Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Writing Practice

A week from today, I’ll be leaving for India for forty days. My husband is going for a business trip, and since I’m “self-employed” I’m tagging along to write. While this is first and foremost a work trip for both of us, we do have a vacation tagged onto the last week.

But I’m trying to figure out how I’ll handle the work part. And by that I mean what are my writing goals? Goals keep me motivated and give me a sense of accomplishment when I cross something off a list. I pounded out the first draft by hitting a daily writing goal. I rewrote the second draft by refusing to focus only on the opening chapters and making sure I did a walk-through of the entire manuscript.

A few months ago I thought my goal while in India should be to complete the manuscript. But I realize now that is way too aggressive. While I think my gushing it out by the seat of my pants sans outline approach really worked for my first draft, now it’s time for the manuscript to marinate. I need to listen to what my novel is trying to say, question my characters, and figure out what big ideas I want to investigate in my story. I can’t rush this.

When I finished the second draft a few weeks ago, (which I realized I never blogged about, probably because I didn’t know what I was going to attempt next), I knew I needed a break before I dug back in. But I’m now considering not touching the book at all when I’m in India.

Instead, I might do some practice writing. Just write for fun, write with no goals, create little scenes that may never see their way into a full story. And one thing I stink at is setting. What better place to practice that than in the color-infused, chaotic world of India?

We’ll see if I pull this off. I’m most worried about making sure I still feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day. But I’m ready to shake up my process a bit and see what happens.

10 comments:

  1. Although I'm not good at all with letting my work "sit" I know everyone says you should. But you have a wonderful opportunity to fill your waiting days with exciting, new perspectives. Immerse yourself in India and journal it, record it in verse, if you can. This trip could give you little treasures to feed your soul for years to come.

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  2. Thanks Linda. I think it'll be easier to let my book have a little rest while I have a new environment to soak in. At home, I'm certain it wouldn't be as easy. It's hard to stay away from it!

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  3. You should take along R.K. Narayan's translation of The Ramayana. It's very inspiring, and would be a great thing to read in India!

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  4. Thanks for the suggestion, Adam! I'll check it out.

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  5. Sounds like an excellent idea. I would bet that if you let your mind go, it will find ways to work on the ms, perhaps in unexpected directions. If you start writing about one thing, with the novel on the backburner, the mind tends to start connecting things. At least, it does for me. And travel/being in a new environment is a great way to allow for idea growth, IMO.

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  6. Frank, I love the phrase "idea growth!" That's a very calming way for me to approach my writing on this trip. Thanks for the encouragement!

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  7. Sounds like you have a chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity. Best take advantage of it. I think your idea to write for the sake of writing will really pay off. You’ll be surrounded by inspiration and new sensations… sounds like a paradise for writers. Your book will still want your attention when you get back. Best of luck with the trip, the wip, and the ‘practice’ of writing during your experience.

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  8. As a fellow writer (you won't know it from my blog, but yes, I actually do write), my advice would be to take in the culture as much as you can. This will enrich your writing for the rest of your life. Writers are products of their experiences, so do as much as you can. Who knows, maybe a couple novels down the road, you'll find India creeping in. Good luck, and above all else, enjoy it!

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  9. Hi Lori, I'm very much looking forward to this opportunity. I'm sure you're right that the book will let me have some space, but still be calling my name when I get home.

    Hi Mrs. Myers, that's great advice to remember that I shouldn't just sit around in awe and write in India, I need to make sure I'm doing stuff too. I like to stay active and am full of curiousity, but I'll have to make an effort to remind myself to walk away from the computer/notebook every now and again!

    Thanks for visiting my blog!

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