You know it's coming... (source)
National Novel Writing Month has just gotten underway. We have weeks ahead of us to pound away at the keyboard, a hopeful glimmer in our eyes, and a burning story at the front of our minds. Right now, we have all the motivation we need. But if any of you are like me, that new NaNo blush will wear off quickly as I start to encounter unexpected plot twists, writer's block, and the general burdens of life. I can't tell you how to solve your plot twists or how to deal with the family that expects you to actually pay attention to them, but I do have some suggestions for writer's block.
First off, I don't believe in blaming writer's block or my muse for my inability to write. I call it writer's block for lack of a better term, but in reality, it's really just an inability to sit down and write. The reasons are different for everyone--lack of focus, failure to prepare, or, as is usually the case with me, pure laziness. So what do you do when you only have a month to knock out 50,000 words and can't afford to deal with it?
You prepare. You take the motivation you are feeling now and you get yourself into a groove. First off, I hope you all have a basic outline of your story. If not, sit down and make one now. Mine are simple, just five parts:
Now that you have your outline, come up with a plan on how you'll tackle it. Designate time to write each day. You designate time for work and family, right? Time to watch your favorite television shows? An hour a day really isn't that much in the scheme of things. I waste that much time flipping through crappy shows or hanging out on Twitter. And it's only for a month.
I also like to figure out how much I need to write in a week, keep track of how much I still need to meet that goal, and give myself a day off. I do better when I have a day or two to refuel my creative juices. It gives me something to look forward to. And I only get that day off if I've met my goal. Rewards are important, even the small ones.
And sedate your inner editor now, before he/she gets out of hand. I even turn off spell-check. It can all be fixed later. No author writes a gem right off the bat, and don't let anyone tell you differently. What we see in the end is sometimes so far from the initial piece, it's crazy. But that's ok. It's normal.
And when you do get behind and just want to curl up and watch TV when you have 25k left to go, I have four words for you: Suck it up, buttercup. Plop your butt in that chair, put your fingers on the keyboard, and get typing. It may suck, it probably will suck, but that's what NaNoEdMo is for. So write, and don't stop writing until you hit that purple bar.
First off, I don't believe in blaming writer's block or my muse for my inability to write. I call it writer's block for lack of a better term, but in reality, it's really just an inability to sit down and write. The reasons are different for everyone--lack of focus, failure to prepare, or, as is usually the case with me, pure laziness. So what do you do when you only have a month to knock out 50,000 words and can't afford to deal with it?
You prepare. You take the motivation you are feeling now and you get yourself into a groove. First off, I hope you all have a basic outline of your story. If not, sit down and make one now. Mine are simple, just five parts:
- A beginning (who the main characters are and the main plot goal),
- a first act (the protagonist begins their quest, meets the antagonist for the first time),
- a second act (second meeting between the two, this time the antagonist gets the upper hand),
- a third act (the climax, the final battle, where good meets bad and it all comes to a head),
- and a resolution (where you wrap it all up in a neat little package).
Now that you have your outline, come up with a plan on how you'll tackle it. Designate time to write each day. You designate time for work and family, right? Time to watch your favorite television shows? An hour a day really isn't that much in the scheme of things. I waste that much time flipping through crappy shows or hanging out on Twitter. And it's only for a month.
I also like to figure out how much I need to write in a week, keep track of how much I still need to meet that goal, and give myself a day off. I do better when I have a day or two to refuel my creative juices. It gives me something to look forward to. And I only get that day off if I've met my goal. Rewards are important, even the small ones.
And sedate your inner editor now, before he/she gets out of hand. I even turn off spell-check. It can all be fixed later. No author writes a gem right off the bat, and don't let anyone tell you differently. What we see in the end is sometimes so far from the initial piece, it's crazy. But that's ok. It's normal.
And when you do get behind and just want to curl up and watch TV when you have 25k left to go, I have four words for you: Suck it up, buttercup. Plop your butt in that chair, put your fingers on the keyboard, and get typing. It may suck, it probably will suck, but that's what NaNoEdMo is for. So write, and don't stop writing until you hit that purple bar.
