Monday, December 5, 2011

The Junk Drawer

I have a junk drawer. It's convenient to have somewhere to put things when I'm too lazy to find another home for them. Every once in a while I empty it out, throw away stuff that I don't need, and rearrange things to have some kind of order.

I tried to to NaNo last month and epically failed, but I did learn something. I need to be better prepared, because right now my manuscript reminds me of my junk drawer. I feel like I wrote chapters just to get some words and now I have a big mess. I need to go through all of it and throw stuff away that doesn't work, rearrange other parts that do work, and put it all into order.

How about you? Do you ever feel like your manuscript is like a junk drawer?

PS: Dress update. All that worrying for nothing. I didn't make it to my Christmas party due to a winter storm.

PSS: Sorry I haven't been around lately. My computer sucks, so I only have access at night when my husband isn't working or my son isn't doing homework. I'm hoping for a laptop for Christmas, or my anniversary, or my birthday. I'm going to try and swing by everyone's blogs this week.

12 comments:

Stina said...

That was a bad storm, wasn't it???? Sorry you missed your party.

I spent an hour yesterday cleaning out a similar drawer for my kids. Not fun at all. But at least now they can't complain they can't find any erasers. I found six.

I plan a lot before writing my first draft, but that doesn't mean junk doesn't make its way in. :P

Susan R. Mills said...

That's too bad about the party. Hopefully another occasion will come up for you to wear the dress to. I'd have to say my first drafts are very much like a junk drawer. And unfortunately most of the content is in fact junk that needs to be tossed. But I'm one of those weird people who actually enjoys cleaning out things, drawers and manuscripts alike.

i'm erin. said...

Oh dang. I hate when I have something planned to wear and I don't get a chance.

I too have a junk drawer. But it just gets out of control. I guess that's a lot like my writing too.

Anne Gallagher said...

I'm sorry you didn't make it to your party. I wanted to see the pictures.

All of my ms. are junk drawers at some point or another. Only when I finally realize the kitchen sink won't fit, do I clean it out and rearrange everything.

Okay, get dressed up and take a pic of yourself in your new dress anyway, and show us.

Jessica Nelson said...

I hope you get your laptop! They're getting cheaper and cheaper. ;-)
I HATE my junk drawer. Grrrrrr.

Connie Keller said...

I hope you get a laptop too! If price is an issue, ask around--some computer companies replace employee laptops every couple of years and then they sell the old ones (which really aren't that old) cheaply.

Candice said...

That is one clean junk drawer! When I try to write too quickly and give myself unrealistic word count goals, I get the junk drawer!

Unknown said...

Gosh, more than my MS are like a junk drawer. Haha! I love the analogy. I hope you can get yours sorted out. Good luck!

Southpaw said...

Ah, too bad you didn't make it to the party.

There are junk drawers lurking in every rough draft.

Felicity Grace Terry said...

Sorry to hear you didn't make it to your party, all that searching for nothing.

I think everyone needs a junk draw, I'm impressed how tidy yours is.

Melissa Amateis said...

Oh no! You missed the Christmas party? Can you take the dress back?

Anonymous said...

Oh, I have a junk drawer. I don't even open it any more, it scares me that much. I shouldn't be allowed to have one.
Astute thought about junk drawer/manuscripts. Mine looks like that sometimes, too!