Writer's Block
Those of you reading this blog may or may not be aware I'm also a fairly avid fiction writer and have been since the tail end of grade school. Nothing published (of course) but I enjoy it. Right now one of my wrists has been really bothering me--especially when it comes to typing--so I've allowed my routine to collapse.
Granted, physical limitations are one thing, but I need to get back in the swing of things. So here's the first of what will (hopefully) be a series of regular updates on the progress of my writing. Currently my main work in progress (WIP) is a backstory chapter where Azriah Shepard (the central character of my novel) meets Katerina Jensen, an important if minor character in his history. Here's kind of what she looks like:
I know, that probably doesn't sound terribly interesting. I'm never sure how much plot to reveal on a public forum like this. Don't want to screw myself over once I finally get to a point where I can submit for publication.
Do any of you find it difficult to maintain a writing schedule? Sometimes my wrist is in enough discomfort despite me resting it that I decide: "what the hell, let's write!" Then it becomes more a question of three kids distracting me :P
Would small excerpts be something worth posting? That could reveal plot and character progression without revealing too much (I'm thinking single paragraphs or something).
Granted, physical limitations are one thing, but I need to get back in the swing of things. So here's the first of what will (hopefully) be a series of regular updates on the progress of my writing. Currently my main work in progress (WIP) is a backstory chapter where Azriah Shepard (the central character of my novel) meets Katerina Jensen, an important if minor character in his history. Here's kind of what she looks like:
You need a better model, but Ms. Paquin is acceptable (for now).
I know, that probably doesn't sound terribly interesting. I'm never sure how much plot to reveal on a public forum like this. Don't want to screw myself over once I finally get to a point where I can submit for publication.
Do any of you find it difficult to maintain a writing schedule? Sometimes my wrist is in enough discomfort despite me resting it that I decide: "what the hell, let's write!" Then it becomes more a question of three kids distracting me :P
Would small excerpts be something worth posting? That could reveal plot and character progression without revealing too much (I'm thinking single paragraphs or something).
It depends on what you feel comfortable with, or in other words, how paranoid you are (yeah, I know that's HIGHLY insightful). I've known people to post chapters, paragraph excerpts, or even small a small summary for each chapter. It's really up to you.
If you're gonna try excerpts, make sure you follow what is acceptable by the publishing house. I forget the number of words maximum allowed before it's considered a published piece but I'd stick with only a couple of paragraphs to be on the safe side.
I think excerpts are a nice touch and I've known one writer who does an update of each chapter for his W.I.P. He talks about the frustrations, writer's block, background, what he was trying to convey, etc. for that particular chapter and then post an excerpt (a few short sentences to a paragraph). I think it would help readers understand the flavor of your novel and where you're coming from.
As for a writing schedule, most of mine is accomplished by blogging. It's sad. I really should be working on my story. If you're wanting a better routine, you could always set a word goal for yourself to meet everyday. Mine is pretty low because of kiddies. It's set at 300 (which I sure I'm on the road to beating right now with this novel-length comment).