Insecure Writers Support Group Blog hop for Wednesday March 6th, 2013

 

Thanks to Alex J Cavanaugh for starting Insecure Writer's Support Group.

 
This is my first post for IWSG. For those who are new to my blog, let me introduce myself.  My name is Anna Nordeman, I live in Sweden and my blog is supposed to be about the craft of making jewellery. But my interest in writing has let fictional stories sneak into this blog where jewellery-tutorials should be. It went as far as me trying to write a novel in November for NaNoWriMo, but I had to quit midway.

Let's look at what happened to me in November. I wrote as much as I could, but some days I could not write at all, and I got behind. It was impossible to catch up and I felt defeated, and decided to quit. NaNo is just not for me. I need a longer time, maybe just writing one day a week, like Saturday mornings while everyone else is asleep. There is just not enough time between all the small emergencies of two school children and five cats.

Another reason I quit NaNo was that I felt that I needed more time to think and do research. And I needed a better outline. I did not feel like writing a lot of bla-ha that would be deleted later. I have something I want to say when I write my novel.

I had already started reading how-to books on novel-writing and learned two important lessons: 

First, you need to feel free when you write your first draft. Keep the door closed, as Stephen King writes in his book On Writing. You need to feel free to just get that crazy story down on paper or a paper napkin or a bakery-bag or that envelope from the tax people. Get it down and then let it cool off a time. And then look at it again and revise it. Correct the spelling and grammar as you go along. And then open the door again and let others read what you have written.

The second piece of advice that I have seen in every how to book I've read is that if something is going to be needed for something to happen in chapter seventeen, a loaded gun or a parachute, you'd better make sure that you mention it, imply it or show it, already in chapter one. 

Having learned these two lessons, my writing has improved, even if I am still a long way from my goal to finish my novel and send it off to a publisher. But I have a plan. I'll get my novel written even if I have to get up at four am everyday.

Don't get me wrong. I love my children. I would probably be a very unhappy woman if I did not have them. I'd live in an immaculately clean apartment and roll my thumbs instead of living in the creative chaos that is our home at present. My children inspire me. I thought of a good name for a character in the middle of a heated argument between my son and my daughter, between 'He started it...' and 'I won't quit until she does.' They are my life-breath, my raison d’être.

This is my first try at writing this sort of thing. Be patient. I'll catch on eventually.

(I am number 304 on the list.)

Best wishes,
Anna











First Commenter: 
 
Roland Yeomans


 

 
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Writing in the Crosshairs