Camp NaNoWriMo. It's been going on. Sort of. I'm at 14,373 words according to Word. Just a little under what I should have had on the ninth. At a minimum. But I'm not worried. I'm not stressing about it. Why? Because I've just gotten excited again.
I started out pretty strong. 4k on the first day. It gave me padding. It gave me security. Which made me slack off for the next three days. That has started a pattern. No writing, or very little, for a couple days. Then a big, or at least okay, day. That doesn't cut it when you're trying to finish a first draft in 31 days.
So what's the problem? Mostly I blame NCIS (on season seven episode five) (and can you believe my new Chemistry teacher's name is Gibbs? how am I going to deal with that?). But it also has to do with how I've been feeling about my story. Usually knowing my writing is crap during a first draft doesn't bother me, but it is this time. Just a little bit. And it's not only the writing itself. I feel like there is too much transaction and not enough action. I spend too much time describing every detail of how my character is getting there instead of just getting her where she's going.
But that's NaNo for you. I don't have time to fix it. It's a rough draft. That's what I tell myself when I start to think about it. And I'm exactly right. (In case you can't tell, I've been starting a lot of sentences with "and" in my story.)
However, that isn't what's going to push me to the end of this WIP. Especially not before the Camp NaNo deadline. Especially not with the next three seasons of NCIS waiting for me. The excitement I mentioned before is. I hope.
In my mind, the beginning, middle, and end of OBJECTION are clearly cut. I have just finished the beginning. So we all know I am now at the middle. This is where it gets fun. Where I get to experiment. Where I am writing from the POV of a character who is two people in one body. Tonight (2 AM at the mo) when I go to sleep (after watching another NCIS episode or two), I will spend that time before I drift off thinking of how I want to format this. Then when I wake up (hopefully with a firm decision) I will start writing it. And maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll have a 7k day. Which is pretty much what I need to catch up.
If you would like more frequent updates on my Camp NaNoWriMo progress: http://www.brookerbusse.tumblr.com
7k in one day blows my mind. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI've done it before, a few times last NaNo. It probably won't happen today, but a girl can dream.
DeleteWow. Isn't it great to have that excitement back? :D
ReplyDeleteOh yes. Though the formatting I chose is a little irritating it is also very thrilling. ^^ And I've enjoyed the scenes I just wrote. One in particular is my favorite so far. I hope more like that are in my future.
Delete"too much transaction and not enough action" - will be my new favorite critique line!
ReplyDeleteI think drafts that we belt out after be in worse shape than those that get careful consideration. But in the end, it's probably the same amount of work and time. It does sound fun to write a character like that!
Enjoy NCIS.
Glad you enjoyed it. I thought it rather clever myself. ;)
DeleteReally, I wouldn't know. All of my first drafts have been done very quickly. At least, all my successful ones. Unless you are also speaking of second, third, etc. drafts. Then I must agree.
congrats on doing the camp period. it's all extra to where you're going. take care.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever written a rough draft. I just can't move on when I don't like the sentence I've just written! Which is why it takes me so long to write... I could never even HOPE for a 7k day!
ReplyDeleteBut everyone works differently, so all the best with being excited and I hope you reached your 7k yesterday ;-)
I didn't. I only got to about 2k, but that's better than nothing and it's progress. Better than I've done the past two days. :/
DeleteI'm more like you with the rough drafts of my short stories and poems. Of course, nothing is ever perfect right away (or ever maybe), but they're better than my novel rough drafts.
Waaaaaaaaaaaait a second. You were still awake at 2AM on a MONDAY????????????????????? :)
ReplyDeleteUsually rough first drafts don't bother me either, but I think I know what you mean here. I'm not doing Camp NaNo but I've got about 70k on my rewrite of SUNDOWN, and I've been going back & revising as I go. Not my usual style at all. Then again, the very act of rewriting is not my usual style!
...yes... My sleep schedule is pretty much backward during the summer. Of course, now school has started so that's over.
DeleteDo you find that it's working for you though? Or is it hindering your ability to write? That is the important thing.