Nanowrimo finished on Monday (national novel writing month), so I’ve been taking a break from writing out of sheer creative exhaustion! The challenge was to write 50000 words in a month. The idea being that when you’ve got 50000 words, you have the bones at least of your novel. Most people feel they have a novel in them, but most of them don’t ever write.
Nanowrimo gives them a reason to do it. So, is my ‘novel’ close to done? Nope. What I wrote SUCKS! The story wandered off in a different direction from the one I had in mind, the plot was lost within the first week, and because I didn’t keep a note of salient details about my characters, there are more inconsistencies than words. Well, almost! I seriously doubt that even with some rigorous editing this project will ever see the light of day.
So did I fail? Absolutely not. I now know 100 things I did not know before. I have a better idea of where my writing strengths (and weaknesses) lie. I ‘won’ in Nanowrimo terms – getting 50000 words done. It is an exercise in pure output that I have never done before, and that was an interesting experiment for me. Yeah, what I wrote sucks, but my first attempt at walking when I was little was embarrasingly bad too.
So was my first attempt at riding a bike, and don’t even speak to me about my first attempt at ice-skating! (Actually, I never got any better at that!) The trouble with so many of us is that we’re not prepared to fuck up. So we don’t even try. Guaranteeing failure. There are those who think I ‘wasted my time’ – they are sadly mistaken. I learned HEAPS! And I had fun. And I did it. So I’m really proud of myself for sticking at something even when I didn’t think it was working.
Every great novel started as a first draft that was probably rubbish, comparitavely. And who knows, once I have edited and polished my story, the plot may be found again, the inconsistensies corrected, the genius resurfaced (RAOFL). But even if not, did I waste my time? No. I grew. I challenged myself. I wrote myself hoarse. I’d rather grow and fuck-up than do nothing and watch my soul die.
Love
Donna.x
Comments
3 responses to “All Wrote Out”
Thanks Sandra! Exactly – it got me to do about 49400 more fiction words than I’ve ever done before!
Thanks Anne – I might take you up on skating in Stockholm!! Lol – I’m sure that’s much more fun than Solihull Ice Rink. (I should warn you – bambi on Ice!) xx
Congratulations on finishing the challenge! 50000 words sounds pretty much in my ears and I’m sure that it’s hard to remember all the characters due the story.
If you ever want to improve your ice-skating-skills you’re welcome to Stockholm with all its frozen lakes (almost every winter) – it’s fantastic! And I learned the skating just some year ago, so there’s still hope!
Have a nice thursday,
Anne
great post Donna, couldn’t have it better myself. We all have not fucked up 🙂 we all did great :)) and we can be proud of that. that was a good practice to get us writing :))