Hello, writers. We’re now 14 days into NaNoWriMo, so if you’re aiming for the traditional 50k words, you’re on track if you hit 23,338 by midnight tonight.
I picked a particularly bad month for my goal, which is walking for ideas. The weather is not cooperating. On the other hand, I’ve gotten some good ideas walking in awful weather before.
This time, I’m not getting many ideas. So far. But I’ve realized a few things:
- walking in the dark is better than in daylight
- walking in the woods is better than in town
- even though I’ve had some good ideas while walking in the past, that doesn’t mean most walks are going to result in ideas
- ideas are much more likely to crop up on the outward journey than on the way home
When I told a writer friend that I’ve gotten some of my best ideas while walking, she said that she gets her best ideas while drumming, and posited that it was for the same reason; the rhythm is a route to the unconscious mind where the stories grow.
Sometimes I get usable ideas when I’m ¾ asleep, although in that relaxed state any idea tends to seem good even if it’s not.
I’ve heard of people that get ideas by staring into a crystal ball --or, more affordably, a glass one. And Agatha Christie famously sat in the bathtub munching apples to get ideas. Both of these seem too static to me. It’s all a matter of personal cognitive style.
What’s an idea-generating activity for you?
Please give me your progress reports and I will add them to the grey box below:
People aiming for 50k words:
bonetti 34,743as of 11/14
Canasta The Loony 2451 words as of 11/14
Clio2 23,661 as of 11/14
dconrad 3,552 as of 11/7
Toro Blanco 1100 as of 11/7
People aiming for a different goal:
Diana in Nova Finish Iron & Scarlet
Leo Orionis Bring Thul. Etym. Dict. to stage 5 (finished as of 11/14)
mettle fatigue Admin OFPM, write story (5 diaries, 2582 wds as of 11/14)
quarkstomper edit & write “Dark Redemption” (edit first ~6 chapters as of 11/14)
Mnemosyne 10k words + 15 walks (1500 words, 3 walks as of 11/14)
reppa prep for January
SensibleShoes 20 walks (11 walks as of 11/14)
strawbale finish & polish Clever Bunny story (finished writing as of 11/14)
terrypinder 10k words (2100 words written as of 11/14)
BIC, HOK, TAM!
Tonight’s challenge:
Write a scene in which a character goes on a walk and encounters one of the things that helps you write.
Try to engage at least 3 senses.
Include the weather in your scene, but don’t describe it (ie don’t say “It was raining.”) Instead, show the character reacting to it.
Try to limit yourself to 150 words.
Write On! will be a regular Thursday feature (8 pm ET 5 pm PT) until it isn’t. Before signing a contract with any agent or publisher, please be sure to check them out on Preditors and Editors, Absolute Write and/or Writer Beware