Saturday: I panicked. What the heck was I going to write about? My brain drew a complete blank. After a few short breathing exercises, to calm myself down, I picked up a notepad and a pen and locked myself in the bedroom. In there, laying on my bed, I was able to come up with a little idea for a story. It's difficult to say where it came from exactly, but who cares, I had something to write about which was the only thing that mattered.
Sunday: My fingers were flying on the keyboard. I couldn't type fast enough. Perfect words just poured out of my head. I easily finished 1667 words.
Monday: Not so good. I drew another blank. My anxiety returned and my fingers felt doughy and tired. They didn't want to type. Yuck! I couldn't think of how to flesh out my idea. So I began writing in my notepad again. Drew a picture, a map, of the neighborhood where my main character lived. Then I created neighbors. Went back on the computer and began writing down descriptions and back story. After two hours, I still had only completed 900 words. So, for thirty minutes (it was all the time I had left) I wrote like a mad person, just to complete 1667. I wrote down whatever came out of my head: a scene where my MC met with two of the neighbors I had created earlier. Just to try them out.
Is this normal? Is this what you do?
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3,508 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 14 35
I don't know if that is how you are supposed to do it, but I think that is going to happen with me too - skipping around to get whatever I can down on paper (so to speak). I wanted to-and thought you were supposed to-write it all in sequence but I don't know how to make that happen either. I keep having flashes of 'oh I should write about this and that' but that's not where I currently am in the story. I don't know how I'm supposed to mesh it all back together at the end, but at least I will be closer to the finish line come Nov 30!
1,511 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 15 55
I have had moments like these. Of course I haven't been writing for long, and so I haven't really written that many words a day. I do know though that I have days where I can't think of what to write about or simply can't think. It is really weird, but I just can't come up with any ideas. It's always normal to have a blank every once in a while. It's nothing to worry about. It will probably go back to normal soon.
----------tbfan05
24,292 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 18 16
Sunday: My fingers were flying on the keyboard.
Monday: Not so good.
Is this normal? Is this what you do?
Sounds pretty typical to me, Frodo! :-) Actually, in your first two days you've experienced what almost everyone does, eventually. There are tips & tricks on the other forums to get your words down. Use them. Write out of sequence. Write imaginary scenes that you assume you'll never use (you never know! you may come to like these.) Write background on your characters, which will give you greater insight into them. It's all "practice", you know. Your novel will come from the seeds you spread this month. Think of it as a child. Like a mother can't give birth to a grown person, your novel won't be fully realized until you allow it to grow, nurture (edit) it, train it not to spit at the other novels, etc...
Mostly, don't stess about it, and have fun. It's NaNoWriMo! You get to tell your friends you're writing a novel! Woo-hoo!
~Bruce
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2006 winner ~ "Drew Copes"
2007 winner ~ "So, These Three Murderers are Drinking in a Bar"
2008 winner ~ "Eater of Sins" (or something like that)
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2006 winner ~ "Drew Copes"
2007 winner ~ "So, These Three Murderers are Drinking in a Bar"
2008 winner ~ "Eater of Sins"
2009 ~ continuation of a WIP (NaNoRebel)
54,602 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 18 29
Frodo, it's not unusual to get stuck on your story. There is something to be said for panic. It either hinders or it helps. I've had my idea kicking around for a couple weeks, making the story wait. I got the idea and came up with the main character's name, that was all I allowed myself. I started typing and it was like WHAM! But now I'm in a quandry - where do I go from here? Do I build the sexual tension/ anticipation between the hero & heroine a bit more? Do I increase the conflict? Or do I let them get down to some serious fooling around? It's anyone's guess at this point. I'm thinking that they are going to insist on the bedroom scene.
Not everyone works like that, but if it works for you, do it. There is no WRONG way to write. Some folks will tell you that you must be organized, you must outline, you must edit as you go, you must know the outcome before you begin. Others (like me) haven't got a frigging clue. My blog talk radio show on Oct. 28th was all about this subject. If you want to listen to the four of us giggle and chat about writing, here's the link. We had such fun! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/RedRiverWritersLive/2009/10/28/Red-River-Wr...
----------My brain retains the kind of information that's totally useless for anything - except playing Trivial Pursuit.
31,825 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 05 18
"Think of it as a child. Like a mother can't give birth to a grown person, "
(laughing) That's a good one! I like that. Thanks.
31,825 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 05 22
"Do I build the sexual tension/ anticipation between the hero & heroine a bit more? Do I increase the conflict? Or do I let them get down to some serious fooling around?"
Wow Dellani! When are you going to post some stuff that I can read? Sounds pretty good.
14,338 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 18 51
This is only my first year, so I shouldn't really be giving any advice. Bu tI will say. The idea is to get 50,000 words on paper (or on the computer rather) that could be edited to form a novel. You’re making a draft, not the perfect final copy. So my advice would be to write write write, and not worry about the little conflicting details and small diction and syntax errors. As I've seen on the site in a few spots "December is for editing." November is just to write, it doesn't have to be perfect, or anywhere near perfect, as long as it generally tells the story you wanted it to.
38,417 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 19 57
Don't feel bad, Frodo. Writing isn't easy. But I have a tip that will (hopefully) help.
I think that writing works differently for everyone, so you should find your own way of coping with (dare I say it?) writers block, loss of ideas, having no idea where your story is going...etc., etc. Me personally? When I found out about nanowrimo (which was on the 2nd...I found out late! T.T) I got right to thinking.
It usually doesn't take me long to decide on a story. How I come up with ideas is I look at people I know, or go through things I remember, and draw from them. And then once I have a basic idea for the plot then...I just write! I know it sounds crazy, but I think that's what works best.
If you've already started on your novel, then fine. Bring up your document, start on a fresh piece of "paper" and just write whatever comes into your mind. You may be surprised the ideas that will come from that. If you do that sort of "free writing" then you should be able to find some spark that you like, some idea that you can use to fuel your story forward.
Best of luck!!!
35,162 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 20 13
I am just using this as an exercise to do what is asked. That is have 50,000 words on paper by the end of November. This is my first year too. So how I am accomplishing that is one day at a time, and 1667 + words per day. I write first thing (around 6 or 7) and pretty soon I have the alloted number of words down.
Trying to decide on style, depth of characters, format, form, etc is too much as is thinking of 50,000 words. Just one word at a time works.
16,610 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 06 54
ITA with everyone's answers. I write completely out of sequence even when I'm not writing for NaNo. Most of my short stories I end up doing a cut and paste to get everything ordered toward the end of my writing, and then I add missing scenes or delete unnecessary scenes, and then move onto to rewrite, which I might do four or five times or more, using the same tools as above- adding-deleting-rearranging-swapping out words, ect.
31,825 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 12 18
I think that sounds like good advice Bobby. And this my first year too! Feel free to say whatever you want. Opinions are always worth having. I've got lots. Some are appreciated by others and some are not. But that's what makes life interesting.
33,497 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 15 39
This is my first year as well, and I really have no idea what I'm doing. What I do know, however, is the story that I'm trying to tell. So actually, I've been cruising along pretty well these first few days by doing what they're talking about - not worrying about whether or not it's perfect, just get the clay on paper. We'll worry about molding the clay next month.
54,602 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 20 59
I am a very organic writer (not organized) I start at the beginning and keep going until I get to the end, then stop. Sometimes I have gaps, or go back and fill in here & there, but I mostly write in sequence. For me, this works. Some of my friends are very organized. They outline, do storyboards, and go to all this trouble! I look at them and my mind boggles & my eyes pop out (not completely - eww) Shock, amazement, paranoia! What do they know that I don't? I can't work like that. However, for them it works.
Find what works for you, the music, environment, mood...... and your muse will find you. Good luck!
----------My brain retains the kind of information that's totally useless for anything - except playing Trivial Pursuit.