It’s no secret here on the Observation Desk that I’m a notoriously slow writer. I’ve expressed how I feel about prolific authors (see Confessions of an Author: Prolific Writers). More recently, I blogged about Why Is It Taking Me So Long To Write The Second Elixir Book. It took almost ten years from when I first started writing ELIXIR BOUND for it to become a published book. I’m not exactly winning any speed awards over here!
So I am afraid I have no business offering any kind of advice on the November #InkRipples topic of Finishing that Book! I’ve tried NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, where many writers try to write a complete book, i.e. 50,000 words, in the month of November). Last year I tried a modified version of it (see Gearing up for National Novel Writing Month 2016) and fell short. One year I actually won NaNoWriMo and wrote 50,000 words of a story, but that story has since become a drawer manuscript that will probably never be published.
But you’ll tell me that no words are wasted, even the unpublished ones. Or that the words will come and to take whatever time I need writing them. This is what I tell myself (and those things are both true). But that doesn’t mean it isn’t frustrating to be a slow writer. Couple that with the fact that I never feel like I have adequate time to write, and that makes for a very frustrated writer.
Nevertheless, I’m still plugging along over here at my achingly slow snail’s pace. How about you all–what do you do to get that book finished?
#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Katie L. Carroll, Mary Waibel, and Kai Strand. We pick a topic (November is all about Finishing that Book!), drop a ripple in the inkwell (i.e. write about it on our blogs), and see where the conversation goes. We’d love to have you join in the conversation on your own blogs or on your social media page. Full details and each month’s topic can be found on my #InkRipples page.
I am there with you about finishing the book as in NOT, lol and advice. Love the gif of the kitty. Juneta @ Writer’s Gambit
I use gifs very sparingly, but that kitty one is definitely a keeper! I hope you find a way to get in some words on your stories, Juneta.
I think your pace will increase as the boys get older and more independent. There is something to simply knowing how to put a novel together, too. That helps make the writing easier and faster as your experience grows. IMHO.
I agree that my pace will likely increase as the boys get older. I think some books will continue to take longer than others to write. It all depends on the project, I suppose.
Slow and steady is far more to my liking (and my way) than the fast and furious to the burnout pile…
Make it good.
I am very much the tortoise when it comes to writing novels!
I love this reply. I’m a slow writer, too.
I knew there were other slow writers out there! I think there are more of us than it seems because we’re not on social media bragging about our low word counts (though lately I have been kind of doing that because I’m happy to have a word count to report). 🙂
I’m pretty slow too, but that’s life for you. One day it will be less crazy and I’ll crank out content. For now, this is just the way it is.
Solidarity, Crystal! I think even when I have a little more time, I’ll never be the kind of author who cranks out books. I need ample time for the story to develop in my mind…though I do hope to be quicker at producing content than I am now.
Life often gets in the way, especially with small kids, and that slows me down too. But I also think each book demands a different pace. I’m near finishing this year’s nanowrimo project, but I also have another book that I’ve been working on for the past five years.
Congrats on nearing the finish line for NaNo this year! I totally agree that each project requires its own timeline. Not all of mine have taken as long as the Elixir books…thankfully!
I’m a slow writer, too. Good for you for ever even attempting NaNo. I did a half one once, as well (25K) but it was mostly babbling without any real direction. Love that cat!
Hi, Marcia! That year I did NaNo and won was pre-kids. I’m thinking about doing it next year and prepping out my schedule ahead of time and planning the novel out (which is tough for this pantser) to make it happen. We’ll see where I’m at next year…it’s still a long way away.