It's Wednesday again, and I made a bit more progress this week than last. Thanks to meeting up with Carolyn on Sunday (accountability partners are necessary for me, it seems), I wrote about 1,000 words on my WiP. I feel like I'm spinning my wheels, though. I feel like I'm just trying to write anything, which often happens during NaNoWriMo, and I don't think just writing anything is very productive for me. Well, sometimes it can be. Sometimes I don't figure out what needs to happen until after I've written it. But right now, I feel like by just putting word after word, I'm still procrastinating.
What I need to do is difficult for me. First, I need to take some TIME to stop and think and evaluate what is in my novel, to think about what the characters want, what is their motivation. I have been avoiding this thinking since I finished the read-through a few weeks ago. Thinking through the puzzling novel is hard! Writing more words is easy.
I am pretty sure I have one character down, but the others, I don't think I know them at all. I think if I took the time to know them, writing new scenes would be more productive. But I'm not very good on this time thing. Carolyn told me I just want everything to be easy, and I admit that's true. It's really easy to imagine myself changing overnight, suddenly possessing time management skills and accomplishing all on my plate. I always think, "Tomorrow will be the day. The magical day! Then I will really have the inspiration, and the drive, and everything will be done." It's easy to imagine but not so easy to DO. At least not for me. If there are any nonprocrastinators out there, you might be thinking, "Just freaking do what you say you're going to do! And if you're not going to do it, then stop talking about it!" I scream that to myself sometimes, too. Arghh!! My mind!
Anyway, so I need to take some time. And then I need to stay focused, and I need to have patience. I just want to rush through this novel. I want to decide what my characters are like, instead of really knowing them, and then I want to force everything to happen. Which leads to bad, boring writing. I know what not to do, but I still want to do it.
One thing I noticed on Sunday after my writing session was that it really wasn't that hard. It didn't kill me. I stalled a lot, but once I finally got started, it wasn't so bad. I won't say it was enjoyable, but I would've rather been writing than a lot of other things. It is crazy to me how easily I can forget about how things aren't the big deal I make them out to be. Does that ever happen to you? Do you ever need to constantly remind yourself about something, and as soon as you realize it again, you're like, "How did I ever forget that?" And then like 5 minutes later you forget about it again. This is why I like books on writing so much. A lot of them are similar, and many I've read multiple times, but I ALWAYS get an enormous amount of information and inspiration from them. It is like I need to wear headphones all the time, with writing book audio CDs playing in my mind, lest I forget: "Oh yeah, writing. There's something I like about it. There's Something About Writing." (Sorry, couldn't help it.)
So, I have to find the time, and then I have to get started. I feel like I cut back a bit on my tv-watching last week, and I know I reduced my Internet time. After keeping track of my hours, I realized I spend a lot of them out, running errands and going to stores in an inefficient manner. I also spend a lot of time on my freelancing job, which is necessary and not something I can give up. But I bet if I didn't come home from work most days and collapse unconscious on the bed, I'd have more time. Also if I removed sitting-around-and-staring-at-the-wall-and-deciding-what-to-do-next from my list, that would be good as well.
Three things to remove from my plate: stores, napping, and staring! Well, I'll reduce those activities, at least.
Can I keep rambling on? I have been getting more and more story ideas. I don't know if this is also procrastination or if my muse is trying to cheer me on. But, at least thinking about stuff to write isn't one of my problems. Hey! A problem I don't have!
Okay, I'll stop now. It's getting late. I'm going downstairs to get my notebook and do some writing before the day is done.
How was your week? And if you're interested in tracking your progress each Wednesday, you can learn more about it from Kate.
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11 comments:
progress can sometimes be really slow. I wrote my first novel - - - and it was REALLY BAD. So I rewrote it...and it was better.
Than I wrote a sequel (I like it...it's pretty good thanks to FABULOUS crit partners and sounding boards to help when I need to stew over plot elements)
While I have been fleshing out novel #2, I realized why novel #1 wasn't working - realized what needed to be fleshed out...
So, when I am finished with novel #2, I will rewrite novel #1 (AGAIN).
Now, I could be upset about this...but you know what? I'm not. I am so happy with where this is going, what I've learned and the way I changing the story that I can't help but be excited.
So, hang in there - give you stories the TIME they deserve, and it will all come together for you in time.
Hang in there gurl!!!
I am AWFUL at finding story ideas. So you're way ahead of me there!
I need to spend time with my characters, and when I do, I kind of fall in love with them. They become quite real to me. When I first wrote the NaNo novel, I felt sort of distant from them, but now that I'm slowly working my way back through (and I had to do some character worksheets to help me figure out who the heck they are), I'm feeling closer to them.
I do a lot of staring too. Mostly at the TV while it's on, but I'm not listening. I've had to set timers when I cook because I'm staring off into the great black abyss only I can see.
Ha ha!
Keep staring, I get some of my best ideas while staring.
Sounds like you are doing good. I cut out watching tv except for a couple show I dvr. I cut back on my internet time as of this week, because was spending way too much time online.
I'm back to working on Floating on the Surface and I love Samantha. She is such a neat character and just wants to take over the story. This time I'm letting her.
Ideas for stories. They just seem to pop up and I will run with it. I'm paying more attention to my imagination now, instead of letting tv do it for me.
I have to go to bed now, so have a wonderful day tomorrow. My post is up now as well.
It sounds like you're moving forward, at least!
I love Christine's advice, because I feel that to really write a novel, we have to distance ourselves from it at frequent intervals. For me, at least, that helps me think about it in the way I really need to. Like I'm not lost in the writing, but more focused on the story, if that makes sense.
You know how I feel about rushing. DON'T! Just slow down... live your life. Write. And take the time to think about your writing. Working like a machine won't leave you with the time to ponder and think about the things that will bring passion to your work. If that makes sense.
Well, there's thoughts by Glam. Not always incredibly helpful. And I need to follow my own advice. :)
I would email you more, but I've been... busy. Imagine that. We are crazy people!
Sometimes an idea itself can be a stall... I took a YEAR off my latest WIP because the idea that I had for my current chapter was too intimidating to attempt.
When I finally got to writing again, the work was still HARD for me, but I was able to pound out most of the chapter in one-month time.
Of course, at that rate I should be able to finish the book and the rewrites by 2029... Nevertheless, progress is progress. :D
I have lots of avoidance techniques to writing. Like putting the washing out, cleaning the rabbit cage, even ironing! All to avoid sitting writing at least a 1000 words in session. Now I have decided to sit straight at the computer as soon as I have dropped the kids off and write 1000 words before I can move. I get it done a lot quicker now and then have time to go back over it. I don't write a lot about my writing on my blog, but I have loved coming over here and reading about yours. Really great blog, hope you don't mind if I pop back.
I completely agree. Time spent thinking about the book is just as important as time spent writing it. Having a clear vision will save you plenty of work hours later, even if it's slow going in the beginning. Sometimes we get caught up in our own writing momentum to see that we have veered off track. Good luck!
Christine- Wow, writing the same novel three times. That's determination! You're right, it does seem like the process takes forever, but if it makes the writing better, who cares?
Carolyn- Glad to hear the NaNo novel is getting better. You know, I don't know if I've ever fallen in love with one of my characters. I guess that's a sign. Hey, do you have those character worksheets on your Archetype Writing Blog?
Elana- That is funny about timers and cooking--not because you're timing the food but yourself! Yeah, staring's a pretty big habit I might not be able to quit.
Robin- That is great to hear about your character Samantha, and it makes me want to let my characters take over, to know them like that.
Once I start getting ideas, they keep on coming. I should probably run with them as long as they last.
Glam- You make perfect sense! I love NaNoWriMo, and I probably will do it every year, but it is that machine-like "gotta pound out the words" mentality that I think has sort of stopped me in my tracks. I have 5 novel drafts, but I wrote them all so quickly that I don't even really know what they're about. You know the Slow Food movement? Maybe I need to join the Slow Writing movement.
Marty- Your constant determination is so inspiring! And, a year sounds like a long time for a break, but if it made it better in the end, seems like it was worth it. Yes, progress is progress! I forget that a lot.
Scrap girl- Thanks for visiting! And thanks for the compliments, and please stop by whenever you like. I popped over and checked out your bio--I love England! I was able to live in Bath for a semester. And, I'm a twin too, though I have a brother.
Ha, I avoid writing with chores, too. Yesterday I cleaned the whole downstairs instead of sitting at my desk. I like your strategy of no moving till writing happens. I'll give it a try, though probably not with wordcount. Maybe with just a feeling inside that I gave it a fair go for the day.
Davin- Yes, writing momentum makes me feel like I'm getting something done. But, I have lacked a clear vision for all my novels, and it's showing now. Time to sit and think!
Woops, I'm a bit late on commenting - must have missed this one somehow.
Anyway, try not beating yourself up too much over what you are and are not getting done. And like everyone else has said - sometimes the internal thinking process can be just as important as the actual writing.
Kate- Hey, I forgot to comment on your blog too. No worries!
Yes, I do need to stop beating myself up for doing or not doing things. I get paranoid that I'm getting too down on myself in my blog.
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