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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

On Writing

In case nobody's ever told you, writing a book is hard.

I was hesitant to even attempt National Novel Writing Month this year, as it fell right in the middle of my chaotic final exam schedule (from hell!), but sometimes I simply cannot be stopped. I went at it hard and fast for something like five days, and I finally resigned in a puddle of homework and misery just after breaching 15,000 words. So it goes.

Though, in case you haven't heard (which you haven't, because I've been neglecting this blog to the point that I BARELY EVEN RECOGNIZE YOU PEOPLE! *sob*), I'm currently home on Winter Break until the beginning of January, and have nothing but free time in which to make waffles and force the imaginary friends inside my head to interact with each other on paper. After extensive editing, my NaNoWriMo novel now stands at a solid forty pages, and continues to blossom and shape itself every day. Like a Chia Pet you have to think really hard about. I'm growing to simultaneously love and abhor my main character, who has a habit of fearlessly using words that embarrass me to even type, but who also has a very justified adoration for nacho cheese. It is deeply, humongously, extremely likely that this story will never leave my Microsoft Word document and that you will never read a single one of its sentences, but I'm still a superstitious person when it comes to writing, so I don't want to drone on about it too much. However, just know that I really like this idea. I think it could amount to something someday, and I don't say that very often about my creative projects.

But all optimism aside, can we talk for a second about how freaking difficult it is to funnel thoughts into story form? Writing is so much more than "this happened, then this happened, metaphor, simile, ending." You have to plan events ahead of time so that details can weave themselves throughout the plot, but be careful not to plan too much, or else you'll lose all the excitement that comes with the actual writing. You have to find non-irritating ways to introduce the physical characteristics of people and settings, while still including enough dialogue to keep the reader's attention. Different characters need different voices, even though they're all coming from the same author's brain. Who knew art could have so much logic to it?

Still, I'm very excited about the work I've been churning out lately. This book is happening. My new blog project, Presence, is in full swing, and already has a self-sufficient community surrounding it, which blows my mind and warms my heart about sixty times a day. On top of that, I'm about to take on another writing job that will provide me with some real, tangible, spendable money, which will allow me to, like, drive a car and eat food, and will also allow me to say with more confidence, "I am a freelance writer." No more of this "I want to write" nonsense. No more "I'm going to be a writer when I grow up." I'm finally doing it, bitches. Watch me go.

On that note, I'm gonna crawl back into my fictional world until I finish a chapter. I hope you're all having a great week, that you're eating well, and that you don't hate me too much for the video I posted yesterday. As a reward for sitting through it, you may watch my dogs play in the snow. I'll see you guys soon!

Chipotle burritos this year: 31
Subscribers: 40,706
Comments from new subscribers who only watch me because Charlie told them to: Priceless.

29 comments:

Mike said...

poop

Melody said...

I'm so jealous that you have free time to write. My finals aren't even until next week and I am drowning in group projects. It is total garbage.
Thanks for the procrastination, though. Reading your blog is a pleasure as always :D
poop.

Jen said...

I'm curious about this freelance writing job. Will you explain it later, so we can check it out?

Jenny said...

thank you for this. i've been struggling with writing myself, and this actually made some of those clouds around my brain part, letting the sweet warmth of ideas come.
jenny c.
p.s. your dogs are adorable

Rae B said...

NaNoWriMo is awesome! Though I've failed to complete it two years in a row now...

Still, I love writing! =)

Hope to see your name in print!

Blessings,
Rae

Bridget said...

Good luck on your writing! I wish I was that creative and determined, but alas, no. Haha, have fun though, I hope you're successful and that we DO end up getting to read it. :)

Suburban Sweetheart said...

Some of the ads on the side of Presence are so awkward. The one up for me now says "My name is Dennis Pegues, and I'm a Mormon." Am I alone in thinking this is awkward?

Anyway. Love everything you're doing. As always, you're an inspiration. And I mean that in a not-cheesy-and-obnoxiously-cliched way.

comelygrace said...

Yeah, tell us more about your new writing gig! :) Also, no plugging your other channel! It has to be like a secret treasure that one happens to discover to be fully appreciated. ..Oh, alright. I guess it's safe to reference here because your blog readers are probably the best treasure hunters anyways.

williams45 said...

bleh, I have my first two finals tomorrow and am not dreaming of having time to write, though when I have the time it doesn't tend to happen. Do you set aside time to write everyday when you're free? Or do you wait till you feel particularly inspired?

Anonymous said...

It's always nice to hear when another beginning writer is on the up and up. Hang on to those days, they make the struggles worth it. And good luck with the novel! I'm finishing my unsuccessful-as-a-NaNoWriMo-novel over the break, too. :)

Niki. said...

I'm excited for you and also curious about this writing job. Hope it goes well and that we might be able to hear more about it soon. =].

Good luck with your novel, as well!


Also, haha, my friend was listening to Charlie's album, and asked me, "is there really a Hayley G. Hoover?" And I replied, "YES. SHE IS AMAZING," and provided her with a link to your youtube channel.

Jaitee said...

"Who knew art could have so much logic to it?"
This is exactly what keeps me from finishing anything that isn't assigned in a class. Hopefully I'll get over that one day, my online friends are helping me with it, and I'll be able to say "I have written...blablablah" rather than "I will eventually get around to writing blablablah"

Ooh? Hayley G Hoover having a JOB? Hopefully details will come soon.

Heather said...

Sometimes, it is too much to bear. And sometimes, it would be harder not to attempt word wrestling.

Cheers, happy writing.

Victoria said...

I love this blog, Hayley! And Presence as well. I'm still in the "I want to be a freelance writer" phase, where I'm probably going to be stuck for the next few years (optimistacally, I mean, it might actually be forever). So, while I'm churning out pages upon pages, that nobody is going to see, you continue to be an inspiration. Is it too early to tell your beloved blog readers what this New Exciting Writing Job is? Was Kristina right about Hayley's Super Famous Super Awesome Advice Column?

Zaphiie said...

So good to know that you go through this when writing as well. I want to know more about this new writing gig/job/project as well!

Nikki said...

Hayley, I can't tell you how excited I am for you! I'm almost 20 and I've been stuck at the same fast-food job for five and a half years. I WISH I could be out doing what I actually WANT to be doing- writing, photographing, acting, anything. I really admire that you're actually doing it and I'm really excited to hopefully hear more about it! =) And I hope school and everything gets better for you after break. Enjoy your vacation! You worked hard for it!

Rosanna said...

Thats so cool that you got a writing job!! I tried Nanowrimo for the first time properley this year, was an absolute disaster. I'm very jealous that you're off for Christmas, I can't see any free time in my future until the summer :( x

Odi said...

Oh, once you get into it, could you explain the whole freelance writing thing and what there is to it for us aspiring folk? Thank you.

Also, that description of writing resonates with me deeply which, in turn, leads me to conclude that your novel must read at least decently because of the amount of passion, thought, and apparent skill you're putting into it. I'm of the opinion that -- not to jinx it or anything -- you will be published sooner than later, and I can't wait to read what you do produce!

Foxy Roxy said...

I'm so excited about your book! That's fantastic. Can't wait for the day when the first Haley G. Hoover novel comes out. Hopefully it's this one? :)

Madhu said...

ahahaha i love that charlie wrote a song promoting you

Danielle said...

I'm from the UK and I must admit that I still have no idea what a Chipotle Burrito is ;)

elfarmy17 said...

It is difficult for me to express just how much I love this post, and the majority of that love comes from the abundance of truth within it.

Alex Dahlberry said...

Yay for productivity! That's a feeling I've never had. xD
<3

Alexandra said...

I'm restarting my NaNoWriMo in January...I began to hate my old plot/characters, so I kind of gave up on them. Maybe I can make something respectable of them someday. However, I have a new idea that I'm really excited about and that I can't wait to write! I'm jealous of your free time; I don't have any of that. :/ So we'll see where this story goes; good luck with the rest of your novel!

Taren said...

love you.

Anonymous said...

Hayley, you can do it and I cannot wait to eventually read a book once you'll get published. I hope you have an amazing holiday and I definitely want to hear more about this freelancing job and if we can check it out too!

Unknown said...

Your book sounds fun! I'm glad you're inspired to write again, and that you're passionate about all your new projects!
I need to get back to my NaNoNovel, but I'm having trouble motivating myself to dive back in.
Also, I love your Presence blog & congrats on the job as a freelance writer! Don't forget us little people! ;)
-Aly

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