State of the Blog: Week 8: The Start of My Novel Writing Plan

Day three of the cold. I think it's getting better. Although, maybe I'm just working hard to convince myself I don't need to go to the doctor. And this would be the day to go, or I may need to take a time off from work later in the week.

Further evidence I should seek medical treatment: I've started writing without coffee in hand. Not even brewed yet. I have no words. I shall now go fix this egregious oversight.
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Aaaand fixed. Instantaneous for you. I, on the other hand, had to actually get off my lazy ass and brew a fresh pot. It's surprisingly good this morning. I feel like I do the same thing every time, but some minute variation in the process seems to result in differing levels of coffee-induced pleasure. Today, I mastered the minutia. In a perfect world, I wold be able to replicate what I did on a consistent basis. But I wasn't really paying attention. Maybe that is the key?!?

As an added bonus, I am feeling increasingly better this morning, thanks to the coffee gods and to another round of squirting saline solution up my nose. Sounds gross, but it does wonders. Seriously. Try it.

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This week has been another crazy-busy one. I think I'm almost over the start of the semester hump. My posts for the week reflect how busy I've been. They're short and mostly from my phone. I usually write phone-posts in bed right before I pass out for the night, and I'm often dozing off as I text words into my Blogger app. But I get it done. Some I quite enjoy when I read them later. Proof that length does not equal better (sexual reference unintentional). 

However, I will need to address the fitting-time-in-for-writing issue, and I need to have it in place by November for NaNoWriMO. Really, I need to have it in place well before then. A successful NaNoWriMo attempt takes preparation. A liberating thought, which has also taught me the importance of better planning in general for my creative writing efforts. I've typically been a sort of freewriting, let-the-words-and-story-come-out as-they-may writer. But that seems to only get me so far. I eventually come to some kind of impasse, and I don't really know where to go next with the story. And so, my story dies a slow and painful death, it's death rattle haunting me, begging me for help. It wants to live!

Step one will be establishing a set time I will devote to writing every day, which will most likely mean early in the morning. I am thinking from 0500 to 0630. (I'm a fan of military time. It makes more sense...at least in my head.) 

Writing early in the morning will also mean better planning the night before. Still sort of a chaotic process, getting the boys and me ready for the day and out the door. But I get it done. And I am still a single parent newbie. Being more planful will help us all...and model the importance of preparation for them. 

Plan (in progress): Have clothes ready and ironed the night before. Have lunches made. Set timer for coffee brewer. Have boys school stuff ready to go. Have my work stuff ready to go. Every minute I can save will count. Even have oatmeal ready and in the microwave (just add water and press the start button in the morning).

If I am really ambitious (and smart about this), I can get a lot of things things done during the weekend, such as picking out and getting my clothes ready for the week. I'll work up to that. I have not been that person in the past...but I can totally be that person. I will have to be to do this. And this is something I really want. 

Also, I have been collected resources and tools to help me plan my novel. I have found several I am pretty excited about. I plan to compile a collection of resources. It will show up in some form or another on this blog...someday. Hopefully sooner. 

Here are several I really like so far. 

1) General Writing Tips (I am a sucker for writer's tips):

• Joss Whedon's Top 10 Writing Tips
• Pixar's 22 Rules of Storytelling
• Pixar's Rules of Storytelling in Lego

2) Outlining, structure, planning, character bios, etc.: The impetus for my explorations into outline/structure came from a video on how to prepare for NaNoWriMO that I serendipitously came across and linked to in a previous blog post. 

• The Secrets to Creating Story Structure. I'm a long time fan/subscriber of Write to Done. Plus, this article uses examples from Star Wars. Win, win. 
• Jim Butcher--On Writing. This blogger/write (RK Athey) breaks down story structure in an easy to reference, reader friendly way.
• The Butcher Method and Scrivener. I have been tinkering with Scrivener for a bit, and I like how this post, again from RK Athey, lays out clear examples on how to use Scrivener in context of Jim Butcher's writing advice.

3) Writing Tools: 

• Scrivener. As I said, I have already been fiddling with it, but it's somewhat complex. It also costs money. I currently have a 30 day free trial. I balk at the thought of paying money for something I can essentially do for free. But so many writers, including established ones I really admire, hail it as the second coming. Plus, I really need to admit to myself that a writing organization tool may be key for me. 
• Writer: the internet typewriter. I really great tool to block out distractions and just write. Plus it counts your words as you type. Been using this one and off for a couple years.