tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post8876885826347359325..comments2024-03-12T21:24:23.240-04:00Comments on Emily Bryan Romance: NaNoWriMo . . . Not so much.EmilyBryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-17638469920476141492009-11-05T08:51:12.397-05:002009-11-05T08:51:12.397-05:00Hi Teddy!
I wondered if this post would make read...Hi Teddy!<br /><br />I wondered if this post would make readers' eyes glaze over. I'm glad you enjoyed the peek behind the pages. <br /><br />Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts. You all made me do some re-thinking. So yesterday, I signed up for NaNo and gave it a shot. (Please see today's blogpost!)<br /><br />The saga continues . . .EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-68748181448645019162009-11-05T07:10:28.988-05:002009-11-05T07:10:28.988-05:00That was absolutely fascinating, I knew next to no...That was absolutely fascinating, I knew next to nothing about NaNo so thanks for the enlightenment via your post Em and all the comments. While I'm not a writer nor will I ever be (takes me 3 days to write a book review LOL) I love reading about writers experiences.Teddyreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09553244883194436385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-57854397126916949502009-11-04T10:23:59.277-05:002009-11-04T10:23:59.277-05:00Cheeky--If NaNoWriMo is what it takes to get you t...Cheeky--If NaNoWriMo is what it takes to get you to overcome your fear and take the plunge, more power to you! <br /><br />My first manuscript richly deserves the obscurity it enjoys. And so does my second. Of course I didn't realize they were bad while I was writing them. I was pouring my heart into every page.<br /><br />Even though they haven't and will never sell (they're too busy providing a home for dustbunnies under my bed!), I'm glad I put the effort into writing both of them. They were my "training-wheels" novels. I was still getting a handle on the craft and elements of story (still am!) <br /><br />I like to think of writing as a muscle that gets stronger with exercise. Everyone who writes this month will grow, whether he/she NaNo's or not.EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-37482939213939629992009-11-04T10:17:08.713-05:002009-11-04T10:17:08.713-05:00KatieO--It's never too late for a comment! ;-)...KatieO--It's never too late for a comment! ;-)<br /><br />And absolutely no knocking if it's working for you! Please come back at the end of the month and let me know how it worked out.EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-35365118708528849322009-11-04T09:21:19.301-05:002009-11-04T09:21:19.301-05:00Deciding to poke he rhead into the comments...
I&...Deciding to poke he rhead into the comments...<br /><br />I'm doing NaNo for the first time -and this is my first ever attempt at writing a book. <br /><br />I've had great ideas for years, I've researched and plotted out books, I've attended conferences (where I met the awesome Miss Emily) but a fear of being "BAD" at writing made me hesitate to start. <br /><br />I tried to tell myself that the first book will be crap and just get it out so I can improve and move on, but that fear of finding out I don't have the gift was too strong. <br /><br />I have a great online group that finally got me writing small challenges, but nothing on any of my book ideas. <br /><br />That's when I decided I would try NaNo. I'm doing it to teach me discipline. You know, the ass in the chair, just write kind. And I'm giving myself permission to write crap - becuase that's NaNo's sort of theme. <br /><br />The online community means I have friends checking on my word counts and sending me inspiration. So far, I've managed to go over hte daily word count each day. <br /><br />So, for someone who's been dreaming of writing for 15 years and never written more than 500 words before Nov. 1st - I now have almost 6,000 words in three days. <br /><br />They might not be awesome prose, but they are teaching me to get familiar with the act of writing. <br /><br />Great post Emily! NaNo isn't for everyone, but it is helping me get over my fear.Cheeky Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03979725986564785391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-53545074589944570082009-11-04T09:01:10.864-05:002009-11-04T09:01:10.864-05:00I know I'm a day late to leave a comment, but ...I know I'm a day late to leave a comment, but I spent yesterday furiously writing for NaNoWriMo, and never checked in with any blogs!<br /><br />And that's a good thing. I had so gotten out of the writing habit over the summer break with the kids that when fall came around, I still couldn't sit myself down. <br /><br />I decided to sign up this year for the first time because I write best with a deadline. And it's working for me.<br /><br />I totally understand that this idea is not for everyone, but judging from the comments people have left, there are an equal number of reasons for and against a challenge like NaNoWriMo, and either you sign up and give it a shot or you don't. But don't knock the people who chose differently ;-)Katie O'Sullivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17295418503546522882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-52124073321605438532009-11-04T08:29:43.667-05:002009-11-04T08:29:43.667-05:00Kathryneo-If I've learned anything from this p...Kathryneo-If I've learned anything from this post, it's that everyone is motivated by different things. There is no one "right" way to write a novel. Every writer discovers, through trial and error, the best process for them. And even that's a malleable thing and will likely change from project to project.<br /><br />And don't let anyone tell you your way is wrong. If you are producing a story that moves you and touches others, you've done something incredibly right.EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-79103740493380081252009-11-04T08:20:48.199-05:002009-11-04T08:20:48.199-05:00Toni Lea-- everything I've written during thes...Toni Lea-- <i>everything I've written during these November free-for-alls has made it into a published work.</i><br /><br />Is it too late for me to sign up? <br /><br />Kidding, but you've almost sold me. I second the notion that it's seductively easy to get caught up in eternal self-editing. Pushing the story forward is always the hardest work. <br /><br />Committing to more writing time each day is laudable! And a month is more than enough time to ingrain it as a new habit. Good goal!<br /><br />Unity is wonderful. I applaud everyone who's typing away furiously to get their stories out. But somehow, when you quantify the output, when you set out that 50K finish line out there, it becomes more of a competition in my mind. Which probably says more about me than I wish it did. <br /><br />I'm all about less stress. Life throws enough everyone's way without adding an extra burden.<br /><br />But some people thrive on it. Are motivated by it. I can't argue with that. We're all wired differently.<br /><br />And isn't that grand? I always say it's a good thing we don't all like the same things. Otherwise you'd all be after my DH! ;-) <br /><br />Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Toni. And please pop back by to let me know when your current NaNo project gets a contract! ;)EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-25600812804706924472009-11-04T08:14:54.363-05:002009-11-04T08:14:54.363-05:00Emily,
Great post. You've stated exactly why...Emily, <br /><br />Great post. You've stated exactly why I feel NaNoWriMo is not for me. Like they say in learning a sport, 'control before speed.' I can write 100 pages in a month easily, but then I have to plot, plot, plot. The people I've spoken with who are in NaNo, are those who feel they cannot sit down and get it done in any other way.Kathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10656476299646283089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-73081706722166858122009-11-04T08:00:57.205-05:002009-11-04T08:00:57.205-05:00Librarypat--Don't get me wrong. I'm all ab...Librarypat--Don't get me wrong. I'm all about being a discplined writer. I don't subscribe to the muse myth at all. I write whether I feel like it or not, whether I'll tear it all up tomorrow, or whether I know exactly where the story is heading.<br /><br />My DH is a private pilot and sometimes when we're on a long trip, we'll hit less than optimal weather. Then we do something he calls "peeking and poking" seeing if there was a way to fly around the weather system without taking us too far off course. Sometimes, we just had to set the bird down. <br /><br />Sometimes in my writing I peek and poke too, working my way around an unforseen plot obstacle that has just occurred to me and maybe is the best thing that could have happened in my story just then. <br /><br />It's ok not to know everything that's about to happen. But in writing, it's not ok to set the bird down. I have to keep going whether I feel like it or not. Till I've hit my page goal. Then I can let my subconscious work on the problem till tomorrow.EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-27307032716262056822009-11-04T07:52:47.094-05:002009-11-04T07:52:47.094-05:00Tessa--Sounds like you have a great system working...Tessa--Sounds like you have a great system working for you and I say "Good on you." You're right about each of us having to find our own personal motivation. No one else can write our story but us.<br /><br />I so agree about turning off the TV. How much more productive we'd all be! <br /><br />Seeing the end of a manuscript from the beginning is always something I aspire to, but how to get there is often shrouded in mystery. I envy your ability to "see" the story unfolding so quickly and efficiently. <br /><br />But I guess we all must play nice with the way we have figured out works for us. Perhaps next year (if someone will remind me it's coming in October!) I'll have the necessary pre-writing done to tackle NaNo just to shake things up a bit. But there won't be any Kamikazi mode for me. No one but me gets to erase my writing (except my editor!)<br /><br />Thanks for coming by and sharing your experience, Tessa!EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-34785968920758833222009-11-04T05:52:03.559-05:002009-11-04T05:52:03.559-05:00Emily, I must respectfully disagree. Strongly. For...Emily, I must respectfully disagree. Strongly. For both personal and general Writing Karma reasons.<br /><br />Personal:<br /><br />One of my problems is a tendency to over-edit as I go along. Yes, when I write "The End," I have that novel I could send in. But it took me for FREAKING EVER to write it.<br /><br />Also, over the years, the number of hours I spend creating new prose vs. the number of hours I spend doing every other thing associated with writing has suffered gradual attrition.<br /><br />This year, I'm using NaNoWriMo for two things:<br /><br />One: To force myself to GET THE DAMN BOOK ON THE PAGE. I have a detailed outline (as do many NaNoers), so I'm not pantsing anything. But, for once, I'm making myself just write it and agonize over whether I used that word three times in three paragraphs later. <br /><br />Two: To re-vamp my daily schedule to include a bigger percentage of actual writing time. I hope I can make it last after November.<br /><br />Additionally:<br /><br />I've NaNoed since 1995, and everything I've written during these November free-for-alls has made it into a published work.<br /><br />Now, for the Writing Karma stuff:<br /><br />People are always telling me they have a great idea for a book, but never get around to writing it. With NaNo, many of them do. And I'm all for that.<br /><br />Unity is good. Writeins, where a bunch of people meet at a coffee shop, bookstore or library, and just write like demons, are incredibly motivating.<br /><br />NaNoWriMo motivates some people. And, from what I've observed, lack of motivation is the most common obstacle that writers struggle with. <br /><br />Including me. So I ain't messing with that particular writing Karma.Toni Lea Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019145772583242781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-49340771672167162092009-11-04T00:16:14.597-05:002009-11-04T00:16:14.597-05:00I'm not a writer, but I certainly can't im...I'm not a writer, but I certainly can't imagine signing up for something that would unwrite what I just sweated bullets to get down. I don't think your best work can come under that kind of time pressure. Some times it flows and some times it doesn't.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-78924390802076423072009-11-03T21:58:11.383-05:002009-11-03T21:58:11.383-05:00Thanks for the offer but I don't have a proble...Thanks for the offer but I don't have a problem with my internal editor saying something "stinks," because sometimes it does :) That works for me and keeps me pushing forward. Should I make my IE rephrase things? Not at this stage of the game! Been working for me for a while and if he gets too ornery, I just flick him off my shoulder until I'm ready to edit.<br /><br />I've been reading a book on motivation based on a study that was done over a number of years. The premise, which is supported very well by the author's research, is that we all have our different ways of being motivated and trying to make people fit one particular mold can be damaging and de-motivating. This discussion fits neatly into her suggestions about finding what works for you, not for anyone else. Having a nurturing IE (or any IE) show up when I'm writing my first draft wouldn't work for me. Not the way I'm wired for writing. I plot, plan, and organize - I also spend time letting my idea percolate. Then I write. And I have to say the more I do this, the less I have to revise at the end of each book.<br /><br />I couldn't keep up a pace of 100 pages in a day and a long night for very long - and I've only done it the one time. A deadline loomed, I had to cut, revise, and add in another generation due to changes in the line - not because I hadn't plotted well enough earlier. I was on a roll, I'm a fast typer, and I knew what I wanted to do for my pages. I had the 'luxury' of writing only, with no other commitments pressing on me. I could 'see' THE END in front of me and saw no reason to slow down.<br /><br />So I guess I'll have to respectfully agree to disagree about NaNo. No one is required to participate or even understand it. But for a lot of people who have always wondered if they really do have a book inside them, it's the perfect way to say "You can find time to write. For one month, turn off the TV, forget about your favorite loop or blog, and write. You'll be surprised at what you can do." And that could be just the motivation needed to keep writing during the other eleven months.Tessa McDermidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03370248836658261192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-49200371976230564602009-11-03T14:55:08.619-05:002009-11-03T14:55:08.619-05:00Linda--Just to play devil's advocate here, can...Linda--Just to play devil's advocate here, can't we say that any scene we write and re-write is never truly wasted? Even if later we toss it (and I don't recommend that. I save deleted scenes for future canabalization!) we learn something with each scene we write--even if it's just how something doesn't work. <br /><br />This whole debate is starting to sound fairly philosophical--particulars vs universals and all that. <br /><br />Do we shoot for a unified, if unedited whole, or spit-shined bits and pieces? Either way, until we have an entire manuscript that's been self-edited and polished, we don't have anything to sell. <br /><br />But how do we get there? Ah! That's the question.EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-26211841760884846132009-11-03T14:45:49.218-05:002009-11-03T14:45:49.218-05:00Tessa--Your output makes my head spin! 100 pages i...Tessa--Your output makes my head spin! 100 pages in a day and a night? Yikes. <br /><br />I once did 16 and thought I was pretty hot stuff. No more.<br /><br />But your comment sort of reinforces my initial argument. Everyone needs to find what works for them. Telling you to slow down would stifle you. Telling me to speed up would stymie me. <br /><br />My agent always says, "Anything worth doing is worth doing badly at first." Like walking and talking, no one is born knowing how to write a novel. We all have to figure it out for ourselves. <br /><br />Guess my internal editor is nicer to me than yours is to you. Mine never says "Stinks!" It's more like, "You can do better than that. Why don't you try . . . " Don't let anyone tell you your writing stinks, not even your internal editor!<br /><br />Tell you what! Send your IE over to see my IE for some nuturing lessons. If she's nicer, then maybe you feel more like letting her out to play. ;-)EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-79869764549523181132009-11-03T13:55:49.336-05:002009-11-03T13:55:49.336-05:00I did NaNo last year. I had an idea for a novel th...I did NaNo last year. I had an idea for a novel that was just spinning around in my head. I wrote about 18 single spaced pages for an outline before November, then I spent the rest of the month fleshing it out.<br /><br />I did come to THE END. Is the novel finished? No. I skimped on some areas, some I have to toss, and some I changed my mind and wrote two versions. But I do have an entire story, where last October all I had was an idea.<br /><br />I'm of the school that says write the whole thing, then rewrite. I've wasted a lot of time rewriting scenes that I then tossed. Better to toss junk than a well-written scene that no longer fits.<br /><br />Am I doing NaNo this year? No. Now, after spending almost a whole year trying to figure out what kind of promo works (and I still don't know), I'm going to write.Linda Banchehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18143074276306710646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-80461497468381468602009-11-03T13:51:22.636-05:002009-11-03T13:51:22.636-05:00Oh, and I wanted to add that one thing that I like...Oh, and I wanted to add that one thing that I like about NaNo is that you do have daily goals, which are helping you build a regular habit that you could sustain when this is over. Plus, the thought that you've been given permission to write "crap," especially when you're just starting out, can be very freeing. I've found when teaching writing classes that my students - most of them older adults who always wanted to write but were afraid of what people would say - like hearing that everything they write doesn't have to be perfect the first time. People fell off a bike they first time they tried. Making mistakes when learning to write a book shouldn't be any different.Tessa McDermidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03370248836658261192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-66451198467708885352009-11-03T13:48:35.927-05:002009-11-03T13:48:35.927-05:00I'm in NaNo this year and have to say I'm ...I'm in NaNo this year and have to say I'm excited about what's happening. I'd always been a fast writer - 100 pages in a day and evening once to get to the end of a rough draft; usual was 15 pages after I came home from teaching - and then ran across my 'nemesis' who let me know in strong terms that 'only slow, steady, edited writing is good.' Turns out, slow, steady is not my style and really slowed me down!!<br /><br />I need to write in a white, hot flash while the story is clear in my head. I outline, I make character sketches, I draw up calendars for when events happen. I can see entire scenes in my head that have been working themselves out while I'm teaching, driving, doing the dishes, etc. Words waiting to plop down on the page.<br /><br />I don't edit that first draft. I'll make notes to myself about where I need to find the names of trees or add more description. But for me, getting hung up on the editing truly gets me hung up. I barely like to read the last paragraph I've written when I start the next day. . . instead, I try to leave myself notes about what scene is next.<br /><br />So, I guess the idea of NaNo and going forward, forgetting that internal editor who says "Stinks! You can't write!" etc. is good. I have a quote from Julia Cameron, the author of The Artist's Way and the Right to Write, on my taped to my monitor: "Ok, Universe. You take care of the quality. I'll take care of the quantity."<br /><br />NaNo is helping me get the quantity down on paper. So, there's my bit of the rumble :)Tessa McDermidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03370248836658261192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-3189088628488032752009-11-03T13:27:50.330-05:002009-11-03T13:27:50.330-05:00Beth--Now a support system is something I heartily...Beth--Now a support system is something I heartily approve. It's very comforting to know there are lots of others out there engaging in this cocooned lifestyle. <br /><br />If NaNo gives writers that kind of boost, I give that part of the program two thumbs up! <br /><br />Sandy--Tortoises Unite! Every day we get closer to those two most beautiful words--THE END. <br /><br />No, I most certainly did not mean to disparage anyone taking part in NaNo (lots of my friends are doing it!) I'm from the midwest. We don't do condescending.EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-8075512463758490502009-11-03T13:18:46.038-05:002009-11-03T13:18:46.038-05:00Marcella--I'm so looking forward to your debut...Marcella--I'm so looking forward to your debut, ENEMY WITHIN! <br /><br />I can see where just letting yourself go would be liberating. And I do do it. Honestly. For short bursts. Then I back up the truck and fix things. <br /><br />I wonder if I'm a little compulsive when it comes to my writing. I can't let a mispelling stand.EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-36442588861781709422009-11-03T13:03:37.572-05:002009-11-03T13:03:37.572-05:00Jane--I think you hit on an important point. Writi...Jane--I think you hit on an important point. Writing means making a commitment to tell the story. If you do it in a month, three months or a year, it's the "stick-tuitive-ness" that gets you to THE END. You'll have to let me know how NaNo goes for you. <br /><br />AR--You're making the process sound sort of reasonable. I just might be persuaded . . . <br /><br />Barbara--Another BIG issue rears its head. Fear of Failure. That's what keeps lots of us from writing, whether we commit to completing the story in a month or have no end date in sight. I do see the value in turning off the internal editor . . . <br /><br />But I can't do it for a whole month! She'll be lonely. She'll be bored. She'll be clawing to get out and rip up the drivel I let flow out of me when she was in her cage.EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-81115473172933228152009-11-03T12:54:27.630-05:002009-11-03T12:54:27.630-05:00CL, my dear friend! You know your adoring fans (co...CL, my dear friend! You know your adoring fans (count me in that number!) will wait for the next Tairen Soul tale for as long as it takes. Your prose speaks to so many hearts. I hate to see you mess with what's producing something so remarkable.<br /><br />But I understand the need to be prolific. It's the nature of the biz. <br /><br />So if you've found a tool that helps you do that, I'm so happy for you. (Bless your heart! I still remember you dictating to your Dragon Naturally Speaking on your way to RT and then holing up in your room to meet a deadline. That's dedication!)<br /><br />I can't believe you like the "Write or Die" setting. That impresses the heck out of me! I'd just end up typing, "I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die" over and over. Guess it goes to show one writer's carrot is another one's stick!EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-72576441731102489852009-11-03T12:46:19.175-05:002009-11-03T12:46:19.175-05:00I do have a soft spot for NaNo. I didn't manag...I do have a soft spot for NaNo. I didn't manage 50k words. I got half that. So, in one respect, I 'lost'...but I also didn't give up. A year and a half later, Berkley bought that book, Enemy Within, which comes out November 2010. I suspect that most of us get hung up by the critical little voices in our heads. Nano gives your permission, heck, it urges you to cage that voice and just put words on paper. Or pixels on a screen. Go fast. Keep it short. Keep it quick. Move on to another scene if you get stuck. Nano teaches the fine art of refusing to let perfectionism or fear stand in the way of a truly rough draft that with just a bit of polishing, may just be your next diamond. That said, I'm not signed up this year. I'm on the last half of drafting the follow up book to Enemy Within. Maybe I should have signed up. There's a lot of fear here with this one.Marcella Burnardhttp://www.marcellaburnard.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3217012316587200736.post-71918598493094256392009-11-03T12:41:10.780-05:002009-11-03T12:41:10.780-05:00Vicky--That's what I'm talking about! Regu...Vicky--That's what I'm talking about! Regular, sustainable output. And I'm willing to bet every writer churns out a certain amount of crap (but like my dogs' occasional mishaps, I try to clean it up as soon as I notice it!). Kudos for focusing on your characters. That's always where the story is!<br /><br />Penelope--I think they set the goal at 50K because it stretches people. But you're right. It may be a disincentive to those whose busy lives wouldn't let them hit that magic number.<br /><br />At the same time, Norman Mailer said, "Being a real writer means being able to do the work even on a bad day." I repeated that to myself often while I sat at my grandmother's bedside after her stroke writing longhand, while my husband struggled with unemployment a few years ago, while I recovered from cancer surgery last winter. My output slowed to a crawl, but I was still writing. <br /><br />Some days, any kind of forward progress in your project is cause for jubilation.EmilyBryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542349086762747179noreply@blogger.com