Now that Nanowrimo is over I can start getting back to talking about the broad world of publishing. A while back I mentioed I was going to start doing video & blog reviews of websites like Print on demand comanies and more.
So I’d like to give you this oppurtunity to leave a comment below with any websites or campnies you’d like my opinion on.
In addition to getting back to video making, I’m going to try and schedule this blog itself a little more and make a commitment to making two posts a week on certain days. I’m gonna give it some thought about how I want to approach it. but there will be blog! (I drink your milkshake?)
You’re taking longer than you want to get to your word count.
You’re not even getting to the word count you set for yourself.
You sit there looking at the screen and you’re kicking yourself over and over again.
So what’s happening? It’s 5 days in, the first week is almost over. You should be at 12,500 words very soon but you’re not even close are you? You probably already know what you’re doing wrong, where your wasting all your time, how you’re procrastinating on this.
Cut Out All Distractions When you sit down at your computer, word processor, pad of paper, w/e tell yourself you’re there to write and that’s it.turn off all other applications & Programs. Check your email for the last time and close it. Quit your instant messenger program. Close facebook. Tell your friends and family that knocking on your door will result in death by firing squad. Turn off the phone – and if you find yourself being distracted by the TV or iTunes turn it off.
shut off all programs
turn off your phone
hide from friends and family
turn off the tv/radio/iTunes
Do Not Edit One of the biggest things that will impede your writing is editing while you write. Just learn to leave mistakes. Don’t go back and fix thigns just cause MS Word has underlined it in a red or green squiggle. You’ll waste your time. This month is called “National Novel Writing Month” not national editing month.
Do not spell check
Do not grammar check
Do not research
Stop editing. They beauty about your built in spell check and grammar check, is that those little red and green squiggles will be there 30 days from now when the month is over and let you go fix those mistakes at that point.
Fixing things as you type not only wastes your time but it actually slows your creative flow and puts barriers in the way of your progessing the story. So let it pass.
Lastly don’t go off in the middle of your writing session to research “the ideal name for this character” or “that capital of Sri Lanka” or “is there an insect that can kill an elephant?”. Again you’ll impede your flow, hinder your creative process and waste time with which you could be writing. Make something up, and if you can’t make something up, make a note of somekind.
Keep writing.
And for god’s sakes don’t stop writing just to write a blog post about what’s hindering your own writing process. … Oh shit… Gaaaaah!
it’s Day 1. This should be a cake walk, this should be the easiest day ever. You’ve had weeks to let the ideas stew and you’ve kept the crock pot lid jammed on tight, with a brick on there for good measure and now you finally got to let it out in a blitzkrieg of ink, words and ideas.
1667 words. that’s mean average. If you’re writing every day. So where do you stand?
Did you get there, pass it, are you tucked away in the fetal position rocking back and forth chanting “it can see me”?
I know, I’m totally repeating myself. But this is important. I’m going to help you really analyze this thing we call November.
And here’s the other thing, Scheduling your Time for nanowrimo, is just as much about Scheduling your Time not to write. You have to take time off. You can’t go in to this and just divide the project by the month. 50,000 words/ 30 days (fyi 1667/day). Don’t do it. Take time off, have a weekend at least one day.
You’ve got Thanksgiving Thursday the 27th – you’re taking that day off or some one’s likely to get pissed at you. Just do it, eat some turkey or tofurkey or turducken… whatever just subtract it from your 30 days.
Take a day off each week, a day to celebrate your accomplishments so far and to detox from the inevitable stress.
By a stroke of unforeseen luck, my current job actually ends Oct 31st. So I’ve got the whole month to use. BUT I’m taking off Saturdays, I have a class so I really don’t need even more to do.
So that and Thanksgiving, I’m gonna say 6 days off (many of you will take 5 off, many possibly more).
50,000 words / 24 days = 2083 words/day
I’m gonna take a leasurly assumption of 1200 words per hour and tuck away 2 hours a day.
I’m not a morning person, I’m naturally one to let the circadian cycle run and stay up till the sun comes up. but I’ve been doing the normal man’s work hours for a while, so I’m gonna call it 8am everyday. That’s my two hours. That way I can start the day with knowing I’ve got it under my belt and everything else is a celebration.
Anyone in LA, especially the Hollywood area, you’ll find me most days writting at Solar De Cahuenga, if you want to have some moral support. Or some competition to pace yourself against.
I know somewhere out there there’s going to be the weekend warrior. You’ve got a tough road ahead of you, you have 5 weekends, 10 days to pull 50,000 words. I tried this last year, and for the most part I came real damn close to pulling it off. I hit 30,000 words and then life toppled in on me and I had no more time.
So what are you going to do? 5000 words a day? It’s not impossible. But don’t sit down a 5 hour stint and just write. I know you’re like “hey if it’s fucking working, I’m gonna do it”. Schedule the day in two parts… or make yourself take breaks. Every hour take 15 minutes to walk around, stretch, snack, piss whatever. But do it. or you’ll find yourself come back to your project one weekend looking at it like you’re willing entering the torture chamber.
TAKE BREAKS!
So what do you think gang, how many days are you scheduling?
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