It's been a loooong time since I finished something. August 16, in fact, which was when I finished How Not To Take Over the World, last year's NaNoWriMo effort.
I also wrote a play earlier in the year, which I finished on March 26. And I finished Sanctuary on April 5. Include the flash fic I wrote on Jan 16 (published as Sculpting in Golden Visions Magazine), and that's the sum total of everything I'd finished this year up until last week.
Four things in ten months. Ack.
BUT. Yes, there is a but, and while it is not as huge as some butts, it is still rather large O:)
But.
On Sunday, I finished a short story I'd had sitting around on the hard drive for about two years (!). And today, I wrote a short story from scratch and finished it, all in one sitting. Know why?
NaNoWriMo.
This year, I'm not doing NaNo with the intent of working on a single novel, of writing 50 thousand words on it in a month, and finishing it not terribly long after. No.
First up, I know I can do that already: I've done it twice before. Secondly, I don't have the time to deal with the pressure of working on a single story - and I'm at the point where forcing myself through problems on a particular story isn't always productive. Remember my oft-relearned lesson to stop and let the problem simmer, rather than trying to barge on? Yeah. That.
BUT. (Oh look, there it is again)
I am doing NaNo with the intent of finishing. Finishing the 50k? No idea. But finishing something. Multiple things, for preference. I need to get back into the habit of writing again, and this year, NaNo is the motivation I need.
Because that's what NaNo was for me the very first time I did it: the impetus and excuse to push all the way through a novel to prove that I could finish something.
So, in the spirit of NaNo, here's to a month of finishing!
7 comments:
Go, Amy, go!
It's good that you're becoming more aware of your writerly self. Aware of what works for you and what doesn't. You're right: Sometimes those problems just gotta simmer.
And good on you for finishing stuff!
~Bethy
*hugs* Thanks, Bethles. Your encouragement is awesomeful.
Are you doing anything for Nano this year?
...Wait, never mind. I just remembered you already answered that!! O:) :D hehe. Oops.
Novels can be finished? I'm yet to learn that :-)
Have fun with your multiple NaNo projects.
Sounds like a great approach. It'll be nice to note each thing as you get done...like Blogger Flare for each piece finished!
Whatever works to get us productive! It's great that you've finished stories--that's really huge, actually.
I can't do NaNo this year--moving in a couple weeks, but looking forward to a new year of lots of new projects! Good luck!
Oh, man, there's nothing like that feeling when you finally get to the end of a story. Congrats and good luck!
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