Patsy Konopka

To pull a Patsy Konopka is to write a significantly sized essay or story, etc., from beginning to end without reading through it once. Reasons for pulling a Patsy Konopka vary from lack of time due to procrastination, apathy, or a complete burst of creativity that loses momentum when you attempt at reflection. Others claim it is the most effective way to write anything, as it is the only way to keep that spark of freshness in your style. Outcomes vary from dizzying failures to dramatic successes, and may depend on your reason for writing like this in the first place.

To use the phrase within context one might say, “I’m running out of time, really, I think I’ll just pull a Patsy Konopka on it Tuesday night.” Perhaps, “He was really off on a tangent that time. I’ll bet he was Konopkaing all the way through it.” And even, “Yes, I really P.K.ed that last report. I don’t even care anymore.”

It is named after the successful character writer Patsy Konopka from Garrison Keillor’s novel, WLT, who frequently had live shows aired on scripts she wrote and hadn’t read once. I salute you!