My partipation in NaNoWriMo has been a learning experience. I had a very vague idea, made notes on the first three chapters then sat down and started writing something entirely different. So far I have little more than 10,000 words and I have no idea where they came from. :) I've never done this. I've never just sat with laptop in lap and pounded out a story. It's fun. I like my main character. She's a little ditsy but not unlike the rest of her family. I especially like the hero who's a pretty straight-forward kind of guy. :) I never did like (or trust) beat-around-the-bush, secretive people. Maybe that's why I have such a rough time with politicians, but we don't need to go there, do we? :-(
This spontaneous seat of the pants writing is teaching me that I can do it. More than that, it's showing me some bad habits and weaknesses I have. Funny how those things are jumping out at me now when I'm not supposed to be paying attention to anything but getting the story down. So, these 40+ pages I've typed are riddled with yellow and red highlights. I can't edit, but I can sure highlight where I want to go back and cut or flesh out. I guess that really does make me a plotter. I'm plotting my rewrites.
If you want to read more about plotting or seat of the pants writing, check out these sites. You can even take a quiz to learn who and what you are--writing-wise, that is.
And if you didn't participate in this year's NaNoWriMo, plot to participate next year. You won't regret it.
Check the following sites to learn more about Plotters and Pantsers:
Karen Story
The Writing Life: All Kinds of Writing
What kind of Writer are You?
3 comments:
Fun! I took the quiz and I am an Old Soul Writer, between a Plotter and a Pantser. I guess that isn't such a great surprise.
Isn't NaNo interesting? Just needing to forge ahead has made me drop a lot of the editor in my head and get the words on the page. Though, like you, I'm already plotting my rewrites.!
happy nanoing!
This is my first time for NANO too but my writing is generally done in this fashion. I sit down and do a horrendous outline/first draft. Then I go back over the whole book three or four times.
Going to do the quiz---
Good for you, Jess! Your persistence will pay off.
And thanks for explaining what "NaNo" is. I've always wondered about that!
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