Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Xander and the Case of the Awful NaNoWriMo Plot

I have good news and bad news.

The good news is that I finished NaNoWriMo 2011. The bad news is that it sucks. Really really really bad.

I know, everyone says this but this is the first time I haven't wanted to finish the story. I didn't have a plot I really liked so I threw five of them together to make a single plot line. Five plots that I didn't like. You know how they say two wrongs don't make a right? Five terrible plots don't make a passable novel.

There has not been a year, even my first year where I ran out of plot where I had as much trouble writing it. Part of me is under the opinion that I my mindset was wrong. It's hard to explain, but until the last week I wasn't writing how I usually do. Part of this is because I've been the Municipal Liaison this year and that takes more work  that you would think. Not just before and after a write in but during. You suddenly have to spend the entire write in as the 'Go To' person for all questions and answers. It's good that I consider any writing done at write ins to be extra words that I don't need otherwise I would never have gotten done. I didn't write at my first two write ins (Midnight Blast Off and Late Night at IHOP w/ Chris Baty).

I fell behind in week two, but I didn't think anything of it. Everyone hates week two. It's part of the pep talks and I can't read week two pep talks cause it's old to me now. I've done week two, I can handle week two.

But this year it wasn't week two. I was still behind and I realized that I hated my novel and for the first time I thought about quitting it. It was just too much trouble to finish. The only reason I did was that as a Forum Moderator I have to be on the website year round and I can't go on there and see my lack of winner status for another ten months. It just can't happen.

But as Chris Baty just sent us another email pointing out that even though his novel didn't work out how he planned it, he learned from the experience. Just like I learned that five terrible plots don't make a passable novel.
-X
}