This makes me smile
I did it! I uploaded my 50,000 plus words into the NANOWRIMO web site earlier this afternoon. The thrill of it surprised me.
What did I learn from this experience? I lost the fear of success as a writer, believing that looming deadlines might threaten to take over my life. I discovered that if I can write 50,000 words in 30 days, I can write 150,000 words in 3 months, which would provide the framework for revision and polishing in the months ahead.
I learned that balance is vital, and can be learned, so that the writer’s life need not be sacrificed.
The Author’s Magazine, the online publication sent to members of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, presented an interview with Diana Gabaldon, the author of Outlander and six other books in that series. She mentioned the need to manage a double life. (Her web page contains a staggering number of u-tube interviews and readings as well.)
One life exists inside the writer’s head, the place where they go to write and live their stories. The other life requires the writer to pull themselves out of that place to participate with the family life, or whatever other endeavors are important to the writer.
Following that, she says if one is successful, then a third life emerges, the public life, which threatens and tempts to take over. It is critical to manage and maintain a balance in all three.
We as writers must endeavor to write our stories so well that agents and publishers trust us enough to manage our lives wisely, trust us to meet deadlines, and trust us to write an excellent story. The story and our follow through must be worthy of their risk so they will agree to give us a little leeway, in order to keep the part of our lives that does not include writing, alive and well.
The second thing I learned is that, for me, the habit of writing every day is essential. Even a 100 words primed this writer’s pump, and kept the words flowing. I find it tempting to revise and revise if I stay away from the story for a day or two, requiring a need to ‘go back’ and review where I left off, which becomes a need to ‘fix’ things while I read.
The postscript? I do realize that every writer’s method and adventures are his or her own. Also, in order to test my theory about success, I need to get there! I’m working on it!
Thank you to NaNo, thank you to the support group from GSRWA, and thank you Sandra.
