Pick A Number

Special from the Segerfile On Robert Stone

Pick A Number

I’ve been using a random number generator lately to help me edit my manuscript. I started by printing the whole thing out and putting it in one of those cheap, plastic comb binders. It’s 353 pages, but I don’t want to mess with the first thirty right now. So, when I’m editing, I go to Random.org and set the parameters at 30 and 353. It generates a number, and I go to that page and make any changes on the hard copy. Then I get another number and go to that page.

There are 50 pages left now, so frequently the number takes me to a page I’ve already done—in which case I just find the closest unedited page.

Why am I doing this? Mainly because I find it much less painful this way. I kind of dread going through the pages sequentially, but I don’t mind reading them one-by-one. This way keeps me from getting bogged down in bad spots, and I’m not tempted to change the story. I’m just looking at sentences. Also, it adds an element of playfulness that I think is really helpful at this stage. It reminds me that while I want to be productive, I also want to have fun.

So, back to work. The number I just got is 59.