It was no idle or random thought that led me to subtitle this blog with the tag “a whole lot of procrastination”. Despite my repeated promises to plan my second novel I have made barely any progress. But I know if I don’t get some serious words happening this weekend, the whole procrastination thing is going to get really boring.
This week Amy over at Quiet Rebel Writer was nice enough to mention Becoming A Fiction Writer as a handy blog for finding solace and support in the journeys of other writers … she likes that I’m up front about the struggle to get words on the screen (for all the numerous reasons I give, although that old fail-safe of writers’ block hasn’t ever reared its ugly head yet). I’m certainly not embarrassed about tracking the journey as it happens, and telling the world that I’m trying to write these novels and short stories certainly helps me get going when it might be more enjoyable to sink onto the couch with a nice cup of tea and a good novel. (Because reading novels is, of course, a great method of learning about writing them!)
But I am really ready to get over this procrastination hump and outline my second novel. I am desperate to outline it first (rather than my previous version of novel-writing where I just jumped straight in) and then to write and polish a first chapter.
There’s even a (small) financial reason to do this, and do it fast: I’ve already paid my entry fee for the Writing Show’s 2008 First Chapter of a Novel Contest, and chapters are due by June 20. In trying to force myself into a writing corner, I paid the early entry fee which allows you to save a few dollars but still submit the chapter later – this suited the bank manager’s daughter in me and the procrastinator, all at the same time. As much as I love the Writing Show podcasts I don’t want my entry fee to become a mere donation, so I have to get that chapter done.
Now, if you’ve read the threat in the title of this post, and know me even slightly, you’ll be fully aware that this is not a threat I could carry through with. But the idea of giving up chocolate is to remind me that this really must, MUST be done. I’m sure another writer would say that a novel outline demands more time, and a first chapter should evolve over weeks or months with time for it to settle in a dusty drawer in between. Maybe so. Or maybe they just say that and actually bash it all out in a weekend just like me.
[...] worry, dear Cadbury factory, you won’t be going broke: it appears that I will be allowed to eat chocolate again. My second novel is finally on a bit of a [...]