Things I learned from NaNoWriMo 2009
Now that NaNoWriMo has officially ended, and I've had two days to come down from the ~winner's high~ (or insane relief, more like it), it's time to take a look at what I learned about myself and writing in general. Because that's kinda of what you're supposed to after accomplishing something like NaNo, right?
Things I've Learned
1. I really suck at pacing
There is a reason why my NaNo fic will probably not be posted until January, if even then, and it's not (completely) because the writing sucks. It's primarily because everything past the 10K mark is just people having conversations about the plot rather than the plot actually moving forward on its own. Certain scenes get dragged out, important scenes are much shorter than they need to be, the plot gets shoved in as an afterthought, etc. It probably would've helped if I had some kind of detailed plotline before I started instead of the vague idea I started with.
2. My characters don't shut up
Ever. Which I suppose can be a good thing, but not when there's the aforementioned plot to get to. Really, Nico and Rachel did not have to have a 3,000 word conversation where only one important plot element was established, but they wanted to have one anyway.
3. My hurried writing really isn't that bad
Yes, it isn't up to my usual standards in some sections, but there are some rather big sections that are actually publish worthy as they are in terms of the dialogue, description, and grammar. I think this was because I didn't completely kill off my inner editor for the month. I might've gagged him and shoved him a in closet, but there was no killing involved. Lucky for him.
4. Writing a lot isn't hard
Sure, it was hard to get into the pattern at first, but once Week Two hit, I was in the zone. I knew I could get 1,666 words and maybe more out in a day by that point. By Week Four, I was putting off doing my NaNo until 10:30 p.m. and still making the daily count -- there was one night last week where I wrote 2,000 words in an hour and a half. Before NaNo, it might've taken me all day to finish a 2,000 word ficlet because I am lazylazylazy, and it probably still will like a week from now when I've come down from the NaNo high.
Also, I was surprised how much non-NaNo things I managed to write during the month. I had three 1,000+ word fics, a couple of writing memes, and I wrote three things for the pjo_kinkmeme during the last couple of days as well. And, of course, homework, but who wants to hear about that? ;)
5. Writing is fun
Which, I already knew of course, but it's always nice to be reminded of that. I liked constantly wracking up my word count and bragging to all my IRL friends...although they would just look at me and go, "So you're writing 50,000 words that will never be seen by anyone...why?" WHICH IS TOTALLY ENCOURAGING, THANKS IRL FRIENDS.
Things I've Learned
1. I really suck at pacing
There is a reason why my NaNo fic will probably not be posted until January, if even then, and it's not (completely) because the writing sucks. It's primarily because everything past the 10K mark is just people having conversations about the plot rather than the plot actually moving forward on its own. Certain scenes get dragged out, important scenes are much shorter than they need to be, the plot gets shoved in as an afterthought, etc. It probably would've helped if I had some kind of detailed plotline before I started instead of the vague idea I started with.
2. My characters don't shut up
Ever. Which I suppose can be a good thing, but not when there's the aforementioned plot to get to. Really, Nico and Rachel did not have to have a 3,000 word conversation where only one important plot element was established, but they wanted to have one anyway.
3. My hurried writing really isn't that bad
Yes, it isn't up to my usual standards in some sections, but there are some rather big sections that are actually publish worthy as they are in terms of the dialogue, description, and grammar. I think this was because I didn't completely kill off my inner editor for the month. I might've gagged him and shoved him a in closet, but there was no killing involved. Lucky for him.
4. Writing a lot isn't hard
Sure, it was hard to get into the pattern at first, but once Week Two hit, I was in the zone. I knew I could get 1,666 words and maybe more out in a day by that point. By Week Four, I was putting off doing my NaNo until 10:30 p.m. and still making the daily count -- there was one night last week where I wrote 2,000 words in an hour and a half. Before NaNo, it might've taken me all day to finish a 2,000 word ficlet because I am lazylazylazy, and it probably still will like a week from now when I've come down from the NaNo high.
Also, I was surprised how much non-NaNo things I managed to write during the month. I had three 1,000+ word fics, a couple of writing memes, and I wrote three things for the pjo_kinkmeme during the last couple of days as well. And, of course, homework, but who wants to hear about that? ;)
5. Writing is fun
Which, I already knew of course, but it's always nice to be reminded of that. I liked constantly wracking up my word count and bragging to all my IRL friends...although they would just look at me and go, "So you're writing 50,000 words that will never be seen by anyone...why?" WHICH IS TOTALLY ENCOURAGING, THANKS IRL FRIENDS.