Novel and process stuff

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This weekend I had a major revelation as to why I wasn’t writing how I wanted to be writing. The adjustments I’ve made so far seem to be working — I added about 2000 new words to the novel this weekend, as well as replaced untold others, completing my rewrite of chapters three and four. This morning I added about 200 words to chapter five, replace a bunch of other words, and added a necessary touch of foreshadowing to chapter three. Over all, I’m so very, very pleased. There is *nothing* like writing, no high quite as good.

Mind you, that may just be the caffeine talking. *G*


For me to write on a regular basis, I need to be on some kind of schedule. However, I’ve found it difficult to get back into a schedule. I’ve been writing on the weekends, but not really during the week.

I finally figured out one of the reasons why I was so resistant to going back on a schedule: I can only manage so much discipline. I have to be very careful about what I eat, when I eat. I have to exercise every day. I have to sleep much more than I’m used to and practice fatigue management instead of just going until I stop. I’ve made lifestyle changes, and though I’m not fighting them (mostly) I’m not completely used to them either. They aren’t mindless — I still have to consciously do them. So adding yet one more item to my agenda, something else that I had to be disciplined about, was just too much.

And yes, for me, while this was a moment of revelation, it’s also a moment of “duh” — I should have figured this out sooner.

I’ve changed my writing process some to accommodate this — shorter writing times, fewer days, more flexibility about location. I’ve also added more flexibility into the other parts of my life that I have to be very disciplined about. Overall I’m very pleased with the changes I’ve made. They’re very minor things, even just acknowledging the fact that I have to be so disciplined about so much of my life seems to have made a huge difference.

We’ll see how it goes. It hasn’t even been a week yet. But I have hope that I’ll be able to keep it up until I go to London, then pick it up again easily after I get back from London.

Yes, I’m still planning on being in London August 24th – August 31st. envoy — want to meet up sometime? fastfwd — you going to still be there? Anyone else?

8 thoughts on “Novel and process stuff”

  2. kristine_smith

    >So adding yet one more item to my agenda, something else that I had to be >disciplined about, was just too much.

    Yes.

    I had reached a point earlier in the year where I had too many lists and things that had to be done according to schedule. I finally decided, after a year and a half of lessons and gradually dwindling enjoyment, to drop guitar since I just couldn’t deal with one more thing that needed to be done.

    Even now, I resent adding anything else to the plate. At least I’m enjoying the writing again, but, well, today is an example. I should have written during lunch, but didn’t, because I just wanted a break from Gotta Do This. I’ll write tonight.

  3. bridget_coila

    Good to hear you are ever-improving the process for your writing!

    Learning and growing is good!

    You are setting a great example for the rest of us, too…since I definitely need to take a good look at my own process and why I have been so intermittent about my own writing lately.

    B

  5. kristine_smith

    >So adding yet one more item to my agenda, something else that I had to be >disciplined about, was just too much.

    Yes.

    I had reached a point earlier in the year where I had too many lists and things that had to be done according to schedule. I finally decided, after a year and a half of lessons and gradually dwindling enjoyment, to drop guitar since I just couldn’t deal with one more thing that needed to be done.

    Even now, I resent adding anything else to the plate. At least I’m enjoying the writing again, but, well, today is an example. I should have written during lunch, but didn’t, because I just wanted a break from Gotta Do This. I’ll write tonight.

  6. bridget_coila

    Good to hear you are ever-improving the process for your writing!

    Learning and growing is good!

    You are setting a great example for the rest of us, too…since I definitely need to take a good look at my own process and why I have been so intermittent about my own writing lately.

    B

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