Every year, without fail, I have ideas for novels. Why? Because I aspire to be an author and my imagination sometimes runs wild. Especially at night.
And every time I sit down to write a novel, I say to myself, "I'm finishing this one, no matter what."
Obviously, I still have yet to finish a novel.
Not surprisingly, I've had an idea recently. And so I sat down and wrote three pages this morning, and that little voice in my head started nagging at me again. "You aren't really going to finish this novel. It'll just end up being thirty pages of crap that you never look at again and just sits there taking up more space on your computer."
And more than likely, that's probably true.
But after reading countless articles on how to stay interested in writing a novel and how to actually FINISH, I think I've come to a conclusion.
My first novel is going to suck.
In fact, it's going to suck so bad that when it's over, I'll probably revise it thirty or so times. And still hate it.
But my goal is this: Finish the damn novel. No matter how bad it might be at the end.
Every writer improves on their writing skills with the more they write.
If I can finish one, then the next one will be easier. I just have to find my system.
Last year when NaNoWriMo came around, I was filled with the idea that I would be finally finishing a novel.
Boy, was I wrong.
I did all the steps. My entire chalkboard wall was filled with my cramped writing and post-it notes. I had the entire outline staring at me for weeks. And it sucked. And I hated it. And I tossed it aside.
So, for the current wanna-be novel that I'm writing, I vow to have a routine.
From now on, Monday through Thursday, I'm writing. FOR AT LEAST two hours a day.
I just have to grit my teeth, crack my knuckles and fight my way through my first novel.
I've got to realize that it's going to suck horribly.
Peace, Love, and Junk Food,
Sara
Current Song I'm In Love With: 2 Atoms In a Molecule- Noah and the Whale
This is very near inspirational to a fellow writer like me haha (:
ReplyDeleteI usually have the exact same issue, but with the novel I've been working on for a little over two months I've decided to just pull through it! Good luck to you in your endeavor!
~Sonja Renae (:
I also suffer from unfinished novel-itis.
ReplyDeleteI was just so sure my last novel would be finished, and I was around 150 pages in, before the idea just collapsed as the crap it was. Sure, some people would have said it was okay, but to be honest, it was extremely unrealistic, dull and the characters were such twits I couldn't decide who to kill off first (this is how frustrated they made me)!
Getting along from my issues, I wish you the best of luck with your next novel - why don't you publish tomorrow's work on blogger? The rest of us will probably enjoy it.
:)
@Ninja I wish you the best of luck on finishing your novel!
ReplyDelete@Ginger I get so angry with myself when my characters aren't as realistic as I want them to be. I'm sure you'll have a much better idea next time! Thanks for wishing me luck :) As for posting my work, I'll wait until I actually finish it to post something :) I'm terrified of letting anyone read my work until I have it perfected.
~Sara
Man, do I feel your pain. I've made several attempts at writing small books, but I hated them all. One thing I did realize I needed to actually finish something is a deadline. Like, mark on a calendar when you're going to finsih a rough draft, start on a final, and when you should have the whole thing revised. Have a schedule. That's how I finsih most of my artwork now. It keeps me in check. Happy writing! :)
ReplyDelete@Emma, I think I'll take that advice! Thank you very much :) I usually love my ideas so much at the start and as they go I find holes that need to be filled that I can't figure out. I've decided that no matter if I hate this idea half way through or not, I'm sticking with it. :)
ReplyDelete~Sara
This is enormously encouraging to me. I have the same problem. Exactly. I'm also afraid of failure, so I tend not to try. But this post may be the push I need to get in there and write...
ReplyDeleteOr at least the push that will push the push that pushes me to get in there and write XD
Either way, love the post and best of luck to you!
~Stephanie
:D I hope you finish something!!! I'm not allowing myself to procrastinate anymore :)
ReplyDeleteI've always been afraid of writing something that didn't live up to my expectations. I guess that I truly am my biggest critic.
~Sara
STORY OF MY FUCKING LIFE!
ReplyDeleteI am also yet to finish a novel, I am such a perfectionist that I'm never happy with anything longer than about 10 000 words. I just can't do it. Short stories are fine, so I'm thinking about writing a book of them and seeing if it'll publish. If not, well, life just sucks like that.
I wrote a story once that was 40,000 words. It effing sucked. :) I've never had an idea short enough to be a short story, but I'd like to write one eventually :)
ReplyDelete