How
to Ride a Writing Wave | Josh Denby Takeover
I’ve been fortunate enough to have a whirlwind time
of writing since the start of August. Perhaps the positive feedback
I got during our Pitch Festival inspired me, or
perhaps it was the rush of blood from starting a new WIP. Either
way, I somehow found myself with a 100,000+ word first
draft within 45 days. That is a crazy feat, and I almost blush
saying it. Maybe you picture a goblin buried in the dark, clacking
away on a keyboard, but I can assure you, it wasn’t like
that.
A writing blitz, such as the upcoming NaNoWriMo challenge, is very much
possible to balance with ‘normal’ life - if you can exploit all the
ways to coax your brain into writing. Here are a few methods I have
found invaluable in my time:
1 - Fall in Love. Whether it be with
character, setting, plot, or everything all at once, fall in love
with your project. The biggest factor by far of my recent speedy
writing has been a burning passion for the characters within it and
the journey they take. Writing the story has become the thing I
most want to do when given free time alone, far from a chore or
obligation. Before committing to your story, make sure you feel
that bubble of excitement. If you don’t, perhaps ask yourself why.
Do you know why you want to write the story? Do you know its elevator pitch? Can you enter the
characters’ minds?
2 - Keep a Diary (even if it’s very simple). Duolingo, daily
crosswords, wordle. We tend to become addicted to streaks no matter
the format. These apps, games and companies know how to hook us, so
how do we hook ourselves? Simple – keep a diary of words written.
You can be as complex as you like - setting targets or just ticking
off that you’ve written something today. Creating a competition
with yourself is a great way of maintaining progress. But - a word
of advice - do block off time you know you might not have the
time/energy to write. I did so while working our immense Festival of Writing event in York,
and lord knows I’m glad I didn’t have nagging guilt in the back of
my mind that weekend. Instead, I got to enjoy the smiling faces and
wonderful stories of the authors gathered.
3 - Work from a plan. Like a good
building, map out your story and lay your foundations. Different
people have different methods of planning, and I’m not here to tire
you with all that, (we have plenty of discussions on the
topic!). But having a framework allows you to easily pick up and
put down your WIP. For me this comes in the form of a spreadsheet –
I plot out each of my chapters with a short description, have a
column for any writerly notes (like themes I might be wanting to
play up), then a column for any quotes I might come up with long
before reaching that chapter. It has worked very well for me and
will be the plan I swear by from here on out.
4 - Tease out the subconscious. In teaching there is
a method of learning known as ‘Suggestopedia’, in which relaxing
stimuli (often music) teases out the subconscious and aids the
brain in absorbing information and priming itself for a lesson.
This can be translated to writing too. My favourite way of doing
this is creating playlists for my protagonist(s). Listening to them
when writing and later when on a walk or having a shower helps ease
my mind into the writing and conjures thoughts of the characters
throughout my day. It might also be done by creating a writing
space, scheduling your writing times to form a pattern, or even by
surrounding yourself in mood boards.
5 - Don’t look back. I’m a big proponent
of the idea that writing and editing stimulate two different parts
of your brain. You shouldn’t be too eager to mix them up. Treat an
event like NaNoWriMo, or even your whole first draft, as a sprint.
More than likely, nobody but yourself will be reading that draft.
There will be mistakes, there will be clunky sentences, but that
doesn’t matter. If you can’t help yourself but edit – try do it in
batches, editing a couple of chapters at once and then leaving it
alone.
6 – Start your next day’s passage. This has been a big
one for me. Rather than reaching the end of a chapter or a natural
midpoint and putting down the (metaphorical) pen, I’ve gotten into
the habit of writing the first paragraph of what’s coming next.
This lends the last drips of creativity to give me a launching off
point when I return; and if I still have free time, it can inspire
me to keep writing. Using this technique has turned days of writing
one chapter into two or even three, while never making it feel
daunting to return to my manuscript.
Remember, whether you challenge yourself to write
1000 words in a month or 50,000, you are your own boss. Don’t
compare yourself to others, stress about falling behind pace, or
worry your writing might be of poor quality. Every book is
different, and writing one is a process. Ironically, it has a
real-life plot, pace and even characters that make every writing
journey unique. If you put pen to page, you’re already a hero.
Josh
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