NaNoWriMian's bad habits

Yup, I failed the NaNoWriMo AGAIN this year... Let's just say that quitting my job took more out of me than I thought, and that procrastination isn't just the French title of a Terry Pratchett's book. Still, between my meta-essay and the text itself, I wrote more than 15k words, which is a record. I'm still not giving up and will continue to write that novel. And search another idea for next year.

While on one of my blog-reading sprees, I encountered this today. And... Wished I had found it sooner.
It did hit some points home.

Let's see how...

Point 1:
I hate so called classics... If you want me NOT to read a book, tell me it's a classic that I must read for my personal culture. Which is ironic, because if someone hasn't read a book, or seen a movie I consider a classic, I’ll tell them that.
Not very bright, eh?
Still, I'm pretty sure I did use some old vernacular in my text. Because I thought I needed them...

Point 2:
The fudging writer's block... I encountered it quite a few times during my write-through, until I finally told myself to just write and see what would happen. Too bad, Time was up when I finally reached that point.
I just hope I can remember for the next time that "A text does not have to be perfect the first time and can always be revised".
After all, I have done it for some of my posts...
In my opinion, writing at least your ideas enables you to not misplace them. Then the hours you would have spent hours trying to rewind the Ariane's thread of your thoughts to the right point (while escaping the Minotaur of Just-screw-it) can be spent on polishing these ideas ores into a beautiful thing.
...
I didn't say I always did it, I just say it's a good thing.

Point 3:
The long paragraphs... I once wrote an essay for school that contained only three phrases, and was more than a page long. Gotta love semi-colons. Let's just say the teacher's reaction cured me of this, even if I'm aware I can become a little long winded. So, that's not something I learned in school...
If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you need to air your text. A wall of text is just impossible to digest except for some rare people. Think of a paragraph as what you might say between two breaths. I... think that's where the term "long-winded" I used might be coming from, in fact.

Point 4:
Profanity...
I admit I'm torn. I don't think it's necessary, nor do I think it should be banned. I think it's a matter of style, and character. If it fits what you're writing, then go on. If beating around the bush without saying anything directly is more of your style, I'm still with you.
I once was on a forum where it had been decided that profanity should be replaced with flower names. So you might encounter a "*tulip*ing *petunias* of the *rose*". Made for some flowery speeches, believe me. And still, it WAS relieving.
Your style is your style. That's what matters. You don't write for others, you write for you. How do you say it...? What's bred in the bone comes out in the blood?

Point 5:
I don't quote sources. Or if I do, it's that I'm writing an essay.
Going on a tangent here: I use brands in my texts. I use known authors, I use movie titles, to hammer down the fact that people are in a/the real world. But, I'm not convinced it really helps, considering that it's not something I often encounter in other works. What do you think? What makes you think a world is more than paper-thin?

Point 6:
That's hard... I'm an engineer by training, doubled as a marketer. I'm overtrained to analyse coldly, and to be detached. As such, I have never lost control of a character I was writing, as happens sometimes to other writers. I'd love to suddenly feel that these guys have a life of their own, and I'm just telling what's happening, or, perhaps, arguing with them. Still, I think they have their personalities that build over time, and some can be quite passionate.
I think I'll need to work on that.

Point 7:
This is true. And this is something that is true whenever something is created: writing, drawing, game design... Constructive criticism must be taken well, and taken into account, but in the end, you can't listen to everyone's ideas and advices. Why? Firstly, because it won't be your baby anymore, and if it's not yours, it's harder to like it (that... sounded a lot less against adoption in my mind). Secondly, because you can't please everyone and some advice will be contradictory.

I'll say it again: write (create) for you. Especially if you don't live from it. If you live from it, then it becomes a matter of personal belief... I personally think that if catering from time to time to the unwashed masses enables you to write what you want the rest of the time is ok. No one gets hurt, everyone's happy, what do you think?

NaNoWriMo 2009

Perhaps you have heard people talk about the NaNoWriMo. It's a massive task: write, in one month, a novel of 50 000 words. Yup, you read that right. That's 1667 words per day.

I tried (and failed) last year, but this year, things will be different. First, I've thought more about my story. I just need some last few research until it starts.

What do you mean, "It's already started" ?
You mean we're really the 4th of November? It's just not a nightmare I've been having?

Why, yes, I haven't written a thing ! You don't write before it starts, that would be cheating !

Yes, yes, okay, it has started and I should be writing... Geez, get off my back, already, people!

I guess I'll have some trouble writing the novel I had in mind. Find myself stuck when I try. Where I'm not stuck is when I write about what I want to write, the decisions I have to face, and how the thing is building itself block by block.

An essay on a novel. Writing about writing.

This should make me learn some things.

For the novel? Weeeell, there's always next year... :S

Still, wish me some fortitude on this task, I'm gonna need it.

meme: 10 things that will tell you I wrote that fiction

I found this meme here, by way of freakonomics, a blog I often read because of their interesting stance on economy and the world in general.

So, 10 things that will tell you that I wrote a piece of fiction:

1. The characters have more depth than the story itself.
I do not know why, really. But I love creating characters. I like to think about who they are, what they like and dislike, the way they talk, their idioms, their habits. And I make a point of showing it here and there. One of my character didn’t care for one bit what happened to his body as long as his clothes were intact. Another had never seen a movie in his life, and could not recognize Sean Connery.
Most of the time, the character that start in my head as simple outlines are the ones with the most depth in the end, while the ones that starts almost complete stay that way.
2. There is a distinct change of pace and style at the middle
That is because I tend to start a story, write without stopping for days on end, then put it on a shelf for months, and suddenly, decide to get back to it. Most of the time, I will finish it around the anniversary date of its start. The problem is that there are some incoherencies in the style that crop up, because I’ll have changed in the meantime. I really should finish them sooner…
3. It’s dark.
Even if it is a fanfiction of My Little Pony, I’ll find a way to show the darkest side of the ponies, their insecurities and put them through the grinder. When they’ll be out of the grinder, they will be better off than how they started. No, not when. If. I find it makes a compelling story to see the characters struggling
4. If it’s not dark, it’s funny and strangely familiar
When I’m not making my characters suffer, I tend to write about everyday hurdles (e.g, having a hiccup) and the way it can really make our life a little personal hell (but it’s aways funny when it’s others)
5. Rooting for the underdog
Most of the time, one side of my story will be grossly underpowered compared to the other side. Most of the time, they will be the characters I, and you, like best.
That doesn’t mean they will win in the end, though…
6. Color coded for your convenience. Not.
There is no clearly defined Bad Guy and Good Guy. Each has a reason for doing what he does, and, in his opinion, does the right thing. Sometimes, one of the good guys is a ruthless bastard, and one of the bad guys is a romantic anomaly…
7. Dynamic point of view
I tend to focus on a character for a chapter, following him around. Then, in the next chapter, I’ll jump to another. It can be the man next to the prior focus, or shift to a different time and space.
8. You can hear them think !
Most of the time, you will have access to the innermost thoughts of the character I’m writing
9. White is the new black
I… Sadly tend to have white characters. Sometimes asian. But rarely black, latinos or oriental characters. I do not know how to write them properly, or fear stringing clichés one after the other. The problem is, I do not know many people of these ethnicity…
10. Male only, sorry
I do have female characters, don’t get me wrong. They are just rarer than male ones. And are rarely the mains. I’ll have to work on this one !