<–The State of the Writer: 6/13/21 The State of the Writer: 7/11/21–>
A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.
Finished Projects: 0
Project: Story
Working Title: The High Archon
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 676
Prior Word Count: 613
Word Difference: +63
Status: Drafting
Progress: Chapter 1
I’m making progress even if it’s painfully slow. I at least wrote one line I’m proud of. “Promise the moon when you’re too short to reach the sky.” It’s not the vision I lack; it’s the concentration to put what I’m seeing into words. I haven’t even gotten to the part I micro-outlined. I’ve been going back through what I wrote before to iron some things out. Lots of writers wait until they’ve written the thing before they do any edits, but I always re-read what I wrote last time in order to re-ground myself in the story. If I don’t, I feel unmoored and disconnected (which…tbh is how I’ve been feeling in general with life). It takes longer, and I spend less time per session writing (or have to extend the session), but I get more out of it. I also get to spend more time with the characters and come to a better understanding of where they are. Like when I outlined this chapter, I had thought the air of it would be more playful and adventurous, but there’s an undercurrent of anxiety because my MC is really worried about something, and her BFF notices because she’s snippier than usual. I like where I’m going with it; it’s just…life/reality bullshit is getting in the way haha.
Project: Story
Working Title: Helpless (The Broken Rose AU)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Fanfiction
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 2218
Prior Word Count: 2016
Word Difference: 202
Status: Drafting
Progress: Chapter 1
I haven’t worked on this since before last update. If I don’t work on it by next one, I’m going to consider it yet another thing on hold.
Project: Story Audio Recording
Title: Northern Lights
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Fanfiction
Length: Novel
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Status: Finished edit of Chapter 2
Progress: Prepping to record Chapter 2
I wonder if I should just put this on hold until I can actually record…I guess I could start editing the next chapter.
Project: Story Audio Recording
Title: The Broken Rose
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Fanfiction
Length: Novel
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Status: Finished editing Chapter 2
Progress: Prepping to record Chapter 2
Yeah, I should just start editing the next chapter on this. At least I can have them prepped for when I can record again.
In Progress
- Game Reviews: Final Fantasy VI – I’m in pre-edit mode for this. That means I’m going back and adding in little things I missed before starting the full edit. There were some things I had highlighted in my notes that I missed in the initially write up like the Ancient Castle you find in the World of Ruin with the weeping statue. I knew I wanted to say something about that because it connects to Terra’s narrative with esper and human relations, and then my galaxy brain thinks of the “weeping” Mary statues. I hope I’ll be done this in the next two weeks.
- Book Reviews: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North – I need to split this up into Review and Analysis sections, and I need to do it next time I work on it before things get too confusing.
I realized that my life’s work is researching and writing essays about the comparative symbolism and references in Final Fantasy VII. Like…fucking obviously, but the actual idea of that coalesced this past week. If I’d continued with school and went for my Ph.D like I wanted, I’d have several theses to choose from. I don’t think it’s less valid to do it without the formalities (plus expensive ugh), so I’ll continue to muddle through.
<–The State of the Writer: 6/13/21 The State of the Writer: 7/11/21–>
The Shameful Narcissist Speaks 
Pingback: The State of the Writer: 6/13/21 | The Shameful Narcissist Speaks
I feel ya 100% on your writing habits you described in this post. I’m the same way. I definitely re-read and edit as I go. I’m trying to break myself of that habit lately though since I tend to take it too far and never get anywhere. D:
Lately I’ve been shutting off my internet while I write so that way I catch myself when I start to get distracted and want to start researching something when I should be actually writing. It’s actually helped a lot. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It honestly feels like you’re running in place or on an escalator going the wrong way, but if I don’t do it, I feel like I have NO idea where I am in the story or what I’m doing lol. Ah it’s a no win situation. I try to remind myself that I’ll be doing the main edits once I’m done and I really should just be reading through the center myself, but the writer/editing brain just wants to go to work.
I should reinstitue my writer rules lol. I think GRRM does something similar or he writes on a word processor so he’s not tempted. I often use the internet to look things up, but I did have rules that I couldn’t check social media while it was writing time. If I needed a “brain break” or something in the midst becausee I was stuck, I could play a few rounds of a game or open up my keyboard app. It DOES help to look away if I’m stuck to give my mind time away so I can go back fresh. I am so happy I don’t have deadlines, though I don’t know if those would kick me in the ass or leave me crying in the corner.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is a perfect way of describing it. I feel ya!
Yeah, I think setting your own writing rules is a great idea. I have a couple motivational printouts on my cork board with sayinsg like “Write without fear. Edit without mercy.” to try to remind myself that it’s okay to edit later AFTER I’ve actually accomplished a bunch of writing. 🙂
I remember reading that about GRRM too, and it really does seem to help.
I also wrote an obnoxiously detailed final outline recently that lists the following for each chapter in the book: characters in that chapter, POV, Location(s), and key scenes, and it’s been really helpful lately. Usually I do looser outlines, but I really think this detailed version is helping keep me on track. ^_^
Yeah, the thought of an actual deadline is terrifying. D:
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel like outlines are great for guidelines, you know? I like having a clear path set out, BUT if I see something shiny in the weeds, I’m definitely going after it. I did that with my first novel. I had the end all planned out, but then one day I was thinking about one of my favorite movies and something just clicked into place, and I knew I’d have to go in a different direction, which solved some major problems.
I’ve been using Scrivener, which I really love, but I have this tendency to spread my notes around and then have to consolidate them later, which is what I have to do now. It’s like I figure out a better way of organization as I go along, and then have to conform to it lol. I wish I could do that BEFORE everything is everywhere, but that’s just not how the old brain works :p
LikeLike
That is always SO satisfying when it finally clicks into place like that and solves a bunch of writing problems you’ve been stuck on. 🙂
Yesssss, Scrivener is awesome. That’s what I use as well! 😀 Haha I feel ya, I’m still figuring out how best to use it too. 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: The State of the Writer: 7/11/21 | The Shameful Narcissist Speaks