Monday, November 13, 2006

NaNo Day Thirteen

Everything is something you decide to do, and there is nothing you have to do. ~ Denis Waitley

I made a decision yesterday.

Let me explain. I have never written a book from beginning to end. Typically, when I write, I begin by writing miscellaneous scenes in no particular order so that I can get to know my characters. After I have a dozen or so, then I start to write, and I think that the story is stronger for it.

My two big problems with this novel are that there is little conflict, and I don't like my heroine very much. I believe this stems from not having gotten to know her well before stuffing her into a story.

Yesterday, I began to rectify this problem. For the next day or two, my plan is to write scenes in no particular order as they occur to me. For instance, my hero told me yesterday, in very vehement tones, that he does not drink. I was taken a bit by surprise since the scene I was writing needed him to be drunk. I needed to find out why he doesn't drink... so I wrote another scene where the heroine gets sloppy and he gets mad at her and then tells her why he feels the way he does.

It's good. It means that I may not get a finished novel by the end of NaNo, but I should have 50,000 words toward a better novel than I have right now. One would hope...

It's Monday. YAY! DH goes back to work, DD has school again today (and this means a couple of hours of seatwork time this afternoon -- a break for me). I may be the only person in the world who loves, Loves, LOVES Monday.

======================

Today, I've managed 1,571 words.

My writing total is: 23,782 / 50,000

4 comments:

anno said...

I love Mondays. The start of the school year and the end of Christmas vacation, too. These are secrets I can never confess.

I like your idea of writing a scene to figure out why characters feel/think/act the way they do.

Anonymous said...

I think having a good novel basis is way more important than finishing something mediocre. :)

Allie Boniface said...

I think you're exactly on the right track and will be super-prepared to keep on going and finish this novel after Dec. 1st!

Ceri Hebert said...

I may have to write scenes out of order. I'm finding that most of what I'm writing is just introspection and very little dialogue or action.

Blah.

But I'm closing in on half way done.

Sounds like you made a bgreakthrough!

eozmeeea-every orderly zebra meets each elephant easily anyway