I really would like to post my journey through writing my first book on this blog. I’ve been taking it serious this year since I thought to myself “your not getting any younger” so you might as well try.
Reading has always been a huge part of my life. For many years I have wrote down my little day dreams in notebooks and the Classified Novel was usually the center of those day dreams. As time went by, I realized how much information I actually gathered up. Not only that, but the Characters drove me absolutely insane. Boy #1 (aka B1) constantly begged and pleaded for me to start writing the novel so he could meet Girl #1(aka G1)--sounds like we are playing BINGO. Now that they have finally met he still speaks of course but not in a pushy kind of way.
I thought I had a good setting for my novel but it still didn’t fit what I saw in my head. I wanted to base it off a place that actually existed as to ground the world better. What I originally had was local to me and just wasn’t good enough. When I moved to CA and did a movie in the Big Bear Mountains, the setting just fell right into my lap. I had stepped right into my novel. I have to say, it was the most overwhelming sensation. Everyone talks about that “Ah Ha” moment. That’s exactly what I had. I’ve felt that a couple times while working on this novel but that was the first though.
Once I had my location, I talked to a few local High Schoolers who interned on the film. They offered to take me around town after we wrapped and show me some of the popular places. I took my handy dandy camera and took pics as I half hung out the window--not suitable for children. While on the trip I found some of the most amazing, beautiful places that are now big parts of the novel.
When I returned home I made a book bible for the series and got to work on figuring out my characters. When NaNo came around, I thought I would give it a shot. I tried the previous year but started half way through the month and didn’t win. This past year I did win, writing the most words I ever have in one document. I felt stressed but the moment I made the finish line I felt so amazing I accomplished the goal I set. After NaNo I took a break and put the work on the back burner. I may have won the word count but I was quite stuck in my story. Months went by while I tried to figure out where it was going. I made a wrong move with putting it off. I should have kept writing through it, but its too late for that now. Still LESSON LEARNED!
A few weeks ago I got back in the swing of the story. I sat down with my Sister to get her input on the plot. Before long, ideas were flowing so fast I had to use my voice recorder to catch it all.
So, that’s where I am now. Now that I have were the story, also series, is going, I am able to continue writing in my Classified Novel. I did write within those months but only on my class projects. Some writings pertained to the novel and some didn’t.
Moral of the story, at least for me, is that I need to know where the story will end before starting. It doesn’t have to be concrete, but enough for me to plan my scenes to head that way. Now that I am focused, I believe I can finish what I’ve started.
*If you would like to learn more about NaNo click the link below.
National Writing Month's website
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