I’ve learned a few things in the time I’ve been writing with intention.  One of those things is to write every day no matter what.  This is especially important to me in the middle of anything longer than a short story.

I didn’t write for three days.  Of course it was harder to get back into it and of course I thought it would be easier to take that fourth day off.  But discipline is discipline, so three days was as far as I was going to stretch it.

I know better.  And this time just proved all over again why I need to write. every. day.  Something interesting did happen, though.  It reminded me of something Annie Dillard said in A Writing Life.  If you just can’t bring yourself to write, the work has a flaw or you are headed in the wrong direction.  I’m not sure that fully applies to my few days off, but the story had an interesting twist happen when I began writing again.

Would that twist have happened without time off?

One of my concerns with this novel is for the reader to believe the characters believe in a situation that is abnormal…or as my MC puts it “I refuse to be a freak in anyone’s freak show.  This has gone too far.”  In the scene following the break, she said those words and exhibited her denial.  I think that’s important for the story overall and her believability.

Ah, well.  I may never know.  However, no more time off for me until the rough draft is out.

You know those old vaudeville jokes that start with “a funny thing happened on my way to…?”   I have one, and it was a first time for me.

Just imagine a long day, evening meeting, too sleepy to type up what had been written that day.  Probably sounds familiar, right?  So I wrote about eleven pages longhand during the course of my day, which gives me a different connection to the story sometimes.  The other piece of this puzzle is that I always ALWAYS fall asleep reading.  And a funny thing happened to me on the way to sleep.

So I’m headed to bed and I get happy about reading this new story.  It’s the story about the girl in Milwaukee that has a special skill.  Haven’t heard of it?  Sure you have  if you’ve been on my NaNoWriMo page.

I really wanted to find out what happened next.

I sit down on the bed to set the alarm  and glance around for the book I want to read.  Of course, I don’t find it.  That’s when it dawns on me.

I’m looking to read the book I’m currently writing.

I hope I’m not the only one this has ever happened to!

The photo here is a good image for what my MC will be facing in the next day or two.  Is she ready?  Am I?

I cannot express the joy I experience when I start a new novel.  I thought perhaps it was just a personal thing, but I was told today that my whole demeanor changes when I’m in the throes of composition.  I’m more relaxed, my body language is more open, and ideas come more readily.

I’m 36 hours into Deluge and loving every minute.  I get to insert a few scenes tonight and write two new ones.  I have no idea if it is any good, and really don’t care.  I’m laying down words from that secret place inside of me and loving every minute of it.  I’m nervous, thrilled, a bit frightened, and really enjoying the ride.

How do you experience the first day or two of a new writing project?  Is it a thrill or frightening?

1. Don’t forget to set the clock back.  Sleep in anyway.
2. Keep the half dozen commitments already in place for this weekend AND rock the word count on Sunday.
3. Show no fear.
4. Chain notebook to side for the duration.
5. Eat at least twice a day.
6. Let husband see my eyeballs periodically…when not glazed over.
7. Do not miss sleep, do not keep late hours, or do not pass go and collect $200.
8. Keep writing even as the nurses come to take me to surgery on the 16th.  Ask nurse or spouse for pen and paper at first waking moment.  Skip the pain meds.
9. On second thought, take the pain meds.  Don’t read what they produce until December.
10. Remember to wash clothes at least once a week.
11. Refrain from calling employees by character names.  It upsets them and could result in a fancy white jacket with really long sleeves.  And buckles.  In the back.
12. Recovery from surgery combined with absorption with notebook will produce natural dieting behavior.  Take advantage of it.
13. No nicotine this year.  Beware.  Wear a warning beacon.  Equip with claxon to avoid injury to others.  DO NOT START SMOKING AGAIN.
14. Spend Saturday either itching to write or distracting myself.
15. Spend Sunday doing all the things I could have done Saturday.
16. Buckle in, belt up, and hang on.  Here we go~

I’ve just returned from the monthly writers group I attend.  As always, I come away amazed and energized by the different genres and writing styles.  Each member has their own critique style, too.

Our group is small, with a smaller core membership. I find I am more willing to risk sharing with a consistent group.  Tonight I brought three scenes from roughly the middle of the novel I wrote in August.  The last scene didn’t have the punch I thought it should have and I was hoping for some feedback.

I got it, along with some insight into what would give the scene more depth and richer detail.  I came home with comments, observations, and most importantly, encouragement.  I have solid information to use in revising the scenes, which makes me a happy writer indeed.

Not all of us bring work.  I bring pieces maybe every 2-3 months because I’m writing longer things.  This works for me because I can concentrate on the work of others without the distraction of having to give my piece up for comment.  I have just as much fun helping others as I do getting good feedback.

The main reason I keep going, however, is to force myself to put words out there.  It’s very different from beta readers over the internet or long distance.  Immediate feedback, body language, noting where people smile or laugh, and being able to bring all the comments home at once sure doesn’t hurt.  Face to face vulnerability is far different from the more anonymous internet interaction.   I’m shy and sometimes insecure.  I need to push myself to talk about my work face to face, to give it to others face to face.  I might get better critiques from Cassie or Anthony and though both require trust, each develops a different kind of confidence.

Just some observations and thoughts.  Anyone else attend writers groups?  What has your experience been?

I wrote my first novel, long long ago, in a fifty page treatment.  Then I slogged through a draft.

I wrote my second novel by the seat of my pants and it wasn’t bad.

I wrote my third novel via outline and found out I lost all impetus to complete it.

My fourth novel came flying out, seat of the pants style, but with research and pauses to integrate information.

So it is time to start number five.  It is a plot and concept I’ve had in mind since August.  I already know the big points and I’m afraid I’m less enthusiastic about it than I was last summer.

• I have a mind map
• I have lots of free write
• I have names, places, images to keep me on track
• I have listed the layers, the key crises, and elements of the story arc

I spend more time trying NOT to think about it.  Writing it stale just doesn’t seem fun.  I need to and enjoy giving the characters their heads.

I won’t know until I start writing if I planned too much.  I’m afraid, and curious, and determined.  I hope the character grabs me by the hand and jumps in.

NaNoWriMo discussions are under way.  Is NaNo worth it? What kind of NaNo writer are you?  Come chat!

And really, I don’t have much of an ego, but had to admit I was surprised that no one laughed at 5 Great Ways to Procrastinate While Writing. Is it that bad?

If you don’t have Alexandra Sokoloff on your reader, please consider adding her blog.  A screenwriter and novelist, she has a great knack for breaking down fiction and the elements of writing.  In NaNoWriMo prep:  The Plan, Alexandra breaks down the tension and conflict points in JAWS as she has done for other books and movies (listed at the bottom of the article).   In What is a Three Act Structure and Why Should You Care? she explains the use of the three part novel format.  What’s Your Premise? and What is High Concept? are also great articles that break down the “know it when you see it” parts of writing.

Looking past the surface:  depth beckons

Creative.  Period. (a look at the stop sign of literature)

Giving constructive criticism and How to comment on other people’s writing.

7 reasons why a good schedule can keep you on track

Writers are Superheroes

What goes around: A timeline of publisher evolution and GenTen, ten random generators for writers.

How does writing make you feel?

The craft vs the art of writing

I’ve been collecting a few NaNo related items that you can find on my NaNoWriMo 2009 page.  Some are cool things for participants, some are alternatives to writing such as NaNoReaMo.  Lynn Viehl is unofficially participating this year also.

Becoming a writer

A writing pep talk

Ignore anyone who tells you to write write write!

People Watching for Character Development goes beyond what I tried to do in People Watching for Character Traits.  Both have good points.

25 Creative Writing Prompts

2 Word Limit sounds like a great exercise.  Jo’s come with gorgeous photos.

Sharing your writing

How I write: authors on the writing process

I’ve only skimmed the reader this week but think this might be a good place to stop.  At this rate I’ll have to do another week of links!  However, today is my writing day and I need to get cracking.

Have a great week everyone!

Okay, maybe I procrastinate more while editing, but the application is the same.  Here are five great ways to kill/waste/use up time until you have no more time to write/edit/proof.

1.  Watch TV and movies.  For maximum procrastination, watch great movies with plots that require concentration.  For a steady diet of wasting time, catalog your videos and DVDs, watching each one to be sure it is in the right case and has the right title, director, and list of cast members.  Yes, the catalog has to be complete.  Use a spreadsheet.

Should you discover Netflix online or sites such as Fox.com, you can add entire seasons of your favorite and not-so-favorite television episodes to your viewing list.  This is an incredible time waster.  For example, if you are a Law & Order SVU fan, you can watch ten seasons’ worth.  At an average of 22 episodes per season and 42 minutes per episode, you can waste 154 hours, or 6.5 days.  This method is thoroughly tested and proven just recently.  In addition to old seasons, you can watch shows the day after they appear on network television.  Keep up with all your favorites:  House, The Simpsons, Lie to Me, Fringe, Dollhouse, Bones, and many more.

2.  Clean your dwelling.  We aren’t talking about a few swipes with the duster and vacuum here.  Oh no, this is the kind of cleaning you do when on a three day caffeine binge.  Empty out those cupboards, scrub everything down (including the contents) and organize them while putting them back.  Next, clean all flooring surfaces.  By hand.  On your knees.  You get extra credit for using a toothbrush on tile grout.  Steam clean your drapes and upholstery.  Wipe down your walls, all ceiling fans and fixtures, and appliances.  Wipe down each figurine and knick knack with a finger cot.

Depending on your square footage, this can successfully use up several weeks  of writing time.  Since you are a writer, we know you have books.  Don’t forget to take each one off the shelf, wipe it down, and then spend two days grouping them all in the manner most pleasing…color, author, title, we’ll leave that up to you.  Don’t worry if you don’t like the first grouping.  You can spend another two days on a do over.  You have our permission.

3.  Tackle the “honey do” list.  Ask for more.  If your honey doesn’t provide additional items for your list, feel free to slow your speed on each project, or even repeat them.  It won’t hurt the gate to have a few extra nails, right?  You can change the oil in your car every 100 miles.  Sure you can.

When you’ve done everything you can think of and you’ve exasperated your honey to the point of silence, spend hours planning elaborate romantic dinners/evenings/outings until your honey is sweet again.  You get bonus points for surprising her/him.

4.  Tackle your To Be Read list with alacrity.  Read everything on your list.  Then read everything on your friend’s list, your brother’s, your second cousin’s twice removed.  Look up reading lists on line and read those also.  When you are done, take a few days to integrate all your new books into your bookshelves.  Then take the next few days to regroup them.

5.  Sleep.  Take naps.  Sleep in on the weekends.  Go to bed early on the weekdays.  Beg off social commitments and curl up under the blankets.  Move to the couch when your alarm goes off and hit snooze at least half a dozen times.  When you are feeling particularly alert, take a warm bath and drink some warm milk.  Tell everyone you are doing dream research and you have to be asleep to dream.  Don’t skip the after dinner nap.  That’s another hour each day.

Remember, these methods are proven to work and have all been extensively tested within the last two months.

If you are still in need of additional procrastination methods, feel free to email any author or serious writer.  We are certain they will be happy to share their own techniques.

We practice and put in the hours.  We correct our mistakes and learn from them.  We believe that our efforts will be rewarded with improvement, right?

In a perfect world, we would know if we were becoming better writers.  However, this is our world and we aren’t always the best judge of our own work.  Either I am too close to a piece or the critic is shouting over anything else I might think.  I’ll hazard a guess that I’m not alone.

So how do we know if we are a better writer than last month or last year?  I think, for some of us, there’s less resistance to writing, more willingness to sit down and get going.  For others, it might be fewer line edits or scene restructures.

Judy Reeves (The Writer’s Book of Days) offers a specific checklist to measure writing progress.  While I can argue the first three, I think the last four are dead on.

You easily fall into writing about the topic and begin writing without hesitation; you don’t stop to think or consider, you just keep the pen moving.

You stay with the topic long enough to explore it, rather than verging off into digressions that go nowhere or jumping from one thought to the next.  You are a more patient writer.

You stay out of journal-writing and in creative writing mode; you keep yourself out of the way.

Your verbs are lively and diverse.

Your images are fresh

You write with fewer cliched words and images

Your sentences vary in length and structure.

I believe Ms Reeves means that we will do these things more naturally in the first draft as we improve our writing skills.

How do you measure your improvement?  What advice would you give to others?