You may think that writers still at the keyboard all day, every day. Not true, though an author friend of mine once said that the only thing a writer needs to be successful is “bum glue”. This level of writing is self-reliant and inward looking. The ideas come from inside. When they do you need to be in your chair. That’s the bum glue part.
But, for most writers pacing is not just something you wish to achieve on the page.
If a writer-cam were created and attached to the skull of every writer, I’m fairly sure the view would be the same: Look at the keyboard, look at the screen, look out the window, pet the dog, pour some coffee, do a load of laundry, fix a snack, look out the window, look at the phone, check the email, walk to the bathroom, walk to the computer, look at the keyboard, look at the screen, pour more coffee…..you get the idea.
But, there is another level to writing called the editing process. This is co-dependant and outward looking. It’s where the brilliant idea you thought you had gets ripped to shreds along with your confidence. Usually there is less pacing and more wine consumption.
Editing is the SAT part of the writing education. Pressure and skill come to bear, and if the writer can learn to take none of it personally, there is a beacon at the end of the tunnel called publishing.
Witness:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKkR9S2lq6Q]