So there I was, about a third of the way through writing a novel, and I decided to let my fingers do their thing.
I don’t write well when I have internet access. But there’s this cool bit of software called Scrivener that I use…they have a semi-hidden beta version for Linux, so it even plays nicely with my aberrant notions of proper computing.
So, I’ve been using it on my laptop. Because, where I’ve been hiding out in my RV, there’s no internet access. Cool! Perfect!
Right?
Typing away, using my outline, having a good idea how the story would end…each day I’ve made a little less progress than the day before.
Hmm. Can’t be good.
So…today I went with the nuclear option. Even though, to be honest, I didn’t think it would work.
I didn’t turn on the laptop. I sat down with my Alphasmart Neo and typed for a timed 90 minutes. No stopping allowed, I told myself firmly. No matter what.
I went off in a new direction I hadn’t seen coming at all. Plot twists jumped out at me. It was a little scary–was I ruining the book? I felt like a fool but I kept typing. I could always delete it, I told myself. I was worried I’d mess up the flow of the book with this weird excursion…but I kept going until I couldn’t stand to mess up my story anymore. Which was about 86 minutes in.
When I was done I transferred everything to Scrivener, fully expecting to delete most or all of it.
Ha. I liked it. A lot. And it was already more words than I managed in all of yesterday.
Someday? I’ll really learn to trust the process…okay, that’s an in-joke from the book. Maybe you’ll get it later.
But wow. Shutting down the iPhone now.
I’m going to go see if I can do it again.
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