I've decided to participate in the National Novel Writing Month Project.
I won't be following their rules exactly, as I think the attempt to write a 50,000 word novel (firs of all a 50,000 word novel is far too short, it is really more a novella) is not likely to yield anything much of real literary quality.
However I do think that the idea of trying to write consistently by word count, in a compressed period of time, without an attempt to edit as I proceed (but rather to edit later - or not to overedit my fiction as I initially progress, as is the truer case with me) is a very useful exercise. So in that sense I will be following the intent of this project. Anywhere the rules interfere with producing real quality in my efforts however, then I will be ignoring or modifying those rules. For instance I will not be working on the weekends. I have learned over time that the only real benefit to working six or seven days a week, at anything, physical or mental, is lowered productivity, lessened efficiency, ever decreasing enthusiasm, and your mind and body never lay fallow long enough to recover your full capabilities or exploit all of your potential fully. Recreation, relaxation, vacation, and rest are just as important to superb effort as are work, concentration, research, thought, exercise, training, and activity. (Although during the weekends if ideas occur to me or I need to make notes I will do that, I just don't do any real or formal work writing.)
But my novel will actually be written in about six months, I actually started in the first of October, I am averaging 500 to 1000 words a work day (I work Monday through Friday on the novel in addition to my regular work schedule), and at that rate I should have completed a 90,000 word novel (or thereabouts) by the end of March 2009, and with edits and rewrites I can expect to have completed the entire novel project by May to June 2009. I am so far about 9000 words into the work.
Then I will start marketing it by June to July 2009.
If not earlier through agent contacts.
I am also involved in other projects, such as the writing of short stories, I'm concurrently developing a script, and I have a couple of business and invention projects running as well, but this novel is one of my primary projects and one which I concentrate upon working on every workday.
However I do think that the idea of trying to write consistently by word count, in a compressed period of time, without an attempt to edit as I proceed (but rather to edit later - or not to overedit my fiction as I initially progress, as is the truer case with me) is a very useful exercise. So in that sense I will be following the intent of this project. Anywhere the rules interfere with producing real quality in my efforts however, then I will be ignoring or modifying those rules. For instance I will not be working on the weekends. I have learned over time that the only real benefit to working six or seven days a week, at anything, physical or mental, is lowered productivity, lessened efficiency, ever decreasing enthusiasm, and your mind and body never lay fallow long enough to recover your full capabilities or exploit all of your potential fully. Recreation, relaxation, vacation, and rest are just as important to superb effort as are work, concentration, research, thought, exercise, training, and activity. (Although during the weekends if ideas occur to me or I need to make notes I will do that, I just don't do any real or formal work writing.)
But my novel will actually be written in about six months, I actually started in the first of October, I am averaging 500 to 1000 words a work day (I work Monday through Friday on the novel in addition to my regular work schedule), and at that rate I should have completed a 90,000 word novel (or thereabouts) by the end of March 2009, and with edits and rewrites I can expect to have completed the entire novel project by May to June 2009. I am so far about 9000 words into the work.
Then I will start marketing it by June to July 2009.
If not earlier through agent contacts.
I am also involved in other projects, such as the writing of short stories, I'm concurrently developing a script, and I have a couple of business and invention projects running as well, but this novel is one of my primary projects and one which I concentrate upon working on every workday.
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