Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)

* What lengths? I will tell you ‘what lengths’. This post you’re reading? I wrote it to avoid having to write.

No, seriously. Of course, there is writing and there is writing.

(A little backstory.)

I’m beginning the ‘re-write/second draft’ phase of my book, ‘Almira’. Complete with a beginning and an end, it remains, however, a first draft. I have no real problem with the idea that one draft is mostly likely not all it will take. In fact, I’m following the advice, ‘Set it aside for a while, months, a year, even. Then go back and read it again.’

So I finished reading ‘Almira’ this weekend. Still a good story. However, this time I can see some areas that would benefit from a re-write. My sentences resemble my thought structure, (‘Ulysses’, but with commas). The most important thing for me is that I still like the characters. Maybe even more than the first time I read it. Actually, this is kinda the first time I’ve the story in it’s entirety. The first time through I was writing as I read.

So, whats this about avoiding writing? The feeling of avoidance I’m experiencing is sorta like ‘Writers block’ except it manifests as doubt as to ability rather than creativity. That voice that whispers so convincingly that I can’t write good. (lol)

Anyway, thats all for this post. I will be writing the second (and third and however many necessary) drafts until It is totally done. Talking it out like this is very helpful. As a clark, for whom the world is to a certain, but very real degree, imaginary, knowing someone is listening is quite beneficial. Thank you.

I don’t tend to publicize my writing jones, at least not to people in the ‘real’ world. But on the occasion that someone does learn of it, more often than not, they’ll say something like, ‘That sounds like a very interesting hobby. You must really love writing.’ I almost always reply, ‘I enjoy having written.’