Sunday, November 09, 2008

9 Nov: This is not working

This daily reporting nonsense is not only making me crazy, it's hurting my writing. I realized today that last week I pasted in a scene "as is" that should have been re-written -- because I was anxious to report that I had made progress. Idiot. Eventually I'll have to go back and re-write it. Or maybe delete it. But not now. Now is for going forward and making progress and reaching The End.

So the daily post part of the plan has been scrubbed. I'm not convinced anyone reading this is all that concerned about daily page totals anyway, just that I'm writing. The posts over here will go back to being about whatever, whenever.

For me, writing is not a race or a contest. And I can't make it be something it's not. I can't sacrifice quality for volume. Sometimes writing means sitting quietly and thinking, plotting, seeing and hearing and knowing a scene before it turns into words on the page. I need to write it in my head first. That's my process. It works when I let it. This month is about remembering how to put words onto the page again, and then regaining the discipline to actually do it. Thank you, Merry, for sending the poem. It made me realize I don't need to reinvent the wheel, just put it back on the cart.

I still have my (rather short) long-term goal, that feels amazingly good, and I'm still focusing intently on writing this entire month. I do kind of like the page count tracker thing over there in the corner, so I'll leave that and update it as I go. It reminds me there is an end in sight, however distant. But if it becomes irritating, it's toast.

My determination to accomplish this goal has not wavered. If anything, it's stronger now than it was a week ago.

8 comments:

C said...

You do what you gotta do. We'll be here to listen when you want to talk about it.

Good luck.

The Merry said...

Go BCB!
Just... don't go too far, 'k?

opati -- the kind of tea drunk by Greeks. Usually spelled Opa! tea.

McB said...

Ya gotta go with what works for you. I agree focusing on a number of pages might be counter productive, quality-wise. Rather, how about reporting in somewhat regularly about hours spent writing? Not for the accountability factor, unless that works for you, but so that we can cheer you on.

stifile: It's so perfect you'll never believe I didn't make it up.

BCB said...

Oh, I'm sure I'll be over here on a fairly regular basis whining about things-- um, that is, talking about what great progress I'm making.

I can't believe that any of you have enough faith in me to continue cheering me on -- seems as if you've been watching me struggle through this for a small eternity now. I just hope I've learned enough along the way that the next book won't be such an ordeal.

Anonymous said...

YES!

And from what I have read of others that have written, you are doing much better then most.

And another book after this one.
It gives me hope for the future.

McB said...

Sheesh, woman. Have some faith in our faith in you.

sticeliz: patron saint of really really cold places

The Merry said...

Squints
McB? I'm not wearing my glasses, so you'll have to tell me. Has that page count gone forward, or not?

chant -- I swear to Bob, I'm not making that one up.

Chant: BDY? BDY? BDY?

Anonymous said...

Merry today it is at...


207!!!!!

Great work BCB.