Write Drunk. Edit Sober.
“Write drunk, edit sober,” is a famous quote (mis)attributed to Hemingway.
What does this actually mean? How can this wisdom contribute to you in your writing and creating?
Here’s how I see it…
WRITE DRUNK: especially in a first draft, let yourself off the leash, remove the filters, be willing to express yourself onto the page in a real, messy, surprise yourself kind of way.
When we’re drunk we tend to be uninhibited. We’re willing to choose things, say things, do things, be things, that we wouldn’t (necessarily) do if we weren’t under the influence.
What would it be like to WRITE from this uninhibited place?
I just read an article by a famous writer who talks about how this is an awful quote because it takes away from the work of the writer and feeds into the myths of the writing life as well as it condones addiction. I’m not condoning addiction, nor am I suggesting you...