Monday, September 29, 2008

Oh P*ss Off

Yesterday’s words: 1200 (with the need for two paracetamol.)

I haven’t started today as I’m blogging first which is probably a big mistake as I’ll be out of oomph.

Yesterday I did about 700 words in the morning, of my synopsis. I’m writing this alongside the novel so I can see the pace more clearly (I kid myself – I can’t see this yet, but hope to eventually) and the order in which I am cobbling together managing the story. Then I wrote, slowly, another 500 or so of the novel …

And I started … to hear voices.

I had a visitation …

After all these words – which are really amazing for me –

From the ‘thing’ on my shoulder.

This time he couldn’t say ‘you can’t do the words’ … because here I am, DOING the words. So he said ‘You can’t handle the story. You can’t do this. You don’t have enough going on in the story…

It appears to be true that in all the thinking about writing succinctly and being conscious of ‘am I moving the story forwards?’ I seem to be worrying about whether I have enough material…

Anyway … I have learned - thanks to the support of the Novel Racers – to write through some of these voices.

And that, you little sh*t on my shoulder, is what I’m doing.

9 comments:

Zinnia Cyclamen said...

Yay yay YAY!!! For the words, of course, but more importantly for the way you're getting a handle on the little sh*t on your shoulder. Who doesn't have a chance because on your other shoulder are all the Novel Racers, cheering you on. No wonder he's getting grumpy!

Jen said...

You are doing brilliantly at telling that sod to f*ck right off! You can do it, you do have the material and he's gonna have to try harder to put you off than that!

Angie said...

I do that too - worry about my story/character/plot as soon as I do the words. Glad you told her (it?) to p*ss off!

Huzzah for all those words. It sounds like this trip was a perfect idea for you.

Yvonne said...

Fair play for giving that fecker on your shoulder a short shrift. That's the spirit!

Pat Posner said...

Hope the crow of doubt on your shoulder has now bogged off!

Keep up with the brilliant daily word count.

sheepish said...

I know exactly what you mean, I am about halfway through the wip and I'm panicking that I won't have enough story. So I shall tell my own little Bas*d that I will set my friend JJ on to him. Well done for your progress.

Karen said...

Those voices are infuriating aren't they? If I give in and listen to mine I'm buggered, so well done for ignoring them :o)

Jill Steeples said...

Well done on the word count, that's brilliant progress! And good on you for putting that pesky visitor firmly in his place.

Marcie Steele said...

Wow, I go missing for a few days and look at that word count. It's huuuuuuge!

Just get it down honey, don't worry too much on the first draft. To pinch a phrase off Caroline I now call it the vomit draft. Anything is allowed.

I have an angel on my shoulder I call her Mildred. Sometimes I swear she does the writing for me when I am on a roll.

10,000 words. Did you say you'd race me, because I fear you are just about to take over...

x