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imaginarycircus at 11:00am on 02/11/2008 under tips for writers
imaginarycircus at 11:00am on 02/11/2008 under tips for writersIn an effort to encourage everyone doing NaNoWriMo or any other kind of large scale writing project I thought I would post some tips. These are just tips. I don't have any magic, but you do every time you sit down and write a bit more.
1. Put your butt in the chair. If possible write at the same time everyday. Sit in front of your computer or your notebook or your papyrus or your semaphore or with whatever you plan to record your words and stay there for at least forty five minutes. Turn off the internet if you have to.
If you find yourself staring at a blank word doc in agony--pick up a pen and paper and write that way. Start writing words and do not stop for ten minutes. If you have to write "I know I have a story to tell and I am going to start telling it now" DO THAT until the words just start to pour out and you are so busy explaining how Eric ended up eating an entire armadillo at gunpoint that you've totally forgotten to stare at the blank paper/screen in fear.
2. Your first draft is a first draft. It is more important to get the whole of it down in words than it is to make it perfect. There is no such thing as a perfect first draft. Do not go back and rewrite. Keep a separate word doc or notebook for notes about changes you may want to make in the next draft. Keep moving forwards. Jane Austen didn't produce Pride and Prejudice on her first try and that novel required many rewrites as they all do. So let the flaws sit in your first draft. When you have the whole story written out some of them might turn out not to be flaws after all.
3. Make it fun. Write what captures your mind and heart. What makes you laugh. And don't take it too seriously. If you need to wear a costume, full makeup, nothing at all, make a chart that you can put dinosaur stickers on every time you write more--do it.
1. Put your butt in the chair. If possible write at the same time everyday. Sit in front of your computer or your notebook or your papyrus or your semaphore or with whatever you plan to record your words and stay there for at least forty five minutes. Turn off the internet if you have to.
If you find yourself staring at a blank word doc in agony--pick up a pen and paper and write that way. Start writing words and do not stop for ten minutes. If you have to write "I know I have a story to tell and I am going to start telling it now" DO THAT until the words just start to pour out and you are so busy explaining how Eric ended up eating an entire armadillo at gunpoint that you've totally forgotten to stare at the blank paper/screen in fear.
2. Your first draft is a first draft. It is more important to get the whole of it down in words than it is to make it perfect. There is no such thing as a perfect first draft. Do not go back and rewrite. Keep a separate word doc or notebook for notes about changes you may want to make in the next draft. Keep moving forwards. Jane Austen didn't produce Pride and Prejudice on her first try and that novel required many rewrites as they all do. So let the flaws sit in your first draft. When you have the whole story written out some of them might turn out not to be flaws after all.
3. Make it fun. Write what captures your mind and heart. What makes you laugh. And don't take it too seriously. If you need to wear a costume, full makeup, nothing at all, make a chart that you can put dinosaur stickers on every time you write more--do it.
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