I just realized, after I hit page 95 last night on the new novel, Inventory, that I've written that in two weeks. That's quite a record, even for me (the first draft of my first novel took four months).
For a few moments I wondered if that meant that the writing could be awful, and I'd discover that in the revision process, but I brushed that off for two reasons:
1) I'm having a marvelous time doing it. Little bits of information and signs about where to head next keep popping up, as they always do if you just stay open and follow every lead. If something unusual occurs to you or jumps into your line of vision - go after it. Examine it. See if it has anything to say to you about your characters or your story.
2) I'm not struggling. One doesn't have to struggle and agonize over every word, sentence, and page, to write a successful first draft. Often when that's the case, it means you are trying to control the story/characters when they should come through you instead. Yes, you may end up cutting out large sections and realizing that some parts need to be completely rewritten (I cut out 300 pages of the second novel - ouch!), but you wouldn't have been able to make that determination if you hadn't written it in the first place! Most of the time we have to get things down on paper to SEE them before we can know whether or not they work. Then, the extra terrific part of that is that, what's wrong with the bit you need to get rid of will point you directly to how to fix it, to what will work - if you allow it to.
The pace is probably going to slow at some point, but I won't worry then either. I'm keeping to my commitment to listen to the story and write at least 4 days a week. Each day I pay attention to how I'm feeling about the book and go from there. If it feels like I need a day to rest and think, then I take it. If I feel pushed to turn on the computer and pull out my notes, I do that. If I'm not sure, I skim the last few pages and see if anything comes up. If nothing does, I consider it a rest/think day, and make any notes that come to me while I'm doing other things.
Do things at your own pace and rather than impose a final deadline on yourself, set small deadlines. When you break them - reset them. They are just something to work towards, not do or die.
And keep asking yourself this question: Am I Enjoying Writing This Book?
If you're not, ask yourself what would help you do just that. Frost says: "No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader." Are you making discoveries and getting them into the manuscript? Are you laughing and crying and puzzling and searching right along with your characters?
If you don't feel it, your readers won't either.
woohoo! 95 pages! (i just inhaled a piece of my granola bar - going to go choke to death)
Posted by: jennifer | September 14, 2006 at 11:58 AM