I’m starting to write more lately. I can’t decide if I’m writing as therapeutic exercise or if I’m subconsciously trying to prep for National Novel Writing Month. Currently, I’m working on one essay and two novels. I’ve toyed around with writing a couple of fan fics, but I’m really not into writing those any more.
I guess I just feel the need to put thoughts on paper (or computer screen). I’ve even considered investing in a new notebook. One of those five-section, 200-page, college-ruled ones with the nice covers that even protect the spiral binding! I haven’t done it yet, but I may seriously consider it for NaNoWriMo if I don’t get a PDA before then.
I’ve always written. Poetry. Short stories. Slightly longer than short stories. Always fiction. Sometimes general fiction. Sometimes science fiction or fantasy. Lately, I’ve also written a lot of what would be defined as chick lit, perhaps as a reflection of how I see my own life. There’s something very relaxing and yet so very frustrating about the creative process when writing.
This is particularly true when it comes to my prepartions and organization for writing. Sometimes, I just sit down and write whatever comes out of my head. Sometimes, I write down whatever pops into my head, but i create a series of random notes to help me along the way. Sometimes, I get really organized and create an outline to help direct the story direction. Sometimes, I start out with one method and then switch mid-stream to another.
I’ve often considered developing a bare bones outline for a story, and then going back in and expanding each section a little bit at a time until a story finally emerges. I’ve been working on this theory since I wrote my first NaNo novel three years ago. Today, I read an interesting article about the snowflake method and it really just clicked for me.
I have to find a new story idea for NaNoWriMo, but I may just give this method a try this year. Of course, the great challenge is that I wouldn’t be allowed to write the outline beforehand since it would ultimately be part of the actual novel itself.
I am trying to become a bit more serious about convincing myself to self-publish some of my work. The problem is, I then keep looking at the first NaNo novel I wrote and quickly rethink the idea. That novel was, as it should have been, completely awful and no sane person should ever be exposed to it!
Oh, well. We’ll see if I continue to feel that way.
