With all the talk of Nanowrimo, I am inspired to ask the question, how fast can you pound out a story?
In my case, it depends on the story. Some of them almost seem to write themselves. Others only come haltingly, sporadically, and with much thought.
I envy those writers who can produce a well plotted story in a month. It reminds me of those stories I heard when I was pregnant about women having their first child and it only taking two hours of labor. I prayed for that. I really prayed for it when I was in hour 72 of mine.
We have all heard the tales of writers who can produce several novels a year and the ones who only produce two in a lifetime. I think we have to remember that the process varies by writer...and by story.
We cannot measure ourselves against one another when it comes to how quickly we reach our goals. It is the quality of the final product that counts. I comfort myself with this as I wrestle the ending of my current wip.
We can still hate those woman who give birth in two hours though. That's not natural.
Sometimes my novel seems to write itself. Other times something doesn't quite click and it becomes a struggle before it gets back on track.
ReplyDeleteRemember Margaret Mitchel had but one novel published, and it took her almost a decade to research and write it. But what a novel! Seven decades later, people still read it and watch the movie, based on it.
I suppose I should mention the novel's name: Gone With The Wind.
ReplyDeleteA novel in a month? I can't see how. It's taken me a year on mine. About three months for the first draft (50,000 words) and the rest of the time editing. The story is now over 70k, and a bit different than what it started out to be. Characters change, they evolve or grow up.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, two hour labor cannot be right... unless she's pushing carts through a cavern.
I'm going hell, I know it...
Terry: I didn't know that about Gone With The Wind! That is exactly my point, you cannot rush greatness.
ReplyDeleteJm: Yes...you are going to hell(but that was damn funny and I plan on repeating it.lol).
I think it is so important to acknowledge that the process is different for every one. Life is like that in general. We can't sit bitterly watching others do things faster and get better results, and have more money in their account, etc. The end result is what counts. The way we live our lives is what matters.
ReplyDeleteinteresting thoughts. I'm one who writes with nano. You're not supposed to produce the next great masterpiece, just 50,000 words. At the end of the month, you can decide if it was just writing practice, or if you'd like to polish it into a saleable work.
ReplyDelete3 hours of labour here Marsha. Sorry.