Well, I’ve been binge writing. It’s an interesting experience. I’ve never done NaNoWriMo or Book in a Week, so this is the first time I’ve ever sat down and just made myself write as much as possible every day. I’ve actually learned a lot by doing it:
1.) My average page count per day is 30 pages. I actually thought I could be up in the 50/a day range, but there’s no way.
2.) I’m not a morning writer. I’m too dependant on coffee. It seriously takes me a couple hours after I get out of bed before my brain works.
3.) There’s a reason I’m a pantser — I can only think creatively while writing, not before it. This time, I couldn’t write until I hit a wall and then switch to another ms so I decided to try something different. I pulled out a pen and paper, and attempted to get chapters and scenes together on paper. I drew a little diagram to explain how the three negative charaters (only one is a true villian, the other two are just annoying) have their influences wrapped up. You know what happened? Nothing. Nada. Zip. I stared at the paper, doodled on it, etc. and my brain was completely frozen. I tried it several times over several days and the same thing happened. I can only see the story when I’m deep inside it.
4.) Scenes I had tentatively planned back in the beginning and looked forward to writing didn’t come to fruition. In the end, there was no place for them to go. I miss them, and due to the nature of the book, I don’t think I’ll be able to use them anywhere else. That sucks, but it happens to every writer.
5.) I still get scared about sending my work to my editor. She called me yesterday to talk about the Susan Johnson anthology that I’ll be in that releases in July (PERFECT KISSES), and once again she was so excited about my books — about THE STRANGER I MARRIED and PASSION FOR THE GAME and just my writing in general. That freaks me out. I absolutely love that I have an editor who is totally enthusiastic about my work, but I’m also waiting for the day when I send her something that she doesn’t like. It’s going to happen. Until it does, I’m nervous every time a ms goes out in the mail, because that ms might be the one that doesn’t go over well.
I’m sure there’s more I learned, but since it’s morning and I’m still working on Cuppajoe #1, I’m not thinking of them. *g*
30 pages a day? That is awesome! I wish I could be so productive…
Please, please take care though, won’t you? Take a break now and again and rest your arms and hands and wrists…
Love
Wendy
by Wendywoo August 15th, 2006 at 9:43 amSometimes I hate being a pantzer. I have these great scenes in my head that go no where.
You’ll do great with the daily pages. I’m sure you’ll even hit 50.
by Dana Pollard