Zombie-Land (aka ‘NaNoWriMo Ate My Soul’)
There’s something easy about ignoring homework for the sake of NaNoWriMo. Priority is a no-brainer–I’m a writer!–and studying for finals is unimportant (note: it actually is, so disregard this if you can’t see the sarcasm)
But I didn’t ditch homework this year, because I’m a ‘College Graduate.’ Instead of homework and finals, I have work, which is a lot harder to flake on, especially when you depend on that weekly cheque for food and gasoline.
A fine line exists among priorities for a writer. On the one hand, work is crucial–any work, as long as it pays the bills. On the other hand, for careerist writers like myself, lack of sufficient time to focus on the craft is one of the biggest stressors imaginable. Writing consumes my mind to a point where I break down if I don’t get in a daily or weekly quota.
The result? November has come and gone, but I don’t feel recovered. The balance between work and craft still fights to be found. It’s tough to have writing as a priority when it’s not a reliable source of income.
Plot-Planning For Memoirists
One week till National Novel Writing Month–regretting your participation yet?
I don’t, despite the insanity, because it’s the one time a year when I get any real work accomplished [or so it seems]. But this year differs because I’ve gone the rebellious route–in lieu of a novel, my 2010 project will link several short memoir pieces under a common theme: Side Effects. It will represent the ripples created throughout my life and how they shape who I’ve become, where I’m headed, etc.
Preparation is hailed as the most important factor in achieving NaNoWriMo success. Not the biggest problem for folks venturing a fictitious realm, but what of us memoir rebels? Memoir is [based on] fact. Tales of a person’s life, told as truthfully as memory allows. Preparation, then, is an effortless task. It’s all stored in the mind for easy access and has limited possibilities.
Wrong.
Preparation for memoir, I find, requires more time than fiction. Fiction opens opportunity to go somewhere unexpected with the story. Non-fiction has its foundation in reality, yet anyone could easily write on forever without a guide. That’s the goal of free-association. But each of my stories should have a purpose. A direction and theme toward which they must drive. That deems it necessary to plan what to include.
So when I sat down [yesterday] to begin my preparation, my first step was relevancy. Would I like to write about how I had a blast getting lost at Blizzard Beach? Of course! So much potential. Is it relevant to my ‘ripples’ theme? Maaaybe if I stretched it far and wide. With 30 days to answer to, I’d rather not waste my time cherishing something that is sure to get cut by the next draft.
The brilliant thing about memoir, though, is if there are tiny bits here and there that fit the larger theme, the Judgment of Creativity law states a writer can merge those ideas into one. Did I have many people throughout my childhood actively supporting my writer-career decision?
…actually, no. 
We’re all equally poor. 
But if I did, I could merge those names into one character, et voilà! Magical miracle: a montage-esque memoir.
Another benefit of the creativity license is changing names, switching traits for certain characters. Simple ways to avoid that always-dreadful comment from rellies–you know, the one that resembles “This is how you think I am?!” and is unfortunately harder to avoid answering excuse in memoir v. fiction.
It’s important to stay true to a story and not fixate on how readers will take it. Some will love it, others resent it. As with everything else in the world.
If you’re like me, you’ll milk creativity dry. It’s memoir, not biography. It’s my POV, no one else’s. I can refer to my characters however I want because it’s my story to tell.
BUT, for sanity’s sake, names will stay as is until after November. No use making a list of changes from [my] reality now, after all. November is challenging enough!
On that note, guess what: We’ve made it! One year of [almost] consistent blogging and still alive. A milestone worthy of celebration, especially given how difficult it is to maintain a routine writing schedule. But where to go from here? With so many ways to handle a blog, I’m only starting to get a feel for what works on my end. One thing I have planned is more analysis-type posts. They’re enjoyable, interactive, and essentially required when studying the craft of writing (regardless of genre).
Send along your ideas, too–what “new” blogging stuff should I venture now that I’ve mastered the art of discipline?
Get WIP’d
- (my proudest project to-date)
The weekend resulted in the final steps of a now- finished project…
…in terms of sewing.
Don’t get me wrong; it’s great news! I love the thrill that accompanies the final stages of a work-in-progress. But that’s the thing–the thrill holds hands with my sewing and my knitting. Notsomuch my writing.
Theory–
I’m highly visual. That allows me to see physical progress on craft-type WIPs. What exists on paper for novels is instead woven in fabric/yarn and as it takes shape, my soul is uplifted. Once a project’s finished, that’s it. Stitches are bound off, or tied together, wearable or usable depending on what’s been made.
Harvesting giddiness out of writing is an imaginative challenge. Writing is [typically] black letters on white background. In that sense, yes, it’s visual. Context, however, requires endless hours of grot’s work.
Resolve plot holes, make a character’s motivations likeable. There’s no definitive end outside a writer’s judgment that said piece is ready, or her decision to abandon more revisions.
Conclusion–
Fiction’s lack of visual shaping explains my lack of a progressive “high.”
Other ways to channel energy into writing exist. Sifting unnecessary words and scenes, shifting sequential events, adding flavourful characters. Read through older writing after weeks, months, years, etc. illustrates a story’s transformation.
Despite all that, I continue to feel I get more accomplished in terms of fibre than I do writing. Who has the remedy?
So You Think We Do ‘Nothing’ All Day
Bettina cantered through the building, checking her wrist watch every few steps. Her styrofoam cup (appropriately labeled “Dunkin Donuts”) decorated one hand and a file of paperwork bound to her chest filled the other. As she stepped through the door to the conference room, she spotted a prepubescent boy leaned back in a chair–her chair–with his feet propped up on the table. He stared out the glass windows, oblivious to her presence. She cleared her throat to announce her arrival. His legs toppled to the ground, then clumsily climbed to his feet.
“You must be Derrick,” she said, stretching for the back of her chair.
The extended arm was ignored. Instead, the boy jumped into a professional performance–one hard to consider seriously with him garbed in baggy jeans and a tee.
“I hear you’re the woman to get me started as a writer.”
“You heard correctly.”
“Okay then. Get me started.”
Blank stare, cue the sound effects. “You know the difficulties of being a writer, yes?”
“Writing is easy,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. “You sit around on your computer all day doing nothing.”
Mix in some dynamite, stir till explosion. “There’s more to writing than sitting at a computer all day. You have to produce words.”
Derrick shrugged. “Do that all the time. E-mails, instant chat, message boards.”
Bettina pursed her lips. “Your daily quota must add and relate to an actual story.” She didn’t bother to open the folder. The boy didn’t have a grasp on the hardships of writers; no way could she hire him to the team.
“Not a problem.”
“Oh, really.” She dug out a blank sheet of paper and pencil, placed it in front of him. “Prove it.”
Derrick shrank in his seat. “Prove it?”
She nodded, repeating her command, then plopped into her chair and watched the boy. Her arms crossed over her chest and a smile stretched across her face. “Write me a story.”
Derrick’s eyes darted back and forth as he stared at a void. “About what?”
“You tell me. You’re the one who wants to be a writer.”
“But you’re the Man Behind the Curtain. You’re supposed to provide the inspiration. How can I write without a direction?”
“Guess you’ll have to make something up. According to you, it’s easy.”
The pencil scratched across Derrick’s paper without enthusiasm. Bettina peaked over and saw a hangman stick-figure. The clock read nine-oh-five. Derrick caught her eye and sat straighter. He flipped the sheet over and drew words. A pause, pencil tip against his lip. More words. Scratching became his soundtrack, a steady rhythm. Scratch, scratch. Pause. Scratch, scratch. Pause.
The clock read five-oh-three.
“Day’s over.” Bettina sipped her coffee and lowered her paper just enough to see Derrick’s reaction.
“Over?!” He leapt to his feet, pencil still in hand. “I spent the day writing one page!”
“A page. Impressive.”
“How is that impressive?” His voice squeaked as it reached its high register. “I’ve been sitting here killing my brain and all I got is one lame page.”
Bettina picked up the pages. “There’s two here.”
“No, that one–that’s rubbish. None of it’s really useful. Just a bunch of free-write.”
“A day in the life, Derrick.” His face drooped. “Still want to be a writer?”
He tossed the sheets at Bettina and turned to leave.
“Wait.” She handed them back. “Take this home and read over it.”
“Whatever.” His tone was dry, but he took the sheets and walked out.
“See you tomorrow,” she whispered and leaned back in her chair.
The Write Mind Is The Write Lifestyle
Hey look, it’s Tuesday! >.< This should’ve been posted yesterday, but time slipped from my grasp and I confess: I forgot.
Too much beach sun this weekend, perhaps?
I’m always chastising myself when I don’t get the chance to put down a few words each day. While the physical act of writing is, of course, a crucial part in the process, it’s not the only part. Writing is more than a full-time job. I equate it with my status as a martial artist: it’s a lifestyle. A set of behaviours that defines the way a person thinks, acts, and interacts.
Everything we do implicates who we are.
Few people understand the lifestyle behaviours of writers. The job’s description is a cumulation of various disciplines. Psychology, sociology, anthropology. Research, reports. Hypotheses, investigations, interpretations.
I can’t speak for everyone, but my leading writer-trait is observation. I take what I see and mould possible antecedents and consequences.
What-ifs.
Things I can’t know without bluntly asking (and assume people will answer honestly), but can imagine as truth based on evidence. Borrowed examples from reality to create circumstances in fiction. From there, stories evolve. Develop depth, complexity. Connexions to reality.
The other day on the beach, my friends called it “eavesdropping.”
Writers, by default, are curious nosey. Determined to learn all minutiae because of its rich value. “Eavesdropping,” if you will, is therefore a legal task in a writer’s career. Respected, understood. Even expected, à la Miranda rights–”Anything you say can and will be used in future pieces of writing.”
You’ve been warned. ;-p
The Importance of Being Relevant
Films and novels are separate media, testified by the necessary changes made in adaptations. Through my studies in screen-writing, I’ve learnt that visual storytelling depends on the relevance of each tiny detail. Things that seem insignificant on the surface, but carry meaning later in the plot. Planting those details along the way is crucial to reaching the end of a script. Why waste time on something that doesn’t carry the story along, right?
The same can be applied to novel-writing.
As I revise “Between the Lines,” I play out scenes in my mind like a script. Picture how it would look on screen: what camera angles, cuts, transitions. Whether birthed from my new taste in screen-writing or my inclination towards visual thinking, je ne sais pas.
However, viewing a novel like a script is a great way to decide what’s relevant. What needs to be shown, how people act must add up and make sense later in the plot. Readers need to get to the end and think: Yes, chapter 21 makes sense because of what happened in chapter 4.
Leave room to play around. Explore. Write scenes to discover your characters.
I keep struggling with the Aussie scenes because I can’t decide on the best way to make Dani’s holiday seem interesting from a reader’s perspective. At least not while staying relevant to the plot. Through that frustration, I’ve used a tactic favoured during Script Frenzy: I added another character to expand the scene. Juiced it up. This character wasn’t supposed to show up until later, during the dreaded rugby match (dreaded because I’m not versed enough to write it realistically), but his early arrival opens possibilities. Dani meets another Aussie, one who apparently has history with Ceylon (her cousin’s crazy flatmate). She observes the interaction between Ty and his friend. Body language reveals information that won’t be discussed for several more chapters.
Relevance.
Because writing is NOT reality, despite similarities. Novels and films, they have elements that allow audiences to connect.
But they’re structured with intent.
Being art allows each medium the trial-and-error space to seek out what works (or doesn’t) and choose paths specifically because they benefit the piece. Writing makes no room for the irrelevant.
Did I Listen?
There’s a reason for the wide-known saying “Be careful what you wish for.” Pity I didn’t listen.
I’ve wished for many things over my life. One item on that list is a busy-ish lifestyle to keep my mind happy and occupied from ennui. A friend texted me today, asking exactly how many different occupations I currently hold. Well, there’s the twice-a-week intern-ship, the once-a-week cafe job, my regular artistic vocation of novel-writing, neglected online freelance, assisting online non-profits and my new perma job. Eyes rolling yet? I’m still looking for more work to save towards The Burbank Fund.
And those are just professional-oriented occupations! Factor in the extracurriculars–dojang, knitting, enjoying the beautiful warm weather, hanging out with friends–and required tasks like laundry or cooking… It makes me wonder how anyone can balance such chaotic lifestyles.
I find myself growing mad and feeling guilty when I’m too tired, too frustrated to think about my writing, which doesn’t make facing it any easier. After all, how can I focus on a scene where my main character and her Aussie warden are shopping at the mall chatting about guys when my mind’s fixated on how it’s almost time to begin the Never-Ending Monthly Burden of College Loan Repayment. I’m tweaking my budget every chance I get. That eats a lot of time, especially given its extreme importance.
Being the reserved individual I am, I get frustrated when I’m not allowed time to vegetate in isolation, free to geek-out alone with my knitting and a good film. But again, the guilt rises up. I shouldn’t be knitting; I should be writing. The novel won’t get finished if I don’t get through the second and third drafts. Knitting requires little thought, though, so it’s more alluring when I want to be productive without worsening that tension headache.
Just when I think I have things figured out, I remember how much needs to get done, how much I want to do and how little time I have for it all. Is it a curse for having too many and too diverse interests?
I take pride in the little tasks that get accomplished. Keep my centre on short-term responsibilities while setting deadlines and making lists. Never imagined how helpful lists could be till my cognitive psych professor taught us the benefits of prioritising. Keep life as organised as possible to make room for the baggage of chaos.
My schedule continues to fill, but that only challenges me to a new level of balance. As long as I’m enjoying life regardless what gets done today or put off till the weekend, it’s still a good day.
Never Say ‘Never’
All it takes to achieve the impossible is determination and a positive attitude.
Here ends this week’s dose of expert advice, brought to you by the proud survivor of Script Frenzy 2010. That’s right, with four short hours to spare, I crossed the finish line and got to sleep early. 
There are still several scenes that need to be added before revisions start, but I’m taking a [short] vacation from PRODIGY to get back to a few projects that were placed on hold for April. The end result is a proud one, though, because this story has found its rightful place in Script after several failed attempts to write it as both Novel and Short Story. It really is more of a visual story anyway, and the musical elements make it a better match where aural elements can be expressed.
Confession: Screnzy was a stressful and difficult pursuit. The beautiful weather made me choose my Bantam bicycle loop over sitting inside in front of a computer. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course. Sunny skies just always trump rotting inside. The problem is when said decisions hinder the progress of a writer.
It did cross my mind to give up on the venture, fail to achieve a goal set as a way to keep myself out of Lazy-ville and make sure I write every day, as a writer should. Anyhoot, only crazy people attempt to write a 100-page script in 30 days! …though that makes stronger the argument to quit; a way to prove my sanity?
Nah. I enjoy the crazy life too much! Bettina‘s influence and nagging reminded me of my desire to delve further into screenwriting. She also reminded me several times that failing Screnzy after two consecutive NaNo wins was absolutely unacceptable. Once you raise the stakes and succeed, it’s very difficult to take a step back, even temporarily.
But that’s what gives me the motivational push to continue and exceed what I’ve already achieved. Each step is a lesson. A reminder that it is possible to balance life with my source of oxygen (i.e. writing). It’s a reminder we all need when faced with the stress life delivers while attempting a career as a writer.
Next challenge: surviving Screnzy withdrawal. It’s as strong and demanding as NaNo withdrawal, but I’m sure I can channel it into Weekend Funeral and these poem tweaks.
Crash/Burn…And All That Jazz
Avoid cliches like the plague.
Those who construct language (aka writers such as myself) heed this warning well. After all, cliches are unoriginal. Overused. Exaggerated at times. There are occasions, however, when I agree with Mrs. Who that quoting the wisdom of others is the best way to express something otherwise “too difficult to verbalise” myself.
The weekend presented me with many rejections. Opportunities that I’ve patiently waited weeks to hear back from, only to crash-and-burn when follow-up conversations brought sour news. Why do I continuously set myself up for such disappointment? I’ve grown used to the concept over my life (it’s been my middle name for so long). Why not accept failure now while hope has been kicked to the ground? Take the “easy street” and accept as my home the pathetic pit whence there’s no escape.
Perseverence. Indomitability. Big words to describe a simple state of stubbornness. The inability to give up because allowing failure to define the self contradicts the personality lingering inside. I like to see it as martial arts invading my life, enriching it by dissuading defeat.
Regardless of the determination that’s developed in me over the years, I can’t help but cave to momentary bouts of discouragement from this Dense Fog. Many people offer kind words. Few actually add fuel to the fire (unintentional cliche usage). Neither aids my emotions during these times, which often reflects poorly on my attitude, pulling me deeper into the shadows.
Thankfully the years have also taught me how to rise up from the flames. Several methods cause that brief loss of hope to drain from my blood: quotes from people I admire, sparring/exercise, forcing productivity.
The best way to drag myself out of a slump is to work through that slump. Okay, so I’ve been rejected. I give myself a moment to cry, then tackle the fifteen other applications on my list. I’m still frustrated by the lack of visible progress, but look! the frustration made the pile of others disappear.
I’m behind the rest, but I’m still in the game. Still fighting for survival and waiting for that fight to pay off.
While all manner of quotes continue to lift my spirits, I rely on one specifically these days: “People told me, when I was coming through the ranks, that a mark of a great [actor] is one who deals with the period of unemployment as well as they deal with the period of employment.” (Claudia Black) Wisdomous words! Though they speak of actors, I see it as a reflective statement for all artists, including writers.
Why waste time being negative? There’s always that lapse, that bout of pity that rushes through the veins, but it’s in the act of returning to my feet with my head held high that proves I’m the worthy victor.
Rather than moping around, I choose to take advantage of not having a career (for the moment). Lots of free time and plenty to do. Staying busy keeps me focused on my goals.
Writing is a time-consuming process. If I wish to succeed, I must wake up every day with the intention of getting something accomplished. One word, one sentence, one paragraph. Doesn’t matter as long as it’s something. Writing cover letters for jobs, e-mails to friends, forum messages, status updates. Doesn’t matter, as long as my fingers type and words appear. Brain spins, mind turns.
Exercise. As a martial artist, getting in shape and staying in shape is crucial to performance. It’s also one of my 2010 goals to maintain a healthier lifestyle. I’ve done well so far, especially since ditching my biggest vice.
Occupation. Volunteer-work, internships, part-time jobs. Experience and pocket cash trump pessimism in my opinion. I have goals, I’m just taking baby steps to get to those goals. Until then, I’m learning what I can and saving what I can while doing what I can to speed the process.
Don’t Be Afraid To Get Your Hands Dirty
The other day, a thought came to me as I cleaned Jay’s cage: to get any job done, you must be willing to get your hands dirty. It’s unavoidable. Things don’t happen unless action takes place. You can’t find employment by sitting around doing nothing all day.
You have to get out there, fill in applications, call to check up on said applications. You have to work to get work. It’s more than just that, though. You need knowledge, experience. How do you get that? By being active. Doing something. Anything. Take action, jump at any opportunity to gain skills.
For this reason, I’m glad I’ve always had a thirst for learning. I love to keep my mind occupied with fresh ideas and new challenges. It’s through this aspect of my personality that I find myself constantly motivated to trudge on, even when things look dim.
Novels don’t get read unless their author writes down words. Any words. All words. Their quality shouldn’t matter in the rough draft (it’s called ‘draft’ for a reason, after all). It’s a process. We take ideas and we etch them out. Transfer them from mind to screen (or paper) to uncage them. From there, anything’s possible. A foundation is set and the next step is making sense of it.
Truthfully, there is no “easy street” for dreamers. Things don’t happen unless you make them happen. The world’s a confusing place unless you make the effort to survive one day at a time. Often, that means baby-steps in the mud. What’s wrong with that, though? It may be galling, it may not be what you want from life. But if you work through the challenges, you’ll come out better and stronger than the person who sailed over the mud. You’ll know what you’re capable of doing under the worst conditions, with the worst stress.
There’s a level of risk in everything, but unless we take that risk, we’ll gain nothing. The only risk we shouldn’t take is that of not taking a risk. O.o
Why Is It Bad To Do What You Love?
Given my status as a recent graduate, it’s only fitting to write about seeking a career. The ultimate task that will direct my path into adulthood. Should be easy, right? I’m a writer; it’s what I do, how I think, how I interact with the world. My lens. And once I stop being lazy and get my work published, I’ll get paid for doing what I love. Bonus!
But wait–there’s more:
“If you tell yourself that your job has to be something you’d do even if you didn’t get paid, you’ll be looking for a long time. Maybe forever. So why set that standard? The reward for doing a job is contributing to something larger than you are, participating in society, and being valued in the form of money.”
That quote comes from a post I found at Brazen Careerist. The title, “Bad career advice: Do what you love,” is what pulled me into the article. I wondered what was so wrong about wanting a happy, enjoyable career. Thankfully, I read on, discovering an interesting take on the subject. Due to the complexity of humans (we’re “like onions,” full of layers), it’s impossible to love any one thing. Just look at my myriad hobbies and interests; they’re weeds that grow every day. I haven’t time to tame them all, though as a writer, it’s easy to think of ways in which to incorporate several, if not all.
Even then, life as a writer is challenging. It’s not guaranteed money, at least not in my subfield (fiction). The thought always lingers in the back of my mind. After my freshman year at uni, I decided to move writing to the back-burner. That presented a new problem: what else could I focus my life on? What could possibly motivate me enough to wake up day after day and think: “Yeah, this is what I do. This is who I am.” Long story short, I found myself back where I started. Instead of returning to an English major, however, I signed up for liberal studies. Concentrated on three subjects, and yet here I am again. Still appetent to write, still trying to find my place.
I think the “problem” started with my first job. At orientation, one of the managers told us: “If a job stops being fun for you, move on.” It makes sense, so I adopted it as a mantra. After all, who wants a job that leads no where and stimulates nothing more than agonising boredom?
The problem, however, remains. If all I know is what I’m good at, what interests me, and what I see myself doing every day for the rest of my life (writing), how then do I find a job that fits? Penelope Trunk says: “Do not what you love; do what you are.” Okay… so what am I? A long, never-ending philosophical question for sure. I don’t think any job will ever fully answer that for me. I may find work and I hope I enjoy that work. At the end of the day, though, “what am I?” will still be answered: “An artist.” It’s unavoidable. It’s how I define myself and how I view the world. No job will change that.
Regardless, we all need a regular income. As Trunk advises: “Take a job. Any job… Just do something that caters to your strengths. Do anything.” The heart of career advice. In that respect, “what am I?” can easily be applied. As an artist–and through all of my interests–my ultimate goal is the constant quest for knowledge, improvement. Learning never ends; that’s something I’ve always cherished and relied on. I love learning new things, and I love deepening what I already know.
That’s my guide, my motivation. What I am is a strong-willed, open-minded, creative individual who can take any challenge placed before me and thrive.
My Mother Said WHAT?!
Whenever I go out, I tend to bring two essential things: a book and a knitting project. I like to be prepared should I ever need to occupy my time. Anyhoot, there I was in a local diner with my rellies, awaiting breakfast. Mum, seeming interested in my book (1984), interrupted a fun scene with Winston and Julia by posing a risible question:
“Do all writers read?”
O_O
Okay, I suppose to someone who doesn’t understand the craft, it’s a legit question. She was curious if ALL writers, including the “big names” already published, read to gather inspiration. Here’s what Judy Rose says about it:
“Reading the work of good authors
helps you develop a sense
of how effective writing is constructed,
and gives you a glimpse
of the skill and artistry
that goes into it.”
The quote is from her post Ten Ways to Become a Better Writer. Click the link. “Read” is first on the list, and for good reason. Reading is crucial for writers. How else are we to know what our audiences want from our own writing? What better way to improve our skills than to study what engages our own imaginations? Note style, voice, etc. All the important qualities that hook us in as readers are skills we need to practice to become better writers.
Books are a writer’s window to the world. It’s how we see, how we communicate, how we learn what works or doesn’t. Hell, it’s because of books that most of us want to be writers in the first place! So keep reading. Even if you find yourself bored by what you read, you’ve learnt how not to write.
The rest of Rose’s list is important, too. Writing is about more than just putting words to paper (or screen). Writers must always be aware of intricate details. Listen to dialogue and you’ll understand how it flows. Knowledge of language and grammar speeds up the revision process, lessening mistakes that need correction. Even then, proofreading will spot the mistakes that still slip through unconsciously.
Writing involves a lot of hard work. The end result is entertaining and enjoyable because of the dedication behind-the-scenes. Keep that in mind when you immerse yourself into anything artistic. Artists don’t have “work days.” Our brains are always on, always thinking, always moving. That’s what makes our craft simultaneously pleasing and frustrating. And often makes falling asleep troublesome.
Cage That Editor!
National Novel Writing Month. A nation-wide global event that encourages writers (novice, expert, published or not) to complete a novel draft within thirty days.
Alas, I discovered it at the end of November, 2006 but that didn’t deter my enthusiasm. I spent the next year reading up on it. Two years later, I’ve written about 65,000 words for NaNoWriMo, but Bettina still interferes across the other 335 days of the year.
The energy of November is contagious. Everyone taps away at their keyboards, excited to cross the victory line. Each immersed in worlds away from reality. Bills, jobs, non-writely friends disappear (despite their thinking we’ve gone AWOL). Nothing exists but the words on the page, and even those are trivial in meaning. The point is to stash your editor in a dungeon (that’s right–why think small when it’s your imagination?) for a month and focus on quantity rather than quality.
That’s how rough drafts are formed.
Most true writing evolves from re-writing, yet many writers find themselves bogged down by the stress of making everything perfect on the first go.
Bad approach.
Creative freedom only lends itself when the mastermind allows. Let nonsense flow from your fingertips. Let an unrelated scene pour onto your pages. Chances are it won’t make the final cut, but it’s an exploration. That’s how we learn about ourselves. Your novel is the same, learning about itself by testing different possibilities until it finds the one that glues it together.
But how to evade the presence of typical writing problems? Chapter-chronology hasn’t worked, and outlines eat your only free time. So what can you do to ward off the voices until you’re ready for their help?
A different approach birthed for me before midnight struck. A new tactic: The Last Chapter, first.
My golden ticket!
Defeat over writer’s block lies within your method of writing.
I changed it up and now my fingers run on jet fuel. Can I maintain this pace another 27 days? What will happen at December’s sunrise? I want to continue working on my novels because it’s not enough to have ideas floating inside. They must be released to the world–or at least the inside of my filing cabinet–so I can move on and discover new stories.
So how can you fuel this magnitude of progress once November passes its baton?
By keeping NaNoWriMo’s energy in mind. Forget about the quality of initial drafts until you’ve worked through an entire novel. Reward yourself for small victories (every few hundred words, every five pages, every chapter end, etc.) and allow yourself a huuuge prize for the larger victories (laundry and a good night sleep, perhaps?) At the end of a draft, take a week’s holiday–you’ve earned it! Find a peer group–huge help! A buddy-system to keep your discipline in check and assure everyone’s accountable for lack of writing.
Remember: writing is work, like any other job. But it always helps to have a little fun.
Evolution Of A Niche
Being somewhat new to the concept of blogs, I’ve spent time researching the benefits they bring to writers. Results concur that successful blog management is difficult and time-consuming, but the potential it donates to a writer’s career may be worth the effort.
So hi!
My biggest concern is choosing a focus–a niche with enough influence to fuel motivation. True to the writing process, the most important thing is to get start. Let things flow; the niche will evolve with time.
Still, I struggle with how best to start, bogged down by the stress of everything going on right now.
That’s when it hit me: I’m a 20+ want-to-be-published writer who is graduating university in approximately two months. Years of loan debts await repayment. I join the ranks of homeless graduates seeking any and every way to save money. My focus is writing, but my responsibility is winning a job. In this economy, that spells stress-overdose.
The unknown fills me with anxiety. The world holds many opportunities, however, and I’m going to do what I can to handle the stress in a positive way. After all, freedom from the classroom = freedom to fill the days with writing. Résumés, cover letters, general fiction. At least writing removes some stress from my life.
