Novel Struggles

Self-Defeating Behaviors

Haven't heard from me in a while. I have lots of excuses but not nearly enough to cover the vast gap of time since I've posted or written.

Just what WAS my novel about? I actually remember.

And since I have humiliated myself in public over my novel struggles and little progress, I'm taking an on-line course at WritersU on "Overcoming Self-Defeating Behaviors." First lecture is very good. Just what I need!

To start, we're supposed to look around our desks and get rid of the clutter, something Margie Lawson, the teacher calls "Dung Shui." If you're interested, you can probably still sign up here.
It's WriterU at Yahoo Groups. Looks like a great group of serious writers.

Slow Down -- and Speed Up!

Is there a way to balance productivity and quality? When I read what I've written so far, it has a hurried quality to it. (Like all my blog posts.) I have a lot to do. I must hurry. Faster, faster, faster.

While that is all true (and I feel like a first draft is good enough for a blog post because that's all I have time for), I'm making a mistake with my novel. I may not have time right this minute while I'm working on my novel to churn out a chapter, I do have time to truly get into the scene and the character. Walter Wetherell (W. D. Wetherell) once told me to spend more time in my scenes and not hurry on so much. That's exactly what I'm not doing.

It's harder to add in things later. It's easier to cut than to add. I need to slow down. Not spend less time, not produce fewer pages. I need to slow down while I'm writing. I might be in a hurry because time is so precious, but the words are even more so. If it takes me several months longer to get my first draft completed, that's okay.

So, having decided that I need to slow down, what have I done? Why, signed up for Nanowrimo, which starts Thursday.

I feel like I've decided to slow down -- and speed up. That makes no sense. So how I'm trying to use it is to slow down because I'm going to spend more time working, which will coincidentally result in 50,000 words by November 30. If I feel I am killing myself or my novel, I am allowed to jump ship but not allowed to stop writing.  Anybody else done it or going to do it?

Those Other Ideas for Writing Projects

Why is it that when you are writing one WIP, you get a great idea for another WIP? Multiple projects are not the answer to completing the first thing you set out to do. I do know this. I really do.

So what to do with the other idea?  Make a note. If ideas keep coming, make a notebook. Save it for later.

Why does the brain work like this? You say, "Pay attention and write about this person and situation." And suddenly your brain says, like a trick dog that's been cooped up too long, Is that all you want? Look at all the other things I can do. And then, while it's showing you how it can count to three with its paws and fish the dog biscuit out from under the sofa, it has distracted you from the fact that neither you nor your brain have a great deal of confidence in your current WIP and are about to abort and go to another planet.

NO, brain, no. Sit, brain, sit.

So it sat for me this morning. And we're still going, my pea-brain and I. I will respect all those fun and distracting ideas, keep them documented, and keep going.

Good brain! Have a brownie.