The all-consuming write

Busy at it. Detailed notes in my spiral bound book.

All the talk is about NaNoWriMo. I have to say I've been tempted to join in this year but last week I started something new and am already almost at the 20,000 word mark! Yes, the writing has been obsessive.

I didn't intend to start another novel, especially when I've still not finished the last! On the train back from Winchester last Monday, watching the lovely trees and the sunshine a 'what if' moment came into my head. It is far from the beauty of the countryside and very different from anything I've written before. I feel it working on me when I'm writing. It's there in my head when I'm not working on it and it flicks through my dreams.

I began with only two names and no notes and was several chapters in (they are short chapters) before I decided I needed to do some chapter plotting - something I hardly ever do! So I sat and wrote outlines for about half the book - no further because I know I will change things! So far this is working well. I will need to do some research at some point but I will do it when I have to. I don't want to stop the flow. I feel I need to write this one and get it done. Maybe this is because of the content. I find it changes my mood and I even have a special music mix (you know me and my music mixes for writing!) which itself has become an obsession. It's on replay when I write. I need it because it creates the right atmosphere. Even the music haunts me when I'm not at my laptop and I find I'm humming bits of it.

I'm in need of a break away from this all consuming write. I'm averaging around 2,000 words a day and I get twitchy if it's getting late and I haven't written anything. I really need a day out. So I'm planning of getting up to London later in the week.

I am very unsure about what I'm writing for all sorts of reasons, but I read a great line from an article in Writing Magazine (by Steven Chapman - Does it have to be a box?) - Don't edit to satisfy your inner chicken. That's what I've been trying to avoid with this. I've even told myself that I can write it for me, that I don't have to try and get it published. Who am I trying to fool?

I have no idea where this novel will end up, not just whether it stays on my laptop, but where the story ends up. I've not worked that out yet. The whole thing is developing along with it's characters as I go. Unlike most of my other work there is very little humour in it. It's dark, suffocating and I'm trying my best to convey that in the atmosphere I'm building with it.

Just as I'd decided humour was going to be my genre for writing along comes this. Still, I've never been one to fit a mould.

Self doubt (again)

I seem to be in a quandary. I am writing virtually everyday, sometimes for several hours, yet I am unsure what to do.

The writing itself is going well. I have chosen to publish early short chapters on Scriggler.com. I've had some positive feedback which is encouraging. I'm just not sure how much to publish there. Do I keep most back and then try sending it to a publisher/agent?

I started this particular story after I 'scene wrote' in my head one night when I couldn't sleep. It's a mapcap account of one man. I had no proper plot but the words kept coming and I published the first short chapter almost straight away on Scriggler. Since then I have an ending and notes (most of which are being superseded!) as the story has taken a turn I did not see from the outset. I have gone with it and so far it is working. Although I want it to continue as a comedy, this adds some depth to the character. I am just having doubts about my methods of publication. I have in fact written 18 short chapters, about half way through the novel.

I already have one 'free-to-read' story on a blog which is ongoing. Should I continue or am I burning my boats? I have no writing buddy to share work with, I don't belong to a writing group and most of my friends while encouraging have not even bothered to look at my blog. One said to me, 'if you ever bring out a book, I'll read it, but I don't read stuff online.' I guess I've become discouraged (again). The only motivation I have is mine. If I didn't love writing so much I'd have given up long ago. However, is this type of self promotion damaging? Thoughts please.

On a slightly different note I was speaking to a lady at church the other and she is considering writing a book set in the Spanish Civil War. She already has a degree in Spanish (it may be literature or history, can't remember which) and she was given the advice to maybe do an MA and then she might get some help with the book. She couldn't contemplate it after years of study and I told her not to. I really don't think doing and MA will get you a book deal. At least I was able to have a decent conversation with someone about writing and books. Chats like that are a lifeline.

Next time I put up a chapter of my comedy novel I'll try and link it here and to Google+ Some feedback would be greatly appreciated (all previous chapters will then be found by clicking on my name).