Passed along from my UCLA novel writing instructor:
- Write two pages a day, everyday. Makes the process much more manageable and helps the writer feel like writing an entire book is actually possible.
- Don't write until you have nothing left to say. If you stop at the bottom of page two no matter what, you'll know where you are heading next and it will be much easier to return to writing the next day.
At the onset of this novel writing project, my goal was to write three pages a day, at which I've failed miserably. Freelance writing, columns and articles with a deadline and a pay check have overshadowed my ultimate goal to write a book.
I'm intimidated by the process, but it is time to get serious and actually do this thing. So, Monday is the day. Two pages. Stop while I still have something left to say.
Friday, February 9, 2007
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8 comments:
These are great suggestions. Each time I go to a conference or workshop I see the biggest difficulty confronting writers is not characterization or structure or writing mechanics -- it's actually finishing one novel and starting another.
I struggled for years to finish one and when I did I just went ahead and started two and then three.
For me I keep going until I actually HAVE to stop -- i.e. to eat or sleep *grin*.
My technique for picking it back up is just have my characters go out to dinner. I usually end up editing out the scene over the next few drafts but sometimes not. It gets me going again. The other thing I do is write my idea down as a sketchy narrative in the first draft and then go back and expand it into a scene with dialog during editing.
Cool blog.
I like # 2. It would be hard to stop mid-thought, but I think I'll try it.
Great post.
Tish Cohen
One rainy Sunday several years ago, I was listening to Jonathan Franzen being interviewed on Fresh Air. He said writing The Corrections was the most fun he'd ever had. I couldn't imagine it was true. Writing was supposed to be hard. As soon as the interview was over, I sat at my computer and started writing a book. He was right. Have fun, Shanna.
Amy
Thanks for sharing your ideas, Orion. Glad you like the blog!
Thanks for the comment, Writer's Group girls. Fun writing The Corrections?! It was a couple of years ago, but my recollection is that book was pretty depressing. Still, I need to start having some fun with my novel writing. :)
Writing 2 pages sounds better than writing 1k, doesn't it? Also, the stopping in mid-thought or sentence really works on many levels.
I had an agent a long time ago for a non-fiction book I was writing. Her advice was very similar: stop writing while you still feel good about where the story is going. Makes sense. I often will sit at the computer way longer than I should. Sometimes I leave feeling a tad overdone. Then the next day I don't want to face the page.
Those are some great suggestions. I think it would be hard for me to stop mid-sentence or mid-thought, but I can see where it would be helpful
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