Comments on: Tinker-Free Writing http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/ about the craft and business of genre fiction Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:17:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kathleen Bolton http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1471 Kathleen Bolton Tue, 07 Nov 2006 14:05:31 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1471 Welcome, Mindy! Welcome, Mindy!

]]> By: mindy toomay http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1467 mindy toomay Tue, 07 Nov 2006 06:17:37 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1467 Love nanowrimo. And after the writing of the novel comes the sharing of the novel with readers, hopefully. Just started bloggin the children's fantasy novel I co-wrote, and I'm glad to find kindred spirits here. I'll be back! http://tandariltree.blogspot.com Love nanowrimo. And after the writing of the novel comes the sharing of the novel with readers, hopefully. Just started bloggin the children’s fantasy novel I co-wrote, and I’m glad to find kindred spirits here. I’ll be back!

http://tandariltree.blogspot.com

]]> By: Elena Greene http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1466 Elena Greene Tue, 07 Nov 2006 01:36:55 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1466 Ack, you passed me again, with sick kids no less! You totally rock. :) Ack, you passed me again, with sick kids no less! You totally rock. :)

]]> By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1465 Therese Walsh Tue, 07 Nov 2006 01:17:51 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1465 Eric, I love your add-only rule. I can see the value in continuing to add to the word count, even when you're stumped on the next scene. And I've also been generating scenes without as much concern as I'd usually have for where they're going. Because they're so skeletal, I may eventually mesh some scene fragments together for one cohesive scene. We'll see. Welcome, Bunnygirl! :) Thanks, Kath and Thea! 3,000 words is a great start, Struggling Writer. Keep it up! I agree with you on the editing, S. William. Patty, I am wholly impressed with your 21k word count. Sounds like you have a great system, too. You go, girl! Elena, I'm so glad to hear that you feel better about the quality of your drafts. That's a pretty interesting observation. Moving too fast for the inner critic to keep up? Hmm. Me? I had an interesting day here. Both kids have strep. It's hubby's birthday. I still got an extra thousand words under my belt though. Don't ask me how. Eric, I love your add-only rule. I can see the value in continuing to add to the word count, even when you’re stumped on the next scene. And I’ve also been generating scenes without as much concern as I’d usually have for where they’re going. Because they’re so skeletal, I may eventually mesh some scene fragments together for one cohesive scene. We’ll see.

Welcome, Bunnygirl! :)

Thanks, Kath and Thea!

3,000 words is a great start, Struggling Writer. Keep it up!

I agree with you on the editing, S. William.

Patty, I am wholly impressed with your 21k word count. Sounds like you have a great system, too. You go, girl!

Elena, I’m so glad to hear that you feel better about the quality of your drafts. That’s a pretty interesting observation. Moving too fast for the inner critic to keep up? Hmm.

Me? I had an interesting day here. Both kids have strep. It’s hubby’s birthday. I still got an extra thousand words under my belt though. Don’t ask me how.

]]> By: Elena Greene http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1464 Elena Greene Mon, 06 Nov 2006 20:29:49 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1464 Congrats for persevering, Therese, and everyone else doing NaNo! Writing quick-and-dirty first drafts was always my process but I'm taking it to a new extreme this month. What is amazing is I'm actually writing better draft than I've ever written before. The intense speed really does mean there is no room for the internal editor. It is very liberating. :) Congrats for persevering, Therese, and everyone else doing NaNo!

Writing quick-and-dirty first drafts was always my process but I’m taking it to a new extreme this month. What is amazing is I’m actually writing better draft than I’ve ever written before. The intense speed really does mean there is no room for the internal editor. It is very liberating. :)

]]> By: Eric http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1463 Eric Mon, 06 Nov 2006 18:34:54 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1463 Patty, I run out of outline too. Always do. On great realization I had this year is... "Hey, just generate scenes. Worry about which ones will be included later." I've expanded my scenes from two pages to about three, which makes the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd page all Beginning, Middle, End respectively. Even if I run out of outline, it doesn't really matter. Generating an extra scene here and there isn't too difficult. It always seems tougher when you look at the 50K words as one big straight line train track. For me it's counterproductive to view it that way. This year is better than last because I'm breaking things down. Patty,

I run out of outline too. Always do. On great realization I had this year is… “Hey, just generate scenes. Worry about which ones will be included later.”

I’ve expanded my scenes from two pages to about three, which makes the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd page all Beginning, Middle, End respectively.

Even if I run out of outline, it doesn’t really matter. Generating an extra scene here and there isn’t too difficult.

It always seems tougher when you look at the 50K words as one big straight line train track. For me it’s counterproductive to view it that way.

This year is better than last because I’m breaking things down.

]]> By: thea http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1462 thea Mon, 06 Nov 2006 18:23:54 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1462 you are all doing great. proud of yas. full NaNo steam ahead!!! you are all doing great. proud of yas. full NaNo steam ahead!!!

]]> By: Patty http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1461 Patty Mon, 06 Nov 2006 18:08:52 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1461 My problem has been just the opposite. I tend to leave out so much I run out of outline before 50k. For me, describing much more helps my word count (not padding, just describing what's there instead of having my reader try to read my mind). Not rushing, rather taking each scene one at a time and really writing it, then going to the next. It's worked really well for me, I'm at 21k at day 6 so far. But I have more time to write than most. My problem has been just the opposite. I tend to leave out so much I run out of outline before 50k.

For me, describing much more helps my word count (not padding, just describing what’s there instead of having my reader try to read my mind). Not rushing, rather taking each scene one at a time and really writing it, then going to the next. It’s worked really well for me, I’m at 21k at day 6 so far. But I have more time to write than most.

]]> By: S William Shaw http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1460 S William Shaw Mon, 06 Nov 2006 17:25:02 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1460 I hate eh writing, but at least I can go back and edit it. I would hate having my undedited stuff put out to dry via NaNo each day. Adn those that write AND edit at the same time? Gack! I could never to that. Too much of a mental strain. I hate eh writing, but at least I can go back and edit it. I would hate having my undedited stuff put out to dry via NaNo each day. Adn those that write AND edit at the same time? Gack! I could never to that. Too much of a mental strain.

]]> By: Kathleen Bolton http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1459 Kathleen Bolton Mon, 06 Nov 2006 16:55:31 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1459 I, too, have been feeling the jerk of the leash to go back and tinker. It goes against every fiber of instinct I have as a writer, but for this one month I'm also plowing ahead, like a piledriver into a mountain of crap. Great post, Teri! I, too, have been feeling the jerk of the leash to go back and tinker. It goes against every fiber of instinct I have as a writer, but for this one month I’m also plowing ahead, like a piledriver into a mountain of crap.

Great post, Teri!

]]> By: strugglingwriter http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1454 strugglingwriter Mon, 06 Nov 2006 15:15:33 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1454 "I’m writing the briefest descriptions of setting and leaving all other sensory details behind for now. " I am doing the same thing and also fight with feelings of guilt because of it. Then I tell myself that the good stuff can be added later. I'm not working off an outline, so I am creating the story as I go. I have only 3,000 words so far, but that is much more than my usual output, so I am happy. “I’m writing the briefest descriptions of setting and leaving all other sensory details behind for now. ” I am doing the same thing and also fight with feelings of guilt because of it. Then I tell myself that the good stuff can be added later. I’m not working off an outline, so I am creating the story as I go. I have only 3,000 words so far, but that is much more than my usual output, so I am happy.

]]> By: bunnygirl http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1453 bunnygirl Mon, 06 Nov 2006 15:10:57 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1453 I'm not doing NaNo, but in October I started a blog for one of my fictional characters, and I'm experiencing many of the same things you've touched on in this post. One would expect it to be easy to gloss over things and get lazy, with so much to say and so little time. But the opposite tends to be true-- with re-work not a good option, one is forced to think "lean." Get the stuff written and posted, then move on. Time's a wastin'! I’m not doing NaNo, but in October I started a blog for one of my fictional characters, and I’m experiencing many of the same things you’ve touched on in this post. One would expect it to be easy to gloss over things and get lazy, with so much to say and so little time. But the opposite tends to be true– with re-work not a good option, one is forced to think “lean.” Get the stuff written and posted, then move on. Time’s a wastin’!

]]> By: Eric http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1451 Eric Mon, 06 Nov 2006 14:30:03 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2006/11/06/tinker-free-writing/#comment-1451 Re: The revisiting. I don't have a problem trying to go back and tinker... Actually, this year I came up with something cool. If I'm not ready to start a new scene, and feel the current scene is a little short, I allow myself to go back and *add* to it. But the hard and fast rule is, I can only add. I can't do anything else to the scene. What's there is there to stay until I revisit well after NaNo is over. And yes the progress report tools make good feedback--turns it almost into a game. Game it! Re: The revisiting. I don’t have a problem trying to go back and tinker… Actually, this year I came up with something cool. If I’m not ready to start a new scene, and feel the current scene is a little short, I allow myself to go back and *add* to it. But the hard and fast rule is, I can only add. I can’t do anything else to the scene. What’s there is there to stay until I revisit well after NaNo is over.

And yes the progress report tools make good feedback–turns it almost into a game. Game it!

]]>