WRITING SOFTWARE....

At the beginning of September I decided to give one of the, many and varied, writing software programs a trial. I signed up and thought, yep in 30 days I will have an idea if I want to purchase it, or whether it is not for me. I had heard rave reviews and even though I ummed and ahhhed and debated, I decided to have a go. What could I lose?


I had, after my 'success' with finishing the Shillong edit in August, decided that I would give another manuscript a go in September. And that the software program would aid in this rejiggery.

However....

Five days in and I knew it wasn't for me. Not at the moment at least.

Mainly because I am not a planner. I tend to have an idea, I may nut it out a bit here and there (mostly in my brain, not on paper) and then I go for it. Now this could be a reason why so little actually gets done...but this, as I have discovered and now had reinforced, is how I write.

I began well....that was after watching the tutorial.
Just one, there are so many out there that I really could have spent a whole week merely watching them to find out what else I could do. But a little knowledge was enough to get me going.
I downloaded my manuscript, set out the chapters...even moved one around to another place that first day.

Then....distractions.


I found out I could put in a photo here of my setting...and before I knew it there I was searching the internet for 'my landscape'.

Then, as I diligently began to edit and rewrite - there was an option to place an image of the character I was working on. Time spent finding an image, even though nothing came close to as I saw her.
Then of course that character needed a background and entire character file.

More time spent.

 I then found the option to have 'snippets', or cue cards, of what happened in each chapter.

You guessed it...more time spent.

So by day five I realised I had spent more time playing ....fooling around ....doing anything else but the actual writing.

Definitely not the software's problem- but mine.

I am easily distracted - led astray. Show me something shiny and I'm off.


I learnt some facts however. That using a writing software is not for me, not yet at any rate. Don't get me wrong, it obviously works for so many people...maybe I'm not ready yet. Not prepared to be organised.

I have learnt-

That I am not a planner- I tend to write best 'seat of my pants' style.

That I am readily distracted and really need to focus.

So did I finish the challenge I gave myself this month? Not a chance....

Yes I have worked on it, but I think I have only got about 22 000 words in....not the goal I was aiming for.

Hopefully something useful will be achieved next month..but I am away on holiday for a few weeks, hoping to really do nothing but relax...so the chances aren't looking good.

Vicki 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE SOLITARY WRITER...

Image
Writers are said to be solitary creatures. There is the age old image of the writer, alone, shivering and gaunt, scribbling away frantically while living in an attic. Frankly I don't know any writers who live in attics, or in fact many who lead the solitary life. Most are surrounded by people- in their daily lives, in their jobs, surrounded by family and friends. And really it is by being part of this social whirl where the majority of ideas come from. People as a species are so interesting, so volatile, so eager to say too much. All fodder for a poem or short story, a play, piece of non-fiction...or the seed for a novel. The novel I wrote for Nanowrimo last year was based on a line my father said. One simple phrase and I wondered 'what if...' and it went from there. The last short story I wrote was based on a mother I noticed at work and how she interacted with her children on one of the last scorching days. Let's just say the temperature wasn't the only thi...
Read more

OBSTACLES....

Image
This year has been a bit of a doozy. A lot of obstacles have popped up, some avoidable (accepting bigger work load and more hours)..some unavoidable (death of family member). So without me noticing it, March has arrived. Summer is gone and we have autumn, and not a lot of writing has been done. But here we are and I'm determined to get myself organised and on focus. I have made a goal sheet for 2018, which is a great start. It only has two things on it but heh, they are two BIG things and hopefully  I intend to get them done.  Last night I attended my YA / Children's writing group. What an inspirational group! Just when I needed a pick up, a kick up the pants (please supply any number of cliches) I was reminded of what can be achieved with lots of hard work. Fellow member Pauline   is about to launch her second book in her Cinnamon Stevens series. There will be a launch at Belgrave Library, Tuesday 10th April 2pm.  Copies can be purchased ...
Read more

FRESH START....

Image
There's something about the beginning of a new year. Fills us with inspiration, hopes and dreams. Lets us believe that anything is possible. That the year to come can be anything we want it to be. And it can. And of course there are resolutions...I'm still debating about what tack to take. Whether to focus on poetry or short story, the novel(s) that I wrote last year....hmmm too hard to think about just yet. I'll let it percolate, ponder on the pros and cons, on what I WANT to do, not what I SHOULD do. Personal resolutions are so much easier- I have plans on health and wellbeing, on the house, on the garden, on myself spiritually as well. The writing ones are so much harder. And of course there is knowing when to stop. There is no point in having a list a mile long ( I so used to do that)... totally unachievable and so daunting. So it's better to have a few solid ones on the list...ones that can be achieved within twelve months. And also goals that I have contr...
Read more