I too, am of one of those people with a drawer full of unfinished novels. Many started during the white hot excitement of nanowrimo. But then abandoned when I realised they were likely meandering messes too laborious to edit.
However, I now stand at the midpoint of my current novel. Twenty chapters written, edited and published. To my supporting patrons.
Serial fiction has changed my life, and like my new mascot, I will plod on like that intrepid tortoise until the end. There's no need to rush, just meet my weekly deadline and it will be done.
I've realised it was wanting to write too quickly that led me not to finish a novel in ten years.
Absolutely! It's very much tortoise and hare. The trick with serialisation being that you will eventually have a novel, almost by accident (and a lot of hard work). But it never feels like you're writing A NOVEL. It remains manageable. I'd go as far as saying it's fun. ;)
They story of every creative's life. Lol. While reading this I was laughing about all the things I have in my files that were never finished (essays, recipes, short stories, 3 novels, and about 10 podcast episodes), the list endless - full of sparks that ever turned into fire).
As I have been writing a book I have learned to (at least try to) finish things, but now I am so into this book and finishing it that I want to keep those other files 'purposely procrastinated', while at the same time I keep learning about how to deal with procrastination (thank you for sharing this advice).
Love your analogy of the mountain (love hiking). I visit 'the mountain' every week to do some hiking along unfinished projects to add some more steps to each trail, and I have been making my way as I build endurance (to keep the muse). I have divided my attention in working on the book (the main trail) the majority of the time (at least five days a week a do something), and then I visit the podcast and newsletter a lot less (once or twice a week), and the other trail is learning how to write (at least every day I read something about it). But it all depends on my schedule (working from home helps, but it is not like there aren't other thing to do).
My book is non-fiction (nf), and while I have plenty of inspiration (other hikers) on the NF side, I've been looking for inspiration for inspiration from fiction writers. Never done anything serialized (don't know if I'll ever do), I like to learn from as many sources I can. Plus, reading fiction (or about writing fiction), sometimes makes it easier for me to get that the other way around. Love this. Thanks! 🖖🏽
This resonated with me so much.
I too, am of one of those people with a drawer full of unfinished novels. Many started during the white hot excitement of nanowrimo. But then abandoned when I realised they were likely meandering messes too laborious to edit.
However, I now stand at the midpoint of my current novel. Twenty chapters written, edited and published. To my supporting patrons.
Serial fiction has changed my life, and like my new mascot, I will plod on like that intrepid tortoise until the end. There's no need to rush, just meet my weekly deadline and it will be done.
I've realised it was wanting to write too quickly that led me not to finish a novel in ten years.
Absolutely! It's very much tortoise and hare. The trick with serialisation being that you will eventually have a novel, almost by accident (and a lot of hard work). But it never feels like you're writing A NOVEL. It remains manageable. I'd go as far as saying it's fun. ;)
They story of every creative's life. Lol. While reading this I was laughing about all the things I have in my files that were never finished (essays, recipes, short stories, 3 novels, and about 10 podcast episodes), the list endless - full of sparks that ever turned into fire).
As I have been writing a book I have learned to (at least try to) finish things, but now I am so into this book and finishing it that I want to keep those other files 'purposely procrastinated', while at the same time I keep learning about how to deal with procrastination (thank you for sharing this advice).
Love your analogy of the mountain (love hiking). I visit 'the mountain' every week to do some hiking along unfinished projects to add some more steps to each trail, and I have been making my way as I build endurance (to keep the muse). I have divided my attention in working on the book (the main trail) the majority of the time (at least five days a week a do something), and then I visit the podcast and newsletter a lot less (once or twice a week), and the other trail is learning how to write (at least every day I read something about it). But it all depends on my schedule (working from home helps, but it is not like there aren't other thing to do).
My book is non-fiction (nf), and while I have plenty of inspiration (other hikers) on the NF side, I've been looking for inspiration for inspiration from fiction writers. Never done anything serialized (don't know if I'll ever do), I like to learn from as many sources I can. Plus, reading fiction (or about writing fiction), sometimes makes it easier for me to get that the other way around. Love this. Thanks! 🖖🏽