We Hatez the NaNo, Precious!
I was reading through this thread and was reminded that there are some people out there who think that NaNo is a waste of time. I can completely understand that sentiment from people who think that writers are a bunch of crazies to begin with and believe that writing a novel is a form of self-induced torture (which it is). What I don't understand are the massochists who consider themselves writers and look down on other writers for participating in NaNo.
Let's look at some facts. First, the numbers. In order to complete NaNo you must write 1,667 words a day. I usually write 2,000. When it's not November and I'm working on a rough draft I try to write about 1,000 words a day, though often I hit above that. Many professional writers claim to write about 2,000 to 5,000 a day. But they're professionals and don't have to do anything else during the day, right? Wrong. Yes, some get to swing around in comfy chairs and wait all day for the muse to hit them, but as I pointed out in a previous rant most writers can't quit their day job. This means there's plenty of published people out there writing big fat word counts.
Second, there's the factor of motivation. When I begin a work outside of November I overplan. Then I hem and haw as I stare at a blank screen and wait for The Perfect Words. The concept of The Perfect Words is a myth among writers. We like to believe that somewhere in our noggins The Perfect Words are just waiting to be discovered. And, if we sit long enough and go into a white screen trance, The Perfect Words will make themselves known. This is a lie. There are no perfect words, just a bunch of imperfect ones that will have to do. During November it is easier for me to stop crying about this and just write those words already and move on.
Which brings us to another important fact - Most first drafts are complete and utter crap. This is why no one has seen Piper's Debt yet. People don't see my work until it has been revised at least twice. By then it isn't the same work anymore. This is common practice among writers, because it's also considered rude and ask for feedback when you know that it's still in its crappy phase and you could easily fix it. If you think what you've written is okay, or you want plot advice, or if you just want people to say, "Hooray for writing a story!" then by all means, show your work. Just make sure you label it for what it is. If you want advice and know there's more work to be done, don't be afraid to say, "the grammar is teh craps, but all I want right now are pointers on the plot." Then I won't feel like a fool when I mark all the random grammar errors (which are usually just typos) and you then say, "I was going to fix that later, st00pid."
Another problem 4-realz writers have with NaNo are all those non-writers running around. These people write for fun and laughs. They are not above doing cheap and dirty things to get their word count up, which some 4-realz writers don't appretiate. They think that makes these people wannabes or that they're making a mockery of all that is writing or some such. That is crock. They're just having fun, which is the same for those of us who want to write something publishable. Isn't that why we started writing to begin with? It's why I write, pain and suffering and all. If it's fun, and doesn't hurt anyone, then nothing else really matters. These 4-realz writers can just stuff it.
Let's look at some facts. First, the numbers. In order to complete NaNo you must write 1,667 words a day. I usually write 2,000. When it's not November and I'm working on a rough draft I try to write about 1,000 words a day, though often I hit above that. Many professional writers claim to write about 2,000 to 5,000 a day. But they're professionals and don't have to do anything else during the day, right? Wrong. Yes, some get to swing around in comfy chairs and wait all day for the muse to hit them, but as I pointed out in a previous rant most writers can't quit their day job. This means there's plenty of published people out there writing big fat word counts.
Second, there's the factor of motivation. When I begin a work outside of November I overplan. Then I hem and haw as I stare at a blank screen and wait for The Perfect Words. The concept of The Perfect Words is a myth among writers. We like to believe that somewhere in our noggins The Perfect Words are just waiting to be discovered. And, if we sit long enough and go into a white screen trance, The Perfect Words will make themselves known. This is a lie. There are no perfect words, just a bunch of imperfect ones that will have to do. During November it is easier for me to stop crying about this and just write those words already and move on.
Which brings us to another important fact - Most first drafts are complete and utter crap. This is why no one has seen Piper's Debt yet. People don't see my work until it has been revised at least twice. By then it isn't the same work anymore. This is common practice among writers, because it's also considered rude and ask for feedback when you know that it's still in its crappy phase and you could easily fix it. If you think what you've written is okay, or you want plot advice, or if you just want people to say, "Hooray for writing a story!" then by all means, show your work. Just make sure you label it for what it is. If you want advice and know there's more work to be done, don't be afraid to say, "the grammar is teh craps, but all I want right now are pointers on the plot." Then I won't feel like a fool when I mark all the random grammar errors (which are usually just typos) and you then say, "I was going to fix that later, st00pid."
Another problem 4-realz writers have with NaNo are all those non-writers running around. These people write for fun and laughs. They are not above doing cheap and dirty things to get their word count up, which some 4-realz writers don't appretiate. They think that makes these people wannabes or that they're making a mockery of all that is writing or some such. That is crock. They're just having fun, which is the same for those of us who want to write something publishable. Isn't that why we started writing to begin with? It's why I write, pain and suffering and all. If it's fun, and doesn't hurt anyone, then nothing else really matters. These 4-realz writers can just stuff it.
posted by Trintara at 9:11 AM
2 Comments:
/agree
I'd also like to add that isn't the only way you get better at doing something by practicing it over and over, so isn't NaNo just more practice? Also I feel it gives people who would otherwise procrastinate or not have a reason to do something motivation to actually sit down and write something out. Thirdly, someone (possibly famous) once said that every writer is filled with (insert some large number) of crappy books for every good book they write. Even if you don't get something publishable out of NaNo, you get one of your crappy books out of the way in one month's time. Not bad. Now if you could only do that every month you'd get to the good stuff in no time.
I guess each person just have to find their reason for doing NaNo and just go with it.
Along that vein, I can imagine what "real songwriters" must think of FAWM.....
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