TECH: Get That Novel Started (10)

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original Posting 9 Dec 2012

I'll bet you thought I forgot about this! No, no, just a little delayed. So where were we?

The book is Get That Novel Started! (And keep it going 'til you finish) by Donna Levin. Part One was getting started with some good writing habits -- start today, write at least 10 minutes every day, make sure you're writing, take a hard look at your fears and overcome them, and collect ideas. Part Two really got us started on a novel -- the basic idea, characters, a rough outline, opening scene… Whacking away at the beginning… And what are the parts when you're done? Part three is about pacing, and it starts off with chapter 10 that talks about the mid-novel blues.

All right? That's where we are… On the long and winding road to a novel. And here Donna points out that disillusionment, doubt, and boredom are just part of what you can expect when you're writing a novel. It's a big job! Whether they sneak up on you… There's all that other stuff that you really ought to do… Or you know darn well that you're just bored with this thing… Or maybe there is this other idea that just seems a whole lot better? No matter how you hit the blues, watch out for them.

And the first thing to do in response to the blues is to keep writing. Keep that writing time, make yourself sit down and write.

Then, try one of these exercises to remind yourself why this novel is the one that you're working on.

1. Take your main character or maybe some of the others, and write a scene that you know won't be in this novel. Maybe it's just on related, maybe it's got a character you don't want to put in, whatever, let them show off who they are in another scene.

2. Write about some of the childhood or teenager things that happened to your characters.

3. Take a scene from your novel and write it from a different point of view.

4. Especially if you've got some other novel that you really think you ought to be doing, take a little time and write some of that new novel. Put down the notes, the opening scene, whatever it is. Remember, this is just a break, and you're going to go back and finish your novel.

5. Go back and try out some of those exercises from chapter 3 or someplace else. Again, this is just to take a break, and then go back to the novel. Or if you really want to, try one of these new exercises: pretend you're an animal, and write about your life. Or write about a journey.

6. Take a break. Do something different, some research, some filing, interviewing, or even just play a game.

Probably the biggest trick here is to keep going. One way or another, keep on trucking. Be tenacious. Recognize as Donna suggests that you need to "keep writing even when your novel bogs down. Recognize that lean creative times are part of the package."

So, keep writing.