WTF-National Novel Writing Month, the creative process

November becomes a blur each year as I embark on writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Luckily I've won every year for five years.  The whole point of this process is writing so fast your inner editor cannot correct or make you second guess your work. Thought I would share a little bit of the creative process with you:

Prepping for Novel Writing is the most stressful part of this process. This year I had two ideas jostling in my brain for first dibs, both interesting ideas.

How did I get these ideas? Dreaming!  Isn't it crazy. I can dream an entire novel, or a scene that leaves me so breathless I have to structure something around it.  Both ideas came in a dream, me quickly writing them down in a journal beside the bed so I don't forget them. Once the ideas sets, the obsession starts, where I cannot stop thinking about them, so I start notebooks for each idea, further embellishing the idea.

I thought about writing two books in one month, but one idea backed down the other took hold. My goal is finishing the one book early and starting the next,  effectively writing two novels before the end of the year. Next time you see me, hold me to that promise.

Here's the hard part.  The ideas came to me beginning of October and since I am a purist, I could not write the first word of the story until Nov 1st.  That's not the easiest thing to do, because when an idea takes hold, everything in your system wants to flesh it out, you want to start writing. I keep the faith by writing notes about characters, possible scenes, anything keeping me from writing that first line.

It's always hard telling people my ideas for stories because when I talk about an idea it becomes real and sometimes sounds a lot weirder than what's going on in my head. It's hard to explain werwolves and stuff in a serious tone without people looking at you like you are crazy. Well, maybe I am crazy, but these people in my head are real to me.

Now that I got the first day out of the way and 4,000 words down, I'm feeling pretty good. Do I remember most of what I wrote? Not a thing.  Usually the good stuff I don't remember writing, that's when the brain takes over and I'm just the poor sap typing at the keyboard. It is fun going back and re-reading what I wrote because sometimes I'm like, "Damn, that's some pretty good shit."

So my story has notes, it has characters, specifically Ben, Toby, Jane, Chloe, and the tall stranger.  It now has a beginning, and as the month rolls along a middle and an end.  Maybe I'll take a nap to see if I can dream a little more of it.  Oh creativity, you are so fickle.

Good luck to other NANOers, here's to toasting 50K in words before the end of November!

Oh and what will I do with the other 5 novels I've written? I've edited two and need a proofer, one  is part of a series, I'm editing Novel #1. My other goal is to get my work out there and move into publishing some of this stuff.  That's another post at another time about courage and sharing your work!!

NANOWRIMO Games - Event 1 Dialogue Only

Ever had a conversation like this?

Billy, Tommy!  Come on it is time to go!

What?

I told you an hour ago, we need to leave now to get to the beach before dark.  I hate driving in the dark.  I can’t see anymore.  Get in the car.

But I don’t have shoes on.

Didn’t you hear me?  I told you to be ready an hour ago.

Can we pack up the X-box, we will be bored there.

Guys!  It is the freaking beach!  You will be on the beach, you won’t have time to play the X-box.  Get your shoes on and let’s go.

Where did you put my Neff socks, I can’t find them.

Just wear these.  You’ll be barefoot most of the weekend, it won’t matter.

Mom, people don’t wear Puma socks anymore.  They wear Nike or Neff.

What?  These socks look EXACTLY like your Neff socks, and your Dad wears them.

See?  Point made.

Oh my God, just get in the car.

Hold on, I’m almost done packing the X-box.

I told you we didn’t need the X-box, we’re at the beach.

But what about at night, what are we going to do at night.

We could have a conversation with each other, you know, sit on the porch and T-A-L-K.

About what?

I thought we didn’t have a porch.  

OK, whatever, pack the Xbox, we leave in ten minutes.

Should we pack clothes?

pause

Yes, you should pack clothes.  What have you been doing for the past hour?

Playing the xBox.

Oh.

How much clothes should we pack?

Really?  We are going to the beach for the weekend.  What do you think?

Do we need a bathing suit?

pause

Yes, you need a bathing suit, two pairs of shorts, two shirts.  I’m putting the last of my things in the car, get ready.

OK, I’ve got the xBox, my iPhone, the iPad, Apple TV and Kindle.  I’m set.

So glad you and your brother are planning on enjoying nature.

Mom?  Where did you put my Volcom shorts?

They are in the washing machine?

What they weren’t dirty, now what am I going to take to the beach?

They were on your floor so I figured they were dirty.  The dog did too because she peed on them.

Oh, can I take them wet?  They are my favorite shorts?

Sure, just hang them on the back seat and they’ll dry on the drive.

OK, I am ready.  Here’s my backpack.

Wait a minute, that’s my pair of Neff socks, you can’t have them.

No they’re not, they were in my drawer.  So technically they are mine.

No, they are not, look it says LARGE, that means they are mine.

They were in my drawer, so they are mine.

Will you two stop fighting over socks?  Just put both of the backpacks in the car, we have to leave, go use the bathroom, there is no time for pit stops.  I want to check into the hotel by 6pm.

But what about dinner?  What will we eat?

It’s one o’clock in the afternoon, let’s worry about that later?  We could eat after we check in.

But what kind of restaurants do they have there?  Do they have Mexican?

I hate Mexican, do they have Sushi.

I don’t like Sushi, you like Mexican, you always eat it.

Because you always make Mom take us to Mexican restaurants.

Guys, guys, it’s only one o’clock, let’s get moving we will worry about dinner later, OK?  Just get in the car and let’s get going OK?

I really want Mexican tonight, can’t you get Mexican?

I want Sushi, let’s get both, Mom can stop at two restaurants.

What?  No, I’m not stopping anywhere, especially since we are now 30 minutes late leaving.

It’s his fault, he couldn’t find socks.

Because you were hiding them in your back pack.

No I wasn’t, they are my socks.

Oh my God, will you two shut up and buckle in.  OK, we have a total of 7 hours and 36 minutes before we hit the beach.  We may be eating a late dinner.

We could always stop and get quick Mexican along the way?

But I don’t want Mexican, I want Sush!

Did you guys put your backpacks in the trunk?  

What?  Oh wait.  Hold on a minute.

pause

Finally!  Here we go!  Only 7 hours and 15 minutes left to go before we are in our bathing suits for a whole weekend!

Oh crap!  Mom wait, I forgot my bathing suit.