Thursday, November 7, 2013
Day 6: Wherein I Lose My Grip
:cackles:
I sat down to write my 1667+ yesterday evening. I was being so good. I cooked chili in the crock pot so I wouldn't be bothered with dinner. We even ate early so I could get right to work after Jeopardy. (Cuz I gots to flex the brain muscles, donchaknow.) Problem was when I sat down and tried to pick up the thread of the story, it occurred to me that I couldn't remember some of the characters I'd already dropped into the story.
So I went back over the text, scanning for people names, in order to make a character sheet. Easy enough.
It was at that point that a little lightbulb went off over my head. It's possible I have taken a way larger bite than I could possibly chew. You know, since I picked the hardest possible genre to write quickly - especially when you consider I didn't do any pre-planning. I mean, seriously... fantasy? With all its inherent world-building? "Are you freakin' nuts?" I said to myself. "Of course," I replied.
I can't even keep the freakin' names straight and I'm supposed to keep a whole new system of magic, within a whole different world, all up in my head??? WTF was I thinking??
But I am forging ahead. Oh, there are definite flaws. Like getting one character mixed up with another character and giving girl #2 the traits meant for girl #1 while totally forgetting I even named girl #1 several chapters earlier. And what the hell did I mean when I said X back in chapter 2 only to have it be completely weird by chapter 5?
But I am forging ahead. Even though I have no firm idea where any of this is headed.
Sure, as I was laying down for a nap, I had a great idea pop into my head for a whole new beginning which would make the goals and motivations so much clearer. When I woke up a little later, it occurred to me that no matter how I write my 'great idea', it's going to look like a total ripoff of part of Terry Brooks' Elfstones of Shannara. Good thing I caught that before I wrote several thousand words toward down that path. Sheesh.
But I'm forging ahead. Not sure how firm my grip on sanity is at this moment.
Heh. That's NaNo, I guess.
:wanders away to pick flowers off the wallpaper:
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Lmao this is why I don't do NaNo (that and because November never seems to work out for me).
ReplyDeleteAh, but this is also part of the fun. You really ought to try it sometime, Nat. I sit down for each writing session wondering what will happen next. (Sometimes because I have a really tough time remembering what happened before. LOL)
DeleteWell, for 4 1/2 years it was term paper month for me, so that never worked. Then last year I was still moving, and this year I'm revising/editing. My timing is off, LOL.
DeleteI have written 50K in a month before, but it was in July when I wrote WB all those years ago. I loved it, I just have to go in with a solid plan first, lol.
OK - my blog reader isn't updating my favorite blogs - I had to get Natalie's comment to know that you had posted here!! Like I need more frustration in my life right now!!
ReplyDeleteSeems you and I are on the same page, B.E. - well, different stories, same page! And I had the same thing happen to me when I went to bed last night - my problem, though, is I didn't get up to right it down and now I can't remember it this morning!
Did I mention frustrated? Seriously!
Good luck forging ahead, my friend!! Maybe Natalie can come visit us in the asylum since she's wise enough not to do this!!
I'll bring cookies.
DeleteStupid blog readers. Feh. Glad you found this post through Nat, Janet. I miss you when you don't stop by. The forging ahead went well last night. I just need to keep the momentum.
DeleteI hope you rediscover your momentum, my friend. :hugs: And yeah, Nat can bring us cookies in the nuthouse. ;o)
Y'all crack me up. Aren't writers all a little insane? I mean...really? We carry on conversations with the people who live in our heads. And we really should listen to the characters because sometimes they have really good ideas.
ReplyDeleteI have to be totally insane because I'm attempting TWO projects, totally different worlds, totally different characters but I'm determined to get there. Lawyer Guy may have to go buy clothes because I've given up laundry, and the food budget stretched because of fast food but...
Of course, I'd have way more time if I'd get off the frickin' internet. LOL
LOL, yeah, we pretty much have to be nuts to do what we do. If it's not the characters talking in our heads, it's the bashing our heads on the walls of our padded cells trying to get published. It's truly crazy-making.
DeleteHeh, you are a little wacky, Silver. But if anyone can get two projects done this month, it's you. And clean clothes are overrated. ;o)
NaNo is easy. Said no writer ever. Good luck with your word count today. Wishing you much world-building inspiration, character cooperation, and fluids. It's important to keep hydrated during the angst of NaNo.
ReplyDelete:snort: You almost made me spit coffee all over when I saw that 'NaNo is easy' statement. Thanks for the luck. I think it must've helped because I got like 2K words out last night. Whether they're good words... the jury's still out. ;o)
Delete