Hello there across the ocean.
I like to write in coffee houses, hopelessly addicted to cappuccino, breve. But I love the delicious hours of early AM as well, and often get up around 3-3:30 A.M. and throw in a machine full of laundry, inhale the lovely clean laundry smells and dig in. My children are out of the house now except for our 32 year old son who hasn't bumped into a woman who wants to take on the project of consorting with a budding screenwriter with no money. He pops in so I can do his laundry, and stays until he is kicked out of the house again.
I covet my alone time. I envy some of you who are without attachments and can write on a train, or in a time and place where there isn't anyone to rush home to or prepare things for. But I am not begrudging my choices. Enjoy your wonderful University years-they go by fast, especially if you are likely to go into altered states, as I did so frequently then.
I heard Steven Hockensmith speak yesterday at a Writers Conference - we actually had someone from London come as a participant - and he loves to use these two mottos in his daily writing:
From Larry the Cable Guy: Get 'er done
From Journey: Don't Stop Believing
He looks up at his published books, and by the way, he is a funny read, and questions whether or not he is a real writer (even though pubbed several times), and just reminds himself to "Get 'er done." Just finish the damn thing and work it over later to polish it up.
I am twice or maybe three times the ages of most of the "posters" I have been lurking and reading here in your chapter, but I am a child of the '60's and did live the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury experience, although I missed SOME (but not all) the drugs, (thus the reason I am still alive unlike many of my friends).
We are all doing this all over the world. Come on over and join our chapter too: Marin/Sonoma County in northern California. We are lucky to live in the land where Chris Baty lives and have heard him speak. (Founder of Nano: No Plot? No Problem)
So, I'm turning off my inner editor for 30 days, and we'll see who wins that battle. I am going to write my new novel without editing, but I do have character grids, a storyboard outlined and a general idea of some good steamy scenes, since it is a timetravel romance, and that's what I read. I don't expect any of my books will be required reading for any University classes, but they might make it into a few million women's bedrooms (and hopefully some men as well).
Any of you write Steampunk? I've recently begun reading some and am interested.
Keep Writing!
Sharon Hamilton
Shastra on Nano (and it's a 40 year old picture)
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6,852 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 03 07
Hi Sharon
Love the photo 40 years old or not!
Great insight and look forward to seeing one of your books on bedroom shelves in the near future.
There has been some debate about if we get a chance to read the completed novels on here - I suppose it depends on whether or not we upload it in time. Either way look forward to some good reading as well as some good writing
And welcome from across the pond too :-)
44,942 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 05 18
Lejaxster,
From speaking with Chris Baty, the words get downloaded to their site, and then immediately shredded. No one reads them, but they have a way to sort out the 50,000 word "the" novel. I think if the region decides to do exerpts, that is up to that region. Ours, in California, will not be.
And that's the idea and beauty of it - to write free, without internal or external editors, judgements, etc.
There is no chance this way any of our stuff that is poured out will ever see the light of day, unless we choose to do so. We are having write-ins on Halloween, and many of our local libraries are in on it. I am putting up a poster in the cafe I'm doing three write-ins a week at, so others who just happen to drop by for a cup of coffee know about the project and may join us later. Sonoma State University library and Santa Rosa Jr. College libraries, as well as three of the five public libraries are hosting times.
Chris has a list of books that have been written during this time - I think there are about 10. And he wants to know if anybody gets published in the future.... You should try to buddy him, as there will be some communications from him that will be helpful.
6,852 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 16 13
Hi Sharon
thanks for that - makes it clearer as to how things shape up once the writing begins and it makes sense the way you explain it - However here is a question for you (and anyone else)
If the intention is not to publish and be read then why is there an invite on your profile page to write a title, synposis and excerpt? Seems like a shame we see a little and not the rest - never mind the idea of that quite tickles me and I suppose it would be great in years to come to see a book and realise you read the synopsis on here :-D
Thanks again
Jacq
44,942 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 07 07
Jacq,
I am not sure about the profile page. I don't control it, so wouldn't have put that on there, although it sounds like fun.
The purpose is to write without the internal editor. We buddy each other not to read our things, although that could happen, we could get engaged enough to request it of someone, but that isn't automatically done without the writers' permission. The purpose of sending in the words to Nano is only to have them verify the word count, sort of a "fudge factor." When we communicate to each other in the system, we see the word count (is what I understand). Or you can look up one of your "buddies" who has a big word count and you're stuck, and ask for their help. Or acknowledge them. Whatever. The only thing that is public is that you are writing and how much.
I have never written unbridled for 30 days. That's why I'm going to try it. Like becoming a vegetarian for 30 days for a meat eater. The goal is to break out of a pattern we have developed in the past, and try something new. Just writing.
I'll admit, it is going to be a challenge to me. I will have little lapses along the way where I'll read something and want to go back and change it - I have re-written the first book I finished in January all of 17 times, more in the first 3 chapters, as I get ready for submission.
You can order Chris Baty's book: No Plot? No Problem from Amazon used and it's cheap. He explains how he started it 10 years ago with 22 friends. A few of them made it. He never intended it to be a world event, but it has become one. And, I believe they have one in April for Screenwriters, although it isn't through Nano.
Hope that helps. Email me back if I didn't answer your questions fully.
Shastra