Now that we’re finally in the same week as Christmas and stores are guaranteed to get only more crowded as the week goes on, it’s time to start thinking of 2011 goals. I already know several of mine, and there will be a post outlining those goals in the next few days once they’re final. They aren’t goals that I can jump into with no preparation. In fact, the rewriting of two of my novels is not a goal to take lightly. This is why rereading those two novels and outlining the one to be rewritten first (the first 2009 novel, for those who remember) are at the top of my to do list. I intend to start the third draft on the first of January with a timeline that I hope I’ll finally be happy with. In order to make that happen, I need to plan in advance. I may be a pantser when it comes to first drafts, but I can outline (though not well) when it comes to drafts that are not the first draft.
Here’s the problem: I haven’t started planning yet. Heck, I haven’t even opened the files that contain the first or second draft of my first 2009 novel or the first 2010 novel (though I won’t get around to editing that until March, but more on the writing schedule later). This gives me thirteen days, one of them Christmas Day, to read both drafts of the first book at a minimum, make all the necessary notes, outline the third draft, figure out a timeline for the story (I’ve been playing with a completely different timeline from the first two drafts in my head, though I can’t figure out a way that it’ll work), and start writing. All of that in thirteen days.
But I thrive on the deadlines. They’re my lifeblood. How else do I do NaNo and overachieve at it? There must be a crazy desire to push myself to my limit somewhere. All I know is that the planning will get done because if it doesn’t, how else will this story get written? I know I can do it. Wish me luck.
4 Responses.
It looks like our holidays will look like the same.
I only have one first draft to outline before rewriting but I have several scenes missing.
I wish you good luck! But I know you can do it
@chomskyrabbit Good luck to you too! I’m definitely outlining only one draft at a time to make the process easier. Doing two at once is a great way to bury myself in too much at once, especially with a lot of timeline play. My decent books tend to involve a lot of that as of late.
You are a dedicated writer! Just yesterday I got confirmation that my writing project will go forward! (Yay!) I’m planning to get back to the work in earnest in January. The kids are home/coming home for Christmas and I won’t miss a moment of that! Besides, it will give me something to look forward to in January when they’re both gone again!
@Lori Hooray for your writing project! Spend all the time you can with your kids now so you’ll be ready to dive in when they’re gone in January. That’s the best way to gain more enthusiasm about a project.