But enough about that, let's talk NaNo.
In the end, I managed to get twenty five thousand words done during November, which is still pretty good. It's brought my total word count up to forty seven thousand, which is almost halfway to my minimum word goal for the novel.
Yeah, I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't manage to get the fifty thousand, but I don't seem to take the transition into winter particularly well.
During this NaNo I had to change my plans, especially when it comes to the protagonist's relationships.
There is only so long you can have a character be oblivious to someone else's feelings before, well, I'm sure it'll be annoying to at least some readers regardless, but before it becomes so ridiculous that it's really infuriating to everyone.
Besides, this is a first person novel, there's only so much she can see but not notice.
Especially when a scene like this happens:
“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess that it’s a personal matter that killed it?” Tracey asked, putting a hand on Pankaj’s shoulder.
Pankaj nodded.
“Yeah, man, I do not blame you. Somebody being a dick about that is gonna kill any friendship.”
“You are my brother in suffering Tracey.”
“You’re my sunbae in suffering, Pan.”
Pankaj laughed, deep and throaty.
“You know, that’s really cheered me up, Tracey. Thank you.”
“No problem, sunbae.”
Pankaj shook his head with an affectionate smile.
“I think we should talk about this later.”
“Yeah, probably a good idea,” Tracey agreed.
Tracey likes Jane, this has already been established, so you can see the problem.
Yeah, I suppose that I could cut this stuff out, but having written it, I realised that my original plan was going to be difficult to pull off, so it was best to change tack.
I don't think sticking slavishly to an original plan is a good idea, you've got to be able to change your mind when the draft organically throws up issues with that plan. Unless your plot is heavily dependent on whatever it is that's changed, don't feel like you need to get rid of it.
The other reason to change tack is that it adds more conflict.
Wonderful, delicious conflict.
It's a writer's bread and butter and dessert all in one.
As it stands, I'm not going to be able to get the first draft done by the end of the year, which is sad, but I'm still doing quite well, I think, all things considered.
Oh well, I should get some writing done.
It's a writer's bread and butter and dessert all in one.
As it stands, I'm not going to be able to get the first draft done by the end of the year, which is sad, but I'm still doing quite well, I think, all things considered.
Oh well, I should get some writing done.
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