How to set a schedule for writing a novel
Today I'm going to talk about how to set a schedule for writing a novel, and what to do when the book doesn't cooperate with your schedule -- and most times it won't.
This week SciFi Romance author Stacey Klemstein and I were emailing back and forth on establishing writing schedules and resolving a greyhound question (Stacey and I both adopt retired racers. They're the best dogs you'll ever have.) BTW -- See Stacey's link to the right; the new book in her series (Eye of the Beholder) is due out next month.
We arrived at several conclusions. Now if anyone should be able to schedule writing a novel and make it stick, it's me. I write very thorough plot outlines, and I'm an obsessive-compulsive, overachieving control freak. I thought that would be enough. I was wrong. And I don't necessarily mind being wrong (I can hear my husband laughing now), but I'm arriving at the conclusion that novel writing -- like any other creative endeavor-- refuses to be confined to the schedule of a mere mortal.
Before I started Chapter 1 of The Trouble With Demons, I sat down with a calendar and mapped it out. I started the actual writing during the first week in September. My deadline to my publisher is May 1. Eight months. Should be completely do-able. I figured if I did two chapters a week (given my usual 28-30 chapter book length) that I'd have a completed first draft by February 1st. That'd give me three months to revise and polish.
Then life got in the way, and two colds, and holiday travel, but most of all TTWD is just taking its own sweet time coming out of my head. February 1st is out, and my new revised deadline is March 1 for that finished first draft, with two months for revisions. Tight, but still do-able.
I plotted TTWD out completely. But a chapter that I think will go quickly, doesn't. In other chapters, characters refused to talk to me. Which as I've told you before means that I'm trying to put words in their mouth, rather than me shutting up and listening to what they have to say. (I'm sure my husband's laughing really hard reading this part.)
So what I've discovered about scheduling a novel is that you can try, and if you succeed consider yourself blessed -- just don't go into a project expecting it to cooperate. And don't freak out when it happens (however, anger is perfectly acceptable).
Armed & Magical came in a white-hot rush; TTWD. . .uh. . .not so much. There is no rhyme or reason to scheduling a book; each book is different and it's got it's own schedule and if I don't like it. . . well, tough. I'm an ultra-organized control freak; so needless to say, the whole process makes me nuts. I like for everything to go in a nice, orderly, and time-considerate fashion. Doesn't happen. So if you're writing a novel and trying to keep it on schedule, you're probably finding that it's like trying to herd kittens. Can't be done. Take comfort in the fact that you're not alone. In fact, welcome to the club. ; )
For tomorrow's (or Monday's) blog, I'll tell you how I go about naming my characters. I'll also catch you up on my TTWD progress (and contrary to what I wrote in the blog above, I am making progress). I'll also let you know what's coming up in book-related events and news. On Saturday is the usual Fun Pic. I've got something that I'm really proud of to show you. ; )
Have a great one!
Lisa
This week SciFi Romance author Stacey Klemstein and I were emailing back and forth on establishing writing schedules and resolving a greyhound question (Stacey and I both adopt retired racers. They're the best dogs you'll ever have.) BTW -- See Stacey's link to the right; the new book in her series (Eye of the Beholder) is due out next month.
We arrived at several conclusions. Now if anyone should be able to schedule writing a novel and make it stick, it's me. I write very thorough plot outlines, and I'm an obsessive-compulsive, overachieving control freak. I thought that would be enough. I was wrong. And I don't necessarily mind being wrong (I can hear my husband laughing now), but I'm arriving at the conclusion that novel writing -- like any other creative endeavor-- refuses to be confined to the schedule of a mere mortal.
Before I started Chapter 1 of The Trouble With Demons, I sat down with a calendar and mapped it out. I started the actual writing during the first week in September. My deadline to my publisher is May 1. Eight months. Should be completely do-able. I figured if I did two chapters a week (given my usual 28-30 chapter book length) that I'd have a completed first draft by February 1st. That'd give me three months to revise and polish.
Then life got in the way, and two colds, and holiday travel, but most of all TTWD is just taking its own sweet time coming out of my head. February 1st is out, and my new revised deadline is March 1 for that finished first draft, with two months for revisions. Tight, but still do-able.
I plotted TTWD out completely. But a chapter that I think will go quickly, doesn't. In other chapters, characters refused to talk to me. Which as I've told you before means that I'm trying to put words in their mouth, rather than me shutting up and listening to what they have to say. (I'm sure my husband's laughing really hard reading this part.)
So what I've discovered about scheduling a novel is that you can try, and if you succeed consider yourself blessed -- just don't go into a project expecting it to cooperate. And don't freak out when it happens (however, anger is perfectly acceptable).
Armed & Magical came in a white-hot rush; TTWD. . .uh. . .not so much. There is no rhyme or reason to scheduling a book; each book is different and it's got it's own schedule and if I don't like it. . . well, tough. I'm an ultra-organized control freak; so needless to say, the whole process makes me nuts. I like for everything to go in a nice, orderly, and time-considerate fashion. Doesn't happen. So if you're writing a novel and trying to keep it on schedule, you're probably finding that it's like trying to herd kittens. Can't be done. Take comfort in the fact that you're not alone. In fact, welcome to the club. ; )
For tomorrow's (or Monday's) blog, I'll tell you how I go about naming my characters. I'll also catch you up on my TTWD progress (and contrary to what I wrote in the blog above, I am making progress). I'll also let you know what's coming up in book-related events and news. On Saturday is the usual Fun Pic. I've got something that I'm really proud of to show you. ; )
Have a great one!
Lisa
posted by Lisa Shearin at
8:06 AM
9 Comments:
Kudos to you for adopting retired Greyhounds. Taking in retired sled dogs is very big here in Alaska too. My mother-in-law has what she calls her Geriatric Ward. Those dogs are so loved and well-cared for! In fact, I think she bought her futons just for them.
;)
They are magnificent dogs -- and love sponges, and couch spuds. Andy & Gracie have a pair of matching loveseats in our bedroom for their beds. And of course they have regular dog beds all over the house, but why should they use those when they have our sofa and chairs. ; )
Rob Thurman (urban fantasy author of Nightlife, Moonshine, and Madhouse) is active in sled dog rescue, too. Great gal, who writes brilliantly snarky books. ; )
Can I see some vacation time coming as you approach deadline?
I'm looking forward to your post on how you name your characters. I base my character names on the culture, and after that I just go for a sound I like. I have naming conventions for all my races (five races appear in the novel), but not all are as thorougly fleshed out, because not all of my races appear with equal frequency.
After I get TTWD turned in to my editor, I'm going to take two weeks off -- no writing whatsoever. Even if I start exhibiting withdrawl symptoms (and I always do). I don't know how NOT to work anymore. ; )
Oh, have to say, the exact same thing happens to me. Characters stop talking to me. I HATE it when that happens. But it means, just as you said, that I'm trying to put words in their mouths. I'm trying too hard to make them do things they wouldn't do or say things they wouldn't say...and they're fighting back.
It's as frustrating as all get out, but much better now that I understand why it happens...and that I'm not the only one it happens to!
Also..."novel writing -- like any other creative endeavor-- refuses to be confined to the schedule of a mere mortal." I'm printing this out and posting it on my wall! : )
Just looked through your photos and oh, my gosh, your Andy looks just like my Joe! : )
Don't have any pictures of the dogs up on my site--need to remedy that so you can see!
Hi Stacy! Thanks for dropping by! Did you see the pic of me, Andy & Gracie on the "Meet Lisa" page. They are such sweeties! And yes, please post pics of Joe on your site; I'd love to see him.
The more I talk to other authors, the more I know that I'm not the only one with various quirks, etc. It's almost spooky (and definitely hysterical) how most of us are exactly the same way. ; )
Thanks for sharing. I love to hear about the behind-the-scenes stuff. It's so interesting.
You're right, we can do our best to schedule the writing of a book... but it doesn't mean it'll work out that way. Lol.
Oh, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU for the goodies. I got them in the mail the other day. Gorgeous. I really love your covers. It's awesome when the cover faeries smile on you. ;)
Have a great weekend!
Yolanda,
You're most welcome for the book goodies. Yep, the cover fairies have smiled on me again -- I'm two for two. ; )
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