Chronicles of a NaNoRebel: Distraction and the Dulls
First things first! It is Week 4! That means there’s a new ML update!
Note: You will notice a lack of pictures. Pictures take time. And in November, time is at a premium, so I am forgoing the hunt of amusing pictures to distract the ADD brains of the 21st century. Apologies.
Unlike Val, I am further than 500 words, but alas, I am still woefully behind at 31,000 (I should be at 36,000).
There are a couple of reasons for this. First is that I have these things called friends. Friends who I like and who like me and who lament when I go MIA which for the past year or so has been…always.
Oh, I put out the facebook notice and the “Do not Disturb During November” sign on my door. But that doesn’t stop the hopeful invitations, invitations that I try to refuse and occasionally succeed at. But then there are things like “I’m getting married, won’t you come?” and “I haven’t seen you in a year, don’t you love me?” and “We’re going to go and slide on this super awesome happy fun slide that only comes out once a year”.
…Okay, that last one was an exaggeration. It would be easier if I was embittered and hated the world and all the people in it. But I don’t. In fact, I love my friends, and it’s hard to refuse them when I know hanging out with them will not only be fun but fulfilling as well.
Then of course there is the project itself. My good old time travel script. Which I have made a map of! Look at the map! Glory in it!
GLLLOOORRY 63 POSSIBLE ENDINGS
The map may have provided some much needed relief and structure to the insanity of writing a time travel script, a new problem began to crop up that isn’t really encountered in a traditional novel…
I’m writing the same storyline over and over again.
Alright, not the same storyline EXACTLY, but every timeline I write is a variation of the previous one. The characters remain the same. The basic structure of his life remains the same. The only thing that changes is one thing in the environment which causes a reaction in the subsequent epochs and…I’ve lost you, haven’t I? Here, look at the map again.
The point is…I’m bored. And running out of ideas. Never have I thought I’d want a single, coherent narrative in my entire life. My timeline options have been getting more insane every day. It went from “Perhaps in this timeline he becomes a doctor” to “And in THIS timeline ALIENS ATTACK!”. For serious.
Don’t get me wrong. I still LIKE our project. I am just…so ready to be done with the brainstorming. Here’s to week 4!
Posted on November 22, 2013, in Writing and tagged ml updates, nanomusical, nanowrimo. Bookmark the permalink. 8 Comments.
Thoughts from the Test Chamber 
OMG I’m cracking up over here! That video is amazing. Of course no one wants to read my novel, because you know what? I don’t even want to read my novel! I’m so sick of the novel! I hope no one else reminds me that I spent November writing a novel. Alright…I feel better now. 🙂 Definitely going to wait a month before I look at it again. To week four and beyond – Ash
Hallooooo Ashlee! Hahahahaha, glad to see I have a fellow “I’m so sick of my novel” buddy! It works the other way too of course. A month from now you may look back and think “Hey…this one part is actually good!” Good luck plowing through! I’m sure it’s all fine!
I would not classify 5000 words difference as “woefully” behind. There is still a week left, that’s less than 1000 words extra per day to catch up. (Yes, you could fall even further behind, instead of catching up, but the point is, 31,000 is not such a huge deficit! Man, I suck at pep talks…) Also, since this is for a project beyond November, something you will continue to work on after NaNo, I don’t know if I would put too much emphasis on word count. As long as the story is progressing, I’d say it’s good!
It’s good! Oh, I’m going to try :D. I keep reminding myself that the reasons for not writing is not so much laziness as it is “too much freaking stuff” 😀
My main reason for not writing is totally laziness. Every once in a while I have a day that just does not afford me time to write, but most of the time, I get to that time of the evening that I normally write, and find I would rather do something else instead. Something unproductive and stupid, usually. I really do wonder how I’ve made it as far as I have.
Hahahahaha, I agree! Sometimes people don’t realize that a full day of work or taking care of yourself and your family takes up a lot of mental energy. Our brains need breaks too!
I’m writing an “interactive, choice-driven, text-based online game.”
It’s essentially a choose-your-own-adventure book. So I sympathize with you, entirely. Your map is indeed glorious; mine’s a very confusing list. Best of luck: sending many good writerly thoughts your way!
OH cool! That sounds awesome, K.T.! Have you ever used Twine? I’m using it to create this because it lends itself very well to multiple choice type stories/games and is helping me organize it pretty well. I made a Choose Your Own Adventure story for my friends last year using it.