Sunday, October 7, 2007

Spinning my wheels

Ordinarily in early October I'd be revving up for NaNoWriMo. This month I just can't seem to get motivated. I've had that problem since summertime, though, with all my writing.

On the other hand, I did drag two old stories out of the "retired" file, polished them up, and sent them out to magazines today. And I sent off my newly-revised Beloved Masterpiece out yesterday. And I beta-read a manuscript of my mom's, which is very very good--in fact, I really need to post about her writing one of these days.

So anyway, I suppose I haven't totally wasted this weekend. And I went out and bought the No Plot? No Problem! book (by Chris Baty, who started NaNo), which will hopefully get me fired up. I have a really fun project saved up for November, but I desperately need to outline it and figure out my characters.

Yes, I outline. I didn't used to, but I got sick of having to rewrite all my novels essentially from scratch once I'd worked the plot out. My outlines are very vague, though, more of signposts than Mapquest directions. I'd talk more about my method of outlining--I think it's pretty unique, and not entirely deserving of the word outline--but I think the chicken's done. And I'm hungry.

2 comments:

ORION said...

Yes but that's what editors make you do!! After my novel got me my agent I revised and then revised again for my editor.
None of my work ever comes out perfect the first time and it ALWAYS requires re working!
Sorry!!!!
(I hate breaking this kind of news LOL!)

K.C. Shaw said...

Ah well, I figure any kind of writing (or rewriting) is good practice. And I don't mind it, really--well, most of the time. :)