Thursday, November 1, 2012

I chose my NaNo Project like this.

Yesterday, I did quite a few writerly things.

I finished the final edits.

I rewrote my query. It's now resting on my computer, waiting for me to edit it.

I also finally decided what I'd be writing about for NaNoWriMo. It's the original draft and not the rewrite. The reason: I can stay in draft mode longer.

If I did the rewrite, my plan would look like this:

1) Rewrite WiP3
2) Draft WiP5 while 3 rests.
3) Revise 3 while 5 rests.
4) Rewrite 5 while 3 rests.
5) Edit 3 while 5 rests.
Problem: The fact that I'd have to hop between edit and draft modes in steps 2-5, which, if you're familiar with me, you'd know is something I hardly ever manage well. In fact, WiP2 and 3 have gone untouched for a YEAR because I was busy editing Doorways. 

But I've now decided to do things like this. Of course Doorways querying etc. will continue on top of all this.

1) Draft WiP5
2) Rewrite WiP3 while 5 rests.
3) Rewrite 5 while 3 rests.
4) Revise 3 while 5 rests.
5) Revise 5 while 3 rests.
6) Alternate edits to 3 and 5 as needed.

See? Everything follows nicely so that I don't have to hop between edit mode and draft mode. So I can lock up my inner editor for months, potentially, except of course if I have to tweak Doorways a little.

So yeah, a distinctively dispassionate way to chose projects, but by yesterday, I still hadn't had a clue as to what I wanted to write more.

Have you ever used logic to work out which project you should be working on? Did you obey it in the end?

19 comments:

  1. You have a plan that keeps you in the flow!

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  2. Glad you'll be writing too. Do whatever works best for you.

    I'm writing the second book in the Day Laughs, Night Cries series. I made an outline. I'll be writing later - no editing.

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  3. Most agents don't want to see queries in the months of November and December because they associate nano with a tsunami of crap. I would suggest putting querying on hold until January.

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    1. Yep I'm with you. Will be holding off on queries until mid January.

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  4. I always want to use logic, but my emotions seem to intervene.
    Have fun with NaNo this year.

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    1. Same here, and with writing, it's so important for the logic and emotions to coincide, otherwise no amount of logic will help me get the writing done.

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  5. I get carried away with emotion when it comes to writing.
    Logic definitely runs second place

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    Replies
    1. Hahaha I tend to as well. Like now, I'm already dreaming of writing the Doorways sequel, even when I know I should wait until I have an agent.

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  6. Yes. Whatever is due out next is what I work on. I sometimes take an hour and work on a different project. I sort of like to have the next one started when the current one is done.

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    Replies
    1. Makes sense. I tend not to risk it, though, because I have an all-or nothing attention span when it comes to my writing. So a short distraction from my current WiP is hardly ever a good idea.

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  7. I have trouble flipping between edit and draft modes too. I spent ages editing WIP 1. Now I'm firmly into drafting WIP 2, which took a lot of getting used to.

    Actually, WIP 2 is really WIP 2b, because logic told me to crack on with that rather than WIP 2a because I needed to take a different direction before returning to a sequel to WIP 1. Actually, for a while I was toying with breathing life back into WIP 0 ... no, logic really doesn't come into it.

    I call this mental state "Wipdithering" :)

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    Replies
    1. Wipdithering is an EXCELLENT word. We should spread it around and see if we can't get it into some dictionaries. ;-)

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  8. Glad you have a proper plan in place. I am rewriting a book I wrote 4 years back.

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  9. Misha, I've nominated you for the Next Best thing Award! See nomination and rules here: http://termitewriter.blogspot.com/2012/11/ive-been-nominated-for-next-best-thing.html

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