I figured out why the whole NaNo debate is bugging me so much, when I don’t really have a dog in this fight. I don’t like it when writers beat up on other writers — especially on the process of other writers. To each their own.
And yes, this discussion does seem increasingly like a procrastination tool for all involved. So I’m outtie. I have a book to finish and I haven’t added any words since November 6 (although I have opened the file every day since then). Good tippity-typing, all.
Of Nancy Werlin, nominated for The Rules of Survival in the Young People’s Literature category. She’s posting photos and commentary for each day of the week. (Oh, to be at today’s readings, which are grouped with one nominee in each category.) (Via Cynthia Lord.)
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And tonight’s ep is:
Of Vice and Men. Veronica (Kristen Bell) is disappointed in Keith (Enrico Colantoni) for his ongoing relationship with his client, Harmony (guest star Laura San Giacomo, "Just Shoot Me"), who invites him on a romantic weekend getaway. When Veronica retreats to Wallace (Percy Daggs III) and Piz’s (Chris Lowell) dorm room for some quiet time, Logan (Jason Dohring) seeks her help in clearing Mercer (guest star Ryan Devlin, "TRL") of the rape charges, but refuses to give her his alibi. Ryan Hansen, Francis Capra, Tina Majorino, Michael Muhney and Julie Gonzalo also star. Harry Winer directed the episode written by Phil Klemmer.
Max over at The Millions posts about the NanoBashing that’s been going on this year. I’ve never done it and probably never will (too organized and I just write slower than that; I prefer my goal-setting and deadlines a bit lengthier and easier to blow!). Anyway, I left a comment over there, which I’m reproducing here and will not speak of it again:
I dunno — it seems to me I’ve read plenty of interviews with writers (and known plenty) who bang out first drafts (occasionally) in a similar time span. As long as the writer is willing to revise, I don’t see the harm. There’s a school of thought out there that says many writers do a quick draft, then a slow one, etc. Often, you don’t know what the story is until you get it down. They’re writing zero drafts, detailed outlines, and maybe a few real novels. I’ve also encountered writers who think the work to death before they start and so turn out quick, impeccable drafts that barely have to be rewritten.
The only way you get better at writing is by doing it. At least some of these people will get a finished book draft* they can work with, throw away, whatever. It seems like the haytas are actually coming from an overly romanticized view of litr-a-chure as being perfectly, painstakingly written, and well, the draft you throw away, the white heat version seems just as much a reality to me. It’s all hard work, no matter the speed, if you want the final draft to matter.
* If you never finish it, who cares how slow and perfect you wrote it?
p.s. See what Callie has to say, as a participant.
p.p.s. See also Justine Musk on time spent, etc., not specific to NaNo, but relevant.
The ever-wonderful Jenny D reviews M.T. Anderson’s truly amazing Octavian Nothing in the NYT:
In recent years young adult fiction has proved a haven for novelists of ideas who also love storytelling. M. T. Anderson is one of the most interesting. His first novel was the unsettling suburban teenage vampire fantasy “Thirsty” (1997), but he didn’t capture a wide audience until 2002, when his cult hit “Feed” appeared. A surprisingly affecting commodity-culture satire — partly set on the moon, where rich teenagers go for spring break — it earned Anderson a slew of fans and his first National Book Award nomination. His second nomination came last month for his new novel, “The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing.”
What a wise pairing on the NYT’s part!
I suspect anyone who’s going to read this book has already seen a couple of the big spoilers of major parts of the narrative, so it’s okay, if you’re on the fence or are already spoiled: Go read Jenny’s review. But if you’re going to read it and just haven’t and haven’t heard that much about the book, wait and read the review after.
I was very glad when I read it that I didn’t know that much about it going in. Due to the sins of flap copy & etc., it’s so rare to be truly surprised by a narrative (my favorite surprise of the last several years is in Kelley Eskridge’s Solitaire — you should read that one too, but do NOT look at the flap copy first!).
Wow, two winners in a row — my faith in Hollywood’s about to be restored or something. Definitely go see this movie. The cast is uniformly great and understated (and this includes Dustin Hoffman!). It’s smart and plays against expectation and especially traditional Hollywood movie expectation. It is not, I repeat NOT, a comedy; that’s some bait and switch they’re trying with the trailer. Although, maybe it ultimately is a comedy, in the larger sense. I’m still thinking about it, but it does a goodly number of things right. And, as C said, it feels like the people making it cared.
Plus, beautiful ’70s homage eye candy set dressing.
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In recognition of some small measure of sanity on the part of some people, I’m gonna give away some books over the next week. Today, I’ve got two copies of the new paperback edition of Kelly Link’s second short story collection Magic for Beginners.
The first will go to the first person who responds with some creditable hint of a possible defense to zombie (or undead) attack. The other will go to the first person who accurately guesses the solution to the first arc (the campus rapes) on Veronica Mars this season* either in this thread or one of the VMT threads.**
*Somebody will. But if nobody does, I’ll choose the most entertaining objection to the culprit reveal.
**Yeah, this one will take a little while (but not sooo long!); and there’s a pretty good chance any of the regular commenters on VM already have the book, so they can also have it sent to another person-a of their choice.
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