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Blogs by Pamela C Labud
Ready...Set...Write!!! 11/19/2007 1:04:50 PM
My experience as a NaNoWriMo writer!!!
Hello, Gentle Readers!
Know what? I've not blogged for awhile, but this time I really have an excuse other than: my life's too busy, the kids are home from school, or I'm a nurse and hey! there's a nursing shortage going on here!
Seriously, I have been writing. Just writing. At my last post I had no less than 5 partials at various stages, trying to do the writerly thing and interest an editor or an agent to work toward my next sale.
If you've been a writer for any time at all, you know the very toughest part of writing at all is sitting down and writing. Some time ago, Andy Rooney, the guy from 60 minutes, wrote a brilliant piece about how wonderful it is 'having written.' It's the truth. I don't have the link anymore, but google it. If you're a writer, it will ring true right to the depth of your soul.
Now, on to what I've been doing. National Novel Writers Month, the challenge online. Really wanting to break free from the 'partial/proposal' dullness, I decided to go back to my roots and just write the books.
That's all. It's simple. Do what I've wanted to do my whole life. Be a novelist, and to my mind, that means writing the novel. I'd done that with about 7 whole manuscripts and had sold my first two to a New York publisher when some very saavy successful author friends of mine said, "Oh, honey, don't write the book. Just send them a proposal!"
I was told that's the way it works in the publishing industry. Why write a book you might not sell?
Well, it's not 'business saavy' like my friends said, but the truth is I love writing books, not the work part of it, but the part where you get lost in the initial drafts of your book. That feeling you get when you, like future readers, get caught up in the story and you realize that it's what heaven must be like.
So, I started out the month rather slowly, first writing a few pages on one of my books, then a few on another. I had already joined a writers group online called Endurance Writers. It's a yahoo group, and they do what they call 'Word Sprints' together, that last about 20 minutes. Anyway, this past week they did a half marathon. 13 hours of writing, folks. I made it from beginning to end and wrote 100 pages on my Urban Fantasy book. It was amazing. Since I've added another 74 pages, bringing me up to page 274 on my story. I've got about 130 pages to go before the first draft is finished.
Mind you, this group is not about the edited, polished version. It's strictly right from my brain to my fingertips. What I rediscovered is that I love writing like that. It's like a runner's high, (not that I've ever had one of those, mind you, lol!) where you get into the zone and lose yourself in the pure joy of writing. In short, it's awesome!
If you're a writer, feel free to send me a message and let me know if you're NaNo writing, or if you're doing word sprints, or anything else! I'd love to hear from you.
Gotta go write, now. Take care and Happy Reading! Pam.
