... for every time someone said to me, "You should write a book," I'd have... well... I'd have a bunch of nickels.
I've tried.
I have!
But I get stuck, usually a few chapters in. Also? I edit as I go. And I'm starting think that's a terrible practice. I get so caught up in perfecting (as it were) the minutest details, I lose sight of the bigger picture... which really ought to involve, you know, actually finishing the damned thing.
When I start a project (of which there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 84 [unfinished] saved on my hard drive and flash drives all over my house), I usually have a fairly abstract idea of the direction I want the story to go.
An abstract idea.
Don't get me wrong, ideas are good... it's the abstract part that's a problem. If you can't turn 'abstract' into 'concrete,' you wind up with something that looks like the word version of a Picasso painting... some people will get it, but most will just scratch their heads in bewilderment.
But...
I've had a new idea.
And it's more Monet than Picasso (i.e. a little watery and unclear, but no one's got an eyeball stuck in an armpit or anything).
So, I've done the outline. I've written background for the main characters and I'm working on the secondary characters now. I have direction. I can see the beginning, the middle, and even the end.
And that? Is new.
I expect I'm going to get hung up along the way. As I do. But I'm going to try hard not to sweat the small stuff until all the big stuff is down.
And that? Is new, too.
I'll keep you posted.
But just to be safe?
Start saving up those nickels.
4 comments:
Good luck! I also have tons of unfinished projects laying around and at the end of the day, week, month..l they're still unfinished. You got this, girl! Just write and see what happens,edit later :)
Good luck, Diane. I'm in the same boat surrounded by weak prose and watery intentions. I never seem to get past the first 30 pages or so. Stick with it. Your plan sounds like a good one to me. If you haven't read Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, you should. It's an outstanding primer on how to write (and not get discouraged.) Her humor is something you would truly appreciate.
Maybe you should do the Nanowrimo thing...I think its officially the month of November, but you can really use the tools anytime, I'd think.
I believe you have a daily word count you have to meet-- NO EDIITING-- just get the words down.
worth a shot, no?
I like this direction. Maybe you SHOULD run with this one.
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