On Slow Writing

Love this part: "To allow myself this pace, I discover a tension between freedom and impatience, that is, in the slow, I find a fresh inventiveness and sovereignty from the relentless influence of our economic system. Though within this, I must temper and unlearn my own fixed haste at generating creative work at a rapid measure. I hear an internal voice telling me, write faster, go faster, you’re not doing it right, and it takes might and fortitude to reject this voice obsessed with speed. If I can suggest a slower methodology, then the practice is that of contemplation, deliberate reflection, slow thought, which results in intricate language, in a new kind of assembly as evidenced by the messiness of my hard drive, notebooks, diaries, and iPhone notes apps, of which there are many. I prefer the reprieve of the slow. I like writing more when performed at an adagio. It’s a relief. A sanctuary."

My own process is to write a ton of text, then start revising it downward in size. Delete/Undelete, Copy/Paste all get a tonne of workout as time progresses. Many times, I get fairly far along, and then just abandon the post.

It's not slow, unless you don't see the details. I wonder how true this is for others.

obligatory GRRM joke here