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You need to know truth before you can speak it.
Despite all of my intentions, I did not write an entire novel last month. I did write part of one, and I came away from Camp NaNo with a few lessons learned.
These aren’t lessons about how to write fiction. The world is full of trained professionals who can teach you the basics of character, plot, style, and grace. What I want to explore is energy.
Writing is work, and work takes energy. But energy comes in different forms, and within the layers of creative energy you'll find the spiritual, the intellectual, and the physical.
Spiritual Energy
(intuition, insight, truth)
This is what we call inspiration. While it might seem strange to use the word truth in the context of fiction writing, the essence of truth that we put into our words is what brings them to life on the page.
Intellectual Energy
(reason, problem solving, logic)
This is what you will find in all of those articles that tell you how to write. The structural designs and conscious choices made in planning out fiction fall into this category.
Physical Energy
(application, ability, action)
This is where your work solidifies into form. Essence and design are both abstract until the metaphorical pen meets the paper and a story is born into the world.
These energies need to work in harmony, and they need to work in both directions. Physical energy is the foundation and the result. Spiritual energy is the source and the goal. Intellectual energy is the medium through which the two can communicate.
A bit of a primer on Camp NaNo - it’s a very intellectual exercise. The website allows you to track your project's current word count and provides you with a guideline of exactly how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to finish by the end of the month. Well aware of the need to save a bit of my physical energy for my day job, I planned and I plotted my hours to schedule the best use of my writing time.
So what happened? That energy was spent. Not as spiritual energy, the type that opens imagination, but rather locked into a pure intellectual current that brought me to the realization that the more I thought about writing, the more distant I became from the story I wanted to write.
My spiritual self rebelled. As thoughts of word counts turned exhausting, she ran away from the intellect to bond with the physical alone. I’ll be honest, spending a month disconnected was a welcome respite. I felt bad at first, knowing I would fail the novel writing challenge, but once I made peace with that fact, I was able to indulge in the pure luxury of spending my free time with myself.
Letting my spiritual energy guide me, I took long walks in the sun, and as the weeks passed, I glanced at my phone less and less. I meditated, stretched out my muscles, and smiled as all of these things became infinitely more fascinating than writing a single word.
I didn’t win Camp NaNo, but I did refresh my inspiration. Beyond all of the tips and tricks for How To Write A Novel, I’m more fully aware of what made me start in the first place: the ever-present desire to create something real.
In that, turning my creative retreat into a personal sabbatical became more valuable than I ever expected.
Very beautiful! You always turn my sad face into smiling face. ☺
You are a brilliant writer! You already win so much more than Camp NaNo. I look forward to reading your own Novel or book authored by you.
Btw, How are you? Are you on fb, too?
Thank you so much!
I'm good. I've been a bit less focused on writing and a lot more focused on other things, but those other things are refocusing my thoughts on what I was writing in the first place.
Someday when you read it, I hope that you like it!
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I think it's a Samuel Beckett quote: "Try. Fail. Try again. Fail better."
I usually end up writing philosophical aphorisms - few novels can get away with that! :-)
Upvoted and has been added to the latest MAP Resteems post.
Every improved failure will bring more lessons like these!
Thank you for the support, and for the smile!
<was here checking in on you🐉💗
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I am good!
How are you?
Being able to take a year or two "off" was one of the most beneficial things I could've done, a few years ago. It then led to too much time spent away from doing things, but I'm glad you've found the experience not just rejuvenating, but instructive.
To many more words written, in a better mindset!
Thank you!
Having time to refresh is so essential, and I'm happy you had it for yourself as well.
Much better mindset, many better words!
Nice Post. I tried to finish mine in a month, failed, learned, put it down. I came at it again with a more measured, patient, and in depth approach. Failed, learned, put it down.
I'm back at it and gaining momentum.
I really like how you broke it down. My spirit was in rebellion of messing with my methodology..
The new approach I've taken starts with a truth. One that I had to discover before I could honestly write anything.
-Writing is not more important than my happiness. Not more important than my life. Not more important than me, who I am, my personal story.-
I don't want to be a great writer if it means drinking myself to death(bukowski) or trying to walk into the propeller blade of my own private jet(hemmingway).
I need to enjoy the process better. Have fun writing it, don't over think it, and have faith in myself that my ability(skill + talent) will produce something of quality on its own.
Glad to see you back.
It's absolutely not more important than your life.
When the story wants to be told, the words flow freely. It's hard for me to consciously direct a story. I tend to start with the idea that the story already exists, and I just need to find it.
It's almost funny to me now that I ever thought I could explore all of the layers of complexity needed to build a story in a month. At least without being able to devote all of my time to it.
I do wish you luck in continuing to build your own!
The way too look at it, then, is to realize the complexity of this thing we've seen ourselves do. To tell a compelling story. It's so complicated that reverse engineering it is beyond our initial expectations of difficulty. Yet when it's suppose to happen, we do it effortlessly. :)
It's wonderful to have you back here @ellievallie! I had never heard of Camp NaNo (I couldn't get that link to work in your post, but I found it online). Very cool!
I attended a bootcamp for novel writing somewhat recently and it was a huge eye opener. You're right, too. There was something so formulaic about it that parts of me also sort of revolted at the idea, but overall it was extremely helpful.
Look forward to more updates from you, my friend.
And Happy Beltane!
It's autumn now where I live, but I appreciate the springtime sentiment.
I'd love to read a novel written by you, and I'm happy you had a great bootcamp.
Intellectual energy is definitely essential to the process. Even this post wouldn't make sense without it!
This is really unique title. I think you tried a lot but you could not complete but I think you completed this in one way becasue at leat you try hard to take this challenge. Thanks for share with us
Thank you, I really appreciate that, and I'm happy you enjoyed the title!
I learned far more from not completing than I would have if I'd never tried.
I almost asked where you were but that has been clarified. I hope to be able to write a book
once upon a timeand I would love to disconnect so I can reconnect with my writing spirit but life can't allow such currently so I keep pushing. Happy that you had the opportunity to experience what you did and thank you for sharing your lessons :)It is good to have you back.
Thank you, and I hope that once upon a time in the future you do get to write it!
I have received your message, thank you for the nice words.
You are very welcome!
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Congratulations @ellievallie! You have received a personal award!
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Hope your doing well, miss you hun🐲🐉💗
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