All other years (all *counts on fingers* four of them) went smoothly, especially the first few days. This year I’m scratching … searching for somewhere to go, some way to get the words to flow, some way to get the excitement back. None of my characters want to co-operate. In fact, they see me coming and run for cover. I can’t blame them – maybe they’re as sick of me as I am of them. Far too much planning went into this year. Blame the Forward Motion 2YN course for that!
Only solution I can see – unless someone can come up with a brilliant option – is to scrap this ridiculous idea (erm, “plot”?) I’ve been working on all year for Zette’s course and just wing it! Ouch!!
Outlining definitely killed the Nano fun. Damn, damn, damn! Inserting stronger words would not be out of line!
Off to find something to ease the pain,
KS
----------
55,600 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 14 42
Just discovered I can't edit first post ... so ...
PS Plus I'm not recognized as belonging to this region. In none of the Author Searches am I listed. Maybe Chris Baty et al is trying to tell me something. Boo Hoo.
Yeah yeah, I know it's just a temporary problem. Until all glitches get sorted.
But ... so not what I need at the moment.
Chocolate ... that's the answer
19,719 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 15 24
I find that swearing at the wordprocessor generally helps. In writing, of course. Eventually, something, somewhere clicks.
----------NaNoTraCk - NaNo social activity
Personal Blog
26,258 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 15 24
Howzabout sending in a freak storm that kills almost all your characters and then you continue developing the same plot with the survivors?
Of course, it might kill all your characters and then... well, there are another 28 days to find new ones!
Night Owl, procrastinating again
38,682 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 19 36
I hope TK is reading this so she'll realise she's not alone!! *chuckles*
----------If you want your life to have impact, focus it.
<'}}}><
19,719 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 20 40
Of course, it might kill all your characters and then... well, there are another 28 days to find new ones!
Night Owl, procrastinating again
You realise, of course, what happened 28 Days Later?
----------NaNoTraCk - NaNo social activity
Personal Blog
113,989 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 21 56
I hope TK is reading this so she'll realise she's not alone!! *chuckles*
She is quite colourful...found that out last night :D
----------___________________________________________
Don't let common sense stop you....
Instant Human - Just Add Coffee
28,758 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 23 02
Some ideas;
1. you can invite new characters into your story and play along with them for awhile and see if your original plot will come back to life through these new characters
2. you can write a meta story about an author who is writing this story ( detail it ) but it's not working out because ..... and see where it takes you
3. you can go back to one of your old stories and find your favorite characters and start working with them and see where they lead you
4. you can chuck everything, and start all over!
GOOD LUCK!
40,053 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 01 57
Only solution I can see – unless someone can come up with a brilliant option – is to scrap this ridiculous idea (erm, “plot”?) I’ve been working on all year for Zette’s course and just wing it! Ouch!!
Outlining definitely killed the Nano fun. Damn, damn, damn! Inserting stronger words would not be out of line!
Yes. This sounds like a dumb, arbitrary rule, we know. But bringing a half-finished manuscript into NaNoWriMo all but guarantees a miserable month. You'll care about the characters and story too much to write with the gleeful, anything-goes approach that makes NaNoWriMo such a creative rush. Give yourself the gift of a clean slate, and you'll tap into realms of imagination and intuition that are out-of-reach when working on pre-existing manuscripts.
Outlines and plot notes are very much encouraged, and can be started months ahead of the actual novel-writing adventure. Previously written prose, though, is punishable by death.
However, it sounds like you have done far more work than is intended for NaNoWriMo and thus your story is stalling. Save what you can (a character, a setting) or nothing and then just run with it and ignore the old plot.
You may also want to stake your Inner Editor with something made of wood or silver as it sounds like he "survived" the killing and has come back to haunt you.
Best of luck!
Yvette (2009 ML - CPT Region)
----------Sponsor Me!
Yvette (2009 ML - CPT Region)
Sponsor Me!
113,989 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 22 52
I have found that to ignore all plots plotted...will enable the plotist to write a story better plotted than the one plotted even though the plot will remain similar to the original plot.
Snapshot that...I won't be hearing talks of plot again and this is the last you'll see it from me
----------___________________________________________
Don't let common sense stop you....
Instant Human - Just Add Coffee
55,600 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 01 35
I have an idea – I have an idea – I have an idea – a brand new shiny idea!!! Not quite a plot yet, but definitely a glimmer!
*whoops excitedly*
Have decided to toss out (literally) the over-thought, over-analysed, over-outlined plot I have been working on and go with something totally new and fresh. This decision taken after many angst-filled hours, and eventually rereading No Plot, No Problem. Thank you, Chris Baty! (Why on earth didn’t I do that first?!)
And of course thanks to all of you for your comments and helpful ideas.
Brabruski – I am framing your ‘quote’. One day when we’re all rich and famous I’ll dig it out and say “I remember when …”
Thanks guys. Got some thinking to do :)
28,758 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 02 13
YAAAY!! You go get 'em*!!
*the shiny thingies that make up a brilliant NaNo story :oD
113,989 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 04 24
Shiny is good :D
Shiny blows up MC's that refuse to do what they told, it buys MC's a trip to the country they need to be in, it makes MC's stop driving to the strip club and check out that crater that just happened to appear in a cornfield, it gives away the sniper about to shoot the president, it gives proof of mermaids & fairies & leprechauns, it reveals that hidden treasure below the water surface as an MC is trying to find evidence their parents were killed by a drug smuggling syndicate...shiny is good
----------___________________________________________
Don't let common sense stop you....
Instant Human - Just Add Coffee