Well, more or less. The initial re-write of Chasing Nonconformity (sequel to Imminent Danger And How to Fly Straight into It) is done … now I have to set it aside for a few weeks, come back, re-read it, and change everything. But you know what they say — you can’t edit a blank page! And my page is definitely no longer blank.
I’ve discovered something very interesting about my writing process. When I’m at the start of a project, I get really into it. We’re talking 5,000 words/day writing sprees, nearly suffering from dehydration due to not wanting to leave the computer to get more water, etc. It’s invigorating (and possibly detrimental to my health).
Then, around the 30% mark, I slow down. It hits me how much I still need to write, how far the journey still is to get to the end … and my motivation evaporates. I have to force myself to sit down even for one measly hour to bang out a few more pages, and even then when I get up after the writing session, I feel both exhausted and like I haven’t accomplished very much.
This continues on until about the 60% mark, where I’ve passed the halfway point and the end is finally in sight (albeit off in the distance). And when I hit the final 10% … back to the writing sprees and dehydration! Booya!
Possibly this is a horribly inconsistent way to write, but … well, apparently it works for me! I guess I’m just the kind of person who likes to start things, and likes to finish things … but doesn’t like all that mucking around in the middle. Anyone know a short cut for getting straight from start to finish?
Thanks for listening to me ramble! I’ll leave you with some unrelated media to brighten your day … and also tease you with some news: I will be re-releasing Imminent Danger at some point in the next few months, with new cover art and slightly edited text! If you’ve already bought the ebook, don’t worry, it’ll be on the Kindle free days thing, so you can pick up a new copy no problem. Stay tuned!
Unrelated media of the day:
First up, a cute owl for your viewing delight:
Source: http://imgur.com/gallery/0ne5Ysy
And then a helpful little article about how to decide what tense, POV, etc. to write your book in:
Michelle Proulx - Author 
I go through the same thing. I trip and stumble around chapters that are multiples of 3 for some reason. It’s like I have a mental spasm from pushing too hard or something. As for the dehydration, what about one of those beer helmets only with water in them?
Multiples of 3? Fascinating! I wonder if you’ve accustomed yourself to doing writing sessions of 3 chapters at a time? Then, when you get to the third chapter, it would tell you that you’ve been writing for a really long time and are starting to get exhausted. So when you’re not doing epic writing marathons and get to a 3 chapter, your brain automatically tells you that you’ve gotten to a tiring chapter.
Beer helmet! I like it! Of course, I do mostly drink bottled water, so the solution could just be to put the bottle … you know, beside my desk. But that might be far too clever.
Given the time I usually have, 3 chapters seems to be my limit for a week’s work. Too many other things need to get done, so I can’t do the writing marathons like I used to. I think the 3rd chapter is because it’s where something big should happen to prevent people from getting bored.
Get a case from a bulk store and it’ll double as a footstool. 😉
Sweet, Imma get an updated Kindle version to complement my classic Kobo edition.
The only thing I’ve found that pushes me through the middle is NaNoWriMo, when I have no choice but to get the words out. Works for editing, too, even if that’s considered cheating. 🙂
Hahaha excellent. “Classic” edition. I like it!
The only way to cheat at NaNo is to submit gibberish to claim your 50k prize. Everything else is fair game!
you could try this:
Once upon a time…. The End! No middle required!!!
But well done Michelle! Very exciting! Your process, obviously, works great – if it gets the job done 🙂 Can’t mess with perfection!!
I like it! Not sure how many people would want to read it though … 😀
Congrats 🙂 Blessings for a Happy St. Patrick’s Day ~
Thanks 🙂 And right back at you!
Congrats on finishing. I must say that I, too, slow down around midway. I was just thinking about that this morning and realized it’s not me who’s slowing down but the story itself, which means I need to flip it on its head to get it restarted and keep readers engaged!
An excellent point! I should start thinking about it that way — if I’m bored writing it, the reader is probably bored reading it!
Came for the writing, stayed for the owl ❤
Lol. That was totally what I was going for 🙂
You revved up, pushed yourself through the tough places and came back to finish. That’s what counts. Excellent!
Woo! Now I just need to rev back up for the editing process … ugh. Got any tips for getting into a yay-editing mood?
LOL…not my favorite part of the process. I wish I could help there 🙂
As long as you get your writing finished, it doesn’t matter how you do it! 😀 I agree though, I always slow down in the middle, a bit put off by how much there still is to do!
I think being a procrastinator doesn’t help — it’s like, I have SO much left to do … I should really put if off and do it later … no, I have to do it now or else it will never get done … but there’s SO much … etc. 🙂
Congratulations! I understand the slowing-down feels. I’ve had to restart an urban fantasy series twice because of the slow down around 30,000 words, only in my case it was because I realized the plot was really boring and made no sense. I’m definitely more of a plotter than I realize–pantsing doesn’t really work for me! Enjoy the time away and come back refreshed!
Thanks 🙂 Oh man, the number of stories that I’ve gotten to 20-30k and then abandoned … yikes. Hey, at least you figured out only 30k in that you needed to rethink your story! It’s better than getting all the way to the end, going back and reading it, and realizing that it just doesn’t work 🙂
I don’t think I’ve written any two stories the same way. It depends on the nature of the story, what else is going on in my life, how excited I am about the piece.
Fair enough! And interest does wax and wane in a piece, doesn’t it? You might be really gung ho about something, and then get bored, leave it for six months, pick it up again, and then speed write through the rest of the story.
Thanks for linking to my post! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I’m DEFINITELY a fan of hearing about this finished re-write! =D I know how it is to go through like 35 versions, though, so I’m sure there’s still a lot to work on, but still, congrats. 🙂
And I know what you mean! I wrote the first 6 chapters of LOG in a flash; I also wrote the last 3 chapters in the same fashion. The middle was the part that took FOREVER. But as I’m sure I’ve said in one post or another, the middle is just so… SO MUCH STUFF. You’ve set everything up, you know where it’s going (sort of?,) but you have to make it get there. Middles definitely stink, but that’s the beauty of it, I guess. x) That desert between your starting point and your destination.
And the weirdest part is that, when you actually read a book, the best part is usually the middle — all the juicy details, all the back-stabbing and conniving and drama and romance and tragedy … and yet it’s the hardest to write. What’s with that?????
Hey! A big payoff requires lots of work, you know? I’ll remember that the next time I’m enjoying a good middle–how much work it is to write that part!! xD
Congrats on finishing the re-write! I know thy pain when it comes to doing it. I’m only halfway done with a quarter-million word rewrite myself. Ah, the moments when I have to run to the bathroom, dancing like crazy, because I refused to get up from the desk because that chapter needed to be finished first. ^_^
250k words? Good grief! Yes, I can see how you would know my pain 🙂 I feel like it should be me knowing your pain, with a word count like that!
Aww, cute owl! Yeah, I don’t know of anyone who really enjoys that whole bit in the middle…but congrats on finishing! That’s always the best feeling. 🙂
Thanks 🙂 It’s so weird, because I LOVE editing the middle bit — it’s just the actual writing that’s hard. That might be the procrastinator in me coming out, though …
Your writing process sounds quite familiar… However, it sounds like you enjoy editing far more than I do. Ick! Do you have beta readers lined up to look over your edited product? I do that myself, but mainly out of laziness 😉
HA! I wouldn’t say I enjoy editing. Tolerate it, maybe. No, that’s a lie. I like the first round of editing, where it’s just me and the manuscript. Once I get other people and their opinions involved … bleh. I have beta readers lined up in the sense that I have a group of people I am planning to force my manuscript on, whether they like it or not. I’ve long ago learned that just doing the editing myself, without outside opinions, is a bad plan, as apparently I have a tendency to completely overlook gaping logical flaws in my story unless someone else points them out to me!
It is staggering how much deja vu I am getting from all of this! In any case, how is Imminent Danger doing?
Hehehe. Imminent Danger is swimming along, selling a few copies here and there. I’m planning (as you may know) of splitting from iUniverse and re-releasing it on Amazon, so that should be fun 🙂 I will probably in that case do a run through of the book and do a little editing — it’s pretty well edited already, but I want to add in a few commas, beef up some descriptions to give them more oomph, etc. What are you working on right now? Writing something new?
Just released Papa Zulu, which is the second novel in my zombie apoc/military adventure series. It’s also swimming along, and I’m doing a promotional sale right now to try to shore the numbers up before I go away for two weeks and can’t obsessively check on it 3 times a day 😉
Congrats! I’m afraid zombies are quite far outside my preferred genre … but if you need any help with promoting, let me know 🙂
Well, I wouldn’t say no to a little added promotion! You mean like a shout out or interview or something?
Yeah, we could definitely do an interview! Hmm … I will come up with some questions and get back to you. If I don’t come up with questions, feel free to shoot me an email and yell at me. (michellishelli@gmail.com)
Sure thing! And take your time, since I’ll be out of the country until April 25th or so. Thanks a bunch! 🙂