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I just cannot write out of sequence. I have to start at the start and end at the end and write it as it happens in sequence. The only thing I do do, is if I have a great idea for a future scene, I will jot down a little reminder of what it is or some dialogue from it to jog my memory later.
Thanks all for your great advice by the way. I left the journey, added a sentance or two in the next scene referencing it and carried on. Now I have another problem. I've gotten to a section I know is going to be difficult to write, and at the moment, am finding every excuse not to sit down and write it. But on the upside, my house hasn't looked this clean and tidy in a while.
I had a plan and a target for the next few days, get to 45,000 words by the end of Tuesday, I'm back at work Wednesday, but I can't see that happening with my current output. Oh well, it's been nice to have a day chilling out. I'll give myself a kick up the backside tomorrow.
I used it tonight and output more than I have all week. I'm not writing anything in order, I didn't make an outline beforehand so I'm just winging it. I'm typing everything that comes to mind -- editing is for later.
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broda: That is so evil! I wish I'd seen it before I finished for the night. I may have to try that tomorrow. That means I'll have to lie in bed tonight and picture what I want to have happen though. I'm about to write my first murder ever, and I'm feeling shy about it. Action of all sorts is difficult for me, and murder is so over the top. I ended the day at 18,275 words, so I wrote 2353 words today. I don't think I can get to 25,000 words by tomorrow, but I am slowly cathing up. Well, I'm off to plan my first murder... Melanie Posts: 938 | Registered: May 2008
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I almost forgot. I only wrote one scene out of order. It was back when I was feeling very stuck, and I knew this scene inside and out. Catching up to that scene is taking up a lot more words than I thought it would. If I wrote too many things out of order, I am afraid I would get lost somewhere in storyland. Melanie
Posts: 938 | Registered: May 2008
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quote:I don't know how much I'd be able to help with 19th Century rural PA life, but I went to undergrad in PA - Millersville in Lancaster county. Amish country.
Sjsampson, thank you. I'm currently unsure of the exact location of the story, so I'll replace location fillers later. I'm considering Lancaster county for its population diversity at the start of the 1800s, though Cumberland county contains more of the physical features I'm looking for. I'll remember you as a SME.
quote: I've been replacing paragraphs too. I don't think there's anything wrong with doing a little bit of that, as long as you don't go out of control. This year, I let myself go back and read what I just wrote and then do ONE edit--skipping things that don't have any bearing on the story and that are annoying enough that I'm sure I'll catch them later.
About Pennsylvania--I'm sure you could find some experts if you ask in the open discussions section. I've got relatives there, so I've been there many times. I'm not sure if I'm an expert, but if you have any questions, I'll have an answer(no guarantee that it's the right answer of course. Sadly, I'm not an expert on alien smut, so you're on your own with that one.
Unwritten, good advice. About PA, I'm making progress by researching on the internet and excluding the details that come from actually being on location. I figured I need to leave some research for December's rewrite. Happily, sex is a bigger deal in the scenes I wrote the first week; now I'm deeper in romance, friendships, and political activism.
quote: BIG HINT to the paragraph replacers:
Leave in the old one. Use your word processor's "strikethrough" feature to mark the text for deletion. Your word counter will still count the words. After all, you did write them during National Novel Writing Month, you're entitled to claim them, even if you never want to see them again.
KayTi, I thought that might be cheating. I'm now following your suggestion when removing a paragraph or more. Thank you!
[This message has been edited by aspirit (edited November 15, 2008).]
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504 words in 20 minutes on write or die. That wasn't bad. What I wrote was cheesier than I wanted it to be, but at this point, I'm just happy to get the story on the page. I always think I'm going to get so much writing done on the weekend. Ha!
[This message has been edited by Unwritten (edited November 15, 2008).]
I never got the nag popups when I was using it because there was a short term goal and the count down clock that gave me an adrenaline rush.
I'm way behind on NaNo but I'm not discouraged. It's my first time to even attempt a novel let alone a novel in a month. I keep writing as I can and if I get to 50k by the end awesome, if not I'm not too upset - it's all a learning experience.
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I made it over halfway - 26k right now. I am writing completely out of order, and I made a major change in it which does not match the rest. Either December or January will be an interesting month when I go back and try and make sense of it all.
I am beginning to envy the people that planned ahead. I have no idea what is going to happen next...
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