Organize Your Work Area
There's much talk about writing a book in the month of November. I'm not at all sure I even have a book in me. I just spout a whole bunch of nonsense and hope that is helps someone. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much, I've posted something every day since March 7. Much of what I've written has contained some useful piece of information about writing. This was more of a fact at the beginning of the blog, but I still steer myself back in that direction.
Just for the hell of it, let's concentrate on writing a bit. What's the first thing we need in order to write? You might say the first thing we need is an idea. This is true, but I was thinking more along the lines of where and how we would write. One of the first things we need to do is organize our work space. Are we using a computer or notebooks and pens. Do we have enough peace in this work space to get things done?
We might want to have a dictionary and some erasers on hand. If the idea is to write 50 some thousand words in a month, though, we can't spend too much time erasing. We need to keep moving forward. Do we have some inspirational materials handy in case we get stuck? Behind my printer, I have a metal cookie sheet with magnetic poetry words spread out all over it. Sometimes I just stare at that cookie sheet and pick out words.
We would, of course, also want easy access to any notes we've made about our idea. Hopefully, we already have something of an outline formed for what we want to cover and to keep us on track. Being prepared is sometimes the best way to keep going. The more we know our topic, the easier it is to write about it. These are simply things to thing about as we begin our month-long endeavor.
I'm not saying that I'm doing this, I'm simply saying that if I were to do it, this might be a good place to start. Some things to remember, this is rough draft work, don't be concerned about fine tuning now. You can take a couple of month after the whole work is written to do the fine tuning. You can take as long as you need to pretty up the language and images after the initial outpouring has stopped.
Write, write, write, and write some more. The editing and re-writing will come later and at a more leisurely pace. The ideas will come as we move through the process of writing. Once we have the draft of our book complete, then we can go back and highlight things we felt deserved more stress. We can cut some areas that aren't all that important. And we can rearrange to our heart's content.
Get busy guys!
At 485 words tonight, I'd never survive.
Just for the hell of it, let's concentrate on writing a bit. What's the first thing we need in order to write? You might say the first thing we need is an idea. This is true, but I was thinking more along the lines of where and how we would write. One of the first things we need to do is organize our work space. Are we using a computer or notebooks and pens. Do we have enough peace in this work space to get things done?
We might want to have a dictionary and some erasers on hand. If the idea is to write 50 some thousand words in a month, though, we can't spend too much time erasing. We need to keep moving forward. Do we have some inspirational materials handy in case we get stuck? Behind my printer, I have a metal cookie sheet with magnetic poetry words spread out all over it. Sometimes I just stare at that cookie sheet and pick out words.
We would, of course, also want easy access to any notes we've made about our idea. Hopefully, we already have something of an outline formed for what we want to cover and to keep us on track. Being prepared is sometimes the best way to keep going. The more we know our topic, the easier it is to write about it. These are simply things to thing about as we begin our month-long endeavor.
I'm not saying that I'm doing this, I'm simply saying that if I were to do it, this might be a good place to start. Some things to remember, this is rough draft work, don't be concerned about fine tuning now. You can take a couple of month after the whole work is written to do the fine tuning. You can take as long as you need to pretty up the language and images after the initial outpouring has stopped.
Write, write, write, and write some more. The editing and re-writing will come later and at a more leisurely pace. The ideas will come as we move through the process of writing. Once we have the draft of our book complete, then we can go back and highlight things we felt deserved more stress. We can cut some areas that aren't all that important. And we can rearrange to our heart's content.
Get busy guys!
At 485 words tonight, I'd never survive.
posted by Vickie at 8:45 PM
3 Comments:
Good advice, one needs to eat, sleep, and breath it if one wants to write. Save every little scrap of thought and pile them up like rocks. It's from those piles of rocks you'll find your gems.
Motivation. Yes. 50,000 words requires it. I am waiting on my new office to be finished. I'll finally be able to dedicate to my novel.
You make some very good points here. Be well.
~ James
Thanks, guys. I do appreciate both of you.
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