Write or Die
Yes, you read that correctly. Yesterday, via a Facebook post, I found this wonderfully inventive and – dare I say it – helpful application that does what no other gimmick, program, or self-imposed consequence has been able to do. That is, get me to *just* write.
I am a ruminator. I like to think, to pick at my words, to poke through the rubble and find perfection. That takes a loooong time. It also, often, causes me to “freeze up” as I’m writing. Yes, there are times when I’m literally unable to type a single word. However, Write or Die has given me a kick in the pants as book three’s deadline approaches, apparently feeding my need for outside pressure. (I have always performed best in the 11th hour, so to speak. I won’t mention how I used to start my 40+ page lab reports at midnight the day they were due, skip all my other classes, and work on pure adrenaline for 16 hours straight, printing the report out minutes before it was due and dashing into my class at the last moment.)
From Dr. Wicked’s Write or Die site:
The idea is to instill in the would-be writer with a fear of not writing. We do this by employing principles taught in Introduction to Psychology. Anyone remember Operant Conditioning and Negative Reinforcement?
Negative Reinforcement “strengthens a behavior because a negative condition is stopped or avoided as a consequence of the behavior.”
Consequences:
- Gentle Mode: A certain amount of time after you stop writing, a box will pop up, gently reminding you to continue writing.
- Normal Mode: If you persistently avoid writing, you will be played a most unpleasant sound. The sound will stop if and only if you continue to write.
- Kamikaze Mode: Keep Writing or Your Work Will Unwrite Itself
These consequences will persist until your preset conditions have been met (that is, your time is up or you’ve written you word count goal or both).
I set it for Kamikaze mode with an “evil” grace period. Imagine my horror when, the first time I used the application, it started EATING my words because I stopped typing for a few seconds.
Write or Die claims to put the “Prod in Productivity.” Why it works for me, I don’t know. But I plan to keep using it.
Oh wow, that is brave. I think I’d fall apart if my words disappeared. So hey, when does book #3 come out? Because all of us who’ve read book #2 (and #1) are feeling very, very impatient for more of your awesomeness.
I just finished your first novel and LOVED it! I am wondering if you plan to write a sequel. I HOPE SO because the story feels so unfinished!
Hi, Peggy. Thanks for stopping by. I’m not sure yet about a sequel for Home Another Way. It would have to be the right story; I don’t want to diminish the first book with a second that isn’t up to par
I think I’d prefere positive reinforcement, thank you very much. Writing under duress would remove all the joy from the process. I do well with deadlines and tracking my progress on an EXCEL spreadsheet.
Home Another Way has great potential for a sequel. I hope you do write one that tells us what happens to Sarah.
Blessings,
Susan
Turn around, Sarah! Sarah! Go back!!!
Oh, sorry. I must have been daydreaming.
I hate that “11th hour” stuff! I do a little writing myself…Yeah…A couple of lines a year.
But seriously, when I get ideas, I write them down right away, and then immediately try to fill in around them. As much immediate quantity as possible. Write now, freeze later. Then I revise and add (or, ouch,delete) as time passes, either taking small moments to work on it, or waiting for more ideas to arrive. But using quantity, and then back-revising.
It’s amazing how many times I can read something before realizing “Hey! That’s garbage!”.
(Someday, someone will find these pages and say “Hey, reasonable! So why couldn’t he write another 150 pages?”)
I can handle deadlines, but I have no desire to be near one.
OK, that’s enough entertainment. But I do think that you should be given as much time as you need. Because you have demonstrated a conspicuous and incessant aptitude for surpassing the excellent and seizing the perfect.
I’m an avid reader but realized that I was filling my mind and time with a lot of garbage. I decided to read only Christians fiction. YUCK! How many sappy stories can one person survive. A few were good; many were disappointing. I was given “Home Another Way” for Christmas. I devoured it. I wanted to slap Sarah and tell her to behave herself. Then you began to peel the onion and I could see the why. Christa, I loved the book. I know the characters! I’ve met them. I go to church with them. Hallelujah for imperfect people!!
Thank you, Linda. I really appreciate your comments. I hope you get a chance to pick up WATCH OVER ME at some point (I suppose books are like children and authors are not supposed to play favorites, but I like it better than HOME ANOTHER WAY… just a little, I promise!) Have you read anything by Lisa Samson or Mary DeMuth? I really like them, as well as Susan Meissner
Hi Christa! I was given Watch Over Me at Christmas and it blew me away! I love all the intertwining stories. I also wanted to praise your portrayal of being deaf in a hearing world. I am a sign language interpreter and work for a non-profit organization in Syracuse, NY. Our tag-line is “life without limits for deaf and hard of hearing kids”. I appreciated the authenticity of all of your characters, but especially all the little quirks that go along with being Deaf.
I just put Home Another Way on my next Amazon order and I can’t wait for book number three!
Kristina, thank you so much. Your encouragement means so much to me. I had a very wonderful, extremely patient profoundly deaf friend who was willing to be open about her life and answer all my questions, even the really stupid ones
I’m really glad you enjoyed the book, and hope to hear from you when you finish HOME ANOTHER WAY, too!
Christa,
I just finished your first novel. It was awesome! I kept checking at the end-surely there were more pages! Hope you can come up with a sequel some day. I’m going to recommend Home Another Way to the ladies’ book club at my church and I’ve already told others about it and will definitely share my copy with friends.
Years ago, after seeing The Passion of the Christ, I determined to give up romance novels. The caliber of writing by Christian authors is growing by leaps and bounds since I first began reading them. You will certainly be added to my growing list of favorite authors.
God bless you and your writing. I’m so looking forward to reading your other two novels!
Barbara, thanks so much. It’s always uplifting for an author to know readers are enjoying her books! I appreciate you taking the time to write. Christa