Nathan Bransford - The Forums

Many writers have found participating in the National Novel Writing Word Count Goals thread to be very motivational, but the format of the thread makes it very difficult to give encouragement, tips, and advice easily, or just to chat, gossip, or unload our frustrations. I thought I'd try an experiment for June and start a companion thread where anyone needing a pick-me-up or wanting to offer some words of encouragement to a friend, can.

While this is a companion thread to the JULY word count goal thread, everyone is welcome to participate even if you are not keeping track of your word count for the month.

Consider this an "open writing chat" sort of thread. Tell us about your current work in progress, your fears, goals, hopes, irritations. Share your silly writing mistakes or your awesome one liners. Whatever helps keep you from going crazy.

If you have a specific writing question, however, it should probably have its own thread. Use your best judgement.

Good luck, writers.

I didn't actually "do" the coffee shop June, so I'm ready to get comfortable for the July one! I'm suffering with a bout of the "Am I Crazies" right now. I just don't feel good enough Sorry to be a downer.

writersink wrote:I didn't actually "do" the coffee shop June, so I'm ready to get comfortable for the July one! I'm suffering with a bout of the "Am I Crazies" right now. I just don't feel good enough Sorry to be a downer.

It seems to be going around! In June I finished my draft. I would think I would be ecstatic. It was a big deal. But now I'm just like, there's soooo much to be fixed, I have no perspective left, and blah. I know you're supposed to take a break after finishing a draft, but I had all these thoughts about when I wanted to be ready to query, and I'm going to a conference in late July to pitch---ahhhhh! Ambition is killing me. Anyway, you're not alone.

wilderness wrote:

writersink wrote:I didn't actually "do" the coffee shop June, so I'm ready to get comfortable for the July one! I'm suffering with a bout of the "Am I Crazies" right now. I just don't feel good enough Sorry to be a downer.

It seems to be going around! In June I finished my draft. I would think I would be ecstatic. It was a big deal. But now I'm just like, there's soooo much to be fixed, I have no perspective left, and blah. I know you're supposed to take a break after finishing a draft, but I had all these thoughts about when I wanted to be ready to query, and I'm going to a conference in late July to pitch---ahhhhh! Ambition is killing me. Anyway, you're not alone.

I feel your pain... I guess I'm sort of using the whole "I'm too busy to write" excuse, but really, it's the "Am I Crazies" yanking me off course. I was dead set on the path to finishing my draft by the end of summer, and I was ahead of schedule until the middle of June when I kind of crashed... My schedule suddenly became super hectic, not busy or full, just all over the place, really random, and so my mind is a bit too disorganized at the moment to organize a novel... July is going to be just as crazy (probably even more!) but I am determined to fight the dreariness and schedule in a concrete time and place for myself to write when no one can interrupt me, even if it means sacrificing some luxuries. If my writing is as important to me as I feel it is, then I deserve to actually write! Right?

Continuing from June thread:

writersink wrote:
You can get an icon that says "I <3 writersink." I'm sure everyone would love it

LOL, as tempting as that was....

I am Himalayan snow leopard: hear me roar!

wilderness wrote:Continuing from June thread:

writersink wrote:
You can get an icon that says "I <3 writersink." I'm sure everyone would love it

LOL, as tempting as that was....

I am Himalayan snow leopard: hear me roar!

*Runs off in terror... Oh no wait... The leopard is quite cute. Aww, nice leopard *

If my writing is as important to me as I feel it is, then I deserve to actually write! Right?

Yes! Go for it. Forget things that aren't essential to your well being, like showering, and become a hermit writer, like you see in films I had that problem in June, with my exams and stuff, I thought I couldn't concentrate on two things at once. In reality, I was just too terrified to look at my WIP. I think there is a serious bout of the "Am I Crazies" going around. Must be something about the summer months...

writersink wrote: Oh no wait... The leopard is quite cute. Aww, nice leopard *

Curses! And there go my grand plans to growl menacingly after each post.

I want to finish my draft by August first. I'm like SET on it.

CV

CharleeVale wrote:I want to finish my draft by August first. I'm like SET on it.

Nice! Good luck!

wilderness wrote:

writersink wrote:I didn't actually "do" the coffee shop June, so I'm ready to get comfortable for the July one! I'm suffering with a bout of the "Am I Crazies" right now. I just don't feel good enough Sorry to be a downer.

It seems to be going around! In June I finished my draft. I would think I would be ecstatic. It was a big deal. But now I'm just like, there's soooo much to be fixed, I have no perspective left, and blah. I know you're supposed to take a break after finishing a draft, but I had all these thoughts about when I wanted to be ready to query, and I'm going to a conference in late July to pitch---ahhhhh! Ambition is killing me. Anyway, you're not alone.

It must be. It just hit me. But I think I'm at that part in the editing process where it all seems like crap. I know if I push through it, I'll get excited about it. Being a writer is a very manic profession. XD

Being a writer is a very manic profession

We are all certifiably insane to do it. You're right: we all just need to push through it, and keep going, and remember why we write in the first place. (For the money.... ) It is something we love doing. We love it. We love it. In the same way you love someone who you also want to kill. Yeah. That's it.

We love it. In the same way you love someone who you also want to kill. Yeah. That's it.

...Yes. This is right on the mark, speaking from experience in both areas... hahaha

Tomorrow begins my first official day of my solo writing retreat! Due to a series of unfortunate events, our closest friends are either busy or in another state, so we'll probably kick back with some veggie burgers on the back deck and watch fireworks, so the rest of the day I'm going to be alternating writing for an hour then watching an episode of THE KILLING on Netflix. This is my reward schedule. At night I'll be plying my cats with treats and catnip to stop their psychotic panic attacks as our pyromaniacal neighbor tries very hard to set himself on fire.

Thursday we hit the road for Kansas City. The hotel is GORGEOUS, which is good since I'll be sitting in it for four days. Aside from food and hitting the hotel gym/pool, I'm going to be hanging out in my hotel room working and working and working. 30,000 WORDS OR BUST.

I. Can't. Wait.

HELP.

I'm supposed to be taking a break from writing, but I can't stop doing more in my head. My first draft (very rough toward the end to get it done) is behind me, and there are lots of things I need/want to fix, etc as well as flesh out.

I couldn't just take a shower without thinking up, imagining, and practically acting out scenes now that I've stopped writing.

What do I do?

mark54g wrote:HELP.

What do I do?

Read. That's what I do. I devour as many books as possible in order to give myself the distance necessary before I can go back. Like a pallet cleanse.