Outlining.

So I did what I usually do: started writing, and then realised that actually I need to write a better outline than just 'chapter one' 'chapter two'. So, having got some words down, and a start, which I like, and also a voice which I like, I sat down to write a better outline and really plan this, so I had some idea of how to get everything in and make it go how I want it to go. Harder than it sounds.

Although, I did do this with Love Actually on in the background, so no wonder I was easily distracted. But I needed some Christmas cheer. Anyway, having seemed to have wasted the whole day* - I suppose I've done THINKING, and thinking is good, and an important part in writing I have realised, I dont' always have to be writing, but sometimes I just want to be. And at the minute I want to come up with some short stories for my CW portfolio. PLEASE INSPIRATION GODS.

So, as I say, usually I start writing and then realise I haven't thought enough/planned enough - apart from NaNo of course where I have to wait, and it's probably quite a good thing, having a deadline like that, although I find it hard to set one for myself, because I always think, well no, why don't I just start now? THIS IS WHY. I am learning. Anyway. It gets me the voice and the way I want it to sound. And it definitely helps to start. Otherwise I am a little stuck, vaguely knowing what I want the story to be and not sure how to tell it. But now I know. More anyway. Sort of. I think I'm going to type it up now and then stop staring at my computer screen....


*Although I have been doing general LIVING, which is always good.... I had breakfast with a friend, did some Christmas shopping, some reading, some messing about online, had a friend over for tea, more reading, looked through a file of academic work.... but it still doesn't feel very productive. At that loose stage of having handed in everything for this term, and its the last week and a bit, and I know I have work to start doing and I constantly feel like there is something I should be doing, but I don't know it, because I'm not entirely sure what IT is. I'll be freaking out in a few weeks, about the amount I have to do, I know I will. I also think, ahh I have the whole afternoon/evening to write. But I don't get as much done as I hoped. **

**That was rather long and irelevant. Sorry.

Evy and Violet

So I caved (to what, myself?) and began writing, what shall now be known as 'Evy and Violet' because I don't have the title for it yet and have no ideas - odd in itself as for the last few things I've done I've had the title from the start. Anyway, we'll see.
I already have 800 words. Not bad.
But we'll have to see what happens. I may end up abandoning it for a while. Or I may not. We shall see.... I'm still excited about it, at the minute, which is always a good sign. Although things I have yet to think about are already becoming apparent. It's all helpful though. There's only so much initial planning you can do.
Its a new adventure!
although everything else is looking at me rather mournfully saying 'edit me! edit me!' I'll get round to that... I promise. And the short stories... I will, I will.
Anyway, all very exciting!

Happy December!

So it is now December. I can't believe it really, and with that only a couple of weeks until the end of term - this time in two weeks I will be heading home. Strange.
It has been a busy few days, with Christmas parties, Arthur Christmas, Christingles, Carol Services.. all very festive, and as such I have no done much writing. I have thought about writing. I have been reading loads however. I went to the town library and got very excited in the teenage section and came away with: The Scorpio Races (Maggie Stiefvater), If I stay (Gayle Forman), Lament (also Maggie), Paranormalcy (Kierstein White) and Paper Towns (John Green) - many of which were books that I'd been interested in for a while and never expected the library to have. So a successful trip. I managed to race through them, and went back again yesterday and came away with: Ballad, the sequel to Lament, Shiver, and three Terry Prachett's. How very exciting. I love libraries, especially when you find lots of things you want to read. And clearly I am really getting into YA. Well, so far, I adore it. And why not? It's great fun and it counts as 'research' (ha... yeah). My housemates keep picking up whatever I'm reading and are like 'Faeries?' 'Vampires?' 'Werewolves?' Really? It seems I have swayed over to the paranormal stuff, just for a bit... I love both contemporary and paranormal and other stuff. It's just great writing.
Writing wise, I have been doing a lot of thinking about my next idea, and am very excited to start. I may just start and see what happens, becuase there's only so much initial thinking you can do, and I'm beginning to get restless, it being so long (well it seems it) since NaNo finished. But I am fully concious I need to come up with some good short story ideas soon, for my module and to be handed in in January. Although there's a holiday inbetween, my exam and deadlines aren't actually all that far away, which is oh so very exciting.
I also have a lot of editing to do.
But it's all fun.
Although, what with all the reading I've been doing and everything else, I am beginning to get that feeling that I NEED to write something...

Post NaNoWriMo life...

So yet again it has come to that time of year where life has settled back down to post NaNoWriMo, or supposedly has... Novemeber still hasn't come to an end yet and since finishing my draft (one important thing I've learnt over the years and in particular this year is that it is a DRAFT not a complete story or a novel. it still needs a hell of a lot of work) I have had to focus on getting my essay handed in and other bits and pieces like that.

I have also, very excitedly, been planning this other story, although it needs lots of detailed planning or it won't work so I'm trying to take it slowly and not rush into it. It's hard though. But I need a break (sort of.. I should really..) and I want to think about it for a bit.

I also have my previous story to edit and rework, and it will have been good to have a break from that.

Finished!

So I have completed NaNoWriMo for the year. YAY! I had 5,000 left this morning and decided to just go for it and finish it, which left me with an aching hand and also a feeling of guilt at the work I should have been doing, but I did feel good to finish it. I have to say I think I've finished earlier than usual, which is impressive, and although I did rush the last 5,000 and am definitely not as happy with them as I am with the rest of what I wrote I suppose that's a part of NaNo and it was going to happen. It definitely needs a lot of work, but I did it. I thought also that I would have enough story to take me way beyond the 50,000 mark, it turned out I didn't and struggled to get there in the last few hundred words - maybe that was psychological, I don't know, but it was rather annoying. It was probably becuase I was rushing to finish and although I kenw what I wanted to happen, didn't think about it enough. But why am I complaining? I have managed to write 50,000 words in 21 days, which is pretty impressive and I enjoy being able ot do that.
I have definitely improved so much since my first NaNo which was a pile of nonsense, and I actually (sort of) had enough story to get me to the end without throwing in a ridiculous plot.
Oddly, I didn't feel quite as happy and relieved as I should have done to finish. Maybe becuase I rushed it to get to the end, that feeling didn't come.
Oh well.
I still like my idea. I'm not sick of it. Good? Bad?
But at the same time I'm looking forward to getting back to editing my other project, and starting to plan my next one whilst giving this one a rest before I look at it again.
Also, the story changed completely from what I expected it to be, but that was quite exciitng, and the way I like it to be - where I vaguely know what I want to happen, but there's so much space for other stuff to happen that its exciting and not a stressful thing when you realise that will work better.
I have been enjoying Maureen Johnson's NaNo advice each day on her tumblr, it is very useful and I want to copy it and keep it all as inspiration. Really, go read it. So helpful.
In other news, I handed in a story today for CW that I really wasn't that happy with, but it had to do. My essay is nearly finished too. Yay!
My wrist is killing now, need to get off the computer, and go have supper.

Ideas and Dreams

I have a dream the other night which was so bizarre, but I kept remembering it and yesterday I suddenly thought of an AWESOME idea for a story which will be really interesting and exciting to write, and I'm already really excited about it.

Unfortuantely, it doesn't fit into my 500 word proposal I have to write, nor the story on the royal family I have to write (this is surprisingly hard - I always used to write about real people (fanfic) but writing it for something that has to be handed in is difficult). It doesn't fit into my NaNo story, nor my essay on Shakespeare (what a surprise there). Nor do I want to write it as a short story for my course.

So I'm just going to make lots of notes and keep thinking about it, and have something to look forward to writing when November is over....

Eleven days into November and I have already hit 30,000 words. I don't know where this burst of energy has come from, but I'm not complaining. I'm really not. It obviously means I like the story and I'm into it and it works. I suppose I have had more practice at writing this many words and it doesn't seem so much of a challenge anymore.
But it's still great to have a deadline and something to work towards doing.
All in all, it seems to be going well. So happy to be writing something huge again. Although lack of short story ideas for short fiction module is a little bit worrying...