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jackI've had mixed success. I've done about seven days' quota of writing, in about twelve days. Which is about what I expected, as I admitted I wanted to write in what spare time I had, rather than to rearrange my life to make enough time to do it properly. I intended to write two or more different short stories if I could manage it, rather than a novel, even though that's not really the aim of nanowrimo.
On the first night I made two false starts on the stories I intended to write, and then started over on a sequel to "How the Kitten Became", which is always the sort of tone I can best actually keep up and make successful. This one is still only about half-way through, so will be a big chunk when I reach the end. I hope I don't end up wanting to cut things from it! (Though that's a bad thing to think.)
Unfortunately, I haven't fallen behind by writing short on some days, but by being seized with a crisis of confidence completely for several days.
On studying my pattern, I can write 1k words or so in an hour in this story, as its a canon most amenable to not needing planning, if I've had some downtime beforehand for my subconscious to churn up ideas. So the best way to work would be to write for an hour, then do something else, then come back.
I've been ploughing ahead successfully, but had to admit that when I recall the other similar stories, they really came to life on a second pass, when in many paragraphs, knowing what was happening, I reworked to add in a twinkly-eyed sense of irony :)
Downtime recharge, however, can apply to multiple stories, I can write for longer if I switch to something else (or perhaps, a different point in a longer narrative). In the middle, I started a beginning of another piece of fantasy smut, which I always want to write, to see if it came off well this time.
On the first night I made two false starts on the stories I intended to write, and then started over on a sequel to "How the Kitten Became", which is always the sort of tone I can best actually keep up and make successful. This one is still only about half-way through, so will be a big chunk when I reach the end. I hope I don't end up wanting to cut things from it! (Though that's a bad thing to think.)
Unfortunately, I haven't fallen behind by writing short on some days, but by being seized with a crisis of confidence completely for several days.
On studying my pattern, I can write 1k words or so in an hour in this story, as its a canon most amenable to not needing planning, if I've had some downtime beforehand for my subconscious to churn up ideas. So the best way to work would be to write for an hour, then do something else, then come back.
I've been ploughing ahead successfully, but had to admit that when I recall the other similar stories, they really came to life on a second pass, when in many paragraphs, knowing what was happening, I reworked to add in a twinkly-eyed sense of irony :)
Downtime recharge, however, can apply to multiple stories, I can write for longer if I switch to something else (or perhaps, a different point in a longer narrative). In the middle, I started a beginning of another piece of fantasy smut, which I always want to write, to see if it came off well this time.
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Date: 2008-11-12 06:38 pm (UTC)Do stick it out and make it to the end, because it's very much worth it.
Are you getting the pep talks? This year's say basically that but in more encouraging terms, and there was a superb one from Neil Gaiman last year on a similar theme.
It's good that you can recognise the value of getting the first draft down and know that it can be spiced up and brought to life on a second pass. Keep remembering that.
Keep on plugging away at it! :)
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Date: 2008-11-12 08:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-12 11:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-13 12:20 pm (UTC)Seriously though, it sounds like you're doing well. *hugs*