I’ve been writing a new novel for the past few weeks. It’s been slow going, but I manage to put some words down almost every day, which is pretty important.
I always feel disconnected from the writing community when I start a novel. I read less blogs and write less posts. Even worse is while writing a novel I don’t have anything new to submit to the short story markets. I don’t know about you, but I love having at least half a dozen stories submitted. More if possible.
I love knowing that any day I can open my e-mail to find good news waiting. And it makes even the most unproductive days seem okay because hey, at least I have those stories out in the world working for me. Right? RIGHT?
Right.
I wrote my first novel in the first person, which made plotting pretty easy. There was only one POV to worry about, and besides flashbacks, the plot unfolded in a linear pattern.
This, my second novel, refused to cooperate with my efforts to subdue it. It bucked and kicked until I–with bloody face and torn clothes–acquiesced.
As a consequence, I now have 14,000 words written with no less than six point of view characters and a twisting road of a plot that refuses to be pinned down, making this index card plastered cork board necessary. I feel violated.
I like your board 🙂 I, too, use 3×5 cards but I keep mine in a recipe box – I actually like your idea better because then all the info I've researched or thought up is right in front of me. I'm 28,000 into my current wip. Thanks for the post and the idea!
Yeah, i like the board for the same reason. I used to just write all the important "I have to remember this" plot points in a notebook. But flipping through the pages, looking for the info was a pain.
I love corkboards and index cards and notebooks and pens and…Okay, I'm a stationery whore.
Six POVs – you can do it.
My corkboard isn't talking to me right now. We had a difference of opinion at the beginning of this year.
Thanks, Cate. I'm not too worried about getting the writing out. What *does* worry me is having those six voices in my head–on top of the two already in there–for the next six months.
There's a 89% chance that if you see me on the news this year, it won't be because I became a famous writer.
It gets better…I hope.
Novels do sort of a demand a different level of organization, don't they? Looks like you're headed in the right direction.
I know exactly what you mean about feeling disconnected from the writing community. I have spent the last few weeks battling with my novel: writing it every day, dreaming about it every night, waking every morning with the characters talking to me in my head!! I've hardly been on my blog, facebook, twitter….
My family hardly talk to me anymore after I played the typewriter scene from The Shining to them….check it out on YouTube if you're not sure of the scene I mean. Only writer's can truly appreciate that scene!!…I've saved it to my favourites so I can play it whenever anybody interrupts my flow. Good luck with you novel.
PS I like the beard!
Wow… that board really looks like dedication!
E., I'm sure it will.
Aaron, yeah, they can be a lot more demanding. I always have to work my way up to writing a novel.
Oh, I know the scene, Akasha. 😀 I'm glad to hear you're hard at work too.
It *looks* like dedication, but really it's just window dressing. 😛
Looks like fun. 😉
I can't remember who said that writing is in essence a solitary act … you're always alone with the page. And there are a lot of pages in a novel.
Keep plugging away! I'm at about the same word count into my second novel as well. I'm still in 1st person, though, so I haven't had the same problems as you; however, I need to figure out some key plottage before I go on.
Good luck! Or break a leg? What do you say to writers…break a finger? 🙂
Hi, Anthony. About 15,000 words into a new work is always when I tend to get a little swamped. I'm far enough in that I don't want to back out, but not far enough that I have any idea of what the end will look like. I wish I was as organised as you seem to be.