Throughout the preceding days, I've been bubbling with nervous excitement... The downside is I've been waking up at ridiculous hours (not helped by the UK changing the clocks back to GMT last weekend!)
I'm making countless lists to myself - I'm not planning the novel as such (I've declared myself a Pantser, ie I'm writing freely, spontaneously, without a structured outline - unlike the Planners), just jotting down random thoughts...
The BIG decision I made on Wednesday - having woken up bright-eyed at 3am - was to not type the novel, as I'd originally thought. I realized I struggle to write freely at the computer (I so LOVE pen on paper!), and I'm more likely to stop and edit as I write (a suicidal strategy if I want to reach 50,000 words on the 30 November!). Plus I really cannot spend too long looking at the screen before it hurts my eyes.
So, I'm writing here
The book is HUGE! I won it on ebay (secondhand - scuffed on the outside, but pristine inside) a few months ago and simply didn't realize how thick it was! It's A4, over 200 pages, but THE perfect object in which to scribble my novel :D I've worked out that I write about 200 words a page, so that's roughly 10 pages a day to stay on track (the actual number one needs to write every day is 1,677 to hit the 50,000 on 30 November, but I want to aim higher to allow for some 'non-writing days' if I need them).
This whole thing's a tad insane, but hey, if I have the first draft of a book on 1 December, I figure I've spent my time well. November is one of my least favourite months - it's cold, damp and dark - so surely scribbling away while meandering through my imagination is a FINE way to get through it?!
(image by Terri St Cloud at Bone Sigh Arts)
So come and cheer me on...
I've installed a word-count in the side-bar (I'll update the word-count at the end of each day), so even if I don't post here so you can see how I'm doing :)
QUICK UPDATE
Added up today's words - 2577
YAY for me :)
Good luck, Claire! I'm cheering you on! What type of novel are you writing? Is it something you have already had inside of your head and are just now putting down on paper? I used to love to teach writing to my second and fifth graders when I was teaching. This is the perfect way to get through dreary december!
ReplyDeleteIndeed it is, Grace...
DeleteI actually want to write non-fiction, but I've had this story rattling around, and sense I need to get that out first, to clear my thoughts :)
Well I believe in you and am cheering you on. Yeaaaaahhhhhh!!!!! I've thought of joining in on this in the past but I haven't yet, maybe next year :) and BTW I also love pen and paper, I find that it allows for free flowing writing.
ReplyDeleteExactly Masha!
DeleteI've been thinking of doing it every October (I've cheered several friends on for years), and realized I needed to get this one story down on paper :)
I'm here supporting you, message me anytime you need an inspiring encouraging word. <3
DeleteYay! I generally prefer to write first drafts with pen and paper too, for anything lengthy. Although I do make some handwritten edits as I go along, they're not as disruptive to the flow as deleting words with a keyboard.
ReplyDeleteShort posts like Nurturing Thursday work better for me with the structure of the computer, though.
Thanks for this, Meg. You're so right - handwritten edits are less disruptive! I just find it so difficult to compose at the computer... I need a pen in my hand to access my thoughts, I find :) x
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