NaNoWriMo
I just have to say...that is the strangest name. Couldn't we writers come up with something more creative, more interesting...more appealing?
Anyway, I've never done NaNoWriMo or BIAW (book in a week) or any other guided writing. In fact, when Elisabeth decided we were doing 1000 words/day for 100 days, I joined in, but then bottomed out after, what E...six days? I guess the good thing is that I made it that long, and I'm still writing, now up to 60k.
But my schedule just won't allow me to sit down and write 2000+ words a day. I've got two jobs, two very busy kids, .33 of a husband...etc., etc.
The big question -- excuses or realities? I'm not too proud to admit some could be excuses, but I'm also not naive enough to deny the realities of everyday life, either.
How do writers who are not paid full time writers (that's rather key here--if I was a full time writer, that's what I'd do...write), but work another job (or two) with kids at home and no nannies and housekeepers, write 2000 words a day?
I'd love to hear your methods, whether you're doing NaNoWriMo or not!
4 comments:
Joan, when Allison Brennan was in my critique group, she worked full time, had 5 kids, and probably wrote 2000 words most nights. She was very determined.
I don't work out of the home, don't have kids at home, and sometimes I can't 2000 words. We know which one is published and on the bestseller list.
But a lot of people don't write 2000 words a night and they still get published. You and I can too.:)
Thanks, Edie. Nice to know I'm not alone. :-)
Earlene Fowler is a very successful, full-time author (though not in romance but mainstream fiction) and she writes one book a year.
I believe you're right -- you don't have to write any certain number of words per day to be considered professional or determined or focused or serious.
I don't know, LOL.
(I was going to actually write more than that, then realized ... I don't know. So why go on?)
But if you keep going for it, keep trying, then you'll get more done than if you don't. I mean, you got 60K done even though you didn't make the 1000 a day thing. But sometimes the little goals we set get us there, get us going.
Spy,
That's a good point. Only with age have I learned the value of small, consistent goals.
I was just thinking tonight...I can't continue in my story because I need answers to some research. So, I'm probably going to spend a couple hours trying to create some plot structure. But no words on the page...so does that not count? It's all part of writing. It's all part of getting to THE END.
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