Thursday, November 5, 2009

Beginning...


It's hard to start something new. That first chapter is all important. You have to cram so much into it without bogging it down with too much narrative and introspection. And you have to make it so inviting that an editor and eventually a reader can't put it down.

I'm doing NANO lite - 25,000 words in November. I completed NANO two years ago and I'm glad I did. It demonstrated how much I could write if I didn't obsess over every word. But, the revisions needed are huge and messy and I just can't get too excited about tackling them. I like the story but I don't know if I'll ever have the desire to fix it. It seems too daunting.

I knew I would start NANO a little late because of the Presents Contest so I don't feel too panicked that I just started writing for real, today. I needed to make notes, complete GMC's, backstory, a little research and write a loose synopsis. I managed over 2,000 words but man, I don't think I'm happy just leaving that nonsense on the page. And I fear that writing 25,000 words of this dreck might be more than I can stand.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I think that dreck is a bit harsh! My beginning is rough too. And I'm having a little trouble shutting off that pesky internal editor. Keep plugging away. Remember, "Diamonds are chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs." I'll bet you'll find your diamond if you just keep up the pressure.