Reflections from DaNoFiWriMo Week 3

October 23, 2006 at 10:55 pm — Drafting, My Projects, Non-Fiction

This week I wrote more words than I expected for each topic. I also wrote less coherently. During the first two weeks I usually had some idea of what I wanted to say about a topic. This week my writing was more of a brain dump. It will be interesting to see what it’s like to edit this week’s writing.

I drew mind maps for two big topics: how relationships affect resistance, and how context or environmental factors affect resistance. The mind maps give me plenty to write about—probably several days worth of writing for each topic.

I didn’t expect to write last night. I expected to rest for a class I’m teaching with Elisabeth Hendrickson. But at 10pm I got the itch to write. I ended up writing 2200 words in an hour and a half, and got too little sleep. I’m taking tonight off to get some well-earned rest.

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2 Comments »

Comment by Paul Leclerc — October 26, 2006 at 7:12 am

Are you sensing any patterns at all? Do you just let the muses take you where and when they strike?

Oh… and are you resisting the muses?

Comment by Dale Emery — October 26, 2006 at 7:41 am

Hi Paul,

I’m sure there are patterns, but I have no idea what they are. I’m so focused on just finding the next topic I have energy to write about. Maybe when I’m done I’ll notice the patterns.

I’m definitely not resisting the muses. If I suddenly have energy for something, I sit down and write it. And if I don’t have energy for anything, I sit down and find the energy…

…except for the last three days, when I’ve been focused on teaching a class (which went stunningly well). I was smart to build up a three-day buffer in my writing.

I’m aiming for 50,000 words by Sunday, so I can take a few days off writing before NaNoWriMo starts on November 1st. That means 2500 words a day for the next four days. That’s ambitious, and maybe within my range.

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