Right now and for next week is an iffy time for us. Some of us who ran headlong into a carefully constructed plot may find ourselves frozen solid. Some of us may be suffering from the sinister machinations of The Inner Editor. Some of us, in fact, may simply be worn out.
I'm here to tell you everything is salvageable. Everything is fine. You WILL make it.
For those frozen solid with What Comes Next, jump outside of the box. Make a list of scenes, chapter titles, anything. Then turn each one into a separate, empty document. There's no law that says we have to write this novel in order - I NEVER do. Siply dive into the scenes or chapters you feel good about. Don't worry about maintaining a perfect thread, because that's what rewrite is all about. As you write and other scenes come to you, make a blank document for those, too. It's relieving to open up the files and see choices - start anywhere and you'll still end up at the end. Last year this method saved me and made the book actually better. Try it.
That Inner Editor? Not your friend. In fact, that rascal's not anyone's friend. Some of you may have a whole dastardly jury box full of Inner Editors happily chipping away at your enthusiasm, your bravado, your talent. Don't give 'em an inch. Collectively and individually, those Inner Demons must be removed. If you can, come with us to tomorrow night's write-in - we'll physically take those badboys down. If not, I suggest you write a hateful note to your Inner Editor/Ugly Jury and hold nothing back. Make an effigy and do violence to it. Something. Whatever it takes to put that negativity where it belongs - far away from you and your gorgeous novel.
Are you simply worn out? Y'all, I'm a frazzle right now - don't think you're alone. The thing to remember is that this month, this novel, these words are all the best gift you'll ever give to yourself. No one else can give you this, it won't show up in your stocking next month and there's no cash equivalent. Does it feel selfish? Hell, yes. Are we all trained to be unselfish and put everyone else's needs ahead of our own? Absolutely. What you need to know is that you're worth every single minute you give to the novel. You deserve this and it might be the best present you ever receive. I know we're tired and frustrated, but the end is so beautiful that every last minute, every single word is worth it. I promise.
Go eat something healthy, grab a big cup of coffee, and let's do this thing.
----------
Monda
ML :: Conway, Arkansas
2008 Winner
http://freshribbon.blogspot.com
43,861 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 12 12
I have to say that the INNER EDITOR has not been bothering me much. I didn't even need to make an effigy and mutilate it with a plastic spoon or anything. I simply told it, "If you don't leave well enough alone I will have my main villain take you out for dinner. And not the good kind of dinner where everything is nice and fancy, but the kind of dinner where
you'repeople are the main course. Remember Soylent Green?"As for the steam, I recently bought a four-pack of Monster Java, and I hove found it to be very helpful for staying awake and energizing those brain cells for a last minute rush for the super-quota. I am almost 3 days ahead, but I would be 4 days ahead if I had kept up my pace a couple days ago. I was really tired, and so I just kind of got just under basic quota. It really set me back on my personal quota, but I'm catching back up.
I have a question, has anyone else noticed a disturbance in the
ForceInternet? It seems that somebody managed to write 100000 words in a single day, and now all those words are gone. I think I'll just declare it a misplaced keystroke and go on, but the disturbance has caused serious damage in my novel. An entire city was destroyed, and the home of the main character has been erased, replaced by the dark, twisted imagination of a powerful lich.I'm going to return to noveling, and I'll be at the Write-In tomorrow. And these HTML tags are quite fun once you know what they do.
----------2009 - The Great Conflagration
"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination." - John Lennon
O o
/¯/___________________________
| BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH
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41,606 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 12 26
Um, that would be me disturbing The Force. I punched in one zero too many and didn't catch it until this afternoon.
Keep an eye on me. I'm capable of all manner of typos at this point.
----------Monda
ML :: Conway, Arkansas
2008 Winner
http://freshribbon.blogspot.com
14,460 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 12 34
I was having trouble with my internet connection for a few days, but I've finally been able to update my word count. I had a couple of slow days followed by some good writing time. I am doing much better than I expected, though I'm sure I'm going to hit that wall any day now.
I've also managed to shun my inner editor. That's something I had ever imagined doing, thinking it a waste of time and energy to have to go back to fix things I should have caught the first time around. However, now I see the difference it can make in impeding the flow of things.
(I'm going to have a LOT of editing/rearranging to do on this piece, but I am still excited at the possibility of actually finishing this before the end of the month!)
Dawn/Sgionacth
----------Sgionacth
43,861 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 14 30
Well, luckily the disturbance in the Force wasn't so bad as to k9ill the main character. He is just now going to kick some undead butt!
----------2009 - The Great Conflagration
"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination." - John Lennon
O o
/¯/___________________________
| BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH
\_\¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
18,333 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 14 49
Homework is slaughtering me, but I'm sure I'll find a way to catch up in the end. I'm only about 4,000 words behind, I think.
----------38,240 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 15 33
I was doing so well until Friday when I had to finally use the 500 word pad that I had since the last Sunday. Saturday I woke up again feeling stalled out and tried to rejuvenate myself by looking back over what I had done earlier in the week. Even though I didn't end up getting all my words done yesterday and ended up behind I think it really helped. I was tired I think and needed a little regroup and down time.
I was even amazed to find that what I had been writing all this week was not as bad as I had thought. That was a real boost to the confidence level and I was able to tackle a scene this morning that I started earlier in the week but had been unable to finish. I still have to write another 600 words today but I know I can do it. Just call me the little engine that could!
Oh and Happy ML day Monda! You are the best! I think you have really pulled this group together and kept us inspired. See everyone tomorrow at the write-in!
41,606 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 17 26
"Homework is slaughtering me, but I'm sure I'll find a way to catch up in the end. I'm only about 4,000 words behind, I think."
I've been grading papers, so I'm feeling your pain. Holding out an hour of writing as a present to myself. Do the same, if you can. I know how hard it is. You and I will catch up in no time!
----------Monda
ML :: Conway, Arkansas
2008 Winner
http://freshribbon.blogspot.com
41,606 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 17 29
"I was even amazed to find that what I had been writing all this week was not as bad as I had thought. That was a real boost to the confidence level and I was able to tackle a scene this morning that I started earlier in the week but had been unable to finish. I still have to write another 600 words today but I know I can do it. Just call me the little engine that could!"
Isn't that always the way? I think that's the magic of this undertaking - all the writing that we're sure is junk and on a second look turns out to be more than we thought. Yes!
And thanks - I love our group and so look forward to celebrating every week!
----------Monda
ML :: Conway, Arkansas
2008 Winner
http://freshribbon.blogspot.com
51,299 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 20 21
Clear sailing so far, but I'm using an outline and sticking to it pretty well. I'm afraid I might be like the hare and the tortoise and run out of steam before it's over, but so far I'm doing okay. I took the entire day off Saturday (except for a meeting with the Central Arkansas Speculative Fiction Writers' Group where we talked about NaNo because five of us are enrolled) but managed to add a few today. I'm not fighting the inner editor, he seems to be along for the ride and if I catch something, I do and if I don't, I don't. Again, the outline is saving my butt so far, but if I have to jump off it, I may be in trouble.
Going to Conway tomorrow night so I'll look for you all there.
I used "quiescent" today! (But I had to look up how to spell it.),
Tom
----------Tom Howard
Little Rock, Arkansas
14,460 / 50,000
Nov 9, 2009 - 13 19
I had planned on being at the write-in this evening, but I have come down with a stomach virus which I'm sure no one wants me to share. I'll keep plugging along here as soon as I am over this crud.
Dawn/Sgionacth
P.S. I still haven't worked a penquin into my story, but I will see what I can do before I reach the end. LOL
----------Sgionacth
18,429 / 50,000
Nov 10, 2009 - 09 20
I've had a non-nano project taking up my writing time. Unfortunately, it has a deadline on it for the 15th, so there's no avoiding. I have to have 8K added and the whole mess cleaned up in under a week. Oy.
What little time I've had on my nano has been productive. I've actually evolved a new methodology which not only helps with my word count, it keeps my internal editor in line and gives me a more finished product at the end. I'm very fond of this because it means I have less work to do after the rough draft, and i can get it to the editor faster. if I'm goin to write 3 full-lengths and 3 novella-lengths a year (my goal) then this will be a very important step for me.
Well, for me, Nano has always been less about numbers and more about learning what I am capable of doing.
(But I'm totally counting the new 8K I'm putting in on IHW)
----------Voirey Linger ~ http://www.voireylinger.com | Romance Divas ~ http://www.romancedivas.com
43,861 / 50,000
Nov 10, 2009 - 17 50
Wait, it DID kill the main character! **Cue the dramatic and sad music** Luckily, he seems to be on a first name basis with the God of the Dead, so everything worked out fine.
----------2009 - The Great Conflagration
"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination." - John Lennon
O o
/¯/___________________________
| BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH
\_\¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯