NaNo -- Day 3: My Cheatin' Heart
Word count for Day 3 = 1721 (daily quota 1700)
Total NaNo word count = 5720
It was hard to get going yesterday. I've always written a chapter a week (or so), and I don't move on to the next chapter until the previous one was as good as I could make it. Old habits die hard. That's the perfectionist and professional editor talking. Problem is, I can't allow the perfectionist and editor to talk, and I sure as heck can't listen to them.
To combat the urge to give in and listen, I've given myself permission to make some stream-of-consciousness brainstorming a part of my NaNo daily word count. I figure that since the insights gained from brainstorming enhances the story, that I can count those words as part of the story. Right? Or wrong? I asked my husband this question (and I told him when I started this to help keep me honest with NaNo) and he gave me "The Look." Didn't say a word, just continued to give me The Look. Hmmm, me thinks my hubby thinks I'm cheating.
Dang it, that probably is cheating.
So I'm asking those of you who NaNo every year -- Is this cheating? It's not like I write pages of notes to myself, more like a small paragraph or two to steer myself in the right direction.
Insights and opinions are welcome, as are ways to hog-tie or duct-tape a muse and throw her in the closet.
BTW -- I've averaging a chapter every two days. With my books averaging 25 chapters, I could be finished in 50 days, which would be Christmas week. Oh man, would that be a great Christmas present to myself! : )
Lisa
Total NaNo word count = 5720
It was hard to get going yesterday. I've always written a chapter a week (or so), and I don't move on to the next chapter until the previous one was as good as I could make it. Old habits die hard. That's the perfectionist and professional editor talking. Problem is, I can't allow the perfectionist and editor to talk, and I sure as heck can't listen to them.
To combat the urge to give in and listen, I've given myself permission to make some stream-of-consciousness brainstorming a part of my NaNo daily word count. I figure that since the insights gained from brainstorming enhances the story, that I can count those words as part of the story. Right? Or wrong? I asked my husband this question (and I told him when I started this to help keep me honest with NaNo) and he gave me "The Look." Didn't say a word, just continued to give me The Look. Hmmm, me thinks my hubby thinks I'm cheating.
Dang it, that probably is cheating.
So I'm asking those of you who NaNo every year -- Is this cheating? It's not like I write pages of notes to myself, more like a small paragraph or two to steer myself in the right direction.
Insights and opinions are welcome, as are ways to hog-tie or duct-tape a muse and throw her in the closet.
BTW -- I've averaging a chapter every two days. With my books averaging 25 chapters, I could be finished in 50 days, which would be Christmas week. Oh man, would that be a great Christmas present to myself! : )
Lisa
posted by Lisa Shearin at
6:34 AM
10 Comments:
I don't think it's cheating. Every writer works differently, and if you need to make notes to yourself in order to keep going, then that's what works for you. One of the things I love about NaNo is that it doesn't stifle you or box you in by putting restrictions and rules on you too early in the writing process. That's my opinion, at least.
It's not cheating. Nano goes at such a fast clip that you have to change your usual writing style a little. Thinking "out loud" (well, on paper) as you go is a perfectly legitimate use of words and time, if you ask me. Just don't forget to delete them after nano. :)
Thanks, ladies! ; )
Count every word you write that supports your story. Even if you wrote it on a napkin. It's all writing!
Thank you, Tia! I'll tell Derek that I'm NOT cheating. : )
The year a friend from New Zealand tackled Nano, he made notes like [Needs fight scene] right in the main file, and counted every word. He said it was padding, and probably cheating, but he did it anyway. He made his word count, too. He actually finished the story before the end of December, too. {Smile}
Another friend once did a workshop where she had to write a novel in a week. Notes like that weren't cheating then; they were just how you could get the thing sort of finished in the time alotted. {Smile}
Anne Elizabeth Baldwin
:) I don't think counting notes is cheating. I've never done Nano, though. I mostly commented to show that I'm still alive, and say keep up the good work.
I'm doing Nano and I'll tell you that if I was taking notes I would use it in my word count! I would say keep doing what you're doing!
Thank you, ladies!
Nice to hear from you Chicory! : )
Personally, I have little comments embedded in my story. They're usually short like "Finish This" or "Hmm, no wonder" etc. Since they're in the file, they add to wc.
Of course, because of hte document prep. software I use, formatting also adds tow ordcount. Maybe I should make every other word italics...
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