Writing As Sculpture

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words by Phillip Sexton

Too often writers fail to produce the amount of material they desire simply because they obsess over the details. The minutia keeps them from achieving the big picture. If that's something you've experienced, consider writing with a different goal in mind. That's right—put quantity before quality. Produce as much material as possible without stopping to nitpick over your work. Don't look up words, don't check grammar, or stop to Google the background of a specific reference you want to include in your story. Just write. once you've finished, you can revise the entire piece with an eye toward specificity of word, rhythm, and content. Like a sculptor or potter, try gathering your raw material first then shape it.