Never Too Prepared
Okay. I’ll just say it. I’m stuck again. I didn’t fill out a few of my characters enough. Now I’m at a point (in NaNo) where the scenes I need to write involve characters I haven’t given enough thought or depth.
I also got a root canal last week, and dealt with a little jaw tenderness. I took the Vicodin prescribed for only a day… it fogged me out and gave me what I’m dubbing a ‘Vicodin hangover’ — I had the hardest time waking up the next morning and when I did it was with an aching brain with only one solution; More Vicodin. Rather than going down that route, I elected to just take it easy for a couple days.
This weekend I breezed through 361 by Donald Westlake. Yay for discovering old authors you’ve never read, who have a large body of work to explore. I’ll probably review 361 here if only for the fact it represents what I think is the ideal in writing: To the point, sharp, action-packed, and funny.
I also saw Casino Royale which was very compelling for a Bond film, minus a few contrived scenes added for your typical 007 cheese. I agree for the most part with the review over on This Writing Life, especially in why Jason Bourne has become a more identifiable hero for our times than the showing-his-age Bond character. That said, Daniel Craig makes a solid Bond. Better than the previous shall-remain-unnamed pretty boy.
But back to this whole storytelling fiasco. As we blaze, or fail at blazing through NaNo, let’s not forget we do it because we enjoy this grand thing called storytelling. Without that enjoyment, 30 days of beating yourself doesn’t mean anything.
And next time, I promise to be better prepared!
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November 21st, 2006 at 6:21 am
“Yay for discovering old authors you’ve never read, who have a large body of work to explore.”
I ditto that sentiment. There is so much to explore, and yet to be read.
November 21st, 2006 at 2:49 pm
If you want to try to generate some more scenes, here’s something that works for me:
1. Give yourself 20-30 minutes on a timer. (Really, one that beeps.)
2. For that time, brainstorm everything you can visualize for your current writing/novel/project. TYpe or handwrite it, whichever you prefer. Even if you hit points where you’re just staring at the blank page, that’s o.k.
3. When the time is up, look at the list. Circle ideas/strings of ideas that look interesting.
4. Put that idea at the top of a blank page, and start expounding on it. For me, these often become scenes, and then I’m writing again (to great relief).
More than half of the brainstormed list I don’t use, but it was just a tool to jumpstart my brain anyway.
November 21st, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Kristin, it’s not so much a problem of scenes as it is of characters. I have scenes plotted out, but a few of my characters are more or less empty templates. I need to focus on them some more. I’ve been generating some ideas, but so far it’s been a slow process trying to decipher their perspectives and motivations. I think it’s just going to take more time.
November 22nd, 2006 at 4:01 am
Got it. The character development IS the toughest aspect, even without a root canal and the 30-day wierdness of NaNo.
And time you have — plus, you’re already 20,000+ words into it.
If you discover any breakthroughs on how to develop characters more thoroughly, I’m sure we could all benefit from the info!