Comments on: Habit Forming http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/habit-forming The international organization of multi-published novelists Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:51:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Chris Warren http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/habit-forming/comment-page-1#comment-3133 Chris Warren Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:04:52 +0000 http://www.ninc.com/blog/?p=3235#comment-3133 The fact is that the process of writing, like many other disciplines, e.g. cooking, garden designing, house building, and anything else you care to mention, will find as many differences in the detailed execution as there are practitioners. There are basic rules that will always apply to any activity if the end result is to be positive, but the process of getting there is unique for each person. No amount of analysis or argument will ever find one right way of writing to suit all people. My advice is, having established the basic principles, then do it your way. As Laura says a successful end result is what matters. Chris Warren Author and Freelance Writer Randolph's Challenge Book One - The Pendulum Swings The fact is that the process of writing, like many other disciplines, e.g. cooking, garden designing, house building, and anything else you care to mention, will find as many differences in the detailed execution as there are practitioners.

There are basic rules that will always apply to any activity if the end result is to be positive, but the process of getting there is unique for each person.

No amount of analysis or argument will ever find one right way of writing to suit all people. My advice is, having established the basic principles, then do it your way. As Laura says a successful end result is what matters.

Chris Warren
Author and Freelance Writer
Randolph’s Challenge Book One – The Pendulum Swings

]]> By: Margot Justes http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/habit-forming/comment-page-1#comment-3128 Margot Justes Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:37:11 +0000 http://www.ninc.com/blog/?p=3235#comment-3128 I loved the blog, I don't outline, but have a general idea in my head where I want to go, and I always have to write even alittle bit every day, otherwise I become guilt ridden. And let's not forget about the daily marketing... I loved the blog, I don’t outline, but have a general idea in my head where I want to go, and I always have to write even alittle bit every day, otherwise I become guilt ridden. And let’s not forget about the daily marketing…

]]> By: Ari Marmell http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/habit-forming/comment-page-1#comment-3123 Ari Marmell Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:40:35 +0000 http://www.ninc.com/blog/?p=3235#comment-3123 Wow. I'm about the exact opposite, and I can't even fathom trying to write like that. I have no discipline in any other part of my life--if I did, I'd be 50 pounds lighter--but I *need* rigid guidelines for writing. I don't have a fixed time for writing, but I do have a set minimum daily word count (2K, for the record) which, if I haven't met, I *cannot* call the day done with. And I absolutely *must* have an outline. It's not all that detailed--I tend to make up the specifics as I go--and I'm willing to deviate from it if the story changes. But I have to have the general roadmap of major chapters and events to work from. Heck, I've been known, on occasion, to outline individual chapters, if they're proving troublesome enough. That said, I certainly agree with you that some other techniques seem--to me--to be the products of a sadistic mind. The notion of writing scenes out of order and then trying to shuffle them into a comprehensive novel fills me with the sort of mortal dread one would otherwise only experience facing an attacking army of roaches, mounted on wasps, hurling spiders at you. Wow. I’m about the exact opposite, and I can’t even fathom trying to write like that. I have no discipline in any other part of my life–if I did, I’d be 50 pounds lighter–but I *need* rigid guidelines for writing.

I don’t have a fixed time for writing, but I do have a set minimum daily word count (2K, for the record) which, if I haven’t met, I *cannot* call the day done with. And I absolutely *must* have an outline. It’s not all that detailed–I tend to make up the specifics as I go–and I’m willing to deviate from it if the story changes. But I have to have the general roadmap of major chapters and events to work from. Heck, I’ve been known, on occasion, to outline individual chapters, if they’re proving troublesome enough.

That said, I certainly agree with you that some other techniques seem–to me–to be the products of a sadistic mind. The notion of writing scenes out of order and then trying to shuffle them into a comprehensive novel fills me with the sort of mortal dread one would otherwise only experience facing an attacking army of roaches, mounted on wasps, hurling spiders at you.

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