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Friday, October 31, 2014

The End Is Nigh

Well, really, it's just the beginning. But it is nigh, very, very nigh.

Tommorow is THE BEGINNING. The beginning of NaNoWriMo. The beginning of my month long abuse of my computer. The beginning of permanent brain damage from banging my head against the wall. The beginning of me figuring out if I've got what it takes to follow through on a dream.

I've always considered myself a writer. It's been awhile since I've actually written though. It used to be all I would do between scarfing down supper and turning the lights out at night. Lately that hasn't been the case. Life tends to get in the way of dreams sometimes, as sad as that is. This month I get to see if I can actually, maybe, get close to finishing something.

I find I lack the discipline. I'm not good at making myself sit down every night at a computer no matter what. But now I will have to.

This might be the beginning of something wonderful. I can see it now. Finishing November with a perfect novel in hand, some other great ideas, quitting my job and moving to somewhere warm that enhances my creativity.

Or I'll end November by closing my laptop, sighing deep and going, "Thank God that is over."

Either way it will be an interesting month!

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Nerves and Excitement and Failure OH MY!

T minus about a day and a half until I completely regret signing up for NaNoWriMo.

I sat down last night (or during the day when I needed a break from working) and brainstormed some ideas. Which mostly turned into me reminiscing about past ideas I have written about but never gotten around to finishing. None of them LEAPT at me though.

I think I might end up sitting down at the computer Nov 1st, closing my eyes, cracking my knuckles, taking a deep breath in and praying to every God/Goddess that has ever existed to PRETTY PLEASE put some shit into my head.

Unfortunately that's only my first issue.

The second issue I have is my ability to follow through. Never been a strong suit for me. I'm great at starting with ideas (once they appear) but I have never completed a written piece of work. I came close. Once. But then my creative writing class ended and I hid it on a shelf somewhere.

I'll have to figure out a way to keep the juices flowing, or at least a way to keep me trying to keep the juices flowing. Rewards? Penalty system? Detention?

We'll see. I think I will start to deal with my first issue, by finding a character who I love and need to write about. That seems easier to me than thinking up a whole plot. If I find the character, they can help me tell their story. Hopefully.

The second issue, from what I read, will hit me at about the two week mark when I will be banging my head against the wall and wishing I could drop out. But I can't. I've told to many people.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

The Plot Thickens

Actually, it doesn't at all. The plot is very much not an active thing currently. AT ALL.

Since deciding to participate in NaNoWriMo, my main thought has been, "Well, what the fuck do I write about?" No characters have knocked on my noodle and gone, "Yes, hello, can you let me out now?" No world has bombarded my dreams demanding to be put on paper. So still, the main question before I sit down and spend an entire month writing is, "What the fuck do I write?"

Usually I write when I have inspiration, when there is something in me that needs to be let out. My mind gets stuck on a sentence, or a scene, SOMETHING and then all I can think about is that. My fingers get antsy, the lines on paper stand out more and I NEED to write something before I explode.

The issue with this is, when it comes time for me to actually want to write something, I have no ideas. The cobwebs have realigned themselves in the crevices of my brain, making me forget I ever had good ideas in the first place. Or ideas at all, lets be realistic.

So, what shall I write today, what shall I write? Hopefully I can bang out a process that allows the idea flow to be a little bit more flowly and a little bit less like a toss up between constipation and diarrhea.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

NaNoWriMo 2014

I've wanted to participate in NaNoWriMo since I heard about it in my publishing course two years ago. I never put the time aside (or bothered to even attempt to put the time aside) to write an ENTIRE novel in one month.

Tons of people are doing it, so, really, what's my excuse? When harassed by a friend to do it with her, I decide I've got nothing to lose. 

So here I will documenting the ups and downs on my writing process during NaNOWriMo to see if I want to do it next year, or if it really is not for me. 

But first thing's first, what the hell is my plot going to be?