(Answers to your questions coming next week. Promise.)
I've been more than a little intimidated with writing the third and final Paranormalcy book. There are a lot of things that went into the mess and jumble of emotions I have about it--pressure, expectations, fears, worries, excitement, exhaustion--compounded by my husband saying, as I wrote the first chapter, "Don't forget to have fun with it; this may very well be the last thing you ever write in Evie's voice."
GEE THANKS.
(Just kidding--I'm seriously grateful to him for saying that and adding some perspective.)
But it's very easy to psych yourself out while writing. And something to look forward to about writing under contract is that you. have. to. write. I can't just say, hmm, the ideas aren't flowing for this one so I'm gonna work on this other project for a while. Or, hmm, this is hard, so I'm going to sit on the couch and watch Pride and Prejudice twenty times in the next month. Much as I adore Mister Darcy and admire Elizabeth's eyebrows, that's not exactly something I can turn into my wonderful editor on April 1st. (Although my publisher DID give me a contracted due date of April Fools, so they might be asking for it.)
I used to get really obsessive (like, scarily, genuinely obsessive, my poor poor husband) about writing. If I was in the middle of a story, I'd work on it every spare moment, into the wee hours of the morning, running myself ragged but positively LIVING in the story. However, when I wasn't feeling obsessive, I didn't write. At all. And that was okay.
Except when I have a deadline.
I've decided to change things up a bit. I don't have time to wait for obsession to strike, so I'm going to manufacture and schedule it. Sometimes the only way to get into the right mindset is to force it. If I can't have passionate obsession, I'll replace it with...discipline.
Which, I know, lame. So much for the wild creative life of passionate artistry. Or, well, napping. Which is totally what I would be doing because I am passionate and creative and wild like that.
So my schedule is this: Tuesdays and Thursdays I must write one chapter. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I must write two. Saturdays I must write three. And in this way I can have a full, working first draft in about two-and-a-half weeks.
Oh, I should mention that my discipline still revolves around being crazy. Some things never change.
But I've already had some hopeful signs. Last night I dreamt of Evie, and book signings, and IPCA, and being kidnapped and carried up into the sky by a giant bird, no, bat, no, dragon, no, sylph. Yup, I edit stories even as I'm dreaming them. Hello, obsession. I've missed you.
What do you do to make yourself write when you have to? And how much do you admire Mister Darcy?
48 comments:
OMG...I can SO SO SO relate. Sometimes my CPs have to apply mucho peer pressure so I will write. Othertimes, I just can't write enough. And yes, I am just as obsessive, falling in love with characters I don't really know yet. :D
Crikey, this is kinda weird. I'm thinking exactly the same thing... and I do the Pride and prejudice thing too, only I mix it up with Buffy. When I'm obsessive I can write 2 or 3 chaps a day and go without sleep, but when I don't have my head in the game, I'm a heap of uninspired poo. I long for the obsession to kick in again. I'll be watching your comments and advice come in.
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's SUPER-KIERSTEN!!
Why does blogger always make me hit Post a Comment two times? The first time my word verification doesn't show up. It's like it's asking me, "are you SURE you want to comment?"
Well, Michelle, ARE you sure?
Are there non-obsessive writers? What are they like?
When I need to go after inspiration Jack London style, the iPod is indispensible. See, at the beginning of a project, I make a soundtrack for it -- songs with the mood/theme of the story. Then, every time I need to work, I slap on the headphones and go to town. When inspiration is lacking, the songs help the mood and, consequently, the writing. It's weird, but it works for me.
Good luck with your schedule. It would scare the living bejeepers out of me, but good luck.
Delia, I do the music thing, too! Instant mood.
I sometimes have to bribe myself by saying that AFTER, I can watch TV or bake cookies or whatever it is that I want to do more. Like watching Mr. Darcy. Although I have to admit, he's been replaced a bit by Mr. Thorton from North and South (based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell). Are you totally appalled now?
When I really need to write, I go to a local coffee house with my laptop, my notes and gummy bears. That way I have ample access to sugary things (which always seem to help the writing process for me) and I have fewer distractions. Also, I write every day to keep the characters talking to me, even on the really off days where everything I write is crap.
That's awesome that you dreamt of Evie. My characters show up in my head at a lot of inopportune times, but never in my dreams. I'd love if I could see them like that!
Jenilyn, I heartily approve. And Mr. Thornton is going to be Thorin! Happy, happy Kiersten.
I love writing on a deadline. Nanowrimo was awesome. I cranked out three chapters a day and finished a third round of revisions by mid-December. Sadly, my familiy doesn't like me when I'm driven-writer-woman.
So my goal now is more simple. One chapter a day. If I don't get it done, I have to write two tomorrow. It's the best I can do in my situation.
I don't really have an elaborate system. Mostly I make myself (another) pot of coffee and tell myself I have to write for [arbitrary amount of time]. And that when I've done what I've agreed with myself I'm going to do, then it's okay to watch Grey's Anatomy/True Blood/Pride and Prejudice with my jar of Nutella.
Yeah. I'm feeling the Mr. Darcy love too =)
Um, so I'm probably the WORST example of a writer, LOL. I tend to let the laziness take over and sometimes I won't write for weeks. Or at least I won't write more than a paragraph or two in that time.
Yeah, I need to force myself. I haven't quite found the way to do it just yet, although I do have a bit of a deadline now...get this first draft done by June before baby comes or else. (Still figuring out the "or else" part...)
You know, if you didn't let the crazy in, what fun would it be????
You know what? Sometimes I'm really NOT sure. I think, thank you, Blogger. This would really be better as an e-mail to Kiersten. What would I do without you, Blogger?
And wouldn't you know, now that I'm finally acknowledging the importance of this double check Blogger has imposed on me, it didn't happen this time. But my word is "beasts." It's like Blogger is taunting me.
When I really have to write and I don't want to I think about my day job. That's always inspiration to do something else.
The ONLY mister darcy for me is Matthew Macfadyen. Just sayin', and, since I'm still in highschool...I can't make myself write. Unless I want to burn out my creative juice that I certainly need for horribly boring, if needed for grades, english essays on poems that in my opinion can only be analyzed to a certain point. But every now and then i do put a story on paper...because otherwise...they'd toss me in the loony bin. I'm pretty sure this happens to all writers. Some characters will just not shutup. Others need coaxing. Which usually requires chocolate. I think you'd tend to agree? :)
Deadlines help me.
I can imagine you feel you've got a special pressure to live up to having had such a successful debut. Have you seen the video flying around the blogosphere by the author of Eat, Pray, Love (her name has totally escaped me)? It's a really good reminder to see yourself as separate from the next idea. That its the work of inspiration and not fully your own.
I'm one to talk, but it has encouraged me tremendously. Of course, it would be helpful for me to watch it daily, but alas, I also have to live. ;)
I wonder if I pretend that I'm writing under contract if I can pump out chapters in a schedule similar to the one you have proposed in your post. Hmmm.....
Well, I'm still unpublished which means I can get obsessed about whatever story I want and let the obsession come as it may. Neener neener.
Sorry, I figure you get the NYT list and the rest of us can brag about a lack of deadlines. Also, you've been teasing us with these sequels and I still can't read one! Talk about mean. ;)
Gah! I was agoggle with the one chapter a day. And then two? Boy o boy. I'd say that's pretty impressive!
Step off, ladies. He's all mine. Forsooth!
Lizzy--I'll fight you in a fortnight! As soon as I figure out what a fortnight is.
1 fortnight = 14 days
Candy + Caffeine - (husband+ kids)x playlist = 20 pgs per night I actually manage to put myself in front of my laptop.
You mentioned your writing schedule being one to three chapters per day. Does that mean you already have an outline of what those chapters will be? I'm trying to figure out how other writers work so I can try various techniques to actually complete something instead of falling off somewhere in the middle because I didn't do enough planning.
I once met a guy who told me he wanted to read Pride and Prejudice to get lines from Mr. Darcy because "all girls are in love with him."
Stupid, if you ask me. Because what Mr. Darcy SAYS gets him in Elizabeth's bad book. It's what he DOES that shows her he's the one..
Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. And noise-canceling headphones with a white noise track playing on repeat.
More than anything, though, if I am accountable to someone for my writing (husband, writing group, NaNoWriMo deadline), I find it a lot more difficult to make excuses for not getting my butt in the chair.
I do the writing soundtrack, too. It really helps me get in the right mindset. And right now I set deadlines with crit partners, which helps. Now if only I could stop obsessively reading blogs. Arrgghh!
I thought writing thirty pages a week was tough. Your schedule is very rigorous. But I know what you mean. When you have a deadline you do what you have to do to get your story on paper or in the computer.
Much luck and success!
I watch P&P at least three times per month but I'm usually writing while I do it.
Hope you make those deadlines.
I haven't found that motivation yet... but I imagine it must come from the curiousity of finding out "what else" happens in the story as the characters weave about the planned plot-lines.
OMG How do I love Mr. Darcy? Let me count the ways. It's really funny that I just read this because moments prior I was on my local library website reserving a copy of P & P beacuase I can't find mine anywhere!!! I need my Darcy fix. I heart Colin Firth v much but I love the new guy in the one with Kiera Knightly, his voice is so incredibly sexy! mmm.
Oddly enough, one of my favourite tricks to get me writing is to think of you.
Okay, so I also have an angry bear with a whip.
And an Arnie impersonator I pay to lean on me.
But it's the kid thing, the time snatched between naps. I could never hack that one.
In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love... Mister Darcy.
(I actually have that bit of his proposal memorized.) In the end, though, I vote Mr. Kightley. (You've seen the BBC Emma, right? OH MY GOSH.)
Anyway...
I've been using this discipline approach from the start, and I can only tell you for certain that it works for me. I hope you have as much luck!
Two and a half weeks? That is pretty awesome. I wish I could write something that fast.
Usually I have to sit myself down and give myself a pep talk to get any writing done when I don't feel like writing.
And I agree with Madeleine - My vote lies with Mr. Knightly too. Even though Mr. Darcy's pretty darn amazing. :D
I love this--it feels so familiar! I find if I give myself the time to get into my writing, I write. I call it the Ten Minute Rule. Set an alarm for 10min. If I'm not into it after the time is up, I go do something else for a while then try again. But the norm is I'm shutting off the alarm b/c I'm so deep into the work again.
There is passion in writing, but there is also ego trying to hold us back. The passion is always there, waiting. It's just the I don't WANNA that we have to get past.
Great schedule, good for you! Evie will keep you going, I'm sure (crazy involves hearing her voice, yeah? LOL)
Well, I admire the Bennett sisters. I a strictly, um, fraternal sense. Yeah.
I'm glad things are going well with writing. Mr. Darcy is an honorable man, but sure did waste time being as such. ;)I hope I'm not getting my Austen's confused...
Bryan--HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. Sure. Fraternal. Mmm hmmm.
So excited to see what happens to Evie in the future. When I have a deadline, I toss the kids a pile of candy, make a pot of coffee, and lock myself in a room with no TV.
I'm an obsessive Jane Austen fan, so I adore not only Mr. Darcy, but also *all* of her heroes! And I own all six of her major novels and all my favorite film/TV adaptions of said novels, because you simply cannot get enough Austen-mania crammed into your life.
Might I ask which P&P adaption you were referring to? The Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle 1995 miniseries, or the Matthew MacFayden/Kiera Knightley 2005 movie?
I'd also like to say I really appreciate your commentary on what it's like to write sequels under contract. As an aspiring novelist, I try to soak up all the information I can get from those further down the road.
-Christine
A first draft in two and a half weeks?? I'm seriously in awe.
You have made me feel so good today. I believe the reason I have yet to write a novel is my lack of discipline and my former belief that all writers were riding a constant wave of inspiration. Isn't it funny what deadlines can do for us? Thank you so much for being so honest! I've actually heard some writers say that they LOVE their characters so much that they never get stuck. I think if they aren't lying they are the most lucky people I've ever heard of!
I'm with you Jenilyn and Kiersten -I recently discovered North and South, and I cannot WAIT to see Mr. Thornton as Thorin :)
Great post, Kiersten. I enjoyed the comments as well. It makes me feel better to know that others also have trouble working up the motivation to write sometimes.
I am wicked impressed with your goals. That's going to take serious discipline.
Also, Mr. Darcy (especially Colin Firth Darcy) is my true love. He's so wonderful.
Bring it. High noon, behind the stables at Pemberly.
*tapes hands*
*drags EyeBlack beneath eyes*
Two and a half weeks??? Wow
Wow, I can't believe you finish a draft in 2 1/2 weeks. Mine take, like, 2 1/2 years. Before I actually start revising. Actually, I don't know how long mine take, because I never finish them.
And YES Mr. Darcy! (And I'm totally with you with Mr. Knightley too, Madeleine.)
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