Take Chances. Make Mistakes. Get Messy.

After getting an encouraging message about my writing back in August, I decided to start work on a new novel. I already had ideas for a few longer stories kicking around in my head and that message was exactly the spark I needed to get started.

Starting isn’t the same as finishing though. And as you might imagine, what with being a citizen of the U.S.A., there are quite a number of things that can keep my mind scattered Early on, I decided perfectionism was not going to be one of them.

You see, writer’s block for me, doesn’t always look like a lack of ideas. It can also look like me staring at a screen, agonizing about the best metaphor or the perfect phrase, for way longer than is healthy. So the only way I was able to continue was by being OK with sucking a bit. 

Nobody churns out a perfect rough draft. After all, it’s meant to be what the name implies—rough. Accepting that it is going to look a bit of a mess is somewhat freeing. I gave myself permission to just run with ideas and my imagination loves it!

Sometimes when I look back at what I’ve produced I have a good giggle (Yuuki saying out of character things like “Say what now?” tend to crack me up). Being willing to be a bit silly also helps me to write quicker. That’s a big bonus when my time is at a premium right now (a lot of my free time is being taken up by helping to get out the vote for the upcoming election). Also it’s a huge morale boost to feel productive.

I’ll hopefully be able to jump deeper into the writing process in November (just in time for NaNoWriMo). The plan is to go hard during that month. If all goes well, I’ll be able to start really polishing it up by January. But first things first… just get those ideas down, knowing a lot of those words are just going to be temporary placeholders. Then I’ll see how things go.

Song Choice: What Do You Say To Taking Chances by Celine Dion

This post was created for the prompt given at Poets and Storytellers United's Weekly Scribblings Post, A Helping String.

40 comments:

  1. The rough draft goes away. I start with an outline, it stays in my files. I haven't written a novel, only papers, and that was long ago. I do have the start of a memoir, it has an outline and some section roughs in blog form. It won't be finished, unless ...
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    1. Well, you never know until you try. Maybe shake the dust off it and see what's there?

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  2. I’m delighted that you have started work on a new novel, Rommy. I’ve been enjoying your posts so much, I have something more to look forward to. I agree that starting isn’t the same as finishing, especially in these trying times. My husband is writing a book at the moment, a memoir of when he was front man in a band, and I keep telling him similar things: that it’s OK to suck a bit and that nobody churns out a perfect rough draft. NaNoWriMo is a great incentive to keep going too.

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    1. I should have a nice base to build from once I get to NaNoWriMo. LOL, I've got the shape of three chapters fairly well formed and am fooling around with the fourth.

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  3. It is good you are so enthused with your writing at the moment Rommy.

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    1. It feels good. LOL, and heaven knows I really could use all the good feelings I can get.

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  4. Words as temporary placeholders...I know them well! May you have endurance to polish, refine, and produce a really fine manuscript!

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    1. Well, I certainly have enough tea supplies on hand to get me through! Thanks for the well wishes.

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  5. One of the wonders of the computer is the ability to rough draft, then edit by removing or moving words, phrases, entire sentences or paragraphs. The ability to tweak and hone our writing efforts into what pleases us is a joy. Good luck with your drafting!

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    1. I have nothing but admiration for those that did it old school on paper and ink. Thank goodness for the computer!

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  6. Brilliant! I like your take "Take Chances. Make Mistakes. Get Messy." on writing. Not being hard oneself or striving for perfection always helps but that doesn't mean it's always easy. I admire your attitude. Wishing you all the fun with your novel writing!

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    1. LOL, yeah, there are days when it's still tough going despite being gentle with myself.

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  7. My heart echoes your feelings. If we waited for the perfect time, for the perfect draft, for the perfectly inspiring moment to arrive... we would have a lot of perfect nothings in the end. I've been so exhausted these days. To the point that every now and again, I tell myself, "You are just too tired to come up with something good." But like you, I fight the just-let-it-go voice, and write on. If a writer doesn't write, what would she be?

    I'm both excited and slightly terrified by the idea of starting something new. Who knows, maybe we'll have a happy reason to write wonderful stuff after November. Or, a need to write some of the horrible stuff. I'm hoping for the first.

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    1. Oh gods, yes please. I'm hoping for excitement not anger to fuel future writing.

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  8. Oh, I know that stare-at-the-screen writer's block. I envy your enthusiasm for upcoming novellation. You go, girl.

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  9. Gosh, November is not far away, is it? (Ignoring that other thing thats happening then) I did NaNo only once, which was great fun – in my case plenty of coffee on hand ... and chocolates – and confirmed that I am not a novelist, lol. I'm for the short haul! But novels are what I read for pleasure, of course, and I enjoy your writing, so will definitely look forward to your finished book down the track.

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    1. I hardly ever use a NaNoWriMo the way it was intended (a fresh new rough draft by the end of the month) and mostly use it as an excuse to go deeper into a writing project. I'm going to work on blocking out plot and character September and October, remember to focus a little more on research in October, so that when November hits I should have the first few chapters in not terrible shape and the major storyline hammered out so I can get into some nitty gritty.

      *nervous laughter about that other big November thing*

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  10. I love your energy, your drive ~~ I kept a journal during the five years I cared for my mother. Creating a narrative from those journal notes was the most difficult write of my life. The narrative became a book with poetry about our mother for my sisters! Cheers to you!

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    1. That sounds like a wonderful thing to do with that journalling, Helen. Perhaps I could do something similar with my journals of caring for my late husband Andrew in his final years. Thanks for the idea!

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  11. encouraging words - is a fantastic support base from which to start a dream - I'm sure you will succeed!

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  12. Love your enthusiasm about this project. I write a book a long time ago, but really did not shop it to many places. One day, I’ll take it out and reread it .

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    1. Yeah, that shopping around part can be really rough going. LOL, I have a long time to go before I have to think about that though.

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  13. PS I think your title must become my new mantra!

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    1. I can't claim credit for it, as it was a catch-phrase of sorts from a popular cartoon series in the U.S. called The Magic School Bus.

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  14. Looks like you are on a roll on that novel! go nail it, writer's block or not.
    Really like the title. We won't know if we don't take that chance.

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  15. Perfect, is an destination I seldom reach. Get messy and brilliant with your writing. You have a gift many will welcome reading!

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  16. Love the idea of the rough draft being a placeholder and allowing one's characters to slip out of character (especially as you're dialing in the character). :)

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    1. Well, I can't say I'm dialing Yuuki in completely. He's one of the characters I know better. But I have been very stuck as to what sort of thing he might say and it made more sense to put in silly placeholders that convey the right feeling so I know what I was going for, even if the right words weren't there.

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  17. This was enjoyable to read. Sometimes it's hard to let rough drafts be rough. I've spent way too long sometimes searching futilely for the perfect word.

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    1. Yeah, it's a very strong temptation to just sit there until the right word comes. But I've never gotten great results that way.

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  18. When I have writer's block I start by writing about what it feels like to haver writer's block. Sometimes that helps but I've never tried to write a novel.

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    1. This is my first attempt at a full novel too, so let's see how this goes.

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  19. I well understand the agonizing over areasand spending too much time there, happen to me as well. Best wishes
    Stay safe

    Much💓love

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  20. I can imagine the beginning and the end of a book but the middle part paralyses me. Hope your process goes as smoothly as possible.

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    1. I have a decent idea by what will happen in the middle, so that makes me hopeful :D

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