That's A Steaming Pile of...Novel
Day 17
written: 2.5k
goal: 2.4k
total: 34k
This is the first time in a long time I've actually reached my word count goal for the day. My day wasn't half was productive, regarding schoolwork, but I did do some, so it wasn't a bum day. I'm pretty proud. I actually did some work early, which I never do. I'm feeling less and less overwhelmed, but I really can't wait to go home for the break. I haven't actually seen my family since...September. I think this is the longest I've gone without seeing them.
Anyway, yeah, my story is just a steaming pile of novel. But I don't actually hate my story and I actually feel better about it than I have all week. I had an epiphany about my favorite character, who is still not my main character. I still haven't introduced my side characters, which is a little frustrating, but hopefully, hopefully that'll be tomorrow. I just feel like I'm 34k works in and I don't know where I am. Two days ago, there was a thread on the nano forums about 'do you think you're halfway through your novel?' and it depressed me, because so what I have a pretty good word count. I'm just lost. I'm a pantser, a proud pantser, but I also like to outline at least one chapter ahead, so I never actually have to slow down during transitions. Like I'm walking in the dark with a very small flashlight. I can just see where my next step is and I love it. And I generally know when I'm about to run into a wall or I'm really close to the exit. With this, someone stole my flashlight and my characters are laughing at me somewhere in the dark and I can't even find them.
But I have to remember, when December rolls around and the lights come on and I see what I've been stepping it, it's going to be ugly and smelly and steaming. And I'm going to want to run away and shut and lock the door. And then a couple of months later I'll open that door again and it'll still be ugly and a little smelly, but not as bad as I remember it. And I might want to go inside and look at it closely to see if there's something worth salvaging in the midst of all that...novel. Maybe there is and maybe there isn't, but I won't know if I leave before November and blow up the room.
So, that's my pep talk to keep myself going.
written: 2.5k
goal: 2.4k
total: 34k
This is the first time in a long time I've actually reached my word count goal for the day. My day wasn't half was productive, regarding schoolwork, but I did do some, so it wasn't a bum day. I'm pretty proud. I actually did some work early, which I never do. I'm feeling less and less overwhelmed, but I really can't wait to go home for the break. I haven't actually seen my family since...September. I think this is the longest I've gone without seeing them.
Anyway, yeah, my story is just a steaming pile of novel. But I don't actually hate my story and I actually feel better about it than I have all week. I had an epiphany about my favorite character, who is still not my main character. I still haven't introduced my side characters, which is a little frustrating, but hopefully, hopefully that'll be tomorrow. I just feel like I'm 34k works in and I don't know where I am. Two days ago, there was a thread on the nano forums about 'do you think you're halfway through your novel?' and it depressed me, because so what I have a pretty good word count. I'm just lost. I'm a pantser, a proud pantser, but I also like to outline at least one chapter ahead, so I never actually have to slow down during transitions. Like I'm walking in the dark with a very small flashlight. I can just see where my next step is and I love it. And I generally know when I'm about to run into a wall or I'm really close to the exit. With this, someone stole my flashlight and my characters are laughing at me somewhere in the dark and I can't even find them.
But I have to remember, when December rolls around and the lights come on and I see what I've been stepping it, it's going to be ugly and smelly and steaming. And I'm going to want to run away and shut and lock the door. And then a couple of months later I'll open that door again and it'll still be ugly and a little smelly, but not as bad as I remember it. And I might want to go inside and look at it closely to see if there's something worth salvaging in the midst of all that...novel. Maybe there is and maybe there isn't, but I won't know if I leave before November and blow up the room.
So, that's my pep talk to keep myself going.