i developed during dissertation-writing of using a "drafting shuttle" during my writing sessions 1/8
the shuttle is separate from the main document containing the chapter/article draft. in it, i work on a single section at at time, then cut and paste into the main doc as i consider it done, or done enough to move on to the next section or sub-section (of a section, lol). 2/8
working in the temporary document loosens me up to delete and rearrange with abandon--something i torture myself over when working in the full, more formal draft document. 3/8
each day i open the shuttle without looking back at the main doc. the shuttle contains a "cue sentence" from the end of my previous writing session, indicating where to go. (like tomorrow's: "move into how 2nd wave's treatment of porn could have had different results") 4/8
the cue sentence is simple and punchy and gives me the gumption to say a thing and get started. i also might leave messy notes to myself in the shuttle--keywords, names of critics I want to cite, etc., but nothing so "finished" i'll get caught up editing it. 5/8
in the writing session, i try to get through the idea my "cue" told me i was moving into. this usually means 2-4 double spaced pages of writing. it usually takes me 3-4 hours. when it's done *enough* (not perfect, no such thing), i cut and paste it into the master doc. 6/8
then in the shuttle i write the cue sentence for the next day--which comes easily if i quit while i'm ahead. i find it important to STOP writing when i feel like i've accomplished my goal. this is how i (try to) establish a sustainable pattern of writing. 7/8
i need a lot of help and support when i write (i'm looking at you, @triciamatthew @akasiaisakasia @S_Insley_H @zugenia)! so if this idea can help anyone else, great!
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