later...
What was I saying? Oh yes, this week has been a fairly quiet one for me and so I was thinking that the challenge should be....hold it....it's the phone - just let me get it and I'll get back to you. Hold it just a tic.
a little later...
So it's Friday and you all have worked hard to get here, especially Talli, so we should have something rewarding or easy or something - right?
THE FRIDAY CHALLENGE
You guys really think I know what I'm going to write when I sit down to do this dontcha? Well, I don't. I never have the remotest clue. I absolutely don't. I read all the articles in this month's Writers' Digest about the vital importance of outlining and it is like they are telling me that I should dip my grandchildren in beet juice so they turn all nice and pink. It is just like that. I do not know what I'm going to write in the next sentence let alone the last chapter of a novel. Gawwwd! And I don't know what challenge is going to fall out of my mind either. I just don't. Some days I'd like to be the highly organized Queen of blogging challenges and have this and that all bloody figured out but I think by now, at almost 59, I know that I do not function like that.
I think I told some of you that a few months ago I looked in the mirror, like I do every morning, and said to myself "I should start moisturizing." like I do every morning. Then I laughed because I'm NOT GOING TO. I do floss though - but that is because if you don't and then you go to the dental hygenist after years of not having a cleaning - it really really hurts - so now I floss. If I thought my wrinkly dried up face would hurt from being ignored I would moisturize. Daily.
Now, I'm just killing myself laughing at that thought. I am sitting here crying with laughter at my own damn wittiness. Now, could I do that if I KNEW what I was going to write? No is the answer, in case you are slow today or something. I most certainly wouldn't write if I knew what was going to happen next. Boring beyond belief (nice alliteration that).
10 comments:
You know, Jan, I think that's a great stretching kind of exercise. I'm not an outliner AT ALL. I never think far ahead with my mysteries and have no clue who the killer is until the end of the book (I make sure all the suspects could equally have murdered the victim, so the set up is there). But I had a publisher ask me for a *detailed* outline of a possible new series--from start to finish. It was the hardest thing I think I've ever written! But I did feel proud of myself afterward. :)
Are you pink gloves dyed with beet juice? :)
I never outlined before NaNo, but it's the outline that saved me and made it possible for me to finish (among other things, as you already read about on my post this morning :) Plus it is really helpful for revisions. I have outlines of my previously unoutlined work that I made after the fact to help in revising. It makes a world of difference.
But is it okay if I use your challenge to make myself floss?
I think what I'm going to do is outline before I write. I tend to write then go back and outline - and discover I totally dropped a major plot line. If I can just do it beforehand, then add to it as I write, I'd be much better off.
Yeah, that's what I'll do from now on. Uh huh.
I outline and use bullet points to capture ideas. Then I rock and roll, do some research, and fill out the MS. This is what works for me. Have a great weekend!
Oh, this is a good idea... and it can be a present for my family... NORMALLY, first thing I do when i get home is get on my computer... and I am immediately sucked in. We are poor at the mo, so I think as part of my X-mas gift to my hubby, I will INSTEAD spend an hour cleaning or organizing when I get home, and THEN write...
I think I'm going to take up the challenge of changing my attitude. I'm getting negative again (maybe it's the weather) but I'm feeling like I need to keep my comments to myself. I love your challenges.
CD
Right now just writing would be a change!
And if you do dip the grandkids in beet juice, please take photos.
That's a really good idea, Jan (I mean the changing the routine part).
I wonder if I could pass up my morning coffee over the newspaper for one week and have my morning coffee at the computer, writing (no Internet until I've worked for two hours).... Hmmm. Maybe I'll try that. Maybe.
Elizabeth! I am so heartened that you are a pantser. Sometimes I feel like we pantsers are a lesser breed - don't quite have it together etc...but if YOU are a pantser I'm thrilled to be in your camp. Camp Serendipity that is!
Rosie - ha ha ha! Go ahead. Flossing is something I'm a MANIAC about but as I said, only through pain do I learn! And yes, I have actually outlined after the fact or done beat sheets which is even more intensive...
Helen - why don't I believe you!? The challenge is to try ONCE something that doesn't come naturally but hey if you think you can change your Helenish stripes by all means...
Stephen - then your challenge is to try a little free fall like some of us. Write something - a page, a chapter, where you don't know what is going to happen at all -and let me know how it goes.
Tartlette - cleaning as a discipline - I like it! Give it a try...and tell me how it goes.
Clarissa - great idea - I like it - if it worked to think negatively things would be different around here (my house, yours, the world!) but it doesn't. And thanks for telling me you like my challenges. I am never sure...
Diane - I'll have to catch them first! And they're onto my weird ways...
Patricia - YES - you've got it - it doesn't have to be a HUGE thing just something to shake the cobwebs loose.
So far I haven't been able to do it. I usually wrote my post and gather any images for it, and then leave it for a day going on to some other activity. Although I still think leaving it alone for a day is the only way to go, I decided to try and write a second post instead of doing something else. I can't seems to think of anything to write about until the next day. Definite habit.
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