After my first week of attempted novel-writing, I suspect I am in the same position as many first-time Wrimos—panicking!
My most profound lessons thus far…
- Try not to get behind.
- If you get behind, try not to get any further behind.
- If all all possible, catch up!
I can’t speak for others, but I am finding 1667 words per day a challenge. It takes me a few hours to get there, and the sense of being behind—by even one day—makes the task even more daunting. If you write slowly (as I do), 1667*2 is a very big number. I fell behind Sunday and I have not quite caught up (only a few hundred words behind target though).
Interesting (or not) observations…
I’d started working through Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way before NaNoWriMo. Synchronicity is at work and many of her tools, concepts, and ideas have helped with this novel-writing exercise.
- One of the regular tools in the book is Morning Pages, three hand-written pages of stream of consciousness writing first thing in the morning. I’ve noticed a shift from filling up the pages with whatever crap falls out of my head to using the pages as a way to process what might happen next in my novel.
- One key concept that I have found eases my writing is a mental shift from “thinking something up” to “just getting it down.” Listening to whatever might come and recording it rather than straining to create something from nothing.
- A related concept: Trusting that the words will come. Saying to the universe: “You take care of quality, I’ll take care of the quantity!” In other words, get your butt in the chair and fingers on the keyboard and something will manifest. Mostly this has worked for me, and I’ve found some interesting characters and plot points as a result. However, I think I’ve hit my limit on what I can do with my very sketchy plot idea. I feel like the context is set but the real story has not yet started. It’s time to map out a little more of an outline so I know what scenes to tackle next.
My two new favorite affirmations…
- I am an endless source of creativity!
- I write with ease, joy, focus, and flow!
Feel free to use with reckless abandon. 🙂
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Stats
Target word count end of Day 8: 13,336
Actual word count end of Day 8: 12,615
***
Happy writing, Wrimos!
Karin S. Wiberg 
Good luck. All good lessons. I have been terrible this week – just busy and overwrought, and I have certain obligations this weekend re dVerse which I am looking forward to, but will eat into time – but then will hunker down. Keep up with it! The main thing is just keep going. k.
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Thanks for the encouragement, k!!! I hit a rough spot this week, but I think I’m on the uptick. Hope you are plugging away… 🙂
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I sort of am. I was quite busy with dVerse and it is very hard for me to give up the fun and encouragement of a daily blog, frankly. Plus I am beyond the bend at work! But I am writing it in my notebook. Not sure how I’ll get it all typed but I just don’t seem to be able to work on it on a computer. k.
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Oh, I don’t know how you do it, k! My handwriting is so bad, it would be nearly impossible to transfer it. 🙂 Hope you’re hanging in there–week 2 has been tough for me!
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It will be impossible for me to transfer it, I fear, but I don’t have the will to do it on the computer, and honestly for something like this, I think I write much more interestingly by hand. I have done nanowrimo a few times before so just being able to complete it is not such a big deal for me, but I am fearful of the re-typing. I’m actually contemplating a speaking program in which I read it aloud if I can, because it will be a ton to type and I will have a hard time with my poor vision. k.
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Go girl!! I’m writing vicariously through you. Don’t respond to this comment. Just write, write some more, then start over.
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🙂
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As we’ve been doing our ‘Three Act Structure’ class it has helped to have framework to establish a story on. But regardless of the foundation one has to build on the hard work still has to be done – butt in the chair and keep the fingers moving. One of my mantras every day has become, “Success is a small step taken now!”
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I just hit 20k words–in many small steps. I’ve taken to “rewarding” myself (check the news, get some coffee, swiffer the floor) after every 500 words or so. 🙂
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Relax and write. All of us tell stories whenever we socialise. Let the walls you think surround you melt away, then let the story flow.
Best wishes!
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Thanks, Nelle! I appreciate the encouragement–and today I really need it! Aack!
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