When it's time to let go...
Nov. 14th, 2012 06:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
glitter_n_goreThis was inspired by this blog post on Word Thief, about NaNoWriMo and throwing in the towel--and then later reclaiming said towel, but only after a substantial amount of time had passed.
This being November, I'm sure there are quite a few writerly types out there trying to crank out their 50k by the end of the month. Last week, I was still one of them. But you know when I was talking about being a "panster," as opposed to an outliner when it comes to new projects? Well, turns out I do need a little bit of structure.
Here's what happened: I finished the first draft of an adult contemporary fantasy in September. Following that, I devoted my time between outlining (yes, outlining, we'll talk about that in some other post) a still-in-the-works project and starting a new YA dark fantasy from scratch.
All through October, in between doing those two things, I watched a lot of horror movies, because that is what I do in October. Then there was that spot of bother with the hurricane and all, but I got some writing done, no problem, no sweat.
And then I got bit by a plot bunny. Normally, when I get bit by a new plot bunny, my initial strategy is to ignore it. Completely. Not write anything down, not do any research, not try to come up with character names--nothing. Just push it firmly to the back and let it chill there. This time, this it was such perfect timing (or so I thought), I decided to just go ahead and play with it and let it by my NaNo for this year, putting aside the previously started YA dark fantasy I was already working on.
I don't need but so much structure going into a story. Basic plotline, a few interesting characters, and I'm okay--ready to go. I can roll with that. I did not know any of my characters for this story-to-be yet. Turns out, that's the one thing I absolutely cannot do without if I'm starting a new project. Which makes sense, actually, because getting involved with the characters is why I read books to begin with, so why should it be any different from the other end of the reader-writer spectrum?
Bottom line: I had to toss it. I might get back to it at some point. Who knows? But for now, it's better to just leave it alone.
The good news is I'm now 20k into the YA story I'd previously shelved, and it's clipping along at a real nice pace.
This being November, I'm sure there are quite a few writerly types out there trying to crank out their 50k by the end of the month. Last week, I was still one of them. But you know when I was talking about being a "panster," as opposed to an outliner when it comes to new projects? Well, turns out I do need a little bit of structure.
Here's what happened: I finished the first draft of an adult contemporary fantasy in September. Following that, I devoted my time between outlining (yes, outlining, we'll talk about that in some other post) a still-in-the-works project and starting a new YA dark fantasy from scratch.
All through October, in between doing those two things, I watched a lot of horror movies, because that is what I do in October. Then there was that spot of bother with the hurricane and all, but I got some writing done, no problem, no sweat.
And then I got bit by a plot bunny. Normally, when I get bit by a new plot bunny, my initial strategy is to ignore it. Completely. Not write anything down, not do any research, not try to come up with character names--nothing. Just push it firmly to the back and let it chill there. This time, this it was such perfect timing (or so I thought), I decided to just go ahead and play with it and let it by my NaNo for this year, putting aside the previously started YA dark fantasy I was already working on.
I don't need but so much structure going into a story. Basic plotline, a few interesting characters, and I'm okay--ready to go. I can roll with that. I did not know any of my characters for this story-to-be yet. Turns out, that's the one thing I absolutely cannot do without if I'm starting a new project. Which makes sense, actually, because getting involved with the characters is why I read books to begin with, so why should it be any different from the other end of the reader-writer spectrum?
Bottom line: I had to toss it. I might get back to it at some point. Who knows? But for now, it's better to just leave it alone.
The good news is I'm now 20k into the YA story I'd previously shelved, and it's clipping along at a real nice pace.