On Nano, and what I'm learning

[aldersprig]

So, I'm 26 days into nanowrimo - by my chart, that's 86.67% of the time by the end of the day, and 80.29%
done with the writing before I start today.

This month was an experiment - several experiments, actually.

* Writing 15K fiction pieces.
* Writing fiction-for-submission serially, i.e., one after another with no break.
* writing several pieces of different lengths for nano.

What I've learned already is that I have a process in writing for submission that is different from my process for writing for y'all or for serials, and that messing with it messes with my brain.

The process is:
* write 250-1000 words of a piece
* throw it out
* start again.
* finish that, then edit heavily.

skipping steps 1 & 2 totally messes with me. <.< Also, wastes time.

I've also learned that pacing for longer short pieces is totally foreign to me and I have no idea how to do it.

also, I need/want/crave/like distraction projects. See Doomsday.

that's it so far. See you on the 1st!~

Comments

Why

[dialecticdreamer]

-Why are you writing something and then tossing it?

Have you seen a book called "Five Minute Fiction"? I use it when my brain gets stuck.

Re: Why

[inventrix]

...why shouldn't she? o.O

I find my general process is: start the story, then realize about 500-1000 words in that I just reached the beginning of the story. Which also means I also wind up throwing out the first few hundred words. xD

Re: Why

[aldersprig]

It's the way it works best for me?

Have not seen the book. But it's not so much a case of being stuck, really. Just finding the right words.

[clare_dragonfly]

Interesting process! Maybe I'll try it sometime... at least the first two steps, because I hate editing :-P