Novel Self-Help

Is it pathetic that I'm still working on my NaNoNovel?

“It already sounds stupid.”

 The plot keeps evading me. I want the narrator, Jane, to be the FMC, but the secondary FMC keeps stealing the spotlight every time I work on the outline. It's always 'Jill' this, 'Jill' will do that.

"The key word here," she smiled out of context. "Is desperation."

  So I've been reading this novel-help book (gasp) that I used to hate, but actually has some great ideas and thoughts in it. Teach Youself: Writing a Novel by Nigel Watts. It's some none-existent British version of Idiot's Guide. There is little room in my writing world for talk of structured outlines and roller coasters and arcs. So I usually skip all of that. Here is a random good bit:
"Not every novel you read will have a clearly identifiable thesis [. . .] Such books are often like low-grade fast food: tasty in an obvious sort of way, but without much nutrition. [. . .] The market for junk food and junk literature is ever-expanding, and there is a lot of money to be made. Whatever sort of writing you are drawn to write, don't resist the tug. If you self-consciously inject meaning into your work, you will probably seem fake. Even junk has its own integrity." -From Teach Yourself: Writing a Novel
 But I'm a nerd for the study of fiction writing, so that probably doesn't interest you. You probably want more quotes from my book.

 “Enough said.” I held up my hands and grinned awkwardly at the table.

Deceptive (indented quotes) copyright 2012 Jessica Verve.