In the past I have just had a vague idea to carry me... even the first year when I was finishing a novel I had started in high school... You'd think I would have had enough time to sculpt that idea, but nope. I'd been hiding it under my bed for 15 years. Sigh.
Part of me is a little bit nervous that all this planning is going to steal the magic out of my experience... and part of me wonders if I'll stick to the plan at all. That's what I love about NaNo, though. Anything can happen, and does happen!
I don't know if you need motivational tools to keep you on track with your word count, but Write or Die is my very favorite one to keep me from procrastinating. I highly recommend!
What about you? Pantsing or Plotting? What are your secret weapons for pulling off your word count daily? Any special tips?
My secret weapon for pulling off my word count is something called the carrot/stick method. First you have to figure out which motivates you, the carrot or the stick. So is the promise of a treat enough to bring you through, or do you need the threat of punishment (ever notice how closely spelled treat and threat are?)? Once you know which motivates you (or a combination of both), you use them. For me it'll go "If I can finish these ten pages of revisions, I'll let myself watch an episode Downton Abbey." or "If I don't finish these ten pages of revisions by three, I have to go clean up dog poop in the backyard."
ReplyDeleteThat's it in a nutshell. the trick is finding your motivation (and I recommend more disgusting punishments than just picking up dog poop or scrubbing toilets). On the plus side, you'll probably get some really nasty chores done at the same time...
That's why I like Write or Die, though... it keeps me on task... almost like having an evil task master standing over my shoulder making sure I'm writing. Because... let's face it... I'm not really scared of myself. I know what I'm made of and it's all soft.
DeleteI have a rough outline (changed my idea of what to write a week ago) but I tend to just make it up as I go along. I let my characters tell their own story.
ReplyDeleteMy motivation comes in the shape of a chocolate bar. I sit it next to my computer and don't allow myself to eat it until I've written a certain number of words. Works a treat!
I'm gonna have to try that!
DeleteI always make a rough outline to follow, and I've never felt like it stifled my creativity; it's amazing how much flexibility you still have. Off to go work some more on my outline for NaNo this year!
ReplyDeleteAnd oh, what's your NaNo user name? mine is Berendsen70. Please add me and I'll add you!
ReplyDeleteAdded :)
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