Today is the second post in the Back to Routines Mini-Challenge. We are transitioning from summer holidays to the working world. So, how well did the first to-do list go? Goal sheet out and revised? Work space organized and primed for writing?
This next week we are going to work on our writing plans. This involves a calendar or a spreadsheet or a writer’s chore chart, etc.
Here is where you have to figure out what it will take on a monthly/weekly/daily basis to complete your goals. You have to look at the amount of work (estimate how much time it will take, then, if you are like me, you’ll have to double it).
Then, you have to figure out the daily WHAT and WHEN.
For example, this summer I’ve been working on the second draft of my NaNoWriMo novel that I wrote last November. My goal is to have the third draft finished by the end of Oct so I’m ready for NaNo again.
My WHAT: I’ve allotted 2 days per chapter for the second draft (filling out the plot). Then 1 day per chapter for the third draft (working on word choices and emotions). Each chapter is recorded on my calendar so I know when I’ve fallen behind.
I also have my plot inventory printed out so I can highlight the chapters as I finish them. (With a nice bold purple highlighter so it looks like I’m making progress. Purple highlighter makes me happy.)
My WHEN: At night. No one interrupts after dark so my brain doesn’t get derailed.
That is my plan. Have you got yours? Well, off you go and figure out your plan. How are you going to get the book written? For Real?
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4 users responded in this post
Your plan sounds exactly like my plan! Lol! Except I’m hoping to finish my third draft of my NaNo novel this month so I have a month to outline my next one and a month to breathe(!!!) before NaNoWriMo 09 starts.
Good luck!
Stormy, I like your idea of taking a month to outline the next NaNo novel. I need a little bit of a plan otherwise I waste too many precious NaNo minutes staring at a blank screen. So, after your 3rd draft is your book ready to send out?
Shonna, I used to avoid outlining but like you said, with the pressure NaNo already puts on you as a writer, the last thing I want is to be stumped for ideas. I’m actually going to use First Draft in 30 Days to outline!
I wrote this first novel just as a practice novel. I’m not even considering publishing it because I’m just not happy with it as a finished product at this time. Mostly, I wanted to get through the entire process of writing, rewriting, editing and getting critiqued on a novel so I could take those teachings and use them to create a great novel the next time. So ’09 NaNo novel will be the one! *fingers crossed*
thanks for sharing your ideas and strategies.
got directed here via a twitter link.
twitter.com/iamiridescent
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