Genesis of a Novel – Part IX – Procrastination and NaNoWriMo

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Green Dragon Artist — 19 Comments

This is the next installment of a series of posts I’ve been writing, following the process of writing a novel from conception through publication and beyond.

Procrastination is such a wonderful thing. How else would author houses ever get cleaned?

Many times I’ve been facing a project that seemed too big, too difficult, too annoying, too boring, and ended up with a clean house, mowed yard, or even a happy husband 😀

However, even as a lifelong procrastinator, I’ve managed to get a few things done over the years. It’s so easy to fall into the trap, but it can also be escaped if you have the proper tools.

My favorite one is to start with little bites. The smallest part of your project, the easiest bit, the least annoying chunk. Or at least the part you know how to do. Whittle away at the project until it looks less intimidating. Perhaps you’re supposed to write a scene you aren’t ready for – write the next one instead, or skip several ahead. Once you’ve completed some of the little bits, the rest might not look so intimidating.

Another tool I use is the opposite – tackle the biggest, worst, heaviest task first. Once you get this monster out of the way, the rest looks like easy-peasy work you can do in your sleep.

NaNoWriMo is another tool to battle the ever-present writers’ procrastination disease. For those who haven’t heard of it, it’s National Novel Writing Month, held each November. Writers sign up and promise to write (not edit, just write!) 50,000 words during the month of November. There are support groups online and in real life, and you upload your words (just for the count) each day to keep track of your progress. You get badges and prizes when you complete goals, and when you’re done, you have a novel written! Or at least most of one.

I’ve got a confession. I’ve never done NaNoWriMo. I emulate it when I am in ‘novel-writing-mode’, as I put a minimum of 2,000 words a day on myself. But I’ve never gotten into that mode anywhere near November 1, so I just do my own thing. So far I’ve written six novels and am 2/3 through my seventh, all in the last four years, so I must be doing something that works for me!

Right now, however, I’m procrastinating my WIP. To be fair, I do have some good excuses, and some not so good. Life got hectic for a while. Work got hectic as well, and I worked long hours at the end of the quarter. Then my editor sent me a set of edits on #LegacyofLuck (Druid’s Brooch #3) which is due out in January, and I had to work on that.

Oh, what a project that was! I had no idea I loved passive voice so much. I nuked so many instances of the words ‘to be’. ‘Was’ alone accounted for 2400 of my 105,000 words. I got that down to under 500. Then I realized I had to do the same sweep on my other two finished manuscripts, so I nuked through #TheEnchantedSwans. Now I’m working on Call of the Morrigu. Next I’ll hit up #MisfortuneofVision (Druid’s Brooch #4) … and then, just maybe, I can continue writing my WIP.

However, last night I submitted my first scene of #MisfortuneofVision to my author group for critique. They loved it, but made some excellent suggestions about it, including a whole new opening scene. So I may work on that before I add words. It will have to supplant this scene completely.

I also dreamt last night about a collection of five related short stories that I want to write about cats battling children’s nightmares. But that must be tabled. I’ve written the idea down, so I can get to it later.

So many plotbunnies!

What are your favorite ways of battling procrastination?

More parts:

Part I – The Beginning

Part II – Research

Part III – Place

Part IV – Scenes

Part V – Opening Lines

Part VI – Characters going Awry

Part VII – Scene by Scene

Part VIII – The Boggy Middle

Part IX – Procrastination and NaNoWriMo

Part X – More Procrastination and First Draft Done!

Part XI – Beta Readers

Part XII – Beta Edits

Part XIII – Submission!

Part XIV – Acceptance!

Part XV – First Round of Edits

Part XVI – Last Round of Edits and Cover Art

Part XVII – Artist Package, ARCs and Review Requests, Oh, My!

Part XVIII – Release Day!

*****

I write historical fantasy novels, mostly set in Ireland, and a contemporary romance based on my parents’ 30-year search for true love. Don’t miss information on Celtic myth and history, as well as practical travel planning tips, and hidden places, in my travel books.

Call of the Morrigú – Historical fantasy set in 1797 Ireland.
The Enchanted Swans– Historical fantasy set in 500 BCE Ireland, based on The Children of Lir, an Irish Fairy Tale.
Better To Have Loved– Contemporary romance based on the true story of my parents’ 30-year search for love
Legacy of Hunger– Historical fantasy set in 1846 Ireland. Druid’s Brooch #1 (Now available in PRINT!)
Legacy of Truth– Historical fantasy set around 1800 Ireland. Druid’s Brooch #2
Legacy of Luck – Historical fantasy set in 1745 Ireland and Scotland. Druid’s Brooch #3
Misfortune of Vision – Historical fantasy set in 12th century Ireland. Druid’s Brooch #4 (release date January 10, 2018)
Misfortune of Song – Historical fantasy set in 12th century Ireland. Druid’s Brooch #5 (projected release date April 2018)
Misfortune of Time – Historical fantasy set in 11th century Ireland. Druid’s Brooch #6 (first draft done – in editing)
Turlough’s Tale – Short Story in The Druid’s Brooch series, set ten years before Legacy of Luck.
Stunning, Strange and Secret: A Guide to Hidden Scotland
Mythical, Magical, Mystical: A Guide to Hidden Ireland

More info at Green Dragon Artist :: Home ,

Christy Jackson Nicholas, Author , and

Tirgearr Publishing – Christy Nicholas

Green Dragon Artist Blog

About Green Dragon Artist

Celtic Fairies, Fables, and Folklore! Bestselling author (top #100 Amazon Canada, #1 in Paranormal Fantasy, Amazon Canada) Christy Nicholas, also known as Green Dragon, is an author, artist and accountant. After she failed to become an airline pilot, she quit her ceaseless pursuit of careers that begin with 'A', and decided to concentrate on her writing. Since she has Project Completion Disorder, she is one of the few authors with NO unfinished novels. Christy has her hands in many crafts, including digital art, beaded jewelry, writing, and photography. In real life, she's a CPA, but having grown up with art all around her (her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are/were all artists), it sort of infected her, as it were. She wants to expose the incredible beauty in this world, hidden beneath the everyday grime of familiarity and habit, and share it with others. She uses characters out of time and places infused with magic and myth. Combine this love of beauty with a bit of financial sense and you get an art business. She does local art and craft shows, as well as sending her art to various science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad. Facebook: www.facebook.com/greendragonauthor Homepage: www.greendragonartist.com Blog: www.greendragonartist.net Twitter: www.twitter.com/greendragon9