Question about a very specific type of writing-related neurosis

[bioprofessor]

Originally Posted by SuperScribe

Lips -

So... no bunting?

Since you guys are doing the baseball analogy...

"Stay loose at the plate." Easier said than done, but critical to hitting. If you're thinking about all the things you're supposed to be doing, e.g. keep your hands back, hold the bat loosely in the fingers, head still, stay behind the ball, don't lunge, use the hips, don't bail, focus on the pitcher's hand, etc, etc, then you're toast. You have about a half a second to react and put the round bat squarely on the round ball. There's no time for reasoning or logic.

Ergo writing. If you're thinking about the mechanics of writing a good story while trying to write a good story... "Strike three!" Like good hitters, writers must spend many hours in the "cage" practicing, until the mechanics become instinctive - that's when the confident warrior focuses on nothing but driving the ball through the pitcher's forehead.

My take on it, anyway.