Only Writing in my Head!

Ever get to that place in the novel writing adventure where it’s all you think about, but writing is still difficult? I’m so there.

My dog gets my frustration!

I am still working on my NaNo novel. It is a story I love, full of characters I want to be friends with, but I still have a hard time getting the words out. Sometimes, I want to start back at the beginning and edit, edit, edit. Other times, I think I should continue writing and edit later.

The story is always on my mind. I don’t have the slightest problem thinking of things that I want to happen, things I want to tweak, or characters that need a little something extra. The story plays alive and well across my mind; everything is magic and harmonious in my head, but as soon as I sit down to get all of it down the creative factory closes, an iron door falls shutting in everything I wanted to say. It’s the strangest case of writer’s block I’ve ever encountered.

Sometimes I think the pressure I feel to write perfectly, self-inflicted pressure of course, harms my writing more than anything else. I want the words to flow as beautifully on paper as they do in my mind. So, when I sit down to write I fear I won’t live up to my own expectations. It’s a constant battle between me, myself, and I.

How do you get past this?

On a happier note, an amazing writer has started a blog! Check out Steven’s blog. He basically kicked NaNoWriMo rear, and is still going strong. Also, if you’re up for #wordmongering on Twitter, he is around for motivation. Just try and keep up with his 30 minute words counts. I dare you! Find him on Twitter: @ashviper

NaNoWriMo: Halfway There!

It’s thirteen days into my first NaNoWriMo attempt, and I’m feeling pretty good. Two hours ago I reached twenty-five thousand words. Half way there! The best part - I adore my characters.

This is a new style of writing for me. It’s been a great thing, because I often get stuck in an edit-as-I-go routine, which slows me down considerably. The need to reach a particular word count in a limited time frame has forced me to dig in, put my head down, and keep typing.

It’s also my first time writing a novel with the assistance of a detailed outline. Wow! I’m hooked. It was like nails on a chalkboard to get the outline done, but it was worth every second. I haven’t followed it exactly. I’ve left things out, added things, moved things around, but that’s the way it goes. I am a definite reformed ‘pantser.’

Another huge contributor to my word count are my amazing Twitter buddies. Writers are a supportive, motivational group. They truly want each other to succeed and write their very best.

So, go visit some of these amazing writers!

Angela Goff

Angie Richmond

Becca Campbell

Cara Michaels

Stant Litore

Tonya

Where are you in your NaNoWriMo progress? What has helped you so far?