McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

Returning to a story

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Zydruna:
I heard an interview with author Erik Larson on NPR the other day and he said something that I found very interesting.  When he is writing a novel, and has to pause for whatever reason, he makes a point to stop writing mid-paragraph and mid-sentence.  He said that this is a wonderful technique that allows him to immediately get back into the same headspace that he was in before so that the words will start flowing instantly and seamlessly.

I would never have thought of this.  I usually feel compelled to complete whatever thought or scene I am working on before I stop, fearing that I might not remember everything that I am thinking of later.

I am curious what the writers here think of this technique.  Have you ever done this?  Did you find it to be a useful technique?

Dom:
I've never done that before, because I too would be afraid I'd lose the thought that prompted the sentence in the first place.

I HAVE stopped at an opening " for dialogue.  Sort of like freezing a movie where a character just opened their mouth to speak but hasn't said anything...I put the opening quotes, then save and close the file until later.

I never have trouble getting back into a character's head space, though, so this trick of stopping mid-sentence wouldn't really be of use to me personally.  But I could see it working for someone who gets knocked out of a character's head space more easily.

Belial:
I am somewhat OCD (not horribly, in a can't function way... but for example, I took all my d6's and put them in a box, all facing the same way, I have about forty of them, they are stacked nine by four... this took time, and I have to put them back that way everytime I use them).

So for me, this just plain wouldn't work, leaving it incomplete like that would just nag at me and nag at me until I finished it.

*edited for clarity.

terioncalling:
I stop wherever I stop.  Though I try NOT to do it in mid-sentence because then I go back and stare and scratch my head whilst going "Okay...what the Hell was I thinking and where'd did it scurry off to to hide whilst I wasn't looking?".

Danielle/Evie:

--- Quote from: terioncalling on October 25, 2006, 04:46:30 AM ---I stop wherever I stop.  Though I try NOT to do it in mid-sentence because then I go back and stare and scratch my head whilst going "Okay...what the Hell was I thinking and where'd did it scurry off to to hide whilst I wasn't looking?".

--- End quote ---

same here....
      i had to get up once to chase my dog, came back and basically sat for an hour, competely lost.

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