Okay...Now What?
Sunday, November 30. 2008
I did it. I "won" NaNoWriMo. Again.
Now what am I going to do?
I "won" last year, and I ended up with two-thirds of what I think is a pretty good novel. But that novel, 200 PC, has languished on my hard drive for months while I worked on short stories, other projects, real life.
This year, I have approximately two-thirds of a wholly different but also interesting novel called (tentatively) Bring Me to Life. I'm resolved not to let the languishing thing happen to this one; I think it would make a great debut novel for me.
There's actually even a third novel lurking in the background, making polite throat-clearing noises and waiting for me to come back around to it. It's rather more of a "niche" work and I hadn't considered spending very much time on it until I sat down with one of our NaNo MLs yesterday, and she encouraged me to consider working on it.
So there they are, three works-in-progress that each need my undivided attention. Then there are the full-time job and all the other obligations that come with being a human and wanting to remain a part of society. It would be very easy to stick these literary "slabs of marble" in a closet and wait for some indeterminate future time when I might be able to chisel something presentable out of them.
But I'm resolved that I won't. And I don't think I'll fall into the same trap as I did last year, for one big reason: accountability.
By participating in the NaNo meetings this year, I've met several people who are in just the same boat as I am. Noises have been made about continuing regular meetings into December and beyond, to provide us all with a means to encourage one another. I've also started this blog this year, and have got more involved in the on-line aspect of writing. Finally, I've learned that to make it as a writer means a lot a social interaction, something I'm not at all good at; I've already committed to doing more and better in that area, and I don't want my exertions to be in vain.
All in all, I have high hopes for 2009 with regard to my writing. This blog won't die as the month of noveling comes to a close; I'll continue to chronicle my progress here. Perhaps you, Constant Reader, can assist me with the accountability I'm in need of.
So, off to Post-NaNoWriMo world—less frantic, but much scarier...
I did it. I "won" NaNoWriMo. Again.
Now what am I going to do?
I "won" last year, and I ended up with two-thirds of what I think is a pretty good novel. But that novel, 200 PC, has languished on my hard drive for months while I worked on short stories, other projects, real life.
This year, I have approximately two-thirds of a wholly different but also interesting novel called (tentatively) Bring Me to Life. I'm resolved not to let the languishing thing happen to this one; I think it would make a great debut novel for me.
There's actually even a third novel lurking in the background, making polite throat-clearing noises and waiting for me to come back around to it. It's rather more of a "niche" work and I hadn't considered spending very much time on it until I sat down with one of our NaNo MLs yesterday, and she encouraged me to consider working on it.
So there they are, three works-in-progress that each need my undivided attention. Then there are the full-time job and all the other obligations that come with being a human and wanting to remain a part of society. It would be very easy to stick these literary "slabs of marble" in a closet and wait for some indeterminate future time when I might be able to chisel something presentable out of them.
But I'm resolved that I won't. And I don't think I'll fall into the same trap as I did last year, for one big reason: accountability.
By participating in the NaNo meetings this year, I've met several people who are in just the same boat as I am. Noises have been made about continuing regular meetings into December and beyond, to provide us all with a means to encourage one another. I've also started this blog this year, and have got more involved in the on-line aspect of writing. Finally, I've learned that to make it as a writer means a lot a social interaction, something I'm not at all good at; I've already committed to doing more and better in that area, and I don't want my exertions to be in vain.
All in all, I have high hopes for 2009 with regard to my writing. This blog won't die as the month of noveling comes to a close; I'll continue to chronicle my progress here. Perhaps you, Constant Reader, can assist me with the accountability I'm in need of.
So, off to Post-NaNoWriMo world—less frantic, but much scarier...
Now what am I going to do?
I "won" last year, and I ended up with two-thirds of what I think is a pretty good novel. But that novel, 200 PC, has languished on my hard drive for months while I worked on short stories, other projects, real life.
This year, I have approximately two-thirds of a wholly different but also interesting novel called (tentatively) Bring Me to Life. I'm resolved not to let the languishing thing happen to this one; I think it would make a great debut novel for me.
There's actually even a third novel lurking in the background, making polite throat-clearing noises and waiting for me to come back around to it. It's rather more of a "niche" work and I hadn't considered spending very much time on it until I sat down with one of our NaNo MLs yesterday, and she encouraged me to consider working on it.
So there they are, three works-in-progress that each need my undivided attention. Then there are the full-time job and all the other obligations that come with being a human and wanting to remain a part of society. It would be very easy to stick these literary "slabs of marble" in a closet and wait for some indeterminate future time when I might be able to chisel something presentable out of them.
But I'm resolved that I won't. And I don't think I'll fall into the same trap as I did last year, for one big reason: accountability.
By participating in the NaNo meetings this year, I've met several people who are in just the same boat as I am. Noises have been made about continuing regular meetings into December and beyond, to provide us all with a means to encourage one another. I've also started this blog this year, and have got more involved in the on-line aspect of writing. Finally, I've learned that to make it as a writer means a lot a social interaction, something I'm not at all good at; I've already committed to doing more and better in that area, and I don't want my exertions to be in vain.
All in all, I have high hopes for 2009 with regard to my writing. This blog won't die as the month of noveling comes to a close; I'll continue to chronicle my progress here. Perhaps you, Constant Reader, can assist me with the accountability I'm in need of.
So, off to Post-NaNoWriMo world—less frantic, but much scarier...
CJ on :
Craig on :
Are you going to stop posting here? Are you just going to leave us hanging? Are you going to throw us aside like so much bad manuscript?
Gee, thanks.
Jimmy Anderson on :
Brent on :