Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Some Writing Updates

So this year's nanonovel was a bust (ie, not finished in time). It's still not finished at this very moment, but I am working on it. I think I will use an altered journal-style notebook to record the nanonovel's ideas and themes. There are very distinct images and moments I imagine and until I have a handle on it all and on what it means to me, to the characters and to the story itself, it might help to have these themes represented both with written descriptions and visuals. I haven't tried anything like that before, but I really think it will help connect things as I write. I'm continuing to write in the NaNoWriMo way - don't think, just write! - which is difficult because I like the control that comes with planning & plotting all the details,. This way of writing is interesting, too. I'm discovering a few things here & there, not enough about the characters, but I've uncovered a brand new character whom I've grown very fond of.

I think part of the problem is the main character. I like her but maybe not as much as I like some of the other characters, and I still don't know her very well (not as well as I should, imo). I don't really understand her yet. She keeps morphing in the way that I see her, and although that's a curious idea in itself, it's not supposed to be. I may have to rename her. Maybe she and her name are two different people, and at some point I'll figure out which person I'm actually writing about. I just don't know at this point. *sigh* I'm determined to continue writing, however, until I reach the end, and I'm hoping to figure it all out when I go back to reread. (I'm trying so hard not to reread, rewrite, revise as I write, and to leave all of that until the very end. It's very, very difficult!)

I'm also writing out a web series idea. I'm following S.'s advice. Just write. Forget about format. Just write. Formatting will come later. It may not be perfect at this point, but once I have it all down, on paper instead of in my head, I can rework some things and find ways to connect it all. Then hopefully I can get the dialogue down right, and S. & others will read & advise. :)

As I write out the web series, other ideas keep popping into my head so there are all sorts of paper scraps and scribbled notes all over the place. *g* It'll be nice once I finish something and then go on to the next stage of prep. (I guess I'm technically in the "development" stages of it all) I want to finish the Beanie idea (well, one of several Beanie ideas) as well. Maybe film that this summer before she gets any older!

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