How "into" your novel are you?

Deccydiva · Nov 5, 2008

A certain amount of my writing is based on personal experience. Therefore, it can get a bit emotional at times (or maybe it's my hormones). As I need to think a bit more about the next chapter in my NaNo novel which is not going to contain what I originally envisaged, I decided to write the final scene where the murder takes place as I have that pretty clear in my head. I've written it, now I'm sitting here in tears and shaking. The murder takes place at sea, in fact very close to the real place in the Thames Estuary where I nearly died some years ago. Not a murder by any means, but a lot of the terror of the murder victim brings back what was a difficult night.
Does any part of your life experiences appear in your NaNo? How much of "you" is in it?
Off to walk the dogs now to clear my head...

dwellerofthedeep · Nov 5, 2008

I'm not too attached to this story. It's exciting to me at times, but I need more enthusiasm or I'll give it up for sure.

There simply isn't enough cool, compelling stuff in it... yet.

larrypotter · Nov 5, 2008

Yeah -- this is can really make your month fly... or tank. My first Nano, I was right in there LIVING it with my characters.

This time, I'm "into" the story. But as I write, sometimes I'm disappointed about how it sounds. I'm not going back and re-reading, but things just don't sound like good writing. I know, I know, turn off my Inner Editor! I am -- and don't worry, I'm not changing anything, or re-typing it. But if dialogue sounds to simple, or something sounds less-than-great, it hurts my morale.

I guess I'm just going to have to write beautiful, award-quality prose for the rest of the month. Great -- problem solved.

vixey · Nov 5, 2008

I'm definintely the MC in mine for a change. Recent experiences and past history are whirling around like a cyclone and I'm just trying to capture all the emotional subtexts while they're still raw in my mind. It feels a bit intense at times. At other times, I feel like it's plodding along. But, I hope to sort through it later and shape it into something that makes sense.

DragonHeart · Nov 5, 2008

Well, considering that my main concern right now is just churning out enough words to make my daily goal, not as into it as I could be. Not to say I'm indifferent, just that letting myself get too attached would simply slow me down. The second I do get attached, my inner critic/perfectionist kicks in, and NaNo would be over for me if that happened right now. So I'm purposely trying to stay objective and keep my distance. Plenty of time to get into it later, when I'm revising.

Deccydiva · Nov 5, 2008

I do see where you're coming from DragonHeart, but for me, I can get more words down in a shorter time of it's based on something real or personal. That's just me, at the present time. NaNo is only my second ever attempt at a novel, so maybe I'll settle down and write more consistently when I've had more practice!

dclary · Nov 5, 2008

There's nothing autobiographical in this one for me, except maybe some of the cynicism of the MC. But I'm very into the story. I've had the concept in my head for a few years now, and it's exciting to see it finally come to fruition.

DragonHeart · Nov 5, 2008

Well, I also write fantasy, so my viewpoint is skewed a bit.

I actually don't like writing things that are too close to the heart. Too difficult for me to write. I don't like dredging up the past (or the present, for that matter), so I write about them in a way that keeps the distance without being artificial. At least, I'm hoping my writing doesn't read that way. I want it to feel real without being real, if that makes any sense.

Deccydiva · Nov 5, 2008

DragonHeart said:
Well, I also write fantasy, so my viewpoint is skewed a bit. I actually don't like writing things that are too close to the heart. Too difficult for me to write. I don't like dredging up the past (or the present, for that matter), so I write about them in a way that keeps the distance without being artificial. At least, I'm hoping my writing doesn't read that way. I want it to feel real without being real, if that makes any sense.

Yes it does. I have a lot of respect for fantasy writers, BTW.

Captain Howdy · Nov 5, 2008

Emotionally I have no attachment to my NaNo whatsoever. Why may be why it is just flying along. My other WIP (Twisted Oaks) frequently hits close to home, feels too much like therapy, and I have to put it down for months at a time.

JustJess · Nov 5, 2008

Sounds like a pretty intense experience for you Deccy. I hope your story acts as an outlet rather than a reliving.

Two of the characters in my story are compilations of people in my life (agoraphobics, hoarders, artists) and while I can relate to my MC's desire for a more stable home life, it's been more entertaining than therapeutic to write.

Now if I were to write on teen pregnancy, alcoholism, infidelity, sibling drama etc... that would be different. Actually your post makes me consider why I don't write about those subjects. Gives me an idea for a thread....

Viral · Nov 5, 2008

I'm definitely into it with respect to writing. I know where I want to go with the story, it's all planned out, and I'm excited to get to the conclusion and write 'The End.'

However, since this is NaNo and a first draft, I'm not really putting any emotion into the prose. I'm focusing more on the dialog and getting the story down. I plan on "feeling" the prose in the second draft.

Sage · Nov 5, 2008

This is the first novel I'm just not feeling. The first NaNo novel I wrote, I was a little detached from, but I still got very into it while envisioning certain scenes and writing them. Then I killed my favorite character and barely mourned, and I realized I wasn't as into it as I could be. My last two NaNo novels I was really into, even though I thought the last one sucked while writing it. This one I know sucks and I just can't get into it at all. I love the MC, I like certain parts with the other MC, but I just really am not getting obsessed like I usually do during NaNo.

cjharley · Nov 5, 2008

A lot of my story is based on personal experience too, Deccy. I try to throw in things that did not happen just to mix it up a bit. The background of my MC is mostly my own, but what is happening to the MC is fiction.

Kalyke · Nov 5, 2008

My NaNo was somewhat dredged from the dust of a lot of things in my life, but often just things I witnessed, possibly the events touched me more than I though, having devoted a small portion of my life to them. I set my novel in a specific year in American history that I still have strong emotions about.

Fresie · Nov 5, 2008

This time I really connect with my story. The first two times, I was writing for myself, for self-expression or something, and the stories ended up rather stilted and unnatural, forced even. This time I decided to entertain the reader, and it's amazing how it works! I too put a lot of my experience into it now, I write what I know and the story just flows, I can't write fast enough, and everything in it clicks!

But I haven't put in it anything as dramatic as you, Deccydiva. I'm sure the scene added a lot of depth to your book. Good luck with the rest of it!

Mad Queen · Nov 5, 2008

I'm very much into it, but I don't identify with any of the characters, nor is the novel autobiographical. My MC's job is similar to my own, just because it was the first idea that occurred to me.

Elonna · Nov 5, 2008

I was really into the the concept and the idea, bringing it to fruition isn't working as well. The enthusiasm isn't there as it was before I started writing.

Devil Ledbetter · Nov 5, 2008

I'm into it. I can't wait to find out what happens next in the story. Well, I have a pretty good idea "what" happens but it's how it happens that keeps surprising me.

virtue_summer · Nov 5, 2008

Mine isn't autobiographical either but I'm totally living it and although my wordcount isn't as high as some, I still consider that it's coming along swimmingly.

Fresie · Nov 5, 2008

Devil Ledbetter said:
I'm into it. I can't wait to find out what happens next in the story. Well, I have a pretty good idea "what" happens but it's how it happens that keeps surprising me.

Absolutely!

BTW, I'm crying now as I'm writing it... I don't know how it happened, probably, Deccydiva's post got to my subconscious or something,but the scene I've just written included some of my most painful memories... DH being seriously ill, no money for the doctor or medications of any kind, my fear he might actually die... all this I suddenly gave to a character whom I'd planned to be a nasty calculative b**ch, but these emotions added another dimension to her character as well as gave her a serious reason to do the nasty things she did. Hopefully, now the reader will sympathise with her, not just hate her.

Saint Fool · Nov 5, 2008

I'm out of the exposition and into the meat of the matter so I'm gettting more attached. I really like the teenagers I've created and may have to adjust the plan of having them be off stage for much of the action. Which means a First person/thired person construction at least for nano. But hey, if it works for Margaret Maron and Joan Hess, why can't it work for me?

Mr Flibble · Nov 5, 2008

Far too into.

Far far far....I'm just so glad it's not the POV character who has had all this stuff happen, or I'd be a wreck by now. It's painful enough as it is. And it's not as if it's ever happened to me - I can just imagine how it would be though.

AmandaAcidic · Nov 5, 2008

I didn't really think I was too into this story, but I was talking to my best friend about it and I told her about my main character. Apparently, my main character is her.
Haha. Opps.

dclary · Nov 5, 2008

AmandaAcidic said:
I didn't really think I was too into this story, but I was talking to my best friend about it and I told her about my main character. Apparently, my main character is her.
Haha. Opps.

Uhoh... better not mention that bitchy roommate you wrote that you hate....

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