NaNoFriPo 2

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Update:
Day: 12
Ideal Word Count: 20,004
Real Word Count: 7,236 and counting

Welcome back for the second of my NaNoFriPo series! This week, I’ll be discussing Method Writing.

By the end of the second week of NaNoWriMo, you should have a pretty good idea of how you like to write. Table vs. bed, morning vs. night, paper vs. computer, all of these things play a role in whether or not we feel creative. (If you can write pretty much anywhere, including crammed up against the wall on the metro, more power to you!)

According to Betsy Lerner, writers force themselves to use crutches by relying on a writing “method.” It’s a stall tactic, a chance to excuse your inability to write.

Sometimes, however, we don’t have a choice in how we write. The only time I can write is on the metro and at lunch, which means I can’t lug my laptop around with me. Notebook in hand, hoping not to get crammed up against the wall, I try to write during my commute.

Normally, I wouldn’t do NaNo by hand. It takes longer, and there’s no nifty word count tool in a composition book. But I am finding some advantages:

  • It limits editing. Once I’ve counted a word, I want it to stay counted. I don’t want to mess up my count by adding or deleting words several pages back. I have to move forward.
  • My characters cooperate. My characters usually prefer to go their own way, despite the goals I have laid out for them. This time, they’re being very well behaved – but still adding their own flair to the page.
  • When it’s time to write, I write. Having only a limited number of minutes to write each day is a big motivator to get things done. Even if an idea is only half-formed.

Do you have a method to your NaNo madness? Discovered anything interesting about your writing habits?

NaNoFriPo 1

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Update:
Day: 5
Ideal Word Count: 8,335
Real Word Count: 4,105 and counting

Welcome to the first NaNoFriPo! Here I’ll discuss certain issues that have come up so far in NaNoWriMo. This week, it’s Intros.

We’ve all felt the panic of staring at a blank piece of paper/screen. And after we’ve started writing, we’ve all felt the panic of not writing the right novel.

Don’t panic. You will write. And you will write the right novel. It may not be the Great American one, but it is right for you. Remember, NaNo is supposed to be fun, not perfect.

That’s actually the one thing it’s supposed to not be.

If you feel stuck at your beginning, don’t be afraid to mix up your (non)well-laid plans. Introduce a brand new character. Kill off anyone who doesn’t work. Send your characters back in time. Forward in time. Sideways in time. Introduce a dinosaur. Or lasers. Or a dinosaur with lasers.

You get the idea.

There is no reason to panic. NaNoWriMo is the perfect time to experiment. And that’s the only thing perfect about it.

Have a novel day!

NaNoWriMo New and Old

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Today marks the beginning of NaNoWriMo 2010!

As this post goes up, I am frantically writing Chapter One of my latest novel, Shadows, Echoes, and Reflections. My writing and comicking friends are all over for our very own Launch Party. I’m betting it’s super fun over there…

Today also marks the one year anniversary of The Narrator. We’ve come so far since last November! Two drafts, a complete redirect mid-manuscript, and a pile of critiques from my writing group to polish up the third draft. I’m so proud of you, Calder and gang. Here’s to publication! *toasts*

So this year’s NaNoWriMo should be three times as hard, since I have that much less free time. Tune in every Friday for a NaNoWriMo-Novel-Friday-Post (or NaNoFriPo) for a run-down of successes, failures, and interesting stories I collect along the way.

And if you’re also doing NaNo, good luck!

I Am Stuck

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Revising is hard. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

In between writing bouts for Screnzy, I’ve been trying to revise my NaNoWriMo novel. Ha.

I want to change like, half of it, but getting up the nerve to actually buckle down? My mind instantly rebels and runs back to Screnzy to crank out a few more pages. That’s not what you’d call the best progress.

I’ve managed to storyboard the thing, but I’m not super happy with how it looks at this point. I might end up tossing out the end and free-writing again to see where it takes me. I hate when I have an absolute ending in mind and can’t for the life of me figure out how to get there.

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  • Welcome

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    Hi, I'm Jenn, new grad student and old YA fantasy writer. I've long dreamed of being a novelist, and I bet you have too. I hope you find my blog helpful, inspiring, and maybe just a little bit fun. (But not too much fun. Writing is serious business, you know.)

    You can follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or email me at:
    jennifer.a.johnson7 at gmail dot com

  • Official Progress


    4/21 segments

    A narrator hijacks a cliche fantasy story, much to the chagrin of its characters.

    Status: Second revision



    1,639/70,000 words
    A young noblewoman with strange powers must choose: her king or her soul.

    Status: First draft



    1,087/70,000 words
    When a girl's heart is stolen, she's plunged into a world of magic and shadows - but can she get her heart back before she loses it completely?

    Status: First draft





  • All writing, unless otherwise specified, is the property of
    Jennifer Johnson © 2010