Write. Or Die.
My NaNo novel is kicking my butt. I’m not saying pseudonym’s stories are formulaic, but they sort of are. They follow a familiar pattern and have familiar elements and, while I do try to bring something fresh to the formula, they have a structure that feels easy to me, because I’ve done it many times. And while pseudonym’s stories have explored every genre under the sun within the confines of her genre, a YA/New Adult novel is completely kicking my ass.
But I’m kicking back. I’m shoving it out. I got busy this month, so I wrote about 20K on a project I was finishing later than I wanted to, plus I wrote about 5K on a novel I want to write sometime soon, plus I lost a lot of days being sick.
So I have five more days to hit 50K. I’ve calculated that if I write 500-750 words an hour for the next five days, about 12 hours a day, then I should be good.
Write or Die is a lifesaver at helping me push the words out past my fears. NaNo has inspired some genius inventions, that’s for sure.
And it’s not just NaNo that’s pressing on me. There are two more novels targeted for New York that I want to write in the next few months, as well as pseudonym has about 60K worth of projects for the first few weeks of 2010, plus a 60K erotic novel I want to test out self-publishing with.
I love my life right now, and I’m definitely feeling the pressure to hustle for fear I’ll lose it. I do need to up my income in the next year… or find another career. And that is NOT an option.
So it’s write or die for me.
How do you push the words out when you’re flailing, but a deadline is looming? How do you hustle?
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Natasha Fondren is an eBook developer, writer, and classical pianist. After a fifteen-year piano teaching career, she moved to Arizona and built a book design business. She enjoys the lizards and desert heat in Arizona with her Border Collie, Padfoot, and her cat, Dixie Doodle.
Just reading this post makes me reach for the Pepsid. I really have trouble writing on a deadline. I could give the excuse of work, but that’s a cop out. I think it’s just me. I feel the muse, or I want to drink tea and eat Cheetos. They don’t happen together. It’s good that I have a day job.
Yet, I have total faith in you, Natasha! You can do it! You can drink tea and feel the muse simultaneously.
LOL, Robin! I’m sorta feeling the need for Pepsid myself. But I have to say, your tea is still saving my life. I’m to the point where I can’t live without it, LOL. When the writing slows, I get out the tea. Particularly the Japanese Cherry tea in a tall glass with about a 1/4 cup of almond milk and two tablespoons of sugar. Can I say HEAVEN?
I planned on writing tonight, but I’m so tired I can’t do anything. I have to get my productivity up. I have a premise I think is great and characters I love. I need to write! But not tonight. Tonight I’m going to bed early.
Keep on writing! You make me want to write.
Me and myself are discussing whether or not we’re allowed to go to bed yet. My goal sheet wants 2,000 more words. Myself wants at least 1,000 more. Me just wants to climb in bed and go to sleep, LOL.
I’m starting to feel the love, though! That’s a good sign!
Good for you. Maybe reading some of the entries from you and Mark Terry are shaming me into writing. I’m trying to write a 15,000 word story and my goad is that I have a legal article due in January but want to finish the story before I absolutely have to start the legal article. Oh the games we play! I’ve had some 500 word days, but today I managed 1,700.
Oh wonderful! That’s a great day, Eric! What’s the story for?
I have to play games to get myself to write some days, too. Most days.
Okay. I am slow in replying! Mary and I were asked to contribute to another “Mammoth” historical anthology but since I just went and did a story by myself it might have to be directed elsewhere. I’m not sure.
LOL! You know, whenever you pop on my blog, I’m always so flattered. I mean, I remember that you’re still on dial-up! It’s like you’re taking a horse and buggy, just to visit me!
Neigh!
I’m with Robin, just reading this stressed me out. I’m getting better about sticking to my self-imposed goals but I’ve never had to write according to someone else’s schedule.
Good luck getting all your words out — that’s a lot of catching up!
Melanie, you are amazing at it. I love watching you work!
Thanks! It is.
Intravenous coffee and coke and pound, pound, pound.
Sounds like a plan to me, Bernita!
I just have to write. Sit down and do it. I put myself where there’s no distractions, put on the Ipod, and go.
iPod is great! Borders and coffee save me. I need chemical interference if I really have to concentrate, LOL.
I do best with deadlines, which is a nice way of saying I procrastinate. There’s something that happens to all writers (I was once arrogant enough to think it only happened to me) when they sit down to write. I just comes. I might have a few false starts and stumbles, but it comes and comes and comes.
I’m good with short-term deadlines, like a chapter. But longer than that, I dither.
I need some of that comes and comes and comes mojo!
I feel a big surge of creative energy coming on for you, Natasha! It’s like your warming up for a big burst to shoot you across an important finish line. I’m quite psychic about these things. Besides, according to the Farmer’s Almanac, you’re due to become incredibly productive in the very near future.
Would you believe it, Rick, but just when you wrote that, even though I didn’t know you wrote that because I was writing, I got a big burst of flow?
You’re magic, Rick!