Lessons From NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month is over…and I neither wrote 50,000 words nor finished my story. However, the 30,000 words I did reach is nothing to sneeze at.

The following is a list of things I have learned while attempting this crazy endeavor.

1. There is no limit to how many “and”s one can write…just on how many one ought to use.
2. ‘Taint really a plot problem if you can work it in!
3. If your characters are crazy, there is really no need for their actions to make sense.
4. 12 pages with inspiration can be written in the same space of time as 2 without inspiration.
5. Contractions are for the other 11 months of the year.
6. It’s not cheating to count the scratched out words…according to the rules I shouldn’t have scratched them out in the first place.
7. I can do oddballs very well. The jury is still out on whether this is a good thing.
8. Look no farther than your family and friends for ideas on what the heck to write next.
9. Watching High School Musical  inspired me. Watching North and South did not. Go figure.
10. I apparently leave the sweet side of myself behind when writing.
11. It is necessary to keep ten identical pens in your room: nine to distract your cat and one for you.
12. The family deserves an early Christmas for putting up with me.
13. It’s the things you don’t remember writing that are the best.
14. Thumping one’s head will not produce ideas any faster. However, it will produce a headache.
15. Hot showers were made for working out plot problems.
16. You don’t have to win to win.
17. Peer pressure isn’t always a bad thing.

 

The Word Count: NaNo ‘09 Update 3

Hanging the word count has not effected the amount of words I have been writing. It has, however, changed the quality of my writing–for the better, Mom says and I agree. It has also changed my attitude towards NaNo: before when I was focused on making the word count, writing was a chore that I didn’t really want to do. Now that I’m focused on the words and what I write instead of how much I write, I am happy to be scribbling away…I want to be scribbling away. And oddly enough, I must be writing faster, because I see a whole lot more of my family these days!

So, the word count stands at 14,243. That is where it should be after 8 and a half days of writing (I don’t write on Sundays).

Here’s to only counting pages and having a blast!!!

 

 

On Handwriting

When I write creatively, I write long hand via pen and paper. I’ve done this for so long I mostly forget there  are other ways. It often causes quite a bit of confusion among my writing friends when I start jabbering away about pages, Paperblanks, what a hassle it is to count words and such like. I guess that despite hand-writing being historically the most common method of recording words, it is a minority these days? Last night, fellow NarniaWebber stargazer asked me the following question:

Avra, I gather you’re writing your novel longhand? Very impressive! How do you manage to avoid writer’s cramp?

I thought this Q & A would make a good blog post, so:

There are a few methods I use to deal with writer’s cramp:
a) Complain and push through it.
b) Complain and take a break.
c) Get so excited that I don’t even notice…until inspiration runs out and then I really notice.
Seriously though, your hand is just like any other muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes and the more it can do.
My greatest trouble with hand-writing is actually my kitten taking off with my pen…in fact she has it right now.
Well, I better get off here and go write: one more page and I’ll have met my goal for the day! First I’d better go rescue my pen…

I would add for here that handwriting is slower, but this is what I like about it. It forces you to slow down and consider each word as it crosses from brain to hand to page. The movement of the hand writing one word becomes that of the mind forming the next one…I may be sounding a little wierd here, but it really is a neat thing. Not, of course, that there isn’t value and a rhythm that comes from typing in a computer; I believe that everyone who writes should find their own pace and rhythm. For me, that rhythm is conected with the physical act of writing out each word. (Also, nothing can beat the smell and feel of acid free, sustainable forest paper. Never underestimate the value of the eco-friendly.)

It suddenly strikes me that this is all pretty funny, considering that I typed these words about the value of hand-writing!

 

NaNo ‘09: Update 2

3,535 as of last night. Slow and steady might just make the race yet!

These last two days have proven that 10 pages equals about 1,667 words, which is the minimum I can do and still make 50,000 words in 30 days. (Well, actually it is 1,666. a very long stream of 6’s. But I don’t think leaving .3 off a word will be very good for my already stretched sanity.)

The day before yesterday I was just overwhelmed. Yesterday I was fixated on the word count. Today I’m going to just write, and enjoy writing. I’ll try to make sure I do about 10 pages, but let the word count be hanged! Until tonight, that is.

In other news, I’m going to Ivy Tech tomorrow to met my instructor and be shown the lay-out of the place. I’m really rather excited!

 

Lessons Learned From My First Full Day of NaNo

1. Despite what one might have thought, you do not have to breathe to write. (I’m at the stage of flu recovery when everything is dripping and/or completely stuffed up.)
2. If you are me and frustrated, for goodness sake, take a break! More words and better will be written in the long run that way.
3. Changing a character’s name mid-page is really confusing.
4.  DO NOT use the Paperblank journal if you feel the need to hear paper rip.
5. Counting words can lead to counting all sorts of other things.
6. Unfortunately for the word count, “into” and “upon” are each only one word. 
7. Mothers are the greatest.
8. Dads are pretty great, too.
9. So are patient brothers who let you take over the computer to update your word count.
10. There is no limit to how many times a day a person can say “word count”.
11. Even in a “month of literary abandon”, one cannot escape mathematics.

 

Oh, and I’m at 1,300 words or something. Just a few more and I’ll make my wordcount for the day. Now to make up yesterday’s…

 

NaNo ‘09: Update One

Yesterday began National Novel Writing Month.

I reached 1,500 words.

However, I only am using 908 of those. The other 600 made up a false start that I just couldn’t continue. If I tweak it around, though, that false start may work pretty well later on…but despite the “anything goes” attitude we’re supposed to have, I still have a firm conviction that quality should come before quantity. Now that I have a firm start, though, I should be able to make up my wordcount today.

 

 

Bits and Pieces From My Writing Journal

One of the best ideas I’ve had is to set aside a notebook for thoughts about writing, working out plots, story summaries, and the like. The following is some of the more…coherent bits of it.

A rant against literary “heroes” considering themselves above the commoners and real life people who consider themselves “above” the average folk: 

I prefer to have my heroes look out for and respect the average Joe Blow and Sally Simple; and to respect them for their simplicity and ordinariness…for your heroes to consider themselves above the affairs of the “common” folk–isn’t that to consider themselves above a hero’s function? God gave us great people to inspire us, not to ignore us. What is that verse in the Bible (Jeremiah, I think?) about the shepherds neglecting the flocks? In the Bible’s terms, that’s bad news. And not just for the flocks…

Elitist thinking is dangerous, especially when the person thinking that way isn’t aware of the nature of their thoughts. Wars have been fought, atrocities committed when people adopt a sneering approach to those who know less than themselves. Ordinary people can be boring, dull, narrow–but people who think this way tend to ignore the beauty of the everyday. They ignore all the wonderful things out of the dull, ordinary world. As I’ve said before: the simple and ignorant often do not lack for Christian charity or wisdom.

At one point, I decided to tally up all my story ideas and decide which I should concentrate on. This was the result. I laughed myself silly when I re-read it.

Story A–other world; lots of words, multiple middles; in serious need of hammering into shape…assuming I can ever decide what that “shape” should be. Great. <am I trying to make myself go crazy? This story makes my yarn balls look neat.

And no, I am NOT posting a picture of my yarn. I do have some self respect.

Story B– modern world. Toss out everything after chapter 5 and go for it! Oh wait, this is the story I can only write when I’m curled up in front of the wood stove in the winter time. That is REALLY wierd. Seems to be working, though. [This is the second story I referenced in my very first blog post.]

Story C- Love this story! It has been in so many different shapes and worlds; the main characters are absolutely certifiable…I love it! [This is what I will be writing for the National Novel Writers Month in November]

Story D–Revolves around a farmers’ market. 6 different versions of the same first page, one half sketched exact middle and one clear end. Typical.

E: Intended book of short stories–Short stories for children based (loosely or not) on my more interesting dreams. Three started, three finished. Got to love that trend!

Scraps ‘O Stories–about 8 to 10 story ideas, some of which could fit rather neatly in other stories. As for the rest…just ideas! Don’t even think about starting any. Try finishing something else first! <Try listening to yourself and you might be surprised by your own wisdom.

Some brief thoughts of mine on fan fiction:

In some respects, it is what good fiction writing is for: to allow the reader to step into the characters’ shoes, to make a situation real enough to be lived in. Good story telling always relies somewhat on the story listener.

And yet.

Good stories should fire the reader’s imaginations with stories of their own. Most likely, probably, we will never be as good as those who inspire us. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try.

Already created characters and circumstances do allow for some powerful introspective pieces of writing. After reading a lot of different kinds of fan fiction this summer, about the only kind I read any more are Star Wars ones that are introspective and deal with Luke or Vader.

Praising Paperblanks:

Paperblanks are the best! They have pretty covers, are hard back, have book marks, come in all different sizes and have a cool momento pouch that is just great for storing sticky notes in. And, they are printed on acid free, sustainable forest paper; which is a bonus. Though, they are just a tad expensive.

The disjointed bits:

When all you do is watch from the shadows, it can be very easy to lose perspective on life. You begin to see the world in black and white outlines, forgetting the glory of the colors that fill in the lines.

On a 8.5 inch by 6.5 page, I usually write 170 words.

Am I a writer of words or a teller of stories?

Well, there you are: a look inside my head. I won’t take it personally if you run away pretty darn quick.

 

Writing Woes and Notebook Needs

It was rather funny. At least, that was what my very vocal wit was saying; the rest of me wasn’t so sure. Every other occupant of the room, if put to the question, would probably have agreed with my afore-said wit. Then again, they weren’t the one who was stuck in the cycle of getting up, crossing the house, unearthing a new notebook, sitting back down, and deciding that one wouldn’t do either.

Creative/story writing is difficult for me to do on a computer. I get distracted (particularly by the internet button) and also the smell and feel of paper keeps my imagination churning in a way a screen and keyboard can’t. Hand writing does tend to scatter more easily than files on a computer, though, so I have come up with a system of writing: Sticky notes are for quick scribbles; things that pop in my head without warning and must be written down before they are forgotten. Spiral bound or plain covered notebooks are for scraps of stories: generally chapter long segments that haven’t found their place in a plot…yet…or ever. And Paperblanks and journals with nice covers, those are saved for stories I’m serious about.

So, back to my notebooks woes of yesterday afternoon: I had a scrap of a story. Like the good, organized gal I am, I fetched my Scraps O’ Stories Notebook and sat down. A blank page was found and I got settled down to aquire a hand-cramp…when I stopped. I realized that this was a scrap I wanted to keep track of and continue; and admittedly, that is somewhat difficult in Scraps O’ Stories. Not a problem. I’d get a blank notebook. Problem: I’m out of those. Also not a problem–I got up from the couch and got out a notebook that had been used for a story I haven’t worked on in a while. I was back on the couch before I realized that a) I liked the story in this notebook, b) I’d already written about 30 pages and c) I didn’t really want to copy all those 30 pages into a new notebook just so I could have a free notebook. So I put it back and dug out another. This one was empty, all except for the title page. This one would work. But that title page was just so cute and besides, it matched the cover so well…

This process was repeated twice more. By the time I decided to put this in Scraps O’ Stories and just deal with it, not only had the writing mood passed me by, it was time to start the kitchen.

I need a new notebook. No, I need several  new notebooks. A stock pile would be ideal.

 

By the way, I’m not really very organized.

 

Really Random Thoughts on Writing and Stories

All I can say for the following is the title really fits it. Sorry about all the quotation and question marks.

Recently I’ve had a bit of what is what is commonly called “Writer’s Block”.

One thing that is most certainly not lacking in the various writing communities of today are ideas on how to defeat this “illness” (most harp on the theme of “Keep plodding away at it”). So when I got a touch of WB, I started to go through the list of medicines prescribed. Then something very dangerous happened: I got to thinking.

Is writer’s block really an “illness”? We Americans – and most of the Americanized (or modernized, take your pick) world are fairly quick to label something undesirable a disease, whether it be one or no. Is this because it is easier to “give” somebody something for any thing that ails them than it is to fix it? [Example: your children are rowdy, "dose"  them with electronics.]

So, back to my original ruminating, is writer’s block an illness? Is it something to be cured and driven away? Is it possible that it could be your brain’s way of telling you something?

We live at a fast pace of life; high speed means everything. I’ve seen this fast pace apply even to writing. There are many different contests to see how much writing you can get done in a short amount of time. The trend seems to be: more!  faster! Could our brains politely be telling us to slow down, and when we ignore that, they force us to by simply shutting down?

Remember the warning God gave Israel in Jeremiah?  They wouldn’t give the land a proper Sabbath for so long that God had to interfere and give the land it’s rest by sending the Israelites into Exile. I think we, authors and aspiring authors tend to forget that our minds need a break, just like the rest of creation.

So when I had a bout of writer’s block, I decided to let it run its course. More importantly, and therefore more difficult, I would not feel guilty about it, period.I would relax and focus on the areas of my life that had been put on the back burner…i.e. spring cleaning and studying to take my learners permit. That was two and a half weeks ago. The first week I didn’t so much as set pen to paper. I spring-cleaned, read books, watched movies, spring-cleaned. Not feeling guilty wasn’t as hard as I had thought. By the second week I began, of all things, to think about philosphies of writing, other people’s stories, made up a few skits with no beginning, no end and no plot, bought myself a new PaperBlanks notebook [er, OK, Mom bought it], wrote drabbles #6 & #7 and bits of songs for my main story. Also, an idea or two bbegan to simmer about my main story and other writing project (a book of short stories for children).

Today I wrote a good bit on my main story, some more on the songs and am now writing a whooping big blog post. The result of letting letting writer’s block run it’s course? For me, exictment about my stories and the art of storytelling.

I’d like to close with an observation: with all this focus on speed, “Find your own pace and style” seems to be in danger of being forgotten advice. One author may complete his work quickly, another may go slower, needing to ruminate more. Most probably do a bit of both. But that’s the writing of a story. What really matters is the story and the storytelling.

 

What Do I Want To Write?

Reposted from a NarniaWeb discussion.  Another member was asking what people would like to say with their writing and the following is my response.

Well, JacobPotts, you have got me thinking.  As you posed a serious question, I shall try to give a serious answer.

What do I want to write? Well, fiction, mostly–good fiction, mind you. I would really, really rather not write a paper-waster (not just a metaphor, I write mostly by hand, pen and paper).

I firmly believe that all good stories, no matter who they’re written by, are good because they reflect the True Story: the Lord’s story. So, while I might never tap into the genre called “Christian Fiction”, it is an unspoken (well, not so unspoken now) condition that my fiction must be Christian in it’s values, it’s outlook, and it’s content. If God says that it is wrong for me to do something, then it is wrong for me to write about it in a way that implies that the thing is good. In other, briefer words, I am obligated to reflect the Truth in the best way that I can.

Worldview aside, what do I want to write about? Comedy is what I find myself writing most of the time. I love to take an everyday situation (i.e. breaking a bookcase) and tell it so that it is fresh and hysterically funny.

 

What do I want my stories to be about? In a word or three: Hope and Joy. It seems that most modern authors are going darker in the stories they tell. (Don’t get me wrong, some of my favorite stories have elements of darkness in them, but all of them are about the light triumping over the darkness.)

But I like to show that where ever God is, there is light, laughter, love, beauty, happiness, forgiveness, kindness; there is hope and there is joy.

On request of my fingers and my belated chores, I must now conclude my longest post ever.

 

March Writing Challenge

…there doesn’t appear to be one on my writing guild. However, a comment left by uninvoked gave me the idea to make my own March Challenge. I’ll be doing more drabbles this month, this time using words given out by family, friends and commenters (is that a word?) on this blog.
So far, here are my words:

uninvoked: elephant, toothpaste, tissue, labeler.—Check!

AS/Squeaky: honor, barn, bucket, stick.—Check!
Aunt kgh: scribble, mess, issues, dozen.—Check!
Mom/KMH: hoopla, fuzzy, bean, stool.
Dad: martial, temerity, parry, acute.
Anybody else got any crazy combinations?

 

A Dozen Things Learned From Drabbling

So what have I learned after the writing of four drabbles?

1. Never mind what kind writer I want to be, it’s becoming increasingly clear that if anything, I’ll be a comedic writer. Comedy, wordplay, wit, these are the things that spring to the front of my brain when I’m holding a pen. Granted, it may not always be good comedy, wordplay or wit. Sometimes it isn’t even coherent.

2. Don’t rush it. All of my good writing has a certain rhythm. Sometimes this rhythm comes on the first try, sometimes I have to wrestle the passage for days or even weeks before it shows its face. Either way, don’t let me consider anything finished that lacks this rhythm.

3. Real life isn’t a distraction, it’s an inspiration. I have to be reminded of this far to often and for that I apoligize.

4. 102 words are easier to reach than 100.

5. I’d rather replace an “And” with a semicolon than cut an adverb or adjective.

6. Similiarly, semicolons are GREAT!

7. Slightly hassled characters come to mind first. No psycho-analyzing, please!

8. Names are such fun to come up with. Wait–I already knew this. 

9. Dialogue is easy for me to do…not to mention fun.

10.Linking scenes and ideas is what gives me the most trouble.

11. Family members will consistently call drabbles “dribbles”.

12.Sleep isn’t nessecary.