I was sitting at my desk last Friday, watching an episode of Felicity on my lunch break when I had a revelation about my novel. I was thinking about my character Ronnie and how I just haven't been happy with how her story is developing and the way she and Mark meet and why they would continue to talk to each other. This has bothered me from the very conception of these two characters. The whole idea of her wanting to "paint" him and him just opening up to her about his whole life always seemed so flimsy to me.
So, when this idea hit me the other day it was like solving a problem that has been bothering me for years. Totally invigorating! I felt more inspired than I have since starting this project.
Unfortunately, the timing of this revelation couldn't be worse. My boss has been out recovering from surgery so I have been doing her job as well as mine. As if that isn't enough, we have a new employee in Communications that I have been training. I can handle it at work, but I've been truly exhausted, drained, done by the time I get home at the end of the day. I was able to wrap up a couple of pressing projects last week so I am hoping the next week will be a little less hectic and I'll have the energy to do some work on "the novel" when I get home.
We'll see...
Showing posts with label writing fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing fiction. Show all posts
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
The CBC, Day Nine and Wrap Up
Days left: 491
Words written: 5,219
Despite being a bit of a grouch today and really just wanting to lay on the couch and veg out, I managed to write about 550 words.That brings my total word count to 5,219.
When I started the Christmas Break Challenge last Saturday, I only had 975 words written. That means the challenge word count is 4,244! Though that number is shy of my 4,500 word goal for the week, I also didn't write on two days that I'd calculated in for that total. So, I actually wrote more than my 500-words-a-day goal on the days I did write. Something I am very proud of.
Other than getting my word count up and the story going, this challenge has made me realize me two things.
One, I need to just write. Doesn't matter what, just that I'm doing it, just that I'm getting words on paper. It's much easier (for me at least) to go back and fix what I've got that to start from a blank page.
And two, that writing fiction can be fun. I had totally forgotten that. Yes, it is work. It requires research and revision and I'm not always going to be able to use everything I write. But it is also fun. I've had a blast seeing these characters and their world come to life. Inspiration is literally everywhere and it's been fun to pull in ideas and instances from all parts of my life and my brain.
I hope you have enjoyed following me this week. I go back to work tomorrow, but am going to try to start writing regularly on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the evenings (HA! I've said that before, right.) Keep checking back to see how I do...
Words written: 5,219
Despite being a bit of a grouch today and really just wanting to lay on the couch and veg out, I managed to write about 550 words.That brings my total word count to 5,219.
When I started the Christmas Break Challenge last Saturday, I only had 975 words written. That means the challenge word count is 4,244! Though that number is shy of my 4,500 word goal for the week, I also didn't write on two days that I'd calculated in for that total. So, I actually wrote more than my 500-words-a-day goal on the days I did write. Something I am very proud of.
Other than getting my word count up and the story going, this challenge has made me realize me two things.
One, I need to just write. Doesn't matter what, just that I'm doing it, just that I'm getting words on paper. It's much easier (for me at least) to go back and fix what I've got that to start from a blank page.
And two, that writing fiction can be fun. I had totally forgotten that. Yes, it is work. It requires research and revision and I'm not always going to be able to use everything I write. But it is also fun. I've had a blast seeing these characters and their world come to life. Inspiration is literally everywhere and it's been fun to pull in ideas and instances from all parts of my life and my brain.
I hope you have enjoyed following me this week. I go back to work tomorrow, but am going to try to start writing regularly on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the evenings (HA! I've said that before, right.) Keep checking back to see how I do...
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The CBC, Day Five
Days left: 495
Words written: 4,114
Over 700 words today! My dad, sister and her three children are set to arrive in about 30 minutes so it will be interesting to see if I'm able to get any writing done over the next couple of days while they're here. Maybe all the extra words I've been doing the last few days will make up for it? (Or am I just taking the easy way out?)
Anyway, as I delve deeper into Ronnie's story, I'm realizing I need to go back and do some more in depth research on NYU and painting. My coworker Rish has a friend that went to NYU so maybe I can talk to that person about what the student experience is like there. Contacting the art program there wouldn't be a bad idea either...
Words written: 4,114
Over 700 words today! My dad, sister and her three children are set to arrive in about 30 minutes so it will be interesting to see if I'm able to get any writing done over the next couple of days while they're here. Maybe all the extra words I've been doing the last few days will make up for it? (Or am I just taking the easy way out?)
Anyway, as I delve deeper into Ronnie's story, I'm realizing I need to go back and do some more in depth research on NYU and painting. My coworker Rish has a friend that went to NYU so maybe I can talk to that person about what the student experience is like there. Contacting the art program there wouldn't be a bad idea either...
Monday, December 28, 2009
The CBC, Day Three
Days left: 497
Word count: 2,767
I'm tired today. My daughter has had a cold for what feels like forever (really only three weeks) and was up at 3:30 a.m. coughing. Being a mom, this brought me fully awake and even after checking on her and tucking her back in, I had a hard time getting back to sleep.
With that said, I only wrote 601 words today, which met my 500 words-a-day goal, but were kinda off topic. Part of the reason for that is that I started on the story line for my second main character (Sharon/"Ronnie") today so I don't think I have as good a grip on her as I do on my other main character (Mark). I ended up going off on this long tangent about how she got started on this project she's working on and don't really know if I'll end up using any of it. I remember from my classes with Sheila Ortiz Taylor, however, that oftentimes you'll end up writing whole histories on your characters, most of which you will not use, but that are necessary to the writing of the story.
Hopefully tomorrow will bring a clearer focus on Ronnie. 'Til then...
Word count: 2,767
I'm tired today. My daughter has had a cold for what feels like forever (really only three weeks) and was up at 3:30 a.m. coughing. Being a mom, this brought me fully awake and even after checking on her and tucking her back in, I had a hard time getting back to sleep.
With that said, I only wrote 601 words today, which met my 500 words-a-day goal, but were kinda off topic. Part of the reason for that is that I started on the story line for my second main character (Sharon/"Ronnie") today so I don't think I have as good a grip on her as I do on my other main character (Mark). I ended up going off on this long tangent about how she got started on this project she's working on and don't really know if I'll end up using any of it. I remember from my classes with Sheila Ortiz Taylor, however, that oftentimes you'll end up writing whole histories on your characters, most of which you will not use, but that are necessary to the writing of the story.
Hopefully tomorrow will bring a clearer focus on Ronnie. 'Til then...
Sunday, December 27, 2009
The CBC, Day Two
Days left: 498
Words written: 2,165
I am really on a roll! Day two of the Christmas Break Challenge has also been a great success with another 700 or so words written along with some great editing to earlier stuff. I'm actually have fun, too, something I tend to forget about writing.
I think that is a hazard of writing professionally when you also want to write as a hobby. I spend so much of my time at work writing and editing (fairly dry) pieces that I forget how much fun writing "just because" can be. No deadline, no "message" or "audience." Just writing whatever I want just because it pleases me.
I hope I can keep this joy and momentum going into day three...
Words written: 2,165
I am really on a roll! Day two of the Christmas Break Challenge has also been a great success with another 700 or so words written along with some great editing to earlier stuff. I'm actually have fun, too, something I tend to forget about writing.
I think that is a hazard of writing professionally when you also want to write as a hobby. I spend so much of my time at work writing and editing (fairly dry) pieces that I forget how much fun writing "just because" can be. No deadline, no "message" or "audience." Just writing whatever I want just because it pleases me.
I hope I can keep this joy and momentum going into day three...
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
ESF
While taking a break from a very mundane task at work today, I Googled one of my writing teachers from college, Elizabeth Stuckey-French. One of the results that popped up was this interview of her from 1998. This particular passage really struck me:
"Some people think that once you get published everything is set forever, but that is not how it works. Once you are published you don't feel any more worthy as a person, or as a writer, and you don't feel like you can just kick back and rest on your laurels for the rest of your life. You have to keep writing -- and you have to keep getting up to change the baby's diapers. Life goes on."
She also says:
"The only reason to write fiction is because you feel compelled to do it...Writing fiction is such a strange thing to do: inventing characters and having them talk to one another is such an odd way to express yourself. If you don't feel compelled to do that as a way of making sense of the world then I would suggest trying something else."
I am certainly guilty of getting wrapped up in the idea of "being published" (as evidenced in my About Me blurb). What I tend to forget is that what matters is that I write because I want to, because I enjoy it. I always feel like my best work comes out when I'm not thinking about the reader, per se, but about the story itself and the characters and how they would react in a situation and why.
Thanks for the reminder, ESF ;-)
"Some people think that once you get published everything is set forever, but that is not how it works. Once you are published you don't feel any more worthy as a person, or as a writer, and you don't feel like you can just kick back and rest on your laurels for the rest of your life. You have to keep writing -- and you have to keep getting up to change the baby's diapers. Life goes on."
She also says:
"The only reason to write fiction is because you feel compelled to do it...Writing fiction is such a strange thing to do: inventing characters and having them talk to one another is such an odd way to express yourself. If you don't feel compelled to do that as a way of making sense of the world then I would suggest trying something else."
I am certainly guilty of getting wrapped up in the idea of "being published" (as evidenced in my About Me blurb). What I tend to forget is that what matters is that I write because I want to, because I enjoy it. I always feel like my best work comes out when I'm not thinking about the reader, per se, but about the story itself and the characters and how they would react in a situation and why.
Thanks for the reminder, ESF ;-)
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