Manuscript so far...
So if I’ve finished two books already – why did I need to attend a novelist’s boot camp?
2011 had brought me a great deal of challenges which pulled me further and further away from my project and quite honestly I could only handle small chunks of writing like short stories and plays. I could have applied this method to the novel and be finished by now, but it really did feel like the too hard basket. I was literally ‘stuck in the middle‘ and my head space wouldn’t allow me to progress.
I’ve since learned from this boot camp of course that what I experienced last year, I shall never experience again (I don’t mean the obstacles) no such luck on that one, it’s the nature of life, but on the practise of writing and moving forward with the story. We covered every single reason of what stopped us from writing and we equally found the answers or solutions to those obstacles. So no more excuses!
Some of the ways of finding my way back into the story were: the colour coded cards and map drawing on whiteboard (atrocious drawing) you saw in Part I.
The notebook seems to always work really well for me as I map out 3 – 4 chapters in advance (bullet points only) when I finish writing for the day. I source pictures that give me images I can relate to, specific to the story, and stick them in my notebook. I’m a visual person, so pictures, colour, and so on is really important to me, for finding the connectedness to the story. Below are some examples of what works for me 
Would love to hear what works for you…
World building by using pictures to add to my shocking map in part I of this post...
Since this was Queensland Writers Centre first ever boot camp we were guinea pigs for Dr Kim to experiment with
There’s always something incredible about being part of something new.
Something exciting and exhilarating about the process of finding out what works, and what doesn’t, and being on that journey with others in all different genres and stages of their novel. Discovering what is good about the workshop, what is great and what is meh!
In 2005, I had the great fortune of being part of the very first ‘Year of the Novel’ with Kris Olssen and while the program has changed dramatically since then, the first is always special – right? I then went onto to do ‘Year of the Novel ‘ and ‘Year of the Edit‘ with Kim Wilkins which is now renamed ’Year of the Writer’ to encompass YOTN and YOTE with the addition of ‘Year of the YA novel’ all held at the QWC . Here you can find several opportunities to work with different authors of varying genres to develop or edit your novel. Having been a participant of these major workshops in the past, I highly recommend them as they are great learning curves, arming you with tools to getting the novel finished, and/or getting through the edit of a nasty, scary looking first draft.
The Novelist’s Boot Camp, short of being in lock down at Boggo Road Gaol, I would say, and I think my peers would agree, was a great success by the results and head way made by everyone in the group. We went home on Sunday tired, but smiling, excited, brimming with ideas, in touch with our novels and passionate and confident, now armed with valuable tools, and ideas on how to stay focussed on the project, to plan and to execute the novel no matter the circumstances.
If you are struggling to convert that novel into written words then this could very well be the weekend for you. The second boot camp with Kim Wilkins will be held again at the Queensland Writers Centre in July, 2012. Click here for all the details and if you are looking for a wild, and intense weekend of adventure in planning and reconnecting with your story as only YOU can, then don’t’ hesitate to sign up NOW! You have everything to gain
Read Part I of The Novelist’s Boot Camp here:
Kudos to Meg Vann for adding value to the class with her knowledge and expertise particularly in the crime genre and to the Queensland Writers Centre for putting such a great course together.
Midnight rambler has now written the beginning of the middle…
