Thursday, December 2, 2010

I promise to say NO to my Muse and her Shinies

Pictured: The New Shiny

I promised process porn… The cogs and the wheels and the grease that make my stories tick tock. Yeah, be patient, it’s coming. Today I’ve an announcement to make. It’s a most solemn promise and has to do with my writing:

I swear to not start a novel project until it’s time for NaNoWrimo 2011. Exactly one year, if you decide to pardon my conscious miscalculation.

“But why, Harry?” cry the astonished readers.

I never ever finish anything that I start. If I do finish a first draft, then that remains unedited. If I do edit something, then I do not submit it enough or I don’t send it to beta readers to get additional feedback. It’s a catastrophe.

With my NaNo [semi]completed, I have five novel length [aspiring] manuscripts in a different state of chaos. Not to mention all the short stories I have neglected.

It’s semi-official, but here is what I want to achieve:

- Revise some novels
- Complete work on my short story collection
- Submit to more anthologies
- Revisit old and unfinished stories
- Do more Friday Flash

I will most likely make my projects and plans official, when December 1st pops up.

Anyway, tell me, do you think you radically need to change your routine and habits as well?

6 comments:

Tessa said...

That's a good plan. Learning how to finish and polish is just as important as any other part of the process. Good luck!

Harry Markov said...

You are quite content with this, aren't you? You think you will beat me in the race to write more new words!! Think again!

*keeping my eyes on you*

Tessa said...

Oh you saw right through my evil plan. Drat! (must find another way to trick Harry hmm...)

Harry Markov said...

You should. I can give you subtle hints, but then I'd be prepared yet again.

Charles Gramlich said...

I tell you, man, I like the revising best of all the writing tasks. That said, I do have plenty of unfinished stuff laying around.

Harry Markov said...

You don't say... Mhm, I will have to get deep into revisions to confirm.