Week one down. 10,032 words, just slightly under par. But it’s not for a lack of effort.
Lessons learned:
1. Writing begets writing…to a point – I’ve always said that the more you write the more you write, but I’ve discovered the upper limit of that maxim this week. Between NaNoWriMo, 4000+ words of writing for homework, the writing I do during my nine-to-five, and various sundry activities that involve letters and words and sentences, I’ve reach critical mass. My brain has stopped processing; fiction seems fact and I’m editing stuff I’ve already edited because I can’t remember what I edited the first time around. It is a good thing to flex your muscles and stay in shape, but over training just leads to exhaustion.
If anyone you know ever says they want to do NaNo while also working full time and taking two graduate level classes, buy them a cup of coffee.
2. Practice makes perfect, or at least perfunction – I find that NaNo this year, despite new responsibilities and distractions, is actually significantly easier than last year. The writing flows more smoothly, and I have confidence that it’s OK to write some stuff that doesn’t sound perfect because I know I’ll be able to fix it in edits. It could be a side effect of so saturating myself in all things writing, or just that a success last year instilled in me some badassery and boldness, but when I do get my time to sit down and write it comes out with almost no painful forcing of my brain juices.
Once you know you can do something, doing it again becomes more an exercise in repetition than self-confidence.
3. Short Stories are @#$@% awesome – I think if I was writing a traditional novel right now, I’d be much farther behind on word count. Being able to mentally leap from story to story, at different points in time in different places in the world makes getting words down blissfully simple. If I’m not feeling the next chronological section, I’ll just go wherever my creativity flairs. It allows me to writing something despite my mood or level of fatigue and gives me freedom to loosely add to the overall world of my novel. It will probably mean a lot more consistency checking once I’m finished, but it seems a tiny tax in the bigger view of the project.
A novel made up of short stories is basically a normal novel where themes and recurrence replace direct plot.
4. Mobility is king – Given my time constraints, I’ve been finding myself writing in less than optimal places. Cramped metro seats, in 15 minute breaks during meetings, in my car waiting to pick up my wife. I’m normally such a creature of habit that I need to be at my desk to write. But this November has forced me from my comfortable blanket of habits. I’ve been whipping my laptop out at pretty much every opportunity and filled margin to margin of pages in my little notebook with hasty inken scribblings.
Always be ready to get uncomfortable when necessity rears its ugly head.
Writing drink of choice for week one: Swedish Style Glögg (one part IKEA Glögg, one part Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon, 90 seconds in the microwave. You can thank me later.)
How is everyone else doing? Making word count? Behind? Ahead? Off-track, on-track? I’d love to hear about some other experiences so far!
Far, far behind, but the weather has been far too gorgeous to stay inside and write. Sunny and 70s is perfect park weather for the tot. (I would write at night, but I crash nearly as hard from the fresh air as she does- especially after working all day.) I do, however, have a great outline for when the weather slides downhill later this week. I will admit that you’re far more dedicated to NaNo than I, though.
I’ve never tried Glögg. I looked it up and it sounds pretty tasty…
Glogg is great. Highly recommend it 🙂
I find nice weather is just an excuse to write outside. So many sensory details to capture out in nature, and that can only help your writing 🙂
Absolutely- if you’re not chasing a three year-old. I suppose that’s why duck tape was invented? 😉
I don’t know how you do it. I’m quite far behind. Hopefully I’ll find some time to catch up to the recommended word count in the next week or so.
I don’t know how I do it either. Masochism? Insanity? Both? Good luck on catching up 🙂
Thanks!
You have a point about the whole “critical mass” thing. Today, I didn’t get nearly as much writing done as I wanted to, but after a certain point my eyes were just glazing over and I needed to get off the computer. I’m hoping to add a little bit more to my word count after I get some homework done and study for my upcoming CST and make dinner, but who knows! Life can be rather invasive while one is trying to write.
The short story idea is wonderful, and I think that’s what I’m going to do next year. I had a longer story in mind this time around, but it would be great to have some finished short stories at the end of the month that I could potentially try to market somewhere! With editing, of course.
I can’t recommend the short story things enough. Mine are all interconnected, but I’m not so hung up on that as I write them, I just keep it in my pocket and sneak in allusions when they seem appropriate. Definitely try it, it will, at the very least, stretch your writing muscles 🙂
I think I decided to go with the longer piece this time because for most of the year, I write short stories. The problem is that each one seems to take several months to complete. I see NaNo as an opportunity to work on longer pieces…but at the same time, I feel like I’d have more to show for it if I wrote short stories! And I like the idea of making them connected, even if it’s only in a vague sort of way.
Hey, I’m behind too! It’s a slacker party! I’m at 8500 and change. I have yet to do my writing session for today, but the 3,000+ words I would need to catch up are not super likely to happen before I conk out. Especially since I also tend to booze it up while I write. Still, given the week I had, I’m calling it a win that I am still even remotely in striking distance of the target. OK, the wine is poured (Black Box Malbec – I like my wine to come out of a handy spigot). Time to write!
It’s OK! 3k words isn’t that bad; maybe three hours of in-the-zone writing.
I too drink and write, as long as I’m at home. I find I’m sloppier but more adventurous. The utilitarian stuff comes just after work or when I’m writing when I’m supposed to be working 🙂
There is a boozy sweet spot for me. Not enough and I start editing when I should be writing. Too much and my characters just start having sex again. I’ve given up and have just committed to writing erotica this year, so I can let them do what comes naturally to them. Haha.
I’m impressed you were able to write a blog post after all the other writing you’re doing! I hope someone’s buying you a cup of coffee, or two.
The blog is like an extension of my mind sometimes; I’m just catching the stuff that falls out of my brain 🙂 No one has bought me any coffee, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been drinking any!
You’re a writing machine Oliver. Have another glass of Glögg!
Cheers!
Day 7 and I am at…14355 words. I understand the difficulty of writing as a job and then writing as a nanowrimo. Wednesday, I had to write three articles, do a blog post, admin some social media posts, do some website work and THEN write novel. I only wrote 1200 words?
Yet the day before, a bunch of us got together for a Melbourne Cup Day write-in, and belted out 3000 words. Go figure.
Yes, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. This is Nano 11 for me, and a friend who has done this 8 times, she and Iare having a very casual word war. She has nearly caught me, and we are just meandering along.
Writing where and when you can is awesome. I have a tiny eeepc, writing on the train, at lunch, yeah in the car. It shows you CAN fit writing in and around your life.
Mexican beer or clear ales are my writing drink of choice at the moment
I think it was the school work that got me the most; my regular job isn’t too taxing, normally.
Wow, 11 NaNos! Tickle me impressed. I have a netbook as well, but I’ve found writing on it is awkward and I almost prefer the tangibles of pen and paper. It makes each word that much more deliberate, somehow.
Mexican amber? I can’t find much reason to buy any of the mass-produced Mexican “lager-style” beers in the US, as they all taste the same. And by that, I mean they don’t really taste like anything 🙂
I’m so glad to realise I’m not the only person who can only write (or study!) properly without a glass or two… or three… of wine. I’d never even heard of NaNo before tonight, but after reading this post and the comments I’m intrigued… thanks!
There is a weird spot in between 2-3 beers and 4-5 beers that is the prime “creative zone.” The only issue is I have a tendency to be unable to stay in that zone!
NaNo is great, if you like testing your limits!
Way ahead on the “standard” goals but terribly far behind on my personal ones. Oh well, at least I’ll have a lot of free time for the rest of the month.
Well that’s a half win!
I’m terribly behind as well. But I stumbled across this the other day and felt a little bit better. It pretty much summarizes my creative process.