My writing process

Well, I promised the class I would lead off the discussion of our own writing processes, but Maria has already beaten me! Good on you, Maria, for not waiting!

I've had an up-and-down year in terms of productivity, where I seem to write in fits and spurts, my most recent spurt being at a writing retreat where I did just over 8000 words in two days. But then there have been the chasms of non-productivity, the weeks subsumed by marking and writing tests and workshopping and class prep and family life, the weeks that frustrate me intensely. This isn't the way I write best. I write best, as most writers do, when my writing is a constant part of my life, when I am at it every day.

I'm not the kind of person who can be working on multiple projects at one time. If it's my novel, it's my novel, though I might write a bit of poetry around this -- but never a short story or another novel. It's all about immersion.

When I am immersed in a project, then that project is with me all day, no matter what I am doing. I can't be writing a short story when my head is mulling over my novel. And that's the problem when I'm not writing regularly enough: I lose that immersion and break through the surface of my own fictional dream. When I return to the project, I have to reacquaint myself with what's going on, where it's all at. This might seem like it should get easier with the more drafts I do, because I know the project better, but it becomes difficult to remember what changes you've implemented or got rid of or changed in each draft.

So, constant writing is the key for me: having a daily practice, prioritising writing over some of those things that distract me from it. Then I can sit down, and not feel the burden of the white page: then I can sit down and let the words flow. Or not. Because even on the days they're not flowing, if I stay put in that chair, facing down that white page, I know I'll get them down in the end.

Tracey

My Novel, thus far

Glass Houses by Maria Vavala This year I've taken to adapting every writing exercise we've done in class for my novel. Albeit to say, I've made a substantial dent in my novel—great, yes? No! Rereading, isn't my greatest strength. I know the first draft is important to get the story out, the second, third, fourth and subsequent drafts are to peel back the layers and discover the real story you are trying to tell, a sure fire method to writing a best seller. My problem, how do you persevere with a story that is—boring! Yes, you've read correct and rediscover the faith you had when you initially started out writing your story? Not so easy let me tell you. I've had to rethink my characters, create a subplot that I believe in and be ruthless with my characters. Who says every person you meet or know in life is a pleasure? Well, for me, the hardest thing I found was making one of my characters not so nice. Of course through no fault of her own—life has thrown her a curve ball and well, she has every right to be selfish and nasty, at least I think so and seeing as she's in my story, I guess that makes it more than okay. The result—I have a new subplot that I think works well. Real life doesn't always mean a happy ending, so why should my story have one too! Will it work, well, who knows, but I'm making sure that everything I write is worth the read, at least, I hope so! I'll let you know when I'm done!