Category: Reflection

2017 – Leveling Up

Now that I am nearing the end of NaNoWriMo again, I have been pondering on how I have been able to level up this year as a writer. Sort of a year-end review, a month or so early.

  • Found a local writing community that gets me and who I truly appreciate.
  • Purchased a domain name – personalized website, here I come!
  • Learned how to better write “scene by scene” so that I don’t so bogged down with figuring out transitions which further let me…
  • Learned how to move scenes around to improve flow and arc; not having all that transition baggage to carry helped me see scenes as more self contained.
  • Learned to write faster – I now am able to regularly achieve prose drafts of 1200 words per hour, which for me is blazing fast.
  • Achieve my largest day of writing ever – 3684 words in a day (which again, for me is huge).
  • Completed a second novel – rough draft only, but its a complete draft.
  • Written the most difficult book I’ve ever attempted.

It’s this last one that I feel has been the most interesting to reflect on. During this year listening to my favorite podcast Writing Excuses, something one of the presenters said struck me. He said that every time you finish a story, is should be the hardest thing you’ve ever done as a writer. That this was proof of continuing to level up.

And it’s true. I’ve found myself comparing that idea to my progression as a person, as an employee, as a spouse, as a parent – each year seems to get a little harder or more intense or more complicated. Each year there’s more to contend with, more stress, and just more…well, more. But like in writing progression, never in the same place and never exactly where you expect to find it.

For me, this book project was already going to be the “hardest” because I was trying to write a story with two POVs – everything I’ve attempted so far has been one, so trying to balance two character voices and all the threads that come with that has been a new and difficult experience. And I’ve found that it’s something I will be able to handle better in the future, a skill set I have, but can improve. But for the next story, it may not be that skill set, but another which will make that book the hardest ever.

So, for another NaNoWriMo done and another draft done – I say hurray! Now I’m off to the next one.

Writing Excuses 12.48 – Reflection

This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while now as a blogging idea.

I’ve wanted to do a “reactions” post for things I learn or view with regards to writing. Sometimes that will take the form of review or breakdown.

But I’ve also just wanted to do short reflections as well – less revised, more direct.

So, I’m going to try to do a reflection post every Monday after listening to the most recent Writing Excuses episode – mostly since that’s when I get to listen to them (commuting to and from work) and it’s an easy thing that will let me get my thoughts down. Not going to worry about summarizing the episode or even commenting on what was said, only insofar as how it made me feel and what it made me think. (I’ve already said more about this than intended, so here goes).

In contemplating a series and how to write them, I was heartened to hear all the presenters say to go find an agent AFTER finishing the first book in a series, which means I haven’t wasted all this time trying to get Betrayed in the best shape I can.

I like the interplay with the presenters about how to think about plotting or planning out a series. And about planning out a first book that is “complete” with series potential.

This episode, there wasn’t anything I found myself outright disagreeing with or thinking had been extensively covered elsewhere.

Also, I’m a fan of the new presenter setup with a “Provo Team” and a “Chicago Team”. The interplay is great and it’s nice getting new view points.