I don't know everything there is to know about writing. In the universe of my imagination I do in fact know almost nothing about writing. With this in mind I search out the knowledge of others, attempting to stand on the shoulders of giants. Though I have quickly learned there are many false giants out there.
One of the stock tools of the writing adviser is the writing exercise, where you, the aspiring writer, are given a set of prompts, conditions, restrictions, etc. and are asked to produce a hunk of written material. This is all well and good and some of these exercises have given me insight to the creative process, but then what?
Then nothing. The exercise is over and it is time to move on, abandoning this child of my literary creation. I can't do it! I wrote this thing. It's important to me. I can't just turn the page and move on. I need to file this away for future use. Nothing gets thrown away.
Unfortunately, because of the premise under which the writing exercise was created, it is rarely of any use outside the context of its genesis. So I have notebooks full of useless material, that anal-retentive me plows through on a regular basis looking for some missed pearl. I know it's a waste of time, but I can't let go.
Am I the only person with this problem?
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Talk to me dude