So here I am, throwing in my WiP towel.
I vowed February would be a writing month. I spent December and January editing, and everyone knows what kind of Edit Brain you get when you spend that much time to perfect something you can't see, don't know quite what to do with, etc. Yeah, major case of Edit Brain (I totally stole that term from Lisa and Laura on the QT forum. Gotta give the creds to them).
So February was writing month. No. Matter. What.
I started a novel during NaNo. It's sitting at 77,000 words right now--already 15,ooo over what I wanted. I knew I needed to change a lot before I could write more. But February is writing month, I said to myself. So this is what I wrote.
[NEED CLIMAX]
[WRITE ENDING]
Then I highlighted those words in yellow and...stared at the blank computer screen. Hey, I got in four words, right?
So I wrote a short story. Then I decided that my NaNo novel voices just weren't ready to talk yet. Luckily, a couple other voices were drowning them out.
I got out a notebook, one of those 6-inch by 9-inch jobbies. I love them because they fit in my purse. I decorated the cover with some fancy paper and ribbon (cuz I'm just that crafty--and I have major distraction issues. Don't worry, I'm in therapy) and bought a box of my favorite pens. The pen has to be blue. And thick, none of this fine tip garbage for me.And I wrote.
I love writing by hand. It feels so free. I don't have to worry about word counts. If I write one sentence, the little box next to "writing" gets checked off. I don't have to be perfect. I don't have to know what comes next. I can just breathe, relax, and write.
So that's what I've been doing. I almost have the entire 100-page notebook filled. Both sides. I'm happy to say that I might, just might, be able to finish this book. That sounds weird, but usually, I get stuck at the end. (Freak, beginnings and middles are sometimes sticky, too.) But since I've been writing so slow, I can see further ahead. I think I know what the climax will be already.
If only I could figure out who the "real" bad guy is. It keeps shifting. But that's another post for another day.
Where are you in your WiP? And it doesn't have to be writing. One of my bestest friends is almost done with the remodel on her house. That's her WiP.
11 comments:
I'm glad to hear the writing by hand approach worked for you! Sounds like a good idea to have a notebook you can take anywhere.
Awesome post! I love writing by hand, too.
How lovely to have a whole notebook almost full. I would just be flipping through the pages all day, impressed by the productivity.
I'm not allowed to write again (maybe) till November because I'm such a procrastinating revisor. Reviser? I don't know.
Enjoyed reading your post. I'm going to try writing by hand and see how that goes and start a pretty notebook. My post is up now.
Funny you should ask. I just hit the wall in my WIP. Think I may need to skip this entire chapter, which sucketh big time.
*sigh* Why can't this be easy?
Keep writing.
I am so in awe of anyone who writes by hand and also crafts an awesome notebook for themselves as well! That is just too cool. Whenever I try that method I just get frustrated because the words come faster than I can scribble them down, and sometimes they slip away before I can get them down on paper the way I want.
I'm kind of with Kate. Since I can type much faster than I can write, writing by hand frustrates me sometimes (and gives my hand a cramp because it's trying to keep up with my brain). I do, however, enjoy writing by hand...but I am much more likely to do my non fiction stuff by hand than my fiction stuff. On that front, I am slowly filling a notebook with notes and outlines for my non fic book, so all goes well there :)
Edit brain is not a condition to be taken lightly. So glad you figured out the cure. We're going to have to remember that.
Thanks for the shout out!
Yep. I totally envy anyone who can write by hand. I cannot. I doodle too much.
Word Verification for today:
DREDISES: A disease in which a writer comes to dread editing their WIP. Or opening their notebook until it has been properly craftified. Or deciding who the "real" bad guy is. :D
You never cease to crack me up. You need to write a humorous chick lit story with your voice as the voice as the main character. Srsly.
And I'm so glad you're already in therapy. You had me worried for a minute. :D Good luck and good job on filling the notebook up. :)
Wow, you guys are awesome. Annie, I do find myself wasting, er, using my writing time just reading over what I've already written.
Robin, I'll check out your post.
Gretchen -- Is the word "easy" ever in the same sentence as the word "writer"? Hmm...maybe in my next life.
Kate, my notebook making abilities would astound even you. Not even kidding. ;)
Michelle, hand cramps are all part of the artistic suffering. Come on, girl!
Lisa and Laura, dudes, Edit Brain is also very contagious. Beware...
Carrie, my doodles end up looking like doo-doo. I am so not a doodler. Well, maybe in really long meetings.
Jenn, I totally should write a book like that! One problem: who would be the bad guy???
LOL! *sigh* I love blogging.
LOL -- I don't know how you write a novel without knowing who the bad guy is. That was my problem with my NaNo novel, and it was a BIIIIIIG problem...
I enjoyed your recent post where you went through the day trying to figure it out, btw...may you figure it out soon!
My word is wismsy -- it's what happens when you go at whimsy half-@$$ed.
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