How to Conduct a Writing Marathon
Several times, now, I've mentioned that I get a lot of my writing done during "Writing Marathons." I've never, though, put complete details about the conduct of Marathons in one place. So, here goes...
For Writing Marathon, I select a week when I will have minimal interruptions - from the day job, from family obligations, from pet obligations, etc. I notify the day job that I will be unavailable, taking the days as vacation time (not as "work from home" days.)
I prepare the house, making sure that I have appropriate supplies on hand. Appropriate supplies include a large variety of teas (both caffeinated and decaf/herbal), my preferred breakfast (plain yogurt with berries and a bit of dry cereal on top), snacks that aren't too intensely sugary, a handful of reward snacks for end of day success (e.g., a roll of SweetTarts), and in-house lunch supplies (a ton of different fresh veggies for salad, some protein for said salad (usually garbanzo beans, or a few slices of lunch meat), some pretzels.
I prepare my writing. By this, I mean that I have my outline in place. I know where I am in the story and where I intend to go. I know what happens in each chapter, and where each chapter ends. I know what topics I am likely to need to research (although those topics sometimes arise out of nowhere.)
I identify chosen interruptions. Each day, I need some break, which I try to schedule between drafting the chapter du jour and revising that chapter. Breaks might be some shopping that I know must be conducted (there are few things more satisfying than running dull errands in the middle of the day while the rest of the world is working! I feel like I'm cheating, getting out of the grocery store without waiting in line, or completing a Target run, or buying socks at the department store across the street.)
And then, I write. I set my alarm for my usual time. I do my usual exercise routine. I eat my usual breakfast. I get dressed (not in my usual, office, clothes, but in jeans and casual shirts). And I sit my butt in my office chair and draft a chapter. I take a break, using a chosen interruption. And I sit my butt back in my chair and revise a chapter. In the evenings, I eat dinner, watch TV, go to movies, or do something else that requires very little brainpower. I try to go to bed at normal time (but usually drift a bit later - toward midnight or 1:00.) I read a little before bed, something out of genre if I'm Marathoning on a fantasy, something in-genre if I'm Marathoning chick-lit. (What can I say? It works for me :-) )
For a full Marathon, I follow the pattern for nine days - one work-week and the weekends on either side. I can finish about 5000 words a day - close to have a Red Dress novel. I find that the writing flows more smoothly, because I don't have to refresh my memory on what I've said and done and defined for my characters.
Do others Marathon? If so, in similar or different ways?
Mindy, starting a Marathon (albeit one with known non-Marathonish interruptions on the weekends and on Tuesday)
For Writing Marathon, I select a week when I will have minimal interruptions - from the day job, from family obligations, from pet obligations, etc. I notify the day job that I will be unavailable, taking the days as vacation time (not as "work from home" days.)
I prepare the house, making sure that I have appropriate supplies on hand. Appropriate supplies include a large variety of teas (both caffeinated and decaf/herbal), my preferred breakfast (plain yogurt with berries and a bit of dry cereal on top), snacks that aren't too intensely sugary, a handful of reward snacks for end of day success (e.g., a roll of SweetTarts), and in-house lunch supplies (a ton of different fresh veggies for salad, some protein for said salad (usually garbanzo beans, or a few slices of lunch meat), some pretzels.
I prepare my writing. By this, I mean that I have my outline in place. I know where I am in the story and where I intend to go. I know what happens in each chapter, and where each chapter ends. I know what topics I am likely to need to research (although those topics sometimes arise out of nowhere.)
I identify chosen interruptions. Each day, I need some break, which I try to schedule between drafting the chapter du jour and revising that chapter. Breaks might be some shopping that I know must be conducted (there are few things more satisfying than running dull errands in the middle of the day while the rest of the world is working! I feel like I'm cheating, getting out of the grocery store without waiting in line, or completing a Target run, or buying socks at the department store across the street.)
And then, I write. I set my alarm for my usual time. I do my usual exercise routine. I eat my usual breakfast. I get dressed (not in my usual, office, clothes, but in jeans and casual shirts). And I sit my butt in my office chair and draft a chapter. I take a break, using a chosen interruption. And I sit my butt back in my chair and revise a chapter. In the evenings, I eat dinner, watch TV, go to movies, or do something else that requires very little brainpower. I try to go to bed at normal time (but usually drift a bit later - toward midnight or 1:00.) I read a little before bed, something out of genre if I'm Marathoning on a fantasy, something in-genre if I'm Marathoning chick-lit. (What can I say? It works for me :-) )
For a full Marathon, I follow the pattern for nine days - one work-week and the weekends on either side. I can finish about 5000 words a day - close to have a Red Dress novel. I find that the writing flows more smoothly, because I don't have to refresh my memory on what I've said and done and defined for my characters.
Do others Marathon? If so, in similar or different ways?
Mindy, starting a Marathon (albeit one with known non-Marathonish interruptions on the weekends and on Tuesday)
Kada - involved in a marathon of the INs sort. {shudder}
p.s what's SweetTarts?
I use my NPB method (brief overview of the process there) and, when pretty focused, can get a rough draft done in 3 months. But I'm also a slow writer, so it works for me.