Drunken Owls and Other Delights

 Yes, I'm making a few changes around here.  I've been thinking long and hard about my writing lately, especially in regards to what processes have been working and what have not, and how to minimize the latter.  One thing in particular that had been bothering me was the fact that I had two projects in a row -- the Apartment Complex story and Can't Find My Way Home -- stutter to a halt, and both for the same reason.  And that reason being that it just didn't feel right.  I know, I know...that sounds a bit silly and I'm probably talking out of my ass, but at the same time, the last two projects -- Meet the Lidwells and In My Blue World -- DID feel right to me.

Now, I knew it wasn't just because of the story I was writing.  And I definitely had my moments of the Don't Wannas and the Oh God This Sucks with both of them.  But there's so much less drama with those two.  So I had to really think about it -- WHY was I having drama with the AC and CFMWH?

And then it occurred to me:  it could be the platform.

As you all know, Bob, I've been writing the first rough drafts of the successful stories in short bouts on 750words.com.  And I realized they were working well for many reasons:

--I'm always writing at a specific time.
--With each session I'm writing a complete or almost-complete scene arc, which also sets up the next scene arc that I'll write during the next session.
--I'm focusing only on the scene at hand.  The novel-as-whole is secondary here.
--I'm allowing minor editing as I go, when I know that I can write something better.
--Each scene or partial is on its own screen; I can only access the other scenes by backing out of the one I'm currently on.
--I need to hit at least 750 words before I can call the session done for the day.
--These sessions are often very productive, as well as fast.

And then I realized: This is EXACTLY how I wrote The Persistence of Memories.  Same exact process, just a different platform at the time.  Even the 'own screen' bit -- back then I saved each chapter of the project separately.  [That comes from the habit from waaay back, when I used MS Write back in the 90s.]

So I thought:  what if I set up another 750Words account?  I can use my other email for it.  I'll follow the same leads as above with whatever second project I happen to have going.  This can be my evening writing session, unless I decide to move it to a different time of the day.  

So that's what I did.  And I'm starting it tonight with another trial run of the Apartment Complex novel.  Despite my frustration with it, my thoughts still go back to it at least once a day.  I'm taking that as a sign that I should return to it, at least on this trial run level.  No major planning, no giant outline.  Just going to run with it this time out.

Here's to hoping this works...!

It's been a busy couple of days here in Spare Oom, getting used to the new regimens I've given myself.  It's not difficult, to be truthful...it's just a matter of Doing instead of Planning for the most part.  Even when the unexpected comes around -- a weird browser error eating my first take of this entry, for example -- the important thing is to get it done regardless.  Thankfully the Day Job hasn't been all too worrisome the last few days, which is giving me a bit of extra time to get used to it all.

The biggest change is getting used to writing longhand.  It's coming along just fine so far, averaging around four pages a day, which is about normal.  The obstacle I have here is to get used to how I pace the story.  I'm a fast typist but a leisurely longhander (anything faster and it starts getting illegible), so I have to be a little more patient with my prose when I'm writing it out like that.  I've already reminded myself a few times that it's okay to write a few clunky sentences, as they'll be fixed in revision.  Still...I've done it before, so it's just a matter of keeping it up, and I'll get used to it all again.

Other than that, all is going well.  I'm actually a bit surprised as to how much I can get done in a single day, especially when I make it a point to not faff about online.  This morning I have only three tabs open: this one, my Walk in Silence blog (entry to be written later today) and the 750 Words site (daily words to be done soon).  The Apartment Complex notebook is right under my monitor, waiting to be pulled out for another session.  After a while, I get into a zone where I'll start in on one project, finish the day's work on that one, and go straight to the next one.  And hey, next thing I know, I'm done for the day, hitting all the beats I wanted to hit, and it's still early in the evening!

Now to make sure I keep it going!