I just received a facebook message from NaNoWriMo, letting me know that it is only 98 days left until NaNo begins!! 98 days?! We are down to double digits? How can that be? I still haven't done my outline... still procrastinating. What's the phrase? Failing to plan is planning to fail. I had better snap out of it or I won't be participating this year. And I feel as though I MUST participate. I talked people into doing it with me!
On the other hand.... I went to a lovely quiet dinner with my husband early this week (no kids). I told him the story as I have it outlined already. He was shocked at how thought out the story is already. I'm sort of stuck on a path though. I know where it starts, and I know where I want it to end. I have several dotted lines that connect them, but the big black line, the reason for the story, the direction, is still pretty grey. DH did give me some good ideas though and when I have a quiet minute to myself I'll try to figure out what to do with those ideas. Sometime when I don't have kids who want something, or chores and a job to do (usually the only time like this I have is in the shower or the car, but this last week has been so hectic that I can't even say that time was used wisely).
It's a good thing no one reads this blog. I might have to squeeze out more time to get myself motivated!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Preparation and Snowflake
Even with all this time to prepare for NaNo and start getting my outline in order I find myself procrastinating. What the heck? I have already failed at this challenge twice, am I trying to set myself up to fail again? Sort of feels like it.
I sat myself down to work on an outline several times now. I either get distracted (oh! Shiny!!), or flustered (it doesn't have to be in order right now!). Distracted is easy to understand. I have a houseful of kids, pets, and friends. I have a full time job and a full time hobby (not writing). There is a lot to do and many places to go. Flustered is less understandable to me. This is MY story. I can write whatever I want to.
Anyway, I think right now I am just going to do some scene mapping. I have scenes written and named in my head. My current goal, which will take some effort, is to name ALL the scenes, and get them in order. That should suffice as a basic outline.
SNOWFLAKE
I signed up for an e-newsletter more than a year ago. It's about writing/publishing (more publishing than writing I'm afraid, but that must be what most of his readers are looking for) and I enjoy reading it each month. The author, Randy Ingernamson, invented a tool to help writers. He also wrote the book Writing Fiction for Dummies (I wonder if it is for Dummies writing fiction, or for someone to write fiction specifically for dummies to read). The software is called Snowflake Pro. From what I can gather he says that writing is like building all the little triangles that go together to form a snowflake. His program helps you to define your characters and to put together your scene list (which is where I got the idea). There is a lot more to his program than just that, but the website show those specific examples. He gives tips on basic structure as well (3 Act Structure, etc). I'd really like to buy the program, but I'm not ready to spend $100 on this little adventure. I think that might be the reward I work for. If I actually *WIN* NaNoWriMo this year, I'll splurge on the program. I know it sounds back asswards to write the book and then buy software to help me write a book. But if I actually finish, I'm going to want to write another one.
I sat myself down to work on an outline several times now. I either get distracted (oh! Shiny!!), or flustered (it doesn't have to be in order right now!). Distracted is easy to understand. I have a houseful of kids, pets, and friends. I have a full time job and a full time hobby (not writing). There is a lot to do and many places to go. Flustered is less understandable to me. This is MY story. I can write whatever I want to.
Anyway, I think right now I am just going to do some scene mapping. I have scenes written and named in my head. My current goal, which will take some effort, is to name ALL the scenes, and get them in order. That should suffice as a basic outline.
SNOWFLAKE
I signed up for an e-newsletter more than a year ago. It's about writing/publishing (more publishing than writing I'm afraid, but that must be what most of his readers are looking for) and I enjoy reading it each month. The author, Randy Ingernamson, invented a tool to help writers. He also wrote the book Writing Fiction for Dummies (I wonder if it is for Dummies writing fiction, or for someone to write fiction specifically for dummies to read). The software is called Snowflake Pro. From what I can gather he says that writing is like building all the little triangles that go together to form a snowflake. His program helps you to define your characters and to put together your scene list (which is where I got the idea). There is a lot more to his program than just that, but the website show those specific examples. He gives tips on basic structure as well (3 Act Structure, etc). I'd really like to buy the program, but I'm not ready to spend $100 on this little adventure. I think that might be the reward I work for. If I actually *WIN* NaNoWriMo this year, I'll splurge on the program. I know it sounds back asswards to write the book and then buy software to help me write a book. But if I actually finish, I'm going to want to write another one.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Breaking the Rules
I've been trying to decide if rewriting something I have already started is breaking the rules of NaNo. I have decided that as long as I am rewriting it, it doesn't matter if the basic idea is an old one... I'm not planning to use any old material. Not only that, I wonder how many people haven't had the idea for their NaNo story for years and years, and *finally* saw it develop on paper in November?
I feel good knowing in advance what I want to write about. I have started Nano twice before without knowing *exactly* what I want to write about. I had a general idea and hoped that it would propel me. It didn't. I got bogged down in 10 days and quit. So more preparation is needed!
And this year I have a support team. My husband has told people that I am writing. I'm not convinced he is being supportive, rather than making fun of me, but I'm an optimist and choose to see it as helpfulness. And I have a friend and a family member writing with me this year. I'm thinking gold stars are in order for us all!!!
I feel good knowing in advance what I want to write about. I have started Nano twice before without knowing *exactly* what I want to write about. I had a general idea and hoped that it would propel me. It didn't. I got bogged down in 10 days and quit. So more preparation is needed!
And this year I have a support team. My husband has told people that I am writing. I'm not convinced he is being supportive, rather than making fun of me, but I'm an optimist and choose to see it as helpfulness. And I have a friend and a family member writing with me this year. I'm thinking gold stars are in order for us all!!!
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