As most of you know, today is my birthday...
Wait, no, I was going to talk about NaNoWriMo, but how KIND of you to remember that it's my birthday!
A lot's been going on in my life since my last update, and I don't have time to get into all of it (short version: I got into PitchWars after all as an alternate (!!!) and it's been wonderful and I have been busily revising and putting off school work like a responsible adult, and now I'm writing a new novel for NaNo!).
But this post isn't about ME. This post is about YOU, dear NaNoWriMo writer, if you are still reading this and have not been put off by my off-topic opening. *ahem*
My friend, Emily, sent me some NaNoMail this morning with the idea of sharing encouraging writerly quotes with one another. I loved the idea and wrote back, but I couldn't just provide my quote. Oh, no. I am much too verbose for that. So, in the process of explaining why I chose the quote I did, I accidentally ended up writing a mini-pep talk. A pep talkette, if you like. And I figured, why not post it here as well? If it helps inspire or bolster the morale of some of my fellow NaNo soldiers while y'all are in the trenches, then good! If it doesn't, well. Read it again, and lie to me.* (kidding, kidding)
Without further ado... my pep talk:
But the truth is, there ARE no wrong words in a first draft. And an imperfect sentence will not make or break your book. We are not disarming bombs. The wrong dialogue/character/plot is not the end of the world. You will not self-destruct if you clip the blue wire. We are creating something new, and new things have flaws. I repeat: It's a first draft, not a bomb. So roll up your sleeves, get in there, mess around, and handle the story as rough as you want!
Good luck!
__________________________
*In all seriousness, if you liked this pep talk, or if it helped any, do let me know! Provided there's interest, I may write more over the course of the month. :)
Wait, no, I was going to talk about NaNoWriMo, but how KIND of you to remember that it's my birthday!
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| Why, yes, that's the second time I've used this gif today. Never gets old. |
But this post isn't about ME. This post is about YOU, dear NaNoWriMo writer, if you are still reading this and have not been put off by my off-topic opening. *ahem*
My friend, Emily, sent me some NaNoMail this morning with the idea of sharing encouraging writerly quotes with one another. I loved the idea and wrote back, but I couldn't just provide my quote. Oh, no. I am much too verbose for that. So, in the process of explaining why I chose the quote I did, I accidentally ended up writing a mini-pep talk. A pep talkette, if you like. And I figured, why not post it here as well? If it helps inspire or bolster the morale of some of my fellow NaNo soldiers while y'all are in the trenches, then good! If it doesn't, well. Read it again, and lie to me.* (kidding, kidding)
Without further ado... my pep talk:
"It's a first draft, not a bomb."
I don't know who said it, but this quote's really resonated with me over the past year. Often when writing a first draft, I feel an anxiety about putting the words down. Will they be the right ones? What if they're the wrong ones? OH GOOD HEAVENS WHY DID I EVER THINK I COULD DO THIS. But the truth is, there ARE no wrong words in a first draft. And an imperfect sentence will not make or break your book. We are not disarming bombs. The wrong dialogue/character/plot is not the end of the world. You will not self-destruct if you clip the blue wire. We are creating something new, and new things have flaws. I repeat: It's a first draft, not a bomb. So roll up your sleeves, get in there, mess around, and handle the story as rough as you want!
Good luck!
__________________________
*In all seriousness, if you liked this pep talk, or if it helped any, do let me know! Provided there's interest, I may write more over the course of the month. :)
Mini NaNo Pep Talk (November 5th): It's a First Draft, Not a Bomb