What part of writing do you dislike? Like?

[Mira]

I've been writing more lately, and I've come to realize I really dislike and even dread first drafts. I hate writing them. They feel cumbersome, disappointing, foggy. I always go through a whole process of despair when I write them - I have to tell myself, almost continually, it will get better, or I just want to stop in my tracks and give up.

Bleh. I don't like first drafts!!!

But I love editing once the piece has a definitive shape. I love nit-picking over words, trying to smooth flow, searching for the perfect pace. I could edit forever, it's so fun.

What about you? Do you have a part of the writing process you love? And a part you could definitely do without?

[Gypson]

I've been thinking about this recently and my answers are similar to yours.

I don't always enjoy the act of writing. Some days I love it, some days I hate it, most of the time it's something I do because it's part of the process. I like having written, but the act of writing can be a pain sometimes. I hate pushing through a draft when I know the writing is squeaking along like an ungreased bike.

I also hate figuring out timelines. My story takes place across thirty years, and events prior to the story are often mentioned. Hammering out my timelines and doing the math is a cumbersome process I could do without, lol.

I love editing. When hot off the press, my writing is clunky and awkward. I love turning those ungainly sentences into smooth packets of information. I love diction, rhythm, and motifs. I can always look at my writing and find something to edit. However, this does make rough drafts difficult because I'm always tempted to go back and edit/redo stuff instead of finish the draft.

I love those instances when subplots, characters, and setting weave together in fun and unprecedented ways.

Most of all, I love writing quiet moments between characters and seeing where they go to retreat.

[Hillsy]

I hate my internal editor. Hate, hate, hate, hate. I’m definitely a storyteller first and a craftsman second, and that nitpicking bastard doesn’t know when to stop.

My internal editor basically walks into a room and says: “Right, lets get this thing up to publication standard” then turns into a fractal, endlessly producing smaller and smaller problems until even the law of diminishing returns gets the raging hump and pisses off back to economics. He’s also a raging egomaniac. When he gets started only publication matters, which effectively destroys any fun I’m having in writing the damn thing. It’s the equivalent of having a nay-sayer looking over your shoulder and wincing audibly every time you strike a key. It means something to him, but he’s one of those people who care so deeply about something, they ruin every conversation you can ever have with them and you just give up providing wood for their fire.

I write SF and fantasy for a reason. I love taking 1 single idea, or character, or scene and extrapolating entire civilisations/worlds/multiverses to support it. I had an idea about uploading data patches for human DNA – 2 hours of daydreaming later I had a plot, cast of characters, a few centuries of history, a list of “cool things” I could do with that world…..Stuff like that don’t happen if you don’t enjoy the process immensely. I’ll start it at some point, blitz out the first 30-40K, then our friend the internal editor will start getting involved, insisting certain plot twists aren’t punchy enough, or there’s discrepancies in the application of mitochondrial DNA, or that I’m not using enough dialogue, or I’ve used the word “She” too many times……And I start caring about the end product, which is all the incentive that swine needs. Now I can’t shut him up and momentum is gone and all I can do is just step away from the computer because he won’t stop until it’s the Best Book EVER!......

Basically, I could write forever if I didn’t want to make it “good”.

[Sommer Leigh]

First, what I love - I love writing and I love editing. Editing is my go-to when I am having a bad day. There's something really comforting about just getting in there and tearing things up and then seeing what everything looks like when you are done. And you get to be all like, wow. I wrote that.

What I hate - when I'm starting out and plotting all my plot points. I'm really terrible about seeing how and when everything is going to hit. This process takes an excruciatingly long time for me and usually ends up needing updated along the way anyway.

OH and also, I hate when I'm writing and I realize I've used the word "just" for the eighth time in three paragraphs and didn't even realize it until I was doing a read back. I want to stab my pencil in my brain like, you're such an idiot, stop using that terrible word!

[Mark.W.Carson]

I hate my internal editor. Hate, hate, hate, hate. I’m definitely a storyteller first and a craftsman second, and that nitpicking bastard doesn’t know when to stop.

My internal editor basically walks into a room and says: “Right, lets get this thing up to publication standard” then turns into a fractal, endlessly producing smaller and smaller problems until even the law of diminishing returns gets the raging hump and pisses off back to economics. He’s also a raging egomaniac. When he gets started only publication matters, which effectively destroys any fun I’m having in writing the damn thing. It’s the equivalent of having a nay-sayer looking over your shoulder and wincing audibly every time you strike a key. It means something to him, but he’s one of those people who care so deeply about something, they ruin every conversation you can ever have with them and you just give up providing wood for their fire.

I write SF and fantasy for a reason. I love taking 1 single idea, or character, or scene and extrapolating entire civilisations/worlds/multiverses to support it. I had an idea about uploading data patches for human DNA – 2 hours of daydreaming later I had a plot, cast of characters, a few centuries of history, a list of “cool things” I could do with that world…..Stuff like that don’t happen if you don’t enjoy the process immensely. I’ll start it at some point, blitz out the first 30-40K, then our friend the internal editor will start getting involved, insisting certain plot twists aren’t punchy enough, or there’s discrepancies in the application of mitochondrial DNA, or that I’m not using enough dialogue, or I’ve used the word “She” too many times……And I start caring about the end product, which is all the incentive that swine needs. Now I can’t shut him up and momentum is gone and all I can do is just step away from the computer because he won’t stop until it’s the Best Book EVER!......

Basically, I could write forever if I didn’t want to make it “good”.

Nail, meet head. I am a world builder. I create interesting scenarios at the drop of a hat. Getting it onto paper, or pixels somehow involves a technique that reduces brilliant ideas into some sort of brain addled meanderings that are not entirely unlike my original thought.

Imagine having the idea of a masterpiece by Leonardo Da Vinci in your mind, but drawing stick figures. Yeah, that about sums up my issues with writing. I feel like the way I am going at it lately, I am learning a new "brush stroke" every rewrite, and having to repaint the same picture over and over again.

[trixie]

What part do I dislike?

I guess it's going back and re-reading the draft and finding the gazillion holes and listing all the new scenes I need to come up with. I find it discouraging.

What do I like?

That first rush when you can't possibly tear yourself away from your computer until you finish the scene, who cares if your dinner is burning or if the dog is outside whining to come in! That point when I'm in the groove and my fingers are flying and I spelled something wrong but I don't care because the part that's coming next is going to be EPIC if I can just get there before my bladder explodes.

That's the part I love. I love first drafts.

[longknife]

I agree with Trixie.

Dislike - reviewing the first draft and wondering how I could make so many errors.
the endless hours in required research that takes away from the needed creativity.

Like - seeing the finished product in print or the online e-version.

[dios4vida]

That first rush when you can't possibly tear yourself away from your computer until you finish the scene, who cares if your dinner is burning or if the dog is outside whining to come in! That point when I'm in the groove and my fingers are flying and I spelled something wrong but I don't care because the part that's coming next is going to be EPIC if I can just get there before my bladder explodes.

Oh yeah. There's nothing in the world like this feeling right here.

What do I love? Really, I actually love most of it. I love first drafts, I love editing, I love watching the idea take shape on the page, becoming what you've always dreamed it could be and more. I really do just love writing.

What do I hate? Well, we all have those "my writing sucks why do I waste my time on this drivel" days, and those obviously suck. But more specific, I hate building characters. Once I know who they are and how they act they're great, but getting there...yuck. I also hate writing dialogue. Well, I actually have a grand time at it, so I guess I hate editing dialogue. I'm terrible at writing convincing dialogue so they're always the last bits that have to be completed because they never sound as good on the page as they do in my head.

All in all, though, I love to write.