Weekly/Monthly Update
Not much to say here. I’ve been more worried about writing than actually writing this week. The month overall wasn’t too bad, but I was in a weird sort of flux between the fanfic I’m working on in first draft (100k in and about 1/3 of the way through, so looking to be a very long one) and planning my NaNo novel — I prefer being old school and writing a whole complete novel from start to finish during the month. There’s a certain cadence and rhythm to doing it that way.
I don’t do actual plotting unless I’m in the mood (I find that once I start writing, I end up tossing much of what I’ve planned), but I do like to know the characters and setting. I did a lot of setting work this month. I write these on Sunday, so today is actually 10/31, which means NaNo has not yet started. I do want to get a slightly better idea of the plot before I start, as well as getting to know some of the characters a little better, even though I know who they all are (well, the important ones, anyway).
Optional Monthly Question
November 3 question – What’s harder to do, coming up with your book title or writing the blurb?
Blurb. Blurb is MUCH harder than title. The title can be hard, but often one will just come, and if it doesn’t I can play around with different ideas until one does. I also have more practice with titles than blurbs since I am still mostly in the first draft phase — or, at least, pre-revision phase (most of my first drafts are done, but I haven’t started revising them yet — I’m over 5 years into my first real revision).
With characters, it’s the opposite, though. I find it much easier to summarize who the characters are than to name them. That’s one of the big problems I am running into right now with planning this NaNo novel – I have a very good sense of who and what the characters are, but no idea what their names are!
INSECURE WRITER’S SUPPORT GROUP
FOUNDED BY
Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh
Twitter is @TheIWSG Hashtag: #IWSG
The awesome co-hosts for the November 3 posting of the IWSG are Kim Lajevardi, Victoria Marie Lees, Joylene Nowell Butler, Erika Beebe, and Lee Lowery!
Sometimes I have troubles naming my characters too. I want the perfect name. I want to slip off my tongue. Haha. That doesn’t always happen. Happy IWSG day, Raven.
Tell me about it! Happy IWSG day, yourself (belated!)!