NaNoWriMo – To Write or not to Write?

October 20th, 2008

I posted this over in the forums at NaNoWriMo HQ, but I’d love the opinions of those of you who read my blog as well. You’re all creative types. What do you think?

Last year was my first year participating in NaNoWriMo. I had a crazy-insane wild ride and I did win by getting to 50k words. I got the complete structure of my novel down so I have a beginning, middle and end to my story, I just needed to do more research and rewrites. (“Just” probably needs to be in quotes there.)

Right after November I had a major trauma at work, broke a bone, got really sick and then proceeded to have an utterly crap year. Last year’s novel is therefore not completed. I am still working on it whenever I can. I understand that this is not National Novel Editing Month, so I shouldn’t use it to work on an old piece.

I’d always planned a sequel to last year’s story. That was bopping around in my head even as the first book took shape, so I am considering writing that this year – but I hesitate because last year’s novel isn’t finished and shiny-pretty with a beautiful bow on top. Since I am new to this, I need advice.

On the one hand, writing the sequel may help me to refine the original. On the other hand… what? Will writing something new before the old thing is totally put to bed destroy the creative process on the first piece? I have a situation this year in which I can take significant time off work to devote to writing in November, and I hate to pass up a year of participation just because I haven’t finalized my last work.

So, for those of you who’ve been doing this for a while, what is the best course of action? To write or not to write?

Music : LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great

Filed under: CWaCS, NaNoWriMo, writing | Comments (7)

7 Responses to “NaNoWriMo – To Write or not to Write?”

Mike on October 21, 2008 7:20 am
I haven’t been around much or had much to say lately, but figured I’d jump in on this. Most professional writers recommend forcing yourself to write something every day. It probably won’t all be brilliant but by forcing themselves to write they get in a “habit” of creativity (as opposed to people like me who have spent the last month in a habit of watching political pundits and falling way behind on my thesis schedule, damn 24 hour election coverage). Anyway, it’s usually easier to go back and fix bad work than to just get started working. So I say go for it. Writing forward on the next book may even help you tie up loose ends on the previous one as you come up with ideas on where the characters need to be in order for it to all work together.

Anyway, hope you’re doing well and at some point I may get caught up on your past posts.
SuperBadGirl on October 21, 2008 10:47 pm
Hey it’s so good to see you! And thanks for the feedback and encouragement. :-)

I hear you on the political punditry thing, I feel as if I spend half my life watching the news to see what horrible thing is getting ready to happen.

Catch up if you have time, don’t if you don’t. You know with me is all just more of the same. :-p
Heidi on October 22, 2008 6:45 am
Do you know what’s in your sequel? Or what you *expect* to be in your sequel (characters never do what they’re told)? I agree with Mike, that moving forward might help you with polishing and editing what’s come before.
SuperBadGirl on October 22, 2008 6:54 am
I do. The 1st novel is about a girl and her sister. It was always my intention that the sister get a book of her own. She’s a bit harder to pin down, as plotlines go, but I know there’s a book there.

I am trying to remember what I felt like last year (there’s probably no way I can do this, it’s impossible!) so I don’t panic about how impossible I am thinking it is this year.

At least this year I won’t have to plan and hold a major work event in the same month. Instead of working 60-hour weeks I will be taking one day each week off. Should be somewhat calmer!
Zansetsue on October 22, 2008 11:24 am
I’d agree with Mike, I think it’s best to write –anything, even if it’s crap and never gets used. It helps you build a habit, and it helps build confidence in your ability to create even when you don’t feel like it. And knowing you can do that builds confidence in -yourself-.

I’ve never done NaNo, as I’ve never considered myself an aspiring writer, but I have a ton of short stories I want to illustrate and I’m thinking of just going for it this year. It’s trite and new-agey sounding, but with all the huge changes in my life right now, I desperately need to find out who I am these days, and who I could be. I know NaNo is supposed to be about novels and not short stories, but I don’t need a novel I need a series of short stories! I think this could be excellent therapy for anyone who enjoys the process, whether or not you use the finished product for anything “useful”.
SuperBadGirl on October 22, 2008 11:58 am
You know, I was on the NaNoWriMo forums the other day and there’s a whole section (NaNo Rebels) for people who are doing non-traditional things (poetry, short stories, whatever else) instead of a book-length book. Their servers are already on major overload it seems, but you should try to check it out. http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/forum/304
Zansetsue on October 22, 2008 2:04 pm
Oh wow! Yes, there’s a whole thread on short story writers. I’m gonna do it.