Avatar

All that is Nerd

@tallskinnynerdyboy

Avatar

Best trick I ever picked up. Seriously.

I have also learned this is great for [PICK A COOL NAME FOR A SHIP] and [LOOK UP THE FACTS ABOUT OXYGEN LEVELS] and [WHAT’S THE WORD] and [DOUBLECHECK CHARACTER’S EYE COLOR] and ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

Anything that isn’t critical in the moment, and could be filled in later while I’m currently trying to burn through writing pages that will be lost if I don’t get them out right now? Brackets.

This is seriously the best advice, and it really helps put it into perspective that the first draft is just that- a draft. There’s no reason to agonize over a particularly tricky bit of writing when you could just leave it in brackets and skip to the good parts, the parts you’ve visualized. I also use brackets for [fact-check this], [use a stronger verb], [is this in character?] and other notes as I write, just so I don’t forget what I want to work on when I go back and edit. 

This works for academic writing too. If you know where you’re going just leave yourself notes to fill in later. I do this all the time,

I use this all the time, can recommend

MC: *enters* Vere, not looking up from his oolong tea: You look nice today, MC. MC: Vere, you didn’t even look at me. Vere: No, but Mhin’s heart rate sped up as soon as you walked in so it’s a safe guess. Mhin, turning red: Y-YOU FCUKING IDIOT NO IT DIDN’T—