For a week now I have been in limboland – in between writing projects and recharging my battery. I’ve caught up on some TV (Royal Pains and Rizzoli & Isles), read some great books (“Plus Ones” by Hank Edwards and “Everyone Loves a Hero” by Marie Force), studied some craft (Save the Cat!) and indulged in a little Jake Gyllenhall nudity in “Love and Other Drugs”. (and, in answer to my Main Man – no you cannot wear out a DVD by watching it constantly – I think.)
But now I’m ready to start on the new book targeted for Harlequin Blaze and while I’m not going to go too crazy – I’m going to do things a little differently this time. While I usually create a loose outline (I’m a plotser), I’m going to write my synopsis first. Now, I hear the groans out there, but I don’t mind writing a synopsis but I usually leave it to the end. I just want to see how it works for me this way.
The second thing is that I am going to try and write this book in the Scrivener for Windows writing tool. My friend, Gwen Hernandez, challenged me and so I’m going to venture out of Word and take the plunge. And I’ll admit something here but only to you . . . so . . . lean in closer while I whisper . . .
*it’s kind of freaking me out*
But, not in a I-need-to-call-Dr.Phil kind way.
It’s kind of exciting and edgy and . . . yes, I need to get out more . . . it’s really getting my creative juices flowing and my fingers itching to hit the keyboards. It’s similar to the thrill I got with my new school supplies. I just KNEW that the Wonder Woman folders, new pencils and Snoopy lunch box were going to make school so fun and easy.
It’s THAT kind of exciting.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
What writing methods do you have and do you ever shake them up?
Robin Mermaid
#amwriting Word Metrics
Project: Exposure
Deadline: Oct. 31, 2011
New Words Written: None. Pre-plotting.
Present Total Word Count: zippo.
Hoorah for new fun school supplies – and I include Scrivener in that.
I’m a pantser but I will say that I’ve been a bit more organized with my WIP. I even made a little sheet up so I can remember all the characters I introduce and what the main characters look like.
Kerri #amwriting Word Metrics
Project: Contemporary romance (my titles suck)
Deadline: August 31st (#amcrazyperson)
New Words Written: 1740
Present Total Word Count: 37,363
Kerri: I use Jeannie Ruesch’s WIP Notebook (e-version) to track my characters etc. I loaded it into Scrivener as a template and that is how I keep track of all the pre-work on a book. This will be the first time writing the book in Scrivener.
Good luck Robin! I’m rooting for you. Make sure and keep us posted as to how the new method works out. I don’t know if it counts, but having been working on a certain Mermaid project lately has been a little different for me. I’ve never written anything that started with an idea I was given, rather than something I thought up all on my own. It’s been interesting to create a story that way.
Carlene – I’ve been working on the “secret project” as well and it has been a real stretch to my muse. I like it.
I was always geeked out for the first day of school. Now I have to go vicarious lunchbox and backpack shopping with my kids. 🙂
I don’t know about Scrivener for Windows, but I love the Mac version. The lovely Gwen got me hooked up with it and it’s awesome.
Best of luck to you, Robin! Let us know how it goes!
Good luck stepping outside the box Robin! I have been writing my current WIP in random order. I did a basic plot outline first, so I know where I’m going, but I have been writing the scenes as a good idea or inspiration comes to me. It’s working so far! Keeping my fingers crossed that I don’t hit the wall. 🙂