Combating blank screen anxiety

**Attempt #4 at getting this posted; bloody Internet issues**

Having participated in NaNoWriMo for 11 years running, I've gotten fairly good at jumping head first into first drafts without knowing much of anything.  However, the blank screen still taunts me with its blinking curser, telling me I don't know what I'm doing, and that this draft is going to suck.

But you know what?  That's okay.  First drafts are allowed to suck, because the biggest point to that very first sentence is to write it.  It doesn't matter what you write, just write.  Whether you start off with a page worth of ranting about how this is going to be the worst thing ever written, or start with a perfectly coined sentence; the important part is that you're writing.  You're putting pen to paper, or keystroke to screen, and you are telling that niggling voice of doubt that it can stuff it.

First drafts are just what they sound like, beginnings.  Once you've given your story something to work with you can go back and fix everything you omitted, or forgot.  But get that first, sucky draft done.  Bite your thumb at the voice of doubt, and pound out the vision in your head.

And once you've finished that draft, treat yourself to a drink; because even a really shoddy rough draft is quite a step down the path of writing a fully functional story.

<3 Lacie J

Current projects:

Two Darkest Mercy stories, and something winter holiday themed :3