Sunday 27 September 2015

To NaNo or not...

Ok, I know I said in my last post...

We all of us have tough times to face, and quite often when we least expect them, but whatever else you do, do not lay down that pen, do not stop planning and plotting, keep stretching your creative muscle and you'll find picking up the pace far easier than if you had ground to a complete halt.

and I still COMPLETELY hold with that sentiment however I also need to remind myself that in order to write anything even remotely worthy of reading I need to spend a little more time on the planning and plotting before launching off. Not everyone does of course, but I do.

You'd think I'd have taken this on board by now wouldn't you? That as a proper author type with one novel published and another very happily edited, that I would know what I'm doing and follow the same formula when beginning the next. Yes, well, you'd be wrong and I now know that I'm never going to stop learning and that I'll most likely get as many things wrong as right as I journey along my Publication Path.

Novel Number 3 has been rattling around in my head for months, easily more than a year, but rather than plot and plan as I now know I should have done, I launched off and, at over 20,000 words, the draft has been growing, but not fluidly, not easily and I have made the decision to stop. This particular story is so special, so wonderful, that it deserves the very best of me but as a result of my tempestuous summer I haven't been in a position to give it... until now. (Does this happen to other seasoned authors I wonder? Probably, but perhaps they decide not to share their misfortune and mistakes. Perhaps I shouldn't either!)

However, equilibrium has been restored and, thanks to a timely reminder on Facebook, just in time for NaNoWriMo. So now I have a dilemma. Do I plan for the next month then launch off in First Draft Frenzy with the other participants or do I run my own race? I've never considered NaNo before and would really appreciate any comments, ideas, thoughts and experiences you may be able to offer in order to help me make up my mind!

NaNoWriMo

http://nanowrimo.org/

Wishing you all a wonderful week. Please feel free to leave any comments below and don't forget to check in again for #FeatureFriday #MyWritingLife with Elizabeth Ducie!

H x

2 comments:

  1. I don't think you need to do NaNo, Heidi. It feels as if you know just how to proceed with this book, and you just need to regroup before you move on with it. I did NaNo with one of my novels and it worked really well for that one, but I know it wouldn't have done so for others. They're all different, which is something of a mystery for me, but that's just the way it is. Good luck! :)

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    1. Hello Margaret. Thank you for reading and commenting. I'm making great headway with the nuts and bolts but my concern would be signing up just as my publisher returns Novel Number 2 for final proofreading etc and my time would be compromised. Certainly food for thought. Thanks again. H x

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