“Write Drunk; edit sober.” – Ernest Hemingway
There is some controversy surrounding this quote. It is commonly attributed to Hemingway, but some believe it came from a novelist called Peter De Vries. The De Vries folks argue that since Hemingway often wrote in the morning before the sun came up and commonly refrained from drinking until nighttime, he was clearheaded when he drafted.
I’m not sure it really matters. I love this quote. It embodies the perfect spirit for creation. The other day, a friend told me that he would love to write. Unfortunately, he could never get beyond the first few paragraphs. He was always so worried about making them perfect (as if such a thing was possible) that he stalled and eventually gave up.
I think this need for instant success afflicts many of us who desire to write. Resist that urge and write drunk. Let the words flow onto the paper uninhibited by a need for perfection or a fear of failure. Editing is when we must sober up. Through editing we take the mediocre and make it inspired. Drafting is for creativity and inspiration. Let the mood, if not the drink, guide you.
By Jeffrey Altabef author of the new political thriller Fourteenth Colony. http://www.amazon.com/Fourteenth-Colony-Jeff-Altabef/dp/1625104529/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=13...
