Comments on: Starting a New Novel

By: James

James — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:10:08 +0000

Thanks, Lucy. It went well. I still have some writing to do, I suspect it;ll be about 80K when it’s done, but I’m having a good time. Mostly.

I write fiction almost exclusively on a keyboard, though I do keep a notebook for each major project wherein I write notes and sketches and ideas. However, I write all my first draft poems on paper then revise onto the computer.

By: James

James — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:59:39 +0000

Thanks, Jessica. I hadn’t thought of the light-literature thing. “Lighted” is actually an archaic past tense form that was replaced by “lit,” though “lighted” is still acceptable to use. The title comes from an old translation of a Plutarch quote: “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, it is a fire to be lighted,” which Dave Scott adopted as something of a mission slogan when he commanded Apollo 15.

By: James

James — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:55:02 +0000

Thanks, Heather. I made it, but have miles to go before I sleep.

By: James

James — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:50:21 +0000

I haven’t heard of Scrivener. Is it a word processing platform?

Like you, I sometimes bounce around as I think of things, but I always try to write a little bit forward each day. I hope NaNoWriMo went well for you!

By: Lucy

Lucy — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:10:22 +0000

Coming to the end of the month now, how did it go?

I have only admiration for anyone capable of writing any sustained work of fiction; do you do it all on keyboard or use any manuscript drafts?

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:18:40 +0000

Go, write, go!

Lighted, not Lit, huh? Hmmm. I kind of like the pun on lit (light) and literature. The fire (passion/fervor of writing so much) to be(come) lit? Sorry, I’m an over-editing addict.

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:16:33 +0000

Wow, to a non-novelist, 50K words in one month sounds like a massive undertaking. I wish you lots of luck!

By: mark

mark — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:32:09 +0000

I am also doing NaNo, and I have taken to using Scrivener…which is helpful in that it allows me to work on different parts of the overall story without having to work on a particular part until my head hurts from banging it on the desk due to frustration. I get stuck, I just take up a different part of the story. This has proved helpful in dealing with a couple of knotty plot or character problems.

Best of luck.