Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Always trust your muse(s)

Ahhh, I do so love writing. My writing gets sparser and sparser each nano, which isn't so good for reaching word count each day, but it is better for the end result. Less editing. :-D This year, I'm writing a bit by the seat of my pants. Oh, I have a couple big scenes I'm writing towards, and I know the ending (I think), but the rest is surprising me a bit each day. So far, it's working out extremely well, and the story is right on track.

I got one of those wonderful out-of-the-blue story moments yesterday that changes everything for my lead character. And not in a good way. (Of course not. If it was good, I wouldn't be telling the right story.) All because he blurted out someone's name and let them know he recognized them. Someone he isn't supposed to know, someone he couldn't possibly know, someone who doesn't want to be known, who isn't supposed to be there. Someone who will be coming to find out how my hero knows his name.... Oh, the delight! This gives me much to work with, and that coupled with a couple other twists that popped up a few days ago, I'm seeing how things tie together towards the end. The neat -- and terrifying -- thing about nano is you move so fast -- a scene or two a day -- that I barely have time to think through the possible consequences of characters' actions before I have to deal with them the next day. So when I get these lovely muse-bombs dropped in my lap, it sure makes writing the next segment easier.

And man, I still can't write in the mornings to save my life. I'm an evening writer, and there's just no fighting it.

4 comments:

becca said...

I have a terrible time writing in the morning, too.

Melissa Amateis said...

I'm the same way. I can't write in the morning, though I really, really wish I could. Would save me from late nights and sleepy mornings.

Anonymous said...

The majority of my writing has always been done in the wee hours. And naturally, I feel like crap the next day, but I have shiny, new words, so it almost balances out. :-)

Devon Ellington said...

What fun! I love those aha moments.

Absolutely write when it's most natural for YOU to write your best, and build everything else around it.

Currently, I do my first 1K before I'm "tainted by the day" and then switch between whatever's on contracted deadline the rest of the day.

My most natural schedule is to write all night through the early morning, go to bed around 11 AM, and get up in the early evening.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to switch my entire schedule that way yet.