Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Anput on November 13, 2010 at 7:07am

I'm a little over 7000 words in. I haven't been inspired for the part i am writing now. so today, aside from a break for hoop class and running to bed bath and beyond for some curtains so my neighbors dont get to see me in all my hooping glory at night, i plan to write write write... even if i go back and edit the hell out of it (which is what has been holding me back honestly. i keep going back and hating the way i have worded things)

if i can make it to 14k words today i will be happy.

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on November 13, 2010 at 7:17am

I understand what you mean. I have to keep forcing my Inner Editor back to the kennel. One thing I've found helpful is to reread only the previous chapter when I start my writing session. That gives me just enough info to pick up the thread again, without getting me all tangled up in the pile of yarn I left back there.

Since I simply can't not edit, when I do that reread, I'll let myself fix typos and change a word or two if I'm getting repetitive. After I've thrown my IE a couple of bones to gnaw on, it's back into the kennel with that yapper and on with my day.

And I can't say it enough - random plot bunnies can be really helpful. Have a new character join the cast, let the existing ones do something totally unexpected - whatever it takes to prod the story forward. Who knows - maybe something you see or hear (or overhear) at BB&B will spark an idea. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our novel is to rejoin the world for a while, mine a few nuggets from it, and take them back to the story.

I'm rooting for you - 14k is within your reach. Just keep whatever painkillers you have handy for the finger cramps, and take frequent short typing breaks. :)

Permalink Reply by Anput on November 13, 2010 at 8:23pm

I'm not going to make that word count tonite BUT i did manage to make a break through and totally changed the current plot for a bit but it's so worth it. :D i think it helps that i have people who can help keep me motivated (hello hoopcity lol!)

StudentPermalink Reply by Amelia on November 13, 2010 at 11:49am

Just over 25,000 words at the moment-and I am completely shocked with myself that I could actually write that much. I've also realized that very little has happened in terms of the plot so far-the major event/catalysis has happened, and two follow up events, but according to my (very basic) outline, that isn't that far into the story. I have found out that I'm no longer in complete control of my book. The other night I was writing when I suddenly realized the entire scene I had written was no where in my outline or even in my head. It just popped out from the middle of nowhere, and now I have a character who was supposed to disappear after the first scene who has now been thrown back into the plot as a pretty big player. Of course, I haven't a clue how she's fitting in or where I'm going to go with the story now that she has a bigger part. Oh well. And as I was writing, I realized that a scene I have planned for in my outline, that seems kind of vital for being the sort of betrayal/problem scene of the entire book, isn't shaping out right. I have no idea how I'm supposed to introduce the right character and get the whole plot moving in that direction. Should be interesting to find out. More and more of my novel seems to be written by what my characters want than what I want, but luckily so far it's turned out pretty good.
I'm having so much fun writing this. I came up with the idea for this story last spring, and started trying to write bits of it over the summer, but none of those pieces worked. I started over for Nano, with just my little outline and some help from my little sister to figure out some plot ideas, and it's going really well. And I'm ahead in my word count, finally, after being behind for a while. I've been really good so far about not editing what I write, which is my biggest problem. I can never get past the first scene, because I hate how the beginning sounds. So then I try just writing a scene in the middle of the story and then I don't know where to go or how to connect it. But now, I've written 44 pages without editing, even though I know there are sections I don't like that much and that I need to clean up.

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on November 13, 2010 at 1:41pm

Congrats on the pages and word count! And if the characters are taking over, that means you have an actual story and not just an outline - that's great. :) Just keep eavesdropping and spying on them, and write whatever you observe.

An outline is just a jumping off point, and no one but you will even know what it was anyway. If something in the original outline doesn't fit the new design of the story, pitch the non-fitting parts and keep going.

See you at the green bar. ;)

StudentPermalink Reply by MissCephalopod on November 14, 2010 at 5:10am

Get used to the fact that you're not really writing your book - your characters are writing it and if they decide to take over, there's nothing you can do about it ;) Happened to me last year. MC's random sister turned up and suddenly she has her own plot, becomes a major character and gets together with MC's best friend. Whew!

Be proud of yourself and celebrate your achievement!

As for editing, I have a good few scenes I'm not completely satisfied with. Usually I push my way through and maybe make a note on how to change it later, sometimes I make the note "start again" and completely rewrite the scene, but without deleting the old one. (There could always be the odd good sentence in there that I'll still use later.) Don't beat yourself up over it!

StudentPermalink Reply by pru*dance on November 13, 2010 at 2:23pm

I've hit a wall at about 14,600 words. I didn't find it all that hard to get there, and then... splat. I haven't written much for days. : / Write Or Die's website has helped in the past; maybe I'll use it again.

That letter from John Green was great. His books are spectacular, and he does wonderful things for a non-profit I volunteer for, so I'm going to heed his advice and keep going. That said, I'm definitely struggling with the "What's the point, I'm not good at this anyway" demon. (Weirdly, I don't have that problem when I'm hooping, no matter how awkward a day I'm having. :p) I've conquered my inner editor (yay!); does anyone have advice on conquering your inner Statler and Waldorf?

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on November 13, 2010 at 3:08pm

Ah, the inner hecklers - ornery critters, to be sure. I usually just tell mine to shut up, or beat them into silence with the most absurd plot bunny I can wrangle. "You think my writing is bad? Here - have a random shapeshifting squirrel that does nothing to advance the story."

For some reason, fighting criticism with in-your-face ridiculousness works for me. I guess it's the idea of laughing your bully down - it can't intimidate you if you don't take it seriously.

StudentPermalink Reply by Domini on November 14, 2010 at 2:15am

I'm only at 16,281, so I'm slightly more than 7000 words behind now. And there's a big snag coming up after the next few scenes because I have no idea who my bad guys are or what they are looking for or even why they are looking for it. I know it is in the house that my characters are living in and I know why it's there. I know who finds it, but I don't know how. I know what they have done to get it, but I don't know how we're going to fix that situation. -sigh-

StudentPermalink Reply by MissCephalopod on November 14, 2010 at 5:13am

I'm at 91,575 words now and I've hit the week 2 blues, too. Yesterday I kind of hit a wall and everything I wrote felt slightly off... But the last scene I really love and that alone is worth all the bollocks leading up to it. I'm glad that I've reduced my needed daily WC to a little under 5,000 now. Whew!

So. Going back to writing now.

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on November 14, 2010 at 6:27pm

Well, I have yet to do any writing today, so I may not hit my word count before bedtime, especially not with 50+ emails sitting in my Gmail inbox. I'll do what I can, though; it helps that I have two loads of laundry going so I can't go to bed for another couple of hours.

Raise the beverage of your choice for a toast: Here's to Week Three breakthroughs! Cheers!