non-77 thread for my epic novel

no i think smaller windows can maybe be better, more urgency. eg many weekends pass without me writing.

i would be up for sharing writing or generally talking to people here about it.

― Bein' Sean Bean (LocalGarda), woensdag 4 oktober 2017 10:52 (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Man this is so where I am right now. I've got a personal essay in the works. The circumstances are probably the best I've ever had surrounding a writing thing: there's a clear deadline, clear subject, 10.000 words, subjective (ie. not a whole lot of research) and frankly a highly generous fee (it's big money, for me), I moved into a nice quiet farm recently, perfect for writing... Circumstances just could not be better. Blocked two whole weekends to write and... It's just not happening.

I was lucky enough to have two months off and be a writer in residence in San Sebastián earlier this year: that did work out great, writing wise. But here recently I just got nothing and blocked, procrastinated. Last week I was so fed up with myself I tried to do what I'd never done, never though would work, and that is writing for one hour, every night, even after I'm home knackered from work. And the slowly the wheels set in motion again! I can't believe it, but all day through I'm looking forward to that hour, taking notes in advance etc. And it works.

Never thought I was 'that person' who could write like this; always told myself I'd need a full free day at least. Possibly to have an excuse if it didn't work out ("I'm so busy all the time!"). That's for another thread probably, but yeah, short windows have been revelatory for me. Can't recommend enough to at least try it out for five days straight.

(Very much enjoyed this convo btw, we should keep this up)

I think those kind of time limits work really well. I had a bad period of block in the summer and I said "what if I wrote with honesty of effort for 20 minutes tonight" - and kind of took it from there. i guess the main thing is to have a connection to the thing you're working on, a few missed days and it dies.

Maybe a really comprehensive pan would shake me out of my months-long mope and get me cracking on the next one, but silence is worse.

It's printed in ITC Teeny-Weeny Serif.

is that what times new roman becomes when you make it size 9

if so, you are quite correct -_-

when you make it size 9

it's called "9 point". this is what happens when you let authors do their own book design.*

*full disclosure: I designed my self-published book.

Just in case yall dint see this ILB Writing Club

"we all have first novels in drawers"

https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2015/05/29/christine-schutt-on-nightwork/

Its quite a video - all that hurt (even before the abusive r/ship she got into).