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Writing Thoughts
So today I stole a half hour to write from what I should have used as lunch time. I ended up writing for 45 minutes and getting quite hungry later, but the prose result left me feeling both satisfied and muddled.
Here's the thing. On the novel WIP I am lucky to get a few hundred words every time I sit down to write, be it for an hour or two hours or three. Every sentence or so I stop to look at e-mail, or check up something pointless on Wikipedia, or what have you. But when I sat down to write today, I did none of that. I was in the zone. It was like taking dictation from my first person narrator. In that 45 minutes I wrote 1421 words, which I have just caculated up to be something like 31.6 words a minute. I was pleased. I can't keep all of those words; some must be replaced and others must be expanded upon, but I will keep most of them. It's a solid first draft, seven pages, and I am eager to write more.
This is what writing is supposed to feel like. I remember this. I had forgotten. So my experience begs the question -- am I writing the right thing, or should I switch over to this? Working with certain characters, for me, is just like taking dictation. Should I stick with them? See, I'm muddled, but pleased.
I keep not having time to post my final thoughts on Universe R.
Hey, looks like I'm going to be interviewed Thursday night on a radio show! I'll post on that Wednesday. Just finished some paper grading, now I must kitchen clean.
What are your thoughts on this whole writing quandry I find myself in? Might it be that I'm just weary of a long process (novel 2 in a sequence) or that I really am writing the wrong thing? How many of you find yourselves in the same or similar place? Life is short, no one's jumping up and down to buy these mist novels, perhaps I should simply write about Dabir and Asim in novel form. They're the only thing I write that sells to multiple markets...
Howard
(Anonymous)
I read your blog regularly and always find your comments interesting. I have you to thank for me discovering Harold Lamb. :D
I have much sympathy for you on the writing process vs writing product dilemma. I think that writers experience the process far more than the product, while for readers it's much the reverse (except when the process is flawed like a writer failing to revise).
For me at least, there's no clear correlation between ease of creative process and quality of product. Enough revision seems to make anything readable, but it seems to be the story concerns and design that make for quality - not my pleasure in the process.
I've had days when I've written 1800 words in a few hours and maybe they're even halfway good words, but that doesn't mean that the story itself is one of my better stories.
Alas, but I haven't read anything you've written yet (you're on my list!) so I can't give you informed advice - just mumble principles at you.
My principle is to chase challenge and passion. That means my process is often painfully stop-start (cos challenge seldom goes smoothly), but at least grows me for my pains. The passion side means that at least I'll commit to putting my best ideas into my stories... and will sustain the effort needed.
I do know that on novel-length works, passion flags and challenge seems to get insurmountable for me. Taking a break on something small can help, but also it can help to repitch the original idea to myself. Or sometimes I ask Mrs Draba to pitch my idea back to me so I can gain some perspective and passion again.
If you want someone else to pitch your story idea back at you, I'm sure that you know someone who can (Eric maybe?). But if not, ignorant as I am I'd be happy to try. Feel free to email ruvdrabathotmaildotcom.
Either way, good luck and enjoy your interview!
Ruv.
I'd agree with you that just because you're writing fast it doesn't mean that you're writing well... except that when you are writing fast and it sounds good, you ought to tap into it. I once wrote a 5000 k short story dictated by this very narrator in one sitting, and it was publshed in only a slightly tweaked format. Even ended up getting an honorable mention in a Year's Best Fantasy volume. With me at least, some characters are easier to listen to than others.
(Anonymous)
Tapping into a high volume flow of quality writing. I drool with envy! It never works that way for me. I get quality or quantity. Probably it's that experience thang again. :D
Hope you get a vacation soon.
Oh, speaking of vacations have you been following the Age of Conan (http://www.ageofconan.com/) game franchise? They're trying to do Hyboria authentically (as opposed to Tolkienising it). I'll be interested to see how they go.
Cheerio,
Ruv.
With all that out of the way, what I really want to say is: a Dabir and Asim novel would be killer-great. In multiple senses.
Asim thanks you and won't shut up. He's all ready to tell me what happens next. I'll be sitting down to take notes from him later this morning.
(Anonymous)
In any case, best of luck to you on whatever you choose to do. Jason
I'd say write the shorts, especially if there's already an established audience for them.
I offer this advice with of course all the authority of someone with zero publications. ;) Good luck!
newguyadvice?
However, I would write what works for you, not based on sales, but on what you want to write. If you don't want to write something, you probably won't want to read it, and neither will anybody else.
Re: newguyadvice?
muddled
Re: muddled
I am lucky to get a few hundred pages every time I sit down to write, be it for an hour or two hours or three.
I think any writer would be very lucky to get a few hundred pages in three hours or less. Pact with the Devil? On the other hand I remember a Ret Marut (sp?) story about an author who published a book with only one word per page.
Now back to your regularly scheduled writers' discussion ....
(Anonymous)
Personally, I write short stories in between novel drafts, and occasionally when I'm stalled in the middle of a novel draft (like now). I always come back to the novels refreshed, enthusiastic, and with a whole bunch of great ideas I didn't have before.
mpe
Maybe it will change if some of these novel projects ever come to light. Right now I just have a discard box that's getting more and more full of paper.
(Anonymous)
And, like magic, the words returned. I think as writers we have to know our limitations well enough -- and not be afraid of them -- in order to produce something memorable. I say give it a shot; explore something novel-length where Dabir and Asim are concerned. Even if it goes nowhere, it might give you needed perspective on the second Mist novel.
My 2 shekels ;)
Scott Oden
(Anonymous)
--Chris W.