tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post7294742078347667587..comments2024-02-22T07:47:22.661-05:00Comments on The Bathroom Monologues: How I Wrote My Novel, True Story of John 11John Wiswellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-54487185754677538562011-07-20T23:50:09.845-04:002011-07-20T23:50:09.845-04:00Your're a machine ... and a thorough one at th...Your're a machine ... and a thorough one at that, John... Well done.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11413377601369107260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-45877708895374017912011-07-20T23:17:49.305-04:002011-07-20T23:17:49.305-04:00Thanks for sharing this, John. I really enjoyed se...Thanks for sharing this, John. I really enjoyed seeing the progression of your streaks (writing and not writing). I can't wait until you get the editing done.Chuck Allenhttp://www.chuckallen.usnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-77450138247350927692011-07-20T20:03:05.928-04:002011-07-20T20:03:05.928-04:00John, what's important is that you stick with ...John, what's important is that you stick with it in the long run and got it finished.<br /><br />And the ending? I did something similar when writing <i>FAR Future</i>: I was cruising along, finished up a scene, and went, "OK, what's next? … Oh. I'm done. I'm DONE???" I didn't finish with my head laying on the desk, but there was that same sense of surprise. I don't think there's anything wrong with that — I'd been working on the story for like two years, after all!<br /><br />Be loud, be proud, you got it done!Larry Kollarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08317037795075278427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-83289689965572922302011-07-20T16:06:02.457-04:002011-07-20T16:06:02.457-04:00This is amazing!
I wish I could write so many wo...This is amazing! <br /><br />I wish I could write so many words in one day. Don't keep a log of daily word count - I know I wrote this many words so far this week and know I have this many words left to write this week. <br /><br />And I use scrivnor - it breaks up the scene and chapters so you can look at it as 1 big doc or piece by piece.Sonia Lalhttp://storytreasury.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-67599826301389452092011-07-20T15:52:53.248-04:002011-07-20T15:52:53.248-04:00I loved this post. I'm always fascinated by ho...I loved this post. I'm always fascinated by how others go about the business of writing. I keep a daily log of word count, but I don't have notes. I might do that next time. I look at the gaps in my dates and hate them. <br /><br />I would love to hit 1K/day, but sometimes I don't have time to write at all and I went an entire month without touching my WiP, too. It sucks. But, I'm back at it and happy about it again and that helps.<br /><br />I've written a novel using different docs for each chapter and while it's easier to manage in the beginning, I found that compiling it in the end for agents was a pain in the ass, so this one is one big doc. I do print each chapter as I go (for Carlos & the Monster to read) so I can flip through that if need be. I have notes on the hard copies & I leave notes to myself in the document as well by way of comment bubbles.<br /><br />And I actually love the way you ended it. It's always fun when you can surprise yourself. <br /><br />Thanks for sharing your journey with us.Danielle La Pagliahttp://www.daniellelapaglia.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-74328472377887487642011-07-20T13:39:48.888-04:002011-07-20T13:39:48.888-04:00Cathy, between this and your Tweet this morning, y...Cathy, between this and your Tweet this morning, you've been about the kindest person alive to my creative process. Thank you so much for your response and support in this. The work can be less difficult as it goes along - momentum carries. Many days were very difficult for various reasons. I guess this post could have been ten times as long going into all of them. How did you feel about the very end? I felt like a right fool accidentally ending it.<br /><br />Icy, you've had a pretty busy life between romance, academics and the profession you just left. I can imagine being too drained to hit 1,000 or 2,000 words in a sitting, but it isn't as important as repeatedly doing the work.<br /><br />Marisa, I don't fear these next steps. It's been a while since May and I'm already halfway into the second draft. As expected, editorial and revision is challenging but much easier than composition. It almost always is.<br /><br />Helen, publishing is another story and an entirely different challenge to composition. I don't pretend that one will be easy on either of us. Wish you the best of luck in it, though.<br /><br />Laura, the chapter-documents are simply so much easier to handle. I can leave a list of necessary changes at the top of each document and scan through. Streamlines tinkering, as well as physically segmenting it.<br /><br />Shopgirl, and thank you for reading. Glad it gave you inspiration.<br /><br />Coda, have you ever read Stephen King's On Writing? He has a splendid little chapter on the spectrum of productivity, from James Joyce's inability to finish a sentence in a day to Anthony Trollope's strictly timed work. Life can always intervene. I'm still ashamed of what happened in February, even if I don't regret a single day. My hosts are among my favorite people alive.<br /><br />T.S., routine breaks are smart. I didn't realize their value until this novel project.<br /><br />Max, believe it or not I have entire separate post on the build up from idea generation to outline to Day 1 of writing. It's probably going to be an essay. I'm not sure if I'll post it here or attach it as an extra on the novel itself should I self-publish. The genesis of the whole thing was so darned long, and it's wonderful to reflect back on all the influences I had.John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-4321443192109395222011-07-20T13:24:15.076-04:002011-07-20T13:24:15.076-04:00This wasn't self-indulgent at all, John; it st...This wasn't self-indulgent at all, John; it struck me as admirably candid and mature. I was surprised by the large gaps in productivity, but pleasantly so--when you dropped the ball for a month, you didn't give up, you just got back on the path as soon as you were mindful of it. I think many people (myself included) have a tendency to indulge in melodrama when faced with inconsistency of output; the energy it takes to self-flagellate exhausts us too much to get working again as quickly as we could. I am also very interested in the "buildup" to the novel (from idea to outline to execution); there is something fascinating happening there and I wish I could put a finger on what it was.Max Cantorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00162681176688582120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-32249262102256885012011-07-20T12:31:23.447-04:002011-07-20T12:31:23.447-04:00Your process looks a lot like mine... off to a goo...Your process looks a lot like mine... off to a good start, then getting stalled by life, and having a hard time getting back into it again afterwards (poor word count days). I have to remind myself to take a break to avoid burnout, and you should too! Stick to those Wednesdays off ;) I know what it's like to just crash...Tessahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08377570668333453073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-30477121196673645352011-07-20T09:59:19.306-04:002011-07-20T09:59:19.306-04:00John, I want to thank you this post. I know we'...John, I want to thank you this post. I know we're all writers, and that, for a lot of us, the process is roughly the same. But that doesn't detract from my anger with myself when something comes up (painting a house, for example) and I stop writing for two or three days because of it.<br /><br />I guess what I'm trying to say is that I feel better knowing others go through the same trials - and still manage a finished novel draft. Best of luck with it, Wis. I know it'll be fantastic.Coda Napelandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07816893507237706008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-40723462274402550372011-07-20T09:57:18.871-04:002011-07-20T09:57:18.871-04:00Very inspiring. Thanks for sharing.Very inspiring. Thanks for sharing.Shopgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06435291786820680344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-10813691689531052712011-07-20T09:51:19.024-04:002011-07-20T09:51:19.024-04:00Hurrah for you! As with the others, I love how you...Hurrah for you! As with the others, I love how you took notes of yourself and the process as you went.<br />Writing in chapters is so much easier to work with!!!Laura Enohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09982794146667832204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-54572915580100748272011-07-20T08:52:53.738-04:002011-07-20T08:52:53.738-04:00I enjoyed reading this, and writing everyday is a ...I enjoyed reading this, and writing everyday is a discipline. My first novel (my only complete one) took me a year to write and another year to edit, writing every day. (Although I broke it up by writing short stories when it all became to much just to give myself a break every now and again.) When it was finished I felt lost.<br /><br />Getting it published, well that's another story, one I'm still trying to bring about.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing how the process was for you.Helen A. Howellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12748128819820230841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-26574175256268099642011-07-20T07:13:18.953-04:002011-07-20T07:13:18.953-04:00Really enjoyed reading about your process. Agree w...Really enjoyed reading about your process. Agree with Cathy about how the writing process requires a lot of hard work, and your post reflects that. Congratulations on finishing the novel, and please don't fear the next steps. Good luck to you.<br /><br />Also, what a wonderful grandson you are.Marisa Birnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17945909737147497606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-72706717431088776252011-07-20T06:46:05.641-04:002011-07-20T06:46:05.641-04:00I wish I could manage so many words in one day.
I...I wish I could manage so many words in one day.<br /><br />It's always good to get an insight into the process of another writer, if only to let you see that writers don't just sit in a darkened room somewhere and birth a fully formed novel.Icy Sedgwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11501193571425442406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-68658845688463687562011-07-20T06:18:45.336-04:002011-07-20T06:18:45.336-04:00This is the best thing I've ever read on the p...This is the best thing I've ever read on the process. Not self-indulgent in the least. It's funny, writers are forever offering tips and advice but this shows the meat of the work, the immense amount of work that is required to get something done. I'm jealous of the time you have to write and assume I'd be able to write a novel if I didn't work full time. Still, I know how easy it would be to find excuses. That's what I love about your post... the honesty about stopping the work. As well as the gruelling labour that's required. Bravo to you for finishing... I was actually holding my breath at the last bit, even though I knew you had gotten 'er done. Best of luck with the next stages.. and, by the way, I'm definitely going to be buying whatever magic you have to sell.Cathy Olliffe-Websterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12729578896443750402noreply@blogger.com