Talking with my Characters

Photo: Ashley Schweitzer via Minimography

Over Thanksgiving break, I got to do some writing. I'm a writer, so that probably doesn't sound like a big deal, but the fact is, I've been struggling to find writing time. I even publicly announced that I was going to jump (late) into NaNoWriMo, counting all of my words (including blogs) in an effort to at least give myself credit for writing something.

As it turns out, having class-free days helps a lot -- no big surprise there -- freeing up time usually spent in preparation, grading and in the classroom. I got back to my stalled work-in-progress and something wonderful happened.

I got excited about it again.

The best characters are a lot like real-life people. When writers fail to spend sufficient time with them, the relationships become strained.  Too many missed conversations lead to awkwardness between a writer and her characters, which, in turn, leads to a lot of time staring at a blank screen.

But, much like old friends, characters open up when a writer gives them her full attention. They speak and share their thoughts and opinions on everything from the situation in which they currently find themselves to their future hopes, dreams and fears.

Or maybe I just have bossy characters.

Carving out writing time over break re-opened old discussions, and, as it turns out, my characters had been harboring secrets, pondering decisions and making resolutions. Many of these were a surprise to me (one of the joys of being a "pantser" rather than a "plotter") and now I can't wait to have these new events play out on the page.

It's the last day of November, and though I got nowhere near the 50,000 word NaNoWriMo goal, I still feel a sense of accomplishment. Who knew that getting unstuck was as simple as re-opening the discussion?

I'm juggling multiple projects, so I know my writing challenges will continue until at least the end of the semester. But, now that I know that I can pull up a chair and restart a conversation with my characters, I'm much less anxious about time away from them.

And if there's one thing I can count on Marita and Bets for, it's a lively conversation.

A Nudge of the NaNoWriMo Variety

National Novel Writing Month

I don't usually participate in NaNoWriMo, but I'm wondering if this year might be the year to make an exception. Again.

So far, I've done it twice, both with my own agenda in mind. The first time, I was close to finishing a middle grade novel, and I used the NaNoWriMo nudge to get myself to finish the book. By the end of November, the book was finished, but I'd gone off on so many tangents that the last quarter of the book had to be completely reworked. I decided then and there that NaNoWriMo wasn't for me.

Until a few years ago when I had another work-in-progress that kept getting swept to the bottom of the pile. This time, it was non-fiction and I had a plan in place, so, encouraged by an article I read on EBookWriMo, I once again dug in. This time, I was more successful in terms of structure, but less successful in terms of completion.

Once again, I find myself in the midst of a stalled work-in-progress. Time is the factor, but, if I'm honest, so is motivation, and I'm wondering if NaNoWriMo might once again provide the nudge I need.

There's something about writing with friends. The combination of camaraderie and accountability creates a "we're all in this together" spirit and, more important, an energy that's sometimes lacking when it comes to writing solo. I've found this in the sprint group spearheaded by Ramona DeFelice Long; this group keeps me moving in the summer, but I struggle to keep up during the semester. when my teaching responsibilities consume more than their fair share of my time and energy. And, before I know it, much too much time has passed between sprints.

When it comes to NaNoWriMo, everyone approaches it in his or her own way. My sister, a planner by nature, prepares for months ahead of time so she can maximize the month. Others just jump in feet first or dive in head first and start writing.

I'm somewhere in between. Nowhere near the planner that my sister is, I nevertheless require some sort of plan to make NaNoWriMo work, as evidenced my my previous experiences. Having no plan in place as I turned the calendar page, I figured this year wasn't the time to do it.

But maybe it's time to shake things up. Find something different to kick start my writing, and perhaps counting words for a month will do just that. And, if I add in the words for all of the writing I do, maybe it'll provide me with the sense of writing accomplishment I'm sorely lacking at the moment.

So, I'm dipping a toe into NaNoWriMo. I wish I could say I was more committed and optimistic than that, but the fact is, this is an act of desperation.

Wish me luck.