Are we still worried about the zombie apocalypse? Maybe we're more worried about meteors now.
This guy isn't worried. I want to be like this guy.
Somehow I feel like I was really scattered through January and February, or maybe spread out a bit too thin, or spread out in the wrong way, or just unfocused. I got stuff done but too slowly. My constant lament.
I'm giving NaNoEdMo a try this month. This is a challenge to do 50 hours of editing in March. I thought I would give it a whirl last year, but I just sat in a stupor any time I tried to edit any of the longer projects I've got. It seems to me like the longer a manuscript is, the greater the chance that it is profoundly broken in ridiculous ways. Anyway I got myself together and thanks to the promptings and rave reviews of my friend Chris, I decided to try Holly Lisle's How to Revise Your Novel course. I'm still working my way through the first lesson, but so far it is brilliant. I am not paralyzed with fear and confusion about how to proceed. Basically the course is like someone who's been through it before holding your hand while you try to edit, and coaching you: here, don't try to do this all at once, take one baby step at a time. It is all do-able a tiny chunk at a time. The way you build your notes, you can put the down, go deal with other stuff, and come back to it. No rush, no emergencies, no fear.
What about you all? What are you writers doing these days?
14 comments:
Did you hear about the comet that could Mars next year?
I think you accidentally something out of your comment.
oops... hit Mars... collide with Mars... smash Mars up...
Is this the same comet that should be clearly visible to the naked eye in November 2013? I'm looking forward to that one, although not so much to any smashings of Mars.
That I don't know. It's a newly discovered comet that will be passing very close to Mars and might hit it. It's new enough that they don't quite know its trajectory, yet.
I am ready for A to Z this year. I have four posts scheduled so far and hope to be done before April!
Holly's course sounds intriguing.
I'm working on a novel, writing and subbing flash stories, aiming to get a collection of them together soon, and prepping for the A-Z Challenge. Hmm, I think I need more coffee... :)
I've read some of Holly's free stuff and she really knows what she's talking about.
I'm doing the same old short bit, but this week I have been mostly writing short comedy sketches to submit to the BBC. Great Fun.
Oh and i've been editting Wikipedia.
@Andrew: cool cool cool.
@Scribbles: Yay! Holly's course is great, although as it turns out there is no magic easy way to edit a novel.
@Madeline: Good times! Yes, coffee is definitely in order.
@Debs: Wow! Fingers crossed for BBC success. I'm wondering what portions of Wikipedia you've been editing. I hope you're inserting all kinds of naughty nonsense about aliens and life on Mars.
I've got a feeling that we are going to find life on Mars!
you're getting a mention in my Monday post
just so you know
@Debs: I think it's more likely that there's some kind of subsurface bacterial life than not.
@Andrew: Okay! I will drop by.
I think I'm too intimidated to do A to Z this year, but I will certainly have fun reading others' posts.
I know what you mean about editing fear; been combating it since January, but finally got myself into it and have actually really been enjoying it, mainly, I think, 'cause I heart my characters.
I'm doing A to Z too, and fully intended to pre-write/schedule them posts, but have gotten as far as picking a theme and matching a few words to letters...gah. Got a lot to do before April. Like you, I want to be relaxed and have time to check out others' stuff in peace.
Post a Comment