Ugh. Can you believe I'm still writing the same chapter I was bitching about on this thing... fifty-seven days ago?! Because, yeah. I'm still struggling with Molly's story. And I'm stuck now not too far down in the plot from where I was stuck last time. I mean, at least her blindfold came off. Barely.

In my mind, I originally had an idea of how her interaction with Icarus would go down. Even the dialogue. But now that I'm at that exact spot, it doesn't seem to fit anymore. I dunno, it seems hackneyed.

Holly wrote back, and she advised not to let my rewrites take over my editing process. I'm trying, man. The thing is, the rewrites happen simultaneously with the writing itself. It's not like a jot down a crap-ton of the plot and then go back and edit. That's the part that I don't think people understand. So, they always offer the same advice. "Don't edit as you go! Just write! There'll be time to fix things later. Anything is better than a blank page!" Spare me, peeps. My brain just isn't wired that way. And it's not as though I haven't tried to rewire it or something. But it's never panned out. When I've tried writing without looking back, I end up deleting pages upon pages of my writing because everything that comes after the point where I messed up and need to rewrite is gonna by default, be more crap. I can't use it. Am I making sense?

XVL: Who are you even talking to?

GRIZZLY: Anyone who will listen. You?

XVL: Meh, I guess.

Look, from a creative perspective, I understand what you mean. Start the foundation off wrong, mess up your proportions on your sketch/framework/whatever, and the entire drawing will suck. At the same time, sometimes you can't avoid the suckage, know what I mean? Sometimes your ability is simply not up to your expectations. So when that happens, embrace your flaws. Let it suck and move forward. Maybe you'll get better along the way and be able to redo it.

GRIZZLY: Is that why you haven't drawn in months?

XVL: Nah, I'm just lazy. Actually, I'm uncomfortable drawing at home with all the mess around. I feel guilty about it. But I am also lazy and I don't wanna clean. I feel like we can't have a hobby right now. Not one of those artisan, manual ones. You know what I mean. Crocheting or sculpting and whatnot. Maybe digital, but I'm too old and impatient to learn a new tool at the moment. Anyway, you gonna write their reunion or what? You're almost done with this chapter, man. Just get it done already so you can go back and fix Ash's dialogue in the previous chapters. See? You can go back and change things, just like I said. You have that luxury over me in that regard. I can't go back and draw over what I've completed. Again, unless I go digital, which I don't want to.

GRIZZLY: You know something? You're right. I need to just pinch my nose and plod on. If we don't have a lot of leakers downstairs, I think I'll clock out early and write a bit before going home. Thanks, Sal.