Last year, come November I sat down to do the 50,000 words of Nanowrimo and finished it in five days. This year, just to prove to myself it wasn't a fluke, I did it again. In the process, I learnt about how I write and I want to see if I can share some of that.
First some background, I'd done the Nano thing eight times before. I'd also written a couple of other novels and quite a lot of short stories. So I knew how my basic writing process. It went something like:
Work out what to write in the next scene, usually about 1000 words worth.
Sit down and write this.
Work out what to write in the next scene.
Sit down and write this.
My actual writing speed was fairly consistent (1000 words an hour/100 words per 3 minutes). Over the years, my daily average improved, and I was getting 3000-5000 words a day, with an occasional higher day when the story wanted to be told. I knew my limit. Those higher days drained me mentally and physically (my fingers HURT). To write 10K a day, I'd have to type from when I woke up until I went to sleep, with no substantials breaks. I might manage it one day but sustain it? No way.
So what changed?
( More )
First some background, I'd done the Nano thing eight times before. I'd also written a couple of other novels and quite a lot of short stories. So I knew how my basic writing process. It went something like:
Work out what to write in the next scene, usually about 1000 words worth.
Sit down and write this.
Work out what to write in the next scene.
Sit down and write this.
My actual writing speed was fairly consistent (1000 words an hour/100 words per 3 minutes). Over the years, my daily average improved, and I was getting 3000-5000 words a day, with an occasional higher day when the story wanted to be told. I knew my limit. Those higher days drained me mentally and physically (my fingers HURT). To write 10K a day, I'd have to type from when I woke up until I went to sleep, with no substantials breaks. I might manage it one day but sustain it? No way.
So what changed?
( More )
