I know it's pretty early in the game for this. After all, we just started writing yesterday, right? But my inner critic is already banging on the closet door. I don't know how she worked the knots in the ropes loose so quickly, but judging from the amount of noise she's making, she's mad. Bad news for me.
I can pretty much ignore her while I'm writing, but when I'm not writing she shouts nasty little things at me. Like: "Why are you bothering with this?" and "Do you really think that last 1,500 words was any good? You should delete that." and "I don't think you have a marketable story."
Here's the thing - I know I'm a decent writer. Well, at least I've been told that I am. Then again, a lot of those people who make total idiots out of themselves on American Idol have been told they can sing, too. But I digress. Every time I get going on something that stupid little critic derails me, and I usually end up quitting. Then I get mad at myself.
Does anyone else have a critic living in their head? Or are Anne Lamott and I just insane? Assuming the latter is not the case - well, at least not for me - how do you get your critic to leave you alone?
----------
Billie Anne
50,100 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 10 01
I can definitely sympathize with that! Mine started banging as soon as I told her to keep out for this month!
In the way of getting her to leave me alone though, I've generally just been telling her 1)No one has to/gets to see it but me - at least for now, and 2)It will be edited, just not right now - it has to be finished first!
And really, I'm sure even really great writers, people who've been writing and getting published for years have to deal with the inner critic telling them it's all crap - particularly if you consider the average writer and their personality; it seems like, no matter how different we are, we all have a very similar attitude to our work.
So, if you're crazy, I'm right there with you! (Which might not be a whole lot of comfort, but. . .)
Hope that helps a bit!
~Serena
45,021 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 11 45
Too bad you couldn't get to the Kick-off. We drew pics of our critics and put them in "jail." Ok, it was a symbolic gesture and critics aren't impressed. Still, it was fun. That's what this is all about--FUN! No pressure to publish. No super writing skills required. It's a game.
Critics are the bosses that don't want you off on vacation because they are useless without you. Put a sticky note on the corner of you screen that says "FUN ZONE. No bosses allowed!"
This is about crossing the 50,000 word mark. Nothing else. No plot, publishing, or punctuation required! Who cares if it's any good or not?
Go ahead, write 50,000 lousy words and call them a novel.
I dare you!
Bet you can't do it faster than I can.
Last one in has to wear a silly hat at the TGIO party.
Na na na na No! ;~D
~~Nancy
----------God said, "Choose Life!" Inner Editor replied, "Don't say 'choose.' That's too vague. Why not say ‘engage'?" "Go 'way!" God boomed most emphatically. "Writers engaging life have no time for NaNoNoveling. I love their crap. So leave them alone, too!"
55,780 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 20 11
Last one in has to wear a silly hat at the TGIO party.
Na na na na No! ;~D
~~Nancy
YIKES! I hate to wear hats, I best get my bum in motion!
It IS too bad that you didn't make it to the kick off! I'm going to bring the prompts and the "jail" to all the write ins though in case anyone didn't get to do it or anyone that makes it to the write ins wasn't at the KOP.
----------Amanda ML for Oklahoma:: Tulsa
2005-50k :: 2006-51K :: 2007-63K :: 2008-78K
49,504 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 04 38
I made my inner critic a deal: she got a limited hand in things last month while I was outlining, and will have free(ish) rein over the material come december, after I've given the draft a cooling off period. However, she stays out of the way in november, or (as others have pointed out), there won't *be* any novel for her to attack with red ink. Instead, she can spend november focusing on keeping my slightly shaky weight loss plan on the right track for the month. I think she's off in a corner gleefully calculating the fat grams in the office's candy bucket, and I don't intend to disturb her for the duration.
45,125 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 05 02
My Inner Editor has tried to break out of jail, and we've made an agreement - she can fix things like no spaces between words (especially since that affects the word count!), and missed commas, and misspelled words. There is absolutely no deletion of sentences, though! And no re-writes, unless just adding things in!
The bargain seems to be working well so far . . .
33,016 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 07 57
The bargain seems to be working well so far . . .
Because I tend to skimp on description and stuff, my Inner Editor is MORE than happy to scramble back over the stuff I wrote previously and say, "Oh, you need to add something here, and something here, and something here..." And the next thing I know I've added 200-300 words to my count and I haven't even gotten to the new scene.
So as long as she sticks with doing THAT, we're golden. Deletion can wait till December. Or even better, JANUARY.
/I also have another WIP that is in the editing stage, so my Inner Editor can go whole-hog on that and be just fine.
----------NaNo 2006 - The Sorcerer's Blade (win)
NaNo 2008 - Sorceress Knight (win)
NaNo 2009 - Secrets of the Black Moon (working title)
52,668 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 08 13
Thanks for the encouragement, everyone! I wish I had made it to the kick-off party, too. Maybe my critic would have a harder time getting out of jail than she has had getting out of her closet. My husband and I plan to make it to one of the write-ins, so maybe I'll lock her up then.
----------Billie Anne
45,021 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 08 59
"Why let them order you about? Why let them tell you to delete and reorder like erasers or grammar checkers? Have FUN! Meander a while! Enjoy the plot, enjoy your characters, let the story carry you where it wants to go! Don't be slaves of perfection, it's a helluva way to die, slowly, by degrees... down with the Inner Editor!"
(Adapted from Harlan Ellison's "'Repent Harlequin!' said the Ticktockman")
~~Nancy
----------God said, "Choose Life!" Inner Editor replied, "Don't say 'choose.' That's too vague. Why not say ‘engage'?" "Go 'way!" God boomed most emphatically. "Writers engaging life have no time for NaNoNoveling. I love their crap. So leave them alone, too!"
41,006 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 09 21
My inner critic is what kept me from hitting 50K on my first attempt at NaNo. Here's what I do: whenever I hit a point where I get stuck elaborating or explaining or describing something, I'll type *** and keep writing. Once I get caught up on the action (or word count), I go back and search for *** , because by then I've got a pretty good idea of what it needs to look like or whatever.
Once you establish the characters and the setting, the conflict keeps things moving along.
45,021 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 11 20
That's a great idea! Think I'll even change my font color for *** to make it easier to find.
Thanks for the tip.
~~Nancy
----------God said, "Choose Life!" Inner Editor replied, "Don't say 'choose.' That's too vague. Why not say ‘engage'?" "Go 'way!" God boomed most emphatically. "Writers engaging life have no time for NaNoNoveling. I love their crap. So leave them alone, too!"
52,668 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 11 45
I agree! I ran into my first "boring" spot this morning, and I really struggled (and wrote a lot of crap) just to hit my goal for the day. I'd pretty much decided to just skip the rest of the boring and go one, but I love the asterisk idea. Thanks for sharing!
----------Billie Anne
33,016 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 14 42
My inner critic is what kept me from hitting 50K on my first attempt at NaNo. Here's what I do: whenever I hit a point where I get stuck elaborating or explaining or describing something, I'll type *** and keep writing. Once I get caught up on the action (or word count), I go back and search for *** , because by then I've got a pretty good idea of what it needs to look like or whatever.
Once you establish the characters and the setting, the conflict keeps things moving along.
Tactics like this are so, so useful in keeping your story moving and the words flowing.
I have a draft of my first NaNo novel that has this line, where I got a little stuck:
(Insert long-ass description of city here that I am too drunk and tired to write now.)
It worked! I kept moving, and I inserted that description much later.
/Like...in August.
----------//Of 2009.
NaNo 2006 - The Sorcerer's Blade (win)
NaNo 2008 - Sorceress Knight (win)
NaNo 2009 - Secrets of the Black Moon (working title)
52,668 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 10 13
(Insert long-ass description of city here that I am too drunk and tired to write now.)
It worked! I kept moving, and I inserted that description much later.
/Like...in August.
//Of 2009.
I've done that, but mine reads "insert name of ridiculously expensive sports car. And not an Aston Martin, either, because this character isn't Edward Cullen."
Do those words count toward my 50,000?
Billie Anne
----------Billie Anne
49,504 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 05 04
You typed them in your document during the month of november. They Count.