Max Riffner
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Backwards
Okay, NaNoWriMo so far has been a lot more hellish than you’d think it would be. I remember the first week was cake. I just had to write about 1700 words a day to stay on track for the 50,000 word goal. Then the weekend came.
There is no writing on the weekends. There is only yard work.
So, the second week was painful. I’d lost all the zest and excitement of the first week, and it was just grueling to get to my daily word goal (upped to 2300 a day since I missed the weekend). I’d have been all caught up Friday, but I was tired, and I rested. Then, right, it was the weekend again. Again, only yard work.
Yesterday, I decided to try something a bit different. Thinking part of the problem of my sluggishness was not knowing where I was headed, I wrote the last chapter yesterday evening. While I was writing it, I made up some resolutions to conflicts that I haven’t even begun to write about yet. That really got me going; I went ahead and kept writing backwards, each chapter a step back from where I started writing from, slowly making its way back to the end of the first act, where I was previously stuck at.
So far, this has been as successful as it has been challenging. Now, knowing where the story ends, I just have to fill in the middle. I seem to remember John Irving writing this way; he would start with the last chapter and always work backwards to a surprising beginning, if memory serves me.
I’ve been trying not to pad with spelling out contractions or adding the obligatory f-bomb to every sentence. Admittedly, the f-bomb is hard to be judicious with. As of last night, we are just about to turn the corner of 21,000 words and going strong into the third week.
Tim LenonNov 17, 04:25 AM
I dunno. Smashing all of those words together for the sake of writing for speed. I’m curoius to see how many good novels come out of the thousands who are writing.
Its like making wine fast…. although many do prefer the 94’ vintage mad dog.
lol
Tim
I think most people realize that their novel won’t be good or finished by the end of the month, but they’ll have a great first draft, something to refine and work with. Remember, the event is just about doing it, not necessarily doing it well.
To take the wine analogy further, everyone will have Mad Dog by the end (or worse, Night Train), but some people will choose to revise their work over time until it matures into a Beaujolais.
But right now, it is all about the words. This is the big first step that not many writers can get past, actually getting a chunk of writing done to revise.
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Nov 16, 10:24 AM
I’ve been trying to avoid the f-bomb, too. Mostly ‘cause I don’t think it goes with the period I’m trying to evoke.
I haven’t tried the backwards thing yet, but that sounds like a good plan. I just need to get time to write….