Well-Meaning (But WRONG) Friends And Family

You know what I hate? When well meaning friends tell me what I should do with my life, I mean my writing. I absolutely can't stand it when them or even people I don't know try to tell me how I should write, how long it should take me...or even WHAT I should write. Writing is a big part of who I am. I really am not thrilled when people try to define what it should be to me.

Have you ever experienced something like this? I know, I haven't gone into any detail at all. But if I do...I think it will only make the situation worse. Anyways, if this has happened...what do you do? Ignore them, tell them exactly how you feel, pretend you agree...what?

I'd love some advice if anyone has any. Man, I'm not even published and the life of a writer is already difficult at times. I just wish people understood what I am trying to do. But the fact is they don't. And chances are if you are a writer most people won't understand you either.

I know, this is such an uplifting post. Yeah. Right. Well, have a good day. I'm going to try to get through mine without freaking out.

Update of sorts...and a question

I'm trying to ignore the urge to tear into my first draft already. I've given myself a minimum of a week to let it cool down. In order to follow this I've started planning my next project. I already know I'm going to have lots of fun with this one. I'm working through Lesson 7 of HTTS (How To Think Sideways) right now, hoping I won't mess up on the worldbuilding this time around. I've found that is my weak spot. I just can't seem to get my world to come alive. Hopefully during revision this is something I can fix.

When you start a new project while letting first drafts rest...do you ever feel like you seriously screwed up? Should have done so many things differently? I keep having those thoughts, and it is starting to effect the fun I was having coming up with this new idea. Trying to tell myself that this is a learning experience, my writing will only get better...hasn't helped much. I keep obsessing about the MS that needs to be fixed. Or, worse yet, fantasizing about destroying it. That's how much I dislike it right now. The beginning was amazing and something I probably won't change much of. I start hitting walls in the middle. And I know I've got nothing but fog at the end.

Okay, enough complaining about my project. Something cool has certainly come out of this as well. I've made it to the end of a rough draft! And it has been a LONG time since that has happened. At least I can be proud of that. Maybe I'm not too thrilled with certain aspects of my book, but I am proud I stuck through it and actually made it to the end. I was so happy I cheated on my diet and ate pizza! Which was bad for my diet but tasted oh so good!

Which brings me to a question. How many of you celebrate finishing a rough draft, or edits, or sending out query letters? Or say you don't write but have another hobby...what do you do to celebrate reaching the end of a creative project, if anything at all? This is the first time I have rewarded myself. I think I might start doing it more often.

Well, must get back to my new project. And if you're interested in what I'm writing...its a YA novel focused on some tough issues. If I had to pick an  audience for it I'd say in the 14-18ish range. The name of the new book is HAVEN. As for the one waiting for revision...I'm trying to come up with a better name.

Day 24: And Done With The First Draft!

Just wanted to let you all know I DID finish my WIP before the end of the month. It probably needs a hell of a lot of work, but I actually finished draft one. That is a huge accomplishment for me.

But, even though I have that done, JulNoWriMo is not over...which means I want to try and outline another idea quickly (at least the first part of it) and write it for the rest of the month. THEN I'll go about revising my first project.

So tonight I'm scrambling to put my other idea together in such a way that I can start writing it. It's going to tough, but I like a challenge.

So wish me luck!

Day Fourteen: I'm Stil Moving Forward!

Sorry I haven't been updating you guys everyday on my wordcount. There has been some drama here at home, the WIP stalled...and a lot of other little tidbits I won't rant about here. But I'm off writing again, and as you can see I'm still on track for finishing this month. In fact, if I can write a couple thousand words today I'll even have a buffer day or two if things get bad down the road. I've also gone off of my planned outline and into some unknown waters as far as my WIP goes. I don't know where it will take me or if I'll get back to knowing where I am. For now I'm just taking this as it comes. I'm not really worried. I have the ending in my head and that is enough for me. It's getting there that will be tough. I hate middles sometimes.

I've learned something pretty important this month. The first is pretty obvious. If I want to finish anything I start I need to write on a regular basis. No excuses. I'm so used to writing only when the mood strikes me, but the fact of the matter is that if you want to continue publishing books you have to write every day, not only when you want to. I've known this for quite some time, but it didn't really sink in until this month. I asked myself if I could produce three of four books a year if I had to. And, if I stick with it and write consistently, I have no doubts that I can.

Do you, as a writer, feel it is important to write every day? Do you have a word goal? When is it okay not to write? For me personally, I know it is okay to take a day off when I have other things to deal with. Like my family. There is a middle ground. Writing is important, but it should not come before my child's needs. But, that aside...I've been trying to write as close to every day as I can muster.

In the next few days I'd like to talk about other things I've learned from JulNoWriMo. And I'll probably be ranting about my WIP. Who knows, you may get to see a snippet or two.

Day 8: Still ahead but feel behind, plus I hate what I am writing.

Okay, here's the thing. I'll be the first writer to admit that I've got a serious problem with not listening to my Inner Editor. I always feel like what I have written is crap. Or think its not worth trying to fix things because it will still suck anyway. I know this can be a normal reaction, but its hard to remember sometimes. Usually I just think I'm not nearly as good as everyone else and I've got not right to be writing. What have I got to say that is so important?

Yeah, I warned you. I wasn't in a good mood today. I KNOW that the first draft is allowed to be crappy. But how crappy? When do you say enough is enough, this sucks, lets try again? I want to spend time with these characters...I just don't feel like my writing is good enough for their stories. I know the only thing I can do is keep writing, keep improving. But MAN that is HARD sometimes.

Seriously, as a child I never thought that writing could be so hard. I was oblivious. Or maybe I was smart then. I wrote for me. That was it. If it wasn't fun to write I didn't do it. And I didn't listen to other people. I stuck with what interested me.

A great writer once said that a first draft is for your eyes only, and that you are writing that for yourself. You revise with the reader in mind. That is, if you want to publish. I need to keep this in mind. That all this crappy writing is okay, as long as I love my story. I just have to focus on getting it down.

Anyone else getting the writer blues? Have any tips to combat against it?

Day Five: A Day Late

Sorry for not posting yesterday like I was going to. Not only was I hard at work on the novel but I had a lot of family stuff to tend to. Just wanted you to know I DID get my words. Now I am working on today's quota. So far...it could be going better than it is.

I find that I've hit the part in the story where everything should be weaving together rather nicely but I don't think it is. I'm not really the greatest at writing middles, therefore I am stressing out even more. I just can't seem to keep everything in mind and I'm afraid that is showing up in my work. Anyone else write crappy middles? Beginnings are rather easy to write even though I know they will change drastically later. Endings are fine too. But when it comes to middles I struggle way more than I think I will. Maybe that's why its so hard to finish anything.

If things go well I'll post my word count for day six today. If things go bad...well, you won't hear from me until tomorrow.

Onward!

Day Four: How It's Going

Sorry I haven't blogged for a few days, but some family stuff kept me away. But I have been writing. As you can see I wrote over 3,000 words! Closer to 4k actually, so I am well on my way to finishing this novel. That is, if I don't keep adding more scenes. As of now I have 13 or 14 scenes to write, but I already know I need to add a few extra, so I'm going to have to start writing two scenes a day instead of one. That will make it so I write more like ten pages a day instead of the usual five. This also means I'll finish before the month is out hopefully...so I can work on a new secret project! In fact, I've been testing out the plot of it already. I feel like I'm cheating. But boy is it fun! And, if things keep moving so well I'll start the editing in August just like I've been planning. It's nice to think that I could have a week or two to play with pre writing for another idea though.

Usually in every project there is a point where I hit the dreaded wall. The point where I quit because it just wasn't fun anymore. I don't know how normal this is, but it was almost always the way I worked. In fact, the first thing I've actually made it all the way through a first draft this year was a novella! And before that? A couple short stories. Whoop-Dee-Doo. Seriously, that is kind of depressing. I don't really know if this was because I was having actual writer's block, or if I just didn't like my story enough...or maybe just wasn't a very strong writer. The fact was I wasn't getting anything done. Period. Now I find myself writing a WIP and I am pretty confident this one is going to reach the end. Why is that?

For one, when I get stuck I take the time to figure out why that is. Usually I do a bit of timed writing and work my way out of the problem and am writing again. If that doesn't work I take a good look at my characters and ask them where they want to go. And if all of thee above doesn't work...I've got to take a serious look at changing a big chunk of what I have written. And as for getting bored with my story? Getting rid of a character seems to do the trick, whether its killing them in the book or just deleting them from all future scenes...it is very satisfying. And yes, sometimes I like it way more than I should.

Another big reason I think things are going so well is because now I plan a hell of a lot more than I used to. In the beginning I thought I was a panster. That was how I wrote things from the time I was little. But, when it was first brought to my attention that this could help me get to the end, I changed the way I did things. Now I am a heck of a lot closer because of that.

And you know what else? I really enjoy what I'm writing. It might not be something everyone will be interested in, but I like it.

Anyway, I haven't had much problems in terms of getting stuck in this project. But if I do I know I'll be looking at the stuff I mentioned above.

Do you have a system you go through when you get stuck on your writing? Or are you like the old me, writing when you feel inspired, not worrying so much about writer's block?

What I'd like to talk about tomorrow: Trends and do you pay attention to them- and should you.

Day One: 1283 words and counting...bring it on!

Compared to other writers this might not seem like very much, but for me every word I write is another goal I have passed. So I am extremely pleased with my first effort, even if its not as much as I had hoped to write. And the best thing? They weren't all crappy words. In fact, if I'm lucky, there might be some keepers in there!

If I can actually write everyday...it should be fairly simple to finish my WIP this month, even if I only write at this pace. That will be the biggest struggle for me. Writing every single day. Sometimes I just forget. And others I am too tired or upset. But I've got to get over that if I actually want to finish this thing. And of course I do! r

Does anyone else feel like they must have written thousands of words and realize the actual number is much smaller? That was the kind of day I had today. I just kept thinking I was kicking butt. Come to find out I didn't do as well as I thought. Oh well, I got some words and I like them.

And that brings me to a kind of random question: How do you go about writing first drafts? Do you throw out anything you can think of on the page and hope that something makes sense at the end? Do you revise while you edit? Do you use an outline? Do you write every scene not knowing anything but your characters?

First drafts are quite a fun discovery for me, the beginnings being the best. Although I use a outline I am more than willing to chase other ideas if they come to mind. I will add characters if they call to me enough. I think writing is one of the most spontaneous things I do. There are so many ways a novel can go during a first draft. I love finding out which way I should take.