Monday, October 24, 2011

Back to Reality

Doesn't it always feel like Monday sucks all the joy from the weekend out with reminders of bills that need to be paid, laundry that needs to be folded, and cleaning that needs to get done? Unless of course you work all weekend and Monday is your Saturday, in which case Wednesday is the vampire-like sucking culprit.

My weekend wasn't too bad. My dad came into to town for a couple days. Visits from family and friends always gets my butt into gear for cleaning, and that was the case last week. My house was pretty much emaculate, of course this will last all of one more day before my kids get into destruction mode again. I also got some outlining done! Look at me being all productive and organized. Being a pantser, it was hard to get it into my head that I can't just wing it this time around. Normally I would start working on a scene I felt most passionate about, whether it was I the beginning middle or end, it did not matter. This makes the editing process a big old B-word. Why? Well here's a taste of what I usually go through:
*Humming along into the magical world of edits* ( I like editing, so sue me). *Pauses when she stumbles upon a scene that just doesn't make sense* "Hmmmm...this isn't supposed to happen for another hundred pages. Oh well, I'll just copy and paste it where it belongs."

This is a sample of what happens CONSTANTLY. I try and write a scene out where I think it belongs, but it doesn't always work out. And the copy and pasting thing is so tedious and boring, it takes away any real useful time for actual edits. By time I get everything in the right and proper place I have no energy left for the good stuff. I promised myself it's not going to happen this time around. I want to start at the beginning and make my way to the end in a timely and efficient manner. But it's scary. What if I get to a scene I have no desire to write out? A scene I have yet to figure into the story? That's why I'll have my handy dandy notebook. Seriously, it's quite helpful to write out certain scenes in a notebook that are gnawing away at you and type them in when you get to the right place. I have several notebooks laying around my house in case of inspiration, and I stand by this method of writing. I wrote my first attempt at a novel in a notebook, for some reason I find it more...romantic, perhaps? To write by hand than type everything out in front of a cold, hard machine. I don't have a laptop at the moment so it makes it difficult to write about anything and everything at somewhere other than my cave-like basement. I have mused over pulling out the desktop from the wall and carrying it around, but that might look a little odd to some. Anyway, that's what my plans are for NaNo. I have an outline, I know what my goals are, and in a week and one day I'll attempt my grown-up version of writing. Hope all of you are figuring out your own methods in surviving November. Good luck!

7 comments:

  1. A cave-like basement sounds very peaceful. I can hear sirens from the highway and some teenager with his bass blaring in here. I did a bit of outlining myself for NaNo, but I can only do so much. I know the general story. The rest will take care of itself! *knocks on wood*

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  2. Hee - I'm a pantser at heart too, but I've learned to become a plotter. And it helps. Good luck with the writing!

    PS - saw your note on my blog. Sarah is down-to-earth and so nice and wonderful! She's moved into that top list for me too.

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  3. My plan is to not overthink it and just it flow... that's the idea anyway:):

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  4. First drafts are always going to be a little bit of a mess. That's what I tell myself, anyway. Hope Nano goes well for you. Be sure to update us as to your progress.

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  5. Good luck with NaNo, hope that outline turns into a fully fledged story! I agree with you about Mondays. I work from home - so in theory I could skip working on Mondays if I wanted - but they STILL suck!

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  6. Sounds like you're ready to go! Good luck and enjoy itt!

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  7. Christine: that sucks! In that case the basement does sound like heaven. If you can write with music on maybe using an mp3 player would help.

    Thanks for wishing me luck guys, I'm going to need it. But I am excited to start this project.

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