So in chapter two (yes, chapter two) my main character finds out her best friend is in love with her (and she him), and that was NOT supposed to be revealed until MUCH later. This complicates things, especially as by the end of chapter three she is taken (somewhat forcibly) to work for the government in a far off city, isolated from her farm boy lover (who was just supposed to be a friend, remember?).
Do I bump the whole scene until later and force my characters to obey, or do I let it go and see where it takes me? (I know technically I'm supposed to not edit, but this is so far from what I planned, I'm really annoyed.)
Anyone else having characters mutiny and take over their own destinies? Argg... writing is not a good hobby for a control freak!
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"I had always felt life first as a story: and if there is a story there is a story-teller." -- G.K. Chesterton
26,204 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 09 16
My instinct is to say....just keep going and see where it leads you. But that's because I'm having a similar character-mutiny issue and I decided to keep going. My characters were supposed to be fast friends developing a very easy relationship. She is his constant and vice versa. They had their first meeting and there was some sort of weird tension in the air, and now they're acting all funny around each other.
SO, not what I expected, but it feels good, so I'm going with it.
I think no matter which way you choose to go, there will be plenty of editing to do in December.
Good luck!
29,228 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 12 59
First Rule of NaNoWriMo: Don't talk about NaNo... oh, wait. That's not right.
First Rule of NaNoWriMo: NO EDITING, EVER- OH MY GOD JUST DON'T DO IT- FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT'S GOOD IN THIS WORLD LIKE RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS AND THE TV SHOW "LOST".
Seriously, DON'T erase/delete anything, don't edit things, don't seek the perfect sentence, don't realize you forgot to put your bad guys in the book (like I managed last year) and go back to insert them. Just note it, and move on.
In fact, don't even hesitate to conjure up that perfect name. I have big placeholders in my novel so far- (CAMSHIP) for the main character's unnamed vessel, (COMPANYNAME) for a science company... even (FIRSTCONTACTSHIPNAME) for the name of a ship that made first contact with an alien race back in history. The great thing is, by noting this is another file, I can get finished, then spend time coming up with that "perfect" name, and with one click of a button, search/replace (COMPANYNAME) to "Joe's Plumbing" and viola! Instantly solved.
Don't get too caught up with details and descriptions. Sure this is a great way to pad your word count, but it's also a great way to slow down your main tale. One of the things I find myself doing while writing for NaNoWriMo is actually bypassing character descriptions (to the degree you'd have them in a final work.) Sure, I describe some, but I often do it in a massively boring single paragraph that would cause any reader to go to sleep. Once I get finished and return to the editing process, I can take that paragraph, set it to the side, and layer it into the story in an appropriate manner.
If you made a plot mix-up, like, you killed a character earlier that you really need later, just write as if they were never killed off- don't go back and unkill them, just deal with the resurrection and when you get to editing, you can resolve the matter based on your notes (and do keep those notes, of course, or you'll forget all these little errors.)
Anyways, the answer to your question is a most unequivocal "NO! THINK OF THE UNICORNS!"
P.S. The characters are ALWAYS in control. Bow to their power.
----------The Druids enforce galactic peace. But can they save the galaxy from oblivion when someone destroys another dimension: the Afterlife?
33,741 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 21 27
First Rule of NaNoWriMo: NO EDITING, EVER- OH MY GOD JUST DON'T DO IT- FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT'S GOOD IN THIS WORLD LIKE RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS AND THE TV SHOW "LOST".
...
Anyways, the answer to your question is a most unequivocal "NO! THINK OF THE UNICORNS!"
P.S. The characters are ALWAYS in control. Bow to their power.
Yes, that is indeed the first rule of NaNoWriMo. In fact there's a little exercise that you can do (we did it last year at kick-off) for when your inner editor gets out of control. Pull out a sheet of construction paper and your favorite box of crayons. Draw out your inner editor however you may perceive them and lock them away in a box/drawer/cupboard/safe until December 1.
My suggestion would be to go with the characters and see what they have in mind. While those outside the writing world may consider us crazy when we speak of our characters as entities outside of ourselves they really do have a mind of their own. Sometimes they must be reigned in like recalcitrant children but often strange and beautiful things happpen - at least half of which you - quietly now - edit out afterwards.
For the sake of whatever plot you had in mind later could they each realize they're in love but have that classic issue of thinking the other doesn't know it?
PS I like the unicorns :)
8,645 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2009 - 02 33
DON'T EDIT! If you edit I shall need to get out the spray bottle! Don't make me get out the spray bottle!
----------"Also, I have just remembered that I must see to my knitting. If it escapes, I'll have a devil of a time finding it again." -Some random un-named character in the Girl Genius webcomic
32,006 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2009 - 14 52
Okay, okay, geez. Don't get out the spray bottle. I didn't edit... much. I did take out a few sentences, but the characters really want to be together (though it will inevitably create problems for them later) so I'm letting them be young and in love before their lives go all to hell.
Poor boy, little does he know her ambition is going to leave him with a big empty house and a pocket full of broken dreams.
----------"I had always felt life first as a story: and if there is a story there is a story-teller." -- G.K. Chesterton