Well..NaNo is officially over=(
But during that brief period, I was able to slap down my story, without fear of 'is it good enough?' and all that jazz...
Now, I'm finding that its harder to get through the rest of my story. I keep wanting to look at what I'm now writing, and see how bad it is (compared to a section I wrote not to long ago that I believe is good), and then stop for some reason, as if tomorrow I'll be magically better.
Should you keep the NaNo spirit throughout the year? What I want to do is throw down the story as I see fit, and then, when I FINALLY finish, go back to make it better.
What do y'all think?
----------
~Anna
NaNo Novel 2007:
A work in the Key of Fantasy WON!
Adopted: Kore-of-Myth (You can do it! xD)
60,054 / 50,000
Dic 1, 2007 - 12 58
Since this isn't really a fantasy-related topic, I'm going to shift this over to Life After NaNo. :)
----------Heather
Forums Moderator
60,232 / 50,000
Dic 1, 2007 - 13 23
But during that brief period, I was able to slap down my story, without fear of 'is it good enough?' and all that jazz...
Now, I'm finding that its harder to get through the rest of my story. I keep wanting to look at what I'm now writing, and see how bad it is (compared to a section I wrote not to long ago that I believe is good), and then stop for some reason, as if tomorrow I'll be magically better.
Should you keep the NaNo spirit throughout the year? What I want to do is throw down the story as I see fit, and then, when I FINALLY finish, go back to make it better.
What do y'all think?
----------
~Anna
NaNo Novel 2007:
A work in the Key of Fantasy WON!
I'd say yes, try to keep the NaNoWriMo spirit through the year. I have an inner editor (IE) that's screaming at me right now, but I'm going to try to keep her under control until the time comes to actually edit a story. This November has been the most productive I've had in years, and that's because I just wrote. I didn't allow my IE to stick her nose in and tell me to go back and fix such-and-so. I typed the words as they came to me and didn't look back, except to refresh my memory on some point or other or to remember where I'd left off last time.
If you need to, put yourself on a timer or something while writing and don't allow your IE to speak to you until later.
Good luck on your writing.
Amy
----------http://www.amypreed.com
2006 NaNo - A Werewolf at War Failed
2007 NaNo - Fallen Angels Won!
"If you study to remember, you will forget, but, if you study to understand, you will remember." Unknown
Amy
http://www.amypreed.com
2006 NaNo - A Werewolf at War Failed
2007 NaNo - Fallen Angels Won!
"If you study to remember, you will forget, but, if you study to understand, you will remember." Unknown
52,384 / 50,000
Dic 1, 2007 - 14 07
But during that brief period, I was able to slap down my story, without fear of 'is it good enough?' and all that jazz...
Now, I'm finding that its harder to get through the rest of my story. I keep wanting to look at what I'm now writing, and see how bad it is (compared to a section I wrote not to long ago that I believe is good), and then stop for some reason, as if tomorrow I'll be magically better.
I totally agree. I kept a great pace throughout NaNo, now I am paralyzed with fear that it sucks. I know it sucks, it's just the whole premise of allowing it to suck that helps, but what has changed from yesterday to today? Only my mindset. LOL
Alana
----------Author of Domestically Challenged
wordcount widgets
Alana
Author of Domestically Challenged
NaNo '07 - No title because my original one was lame - WINNER!
210,800 / 50,000
Dic 1, 2007 - 15 10
I think you should follow whatever method ensures that you don't stop writing. If that means not editing until you finish the entire work, then go for it!
I'll probably give my inner editor a little more free rein to go back and fix things up somewhat as I go along, but NaNo has certainly taught me that word wars against myself and minimum word count per day will help me motor out the words. Leaving rough sentences (or scenes) in square brackets to come back and fix later is perfectly acceptable if it means that you don't give up entirely or get bogged down for hours/days/months on an annoying scene.
The important thing is to keep writing :)
50,246 / 50,000
Dic 1, 2007 - 22 14
Just remember that it still IS your first draft. :) While you don't have to go all out crazy and ballsy like you would in nano, you should still simply write to get your first draft out.
Good luck!
----------I like Muse. I also like NNNNERDFIGHTERS!
50,093 / 50,000
Dic 1, 2007 - 23 57
I try to keep it through the year. I set a monthly goal of words to write every month (WriYe helps with this) and I do everything I can to try and reach it. Editing comes after the piece is done. First I write, then edit. If I get blocked I either edit tiny bots of that story or move on to another one for a time.
----------Want a year long NaNo? Try NaNoWriYe.
http://pro-board.com/index.php?proboard=nanowriye2008&act=home
53,058 / 50,000
Dic 2, 2007 - 11 59
All of the people that know about writing say not to edit as you write. The best thing to do is write it all out, then go back and edit later. Like people are saying, first draft. Editing is still bad as long as you're writing this one.
----------"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing noise they make as they pass by"
-Douglas Adams
53,215 / 50,000
Dic 3, 2007 - 00 44
I have given my nanowrimo novel to my Mom for editing and need to start the next novel. I want to finish this one in time for my one year anniversary at my job, 12/27. Getting started has me a little blocked, but it WILL happen tonight!!!
I cannot edit as I go along. I end up blocking things if I do that. This is the first year I have finished a novel and I am very pleased with my work. Now I just need to keep up the momentum.
eli
70,463 / 50,000
Dic 3, 2007 - 16 56
I started working on a different unfinished story for NaNoFiMo, and I've had to keep reminding myself to "Write like NaNo!"
Seems like it's harder because it's a story I've worked on and edited before, so The Editor already has a hold on it and keeps reminding me what my expectations are, etc. Plus, I feel like I've got more invested in it than I did in my NaNo story. I think I really need to keep in the NaNo spirit to get to the end, though, and then go back and fuss with the details.
50,344 / 50,000
Dic 3, 2007 - 22 54
Keeping the NaNo spirit would be helpful. I am going to try a Janowrimo since I will be out of town and out of state all month starting this Saturday.
I find that I've slowed down (more like quit cold turkey) on writing since I'm putting together a notebook for writing on the train. Since I don't want to risk my only notebook with all my plot points in there I'm making another one. This and yet more research is taking up the last of the month I could use to write.
On top of that I'm contemplating things like length for the industry and how I'm going to cope with that if I decide I want to try to get an agent and publisher for it. It's much longer than the standard, so now in the back of my mind I'll be writing mourning the bits that I'll later have to toss out. (I'm looking at either making this into two novels or cutting 40-50,000+ from the final draft.)
----------NaNo '06: Flowers Of Blood (police procedural): Winner
71,227 / 50,000
Dic 6, 2007 - 16 44
I say, keep the spirit alive! A first draft should always be written without that pesky inner editor/critic. Just get it out!!! Then you can do what needs to be done, whether going back to write the scene where you currently have "Insert awesome suspense scene where X happens to Y" or add depth to your characters, or kill them off! Muahahahaahahaha!!!!
I find it hard, though. I haven't worked on my Nanovel in a week and I need to finish it so I can move onto my next project.
I yearn for November's writing comfort!!!
----------Claire
Title: Zombies Ate My Neighbors (based on song by Single File)
It is impossible to discourage the real writers - they don't give a damn what you say, they're going to write. ~Sinclair Lewis