A New Novel, Part II

Gotten off to a slow start with my new novel. Distractions caused by work, children, our garden and a volunteer group I am working are taking a toll. My pace is only half of what it should be. But I have time to kick it  into grear. It is an interesting murder story that is a sequel to An Untidy Affair.

Yes, yes, yes, I know. I generally don't write sequels (although I plan them for the future) because if I haven't sold the first book yet, why waste time on a sequel that also might not sell? Sound thinking. But I want to crank this one out in less than a month and then sit it on a shelf until later. I won't be wasting that much time and if Affair is ever sold, I will have another novel waiting in the wings.

But that can only happen if I get myself in gear. I should have more than 6,000 words done by now and only have about 3,000. However, the storytelling is going well. It's just finding the time, the will and the energy to work on it.

I guess I am getting old.

This effort is part of NaNoWriMo in June. It had a summer camp theme. I registered, of course, and can even text a small group of writers for encouragement and support. Haven't done much of that -- it's also distracting -- but I can probably use the encouragement.

Well, I have a headache and other work to get done, so I'm going. But you keep the faith and keep writing.

Thanks for reading.

P.S., I saw a political bumper sticker yesterday that I thought hit the nail on the head. It said Republicans in 2012 are willing for throw millions of people out of work just to get one man (Obama) out of a job.

Interesting assessment.
 
 

A new novel

Started the outline for a new novel today. I don't like to do sequels. (Someone at Writer's Digest once told me why write numerous books in a series if you haven't sold the first one yet. It would be a huge waste of time and creative energy.) But this is a continuation of story with private eye David Blaise.

The first novel was set in May 1985. This novel is set several years later. But I like the plot and the characters and, frankly, it could be a stand-alone, not just a book in a series.

I plan to write, in longhand, eight or 10 pages of outline and see what I have from that. And I decided to do this now, instead of in the fall, because I plan to attempt the first draft in June, as part of the NaNoWriMo in June.

It will be more difficult than in November, when there is a holiday. There is no holiday in June but with graduation, and open houses, and college preparation and registration, I have a lot going on it June. (I can barely wait until August when we send our daughter off to school. I don't remember it being this hectic when I started college.) Plus I have a story for an anthology to finish in June. Lots of stuff for my brain to handle.

Anyway, my untitled book should get underway on the first of June. And if for any of a number of reasons it doesn't get finished in June, I can always attempt it in November. It's a wonderful detective mystery story that's begging to get out. So, I'm going to let it.

Thanks for reading and keep writing.   

First draft

I opened my e-mail this afternoon and saw an advertisement for a course at Writer's Digest University called "12 Weeks to a First Draft." Now that sounded catchy. I was also interested in the idea of a fast first draft because National Novel Writing Month is in two months and members of the newest critique group I am in are planning a novel-writing workshop at a local library to help kick off the month.

Several of the selling points for the WD course included, "How to employ writing techniques to facilitate the first draft of your novel," "How to maintain a writing routine with clear objectives," "How to pace your novel," and "How to implement literary conventions such as plot, character, setting, style, exposition, dialogue and tension in your novel."

All those are good, of course, but I also hope the course stresses one truly important fact, which is something they could give for free: Writing is hard work and there is no substitute for planting your butt in a seat and doing the hard work.

For for the uninitiated in writing a fast work (and particularly for people who might also want to try NaNoWriMo), I hope the course doesn't place too much emphasis on all those "literary conventions" such as plot, characters and setting. While those are EXTREMELY important, I think the most important things to remember are setting a realistic goal for completion and working every day to achieve that goal. I strongly believe if you focus too much on the mechanics of writing a masterpiece, it is too easy to get bogged down and discouraged, and thus not finish.

There will always be obstacles to finishing -- obstacles over which you have no control. You don't need to add more.

I think the best advice is sit down and write. A compelling plot, exciting characters, believable dialogue and good setting, if you don't get it done in the first draft, can be -- and, in fact, will need to be -- added in later drafts. You have to remember, it is only a first draft. Get it done.

Thanks for reading and keep writing.