Another NaNo has come and gone, and while I fell far short of the event's 50k goal, I fell closer to it this year than I have in my past attempts, so I have at least fallen forward. To this end, that now gives me two that are somewhere in the middling throes of a first draft.
And this year's project has some more latent potential that I found as I was typing up several pages earlier this week - scenes that are suggested but had been skipped while in the moment - and several other shorter scenes that are on the boiler-plate, waiting for me to continue.
The fun part is that I intend on continuing with both projects (the one I have been writing for class, and the one that I put on hold for the class) over the next few months, and hope to have two completed 1st drafts in time for summer.
Then, between editing those two, I plan to start working on the thesis in earnest (using some of the time this spring to do some planning as well... more on that later...)
Showing posts with label NaNoWriMo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NaNoWriMo. Show all posts
Friday, December 04, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
November and NaNo...
The last (almost) month has been something of a blur, swallowed up between the day job, some weekend trips, and life in general. And somewhere in there, I've been logging several thousand words towards my class project for the semester.
The class, which is shadowing the conceits behind NaNoWriMo (only, a much lower word count goal), has been a mixed blessing for me. A lot of the apprehensions that I had going into the class have started poking their heads (beaks, noses, claws and fingers) my direction... which goes to show that if you worry about something, you're bound to make it happen (read: law of attraction, anyone?) But they have been driving me (mentally, anyway), towards that cliff of commitment, where I have been playing chicken with a security officer (remember the scene in the 2009 Star Trek movie, where the car goes over the cliff?)... I've been wanting to write, and fighting through the moments at night to hammer out some form of word count instead of letting the days fliter by.
Sadly, however, after a couple of missed days and other days of getting "close-but-not-quite" for the word count goals, I'm teetering on the bubble of being behind the power curve and really behind the curve. And while NaNo continues to the end of the month, I only have about ten days to get to and exceed my class goal, before I go away for a vacation. Any writing I do during that time will probably not be towards the class project, unless I get a wild hair to do some editing, instead of working on a seperate project (in addition to keeping a trip journal).
And that is how I am anticipating spending my weekend, dragging the tip of a pen across dozens of pages of beautiful yellow paper, cramming the lines with words in an effort to bring myself somewhere respectably close to quota.
The class, which is shadowing the conceits behind NaNoWriMo (only, a much lower word count goal), has been a mixed blessing for me. A lot of the apprehensions that I had going into the class have started poking their heads (beaks, noses, claws and fingers) my direction... which goes to show that if you worry about something, you're bound to make it happen (read: law of attraction, anyone?) But they have been driving me (mentally, anyway), towards that cliff of commitment, where I have been playing chicken with a security officer (remember the scene in the 2009 Star Trek movie, where the car goes over the cliff?)... I've been wanting to write, and fighting through the moments at night to hammer out some form of word count instead of letting the days fliter by.
Sadly, however, after a couple of missed days and other days of getting "close-but-not-quite" for the word count goals, I'm teetering on the bubble of being behind the power curve and really behind the curve. And while NaNo continues to the end of the month, I only have about ten days to get to and exceed my class goal, before I go away for a vacation. Any writing I do during that time will probably not be towards the class project, unless I get a wild hair to do some editing, instead of working on a seperate project (in addition to keeping a trip journal).
And that is how I am anticipating spending my weekend, dragging the tip of a pen across dozens of pages of beautiful yellow paper, cramming the lines with words in an effort to bring myself somewhere respectably close to quota.
Monday, December 01, 2008
NaNo... Oh no...
Another November has come and gone... and another "less than completed" NaNoWriMo effort... but it was NOT without its share of learned lessons...
1) I actually liked the feel of chicken scratching out the story... just trying to push, punch and throw words out of a pen and onto paper. It's liberating, and rewarding, in the sense that more pages are filled, tricking the mind to keep going, and giving a nice feeling of accomplishment. Writing just felt more natural than pecking at a keyboard... the "inner editor & critic" were easier to ignore...
2) While the handwriting approach may work for a general (unrestricted) project, for something like NaNo it is suicide. Not because of the writing, but because of having to write it then retype it... Unless someone else can type it up for you, we're talking a serious loss of time to do them both in such a short window of days... even if you try to stay on top of the typing from day one.
3) When I chose to put down a few lines, I would manage to log the time... go figure, right? Even when I was working, when I chose to put the effort in I was still able to put together a couple of (journal sized) pages with only minor difficulty.
4) Counter to #1 (above), I need to continue with the keyboard pecking to get to that same comfort level... especially if I tend to start a lot of projects on a computer... and if I want to get to anything longer than about fifteen pages for a story...
5) Reading makes a lot of things easier... the thought processes, feel for pacing a story, and characterizations - the visualization of the story.
6) Plot, plan and outline... It's not a guarantee, and each writer works differently, but it is a sound strategy to begin with, especially when the focus is on a limited time schedule. Character sketches (conceptual ideas, at least), possible plot points (at least for the inital segments... to give benchmarks and targets for pacing). At the very least, it helps to reduce any possible walls to really big speed bumps - progress may be slowed for a bit, but hopefully not stopped.
Ultimately, I still like NaNo, and the idea behind it. I still plan to continue trying it... but I have other goals that I want to work with. The point behind NaNo is to write against a forced deadline. Outside of any class requirements, there has been no hard and fast deadline for any of my other projects. Even those class requirements were modified, since I wanted to make sure things were "good" before they were turned in.
I have reached what I shall call the "PUSU point"... I need to "Put-Up or Shut Up"... like the weight and fitness issues in America - we know what needs to be done to fix things, and to improve, it's a matter of doing it. I have drafted schedules and timelines before, but it was outside of any focus... Something that looks good on paper, but with no bite or payoff... something written by someone who just wanted to write, but with no clear goal for publishing and trying to make a living by writing...
There are a lot of stories that I have pent up, wanting to be told, I just need to find and channel my focus to get things down... starting with putting my butt in a chair for some time every day, pecking at keys or scratching a pen across paper. That's the only way things can work... and I want it to work...
1) I actually liked the feel of chicken scratching out the story... just trying to push, punch and throw words out of a pen and onto paper. It's liberating, and rewarding, in the sense that more pages are filled, tricking the mind to keep going, and giving a nice feeling of accomplishment. Writing just felt more natural than pecking at a keyboard... the "inner editor & critic" were easier to ignore...
2) While the handwriting approach may work for a general (unrestricted) project, for something like NaNo it is suicide. Not because of the writing, but because of having to write it then retype it... Unless someone else can type it up for you, we're talking a serious loss of time to do them both in such a short window of days... even if you try to stay on top of the typing from day one.
3) When I chose to put down a few lines, I would manage to log the time... go figure, right? Even when I was working, when I chose to put the effort in I was still able to put together a couple of (journal sized) pages with only minor difficulty.
4) Counter to #1 (above), I need to continue with the keyboard pecking to get to that same comfort level... especially if I tend to start a lot of projects on a computer... and if I want to get to anything longer than about fifteen pages for a story...
5) Reading makes a lot of things easier... the thought processes, feel for pacing a story, and characterizations - the visualization of the story.
6) Plot, plan and outline... It's not a guarantee, and each writer works differently, but it is a sound strategy to begin with, especially when the focus is on a limited time schedule. Character sketches (conceptual ideas, at least), possible plot points (at least for the inital segments... to give benchmarks and targets for pacing). At the very least, it helps to reduce any possible walls to really big speed bumps - progress may be slowed for a bit, but hopefully not stopped.
Ultimately, I still like NaNo, and the idea behind it. I still plan to continue trying it... but I have other goals that I want to work with. The point behind NaNo is to write against a forced deadline. Outside of any class requirements, there has been no hard and fast deadline for any of my other projects. Even those class requirements were modified, since I wanted to make sure things were "good" before they were turned in.
I have reached what I shall call the "PUSU point"... I need to "Put-Up or Shut Up"... like the weight and fitness issues in America - we know what needs to be done to fix things, and to improve, it's a matter of doing it. I have drafted schedules and timelines before, but it was outside of any focus... Something that looks good on paper, but with no bite or payoff... something written by someone who just wanted to write, but with no clear goal for publishing and trying to make a living by writing...
There are a lot of stories that I have pent up, wanting to be told, I just need to find and channel my focus to get things down... starting with putting my butt in a chair for some time every day, pecking at keys or scratching a pen across paper. That's the only way things can work... and I want it to work...
Thursday, November 06, 2008
NaNo...
I am trying my hand at NaNaWriMo again... I am trying a Gaiman-esque approach this year, and hand writing (in a journal, with a fountain pen), to see if I can disconnect the internal editor, and just put words on the page. I do realize that I will need to go back and type the whole things up (so I can track the word count), but it's trying something different for me...
And the whole point in NaNo is to get a book out... it doesn't matter if it's a good book, as long as it is a book... Maybe when I knock this out (and, it is on my list of things for this quarter) I will have cleared through some wall or barrier, which should make things easier to get through in the future. (Yes, each book would be different, and have their own timeline to create, but finishing one book means that others can be finished as well, so the "Spectre of Non-Completion" can be exorcised, and sent for coffee and doughnuts when the internal editor gets cranky.)
I managed to write a chapter the other night (about 13 full pages, in a 5x7 journal)... the idea for chapter 2 is hanging around, probably having a beer and smoking a joint in order to avoid being put on the page...
But that's okay, because I've been trying to hammer out a story for class [that is supposed to be turned in on Tuesday]... At the moment, that is more important (and easier to generate while at work)....
So.... right... back to the trench...
And the whole point in NaNo is to get a book out... it doesn't matter if it's a good book, as long as it is a book... Maybe when I knock this out (and, it is on my list of things for this quarter) I will have cleared through some wall or barrier, which should make things easier to get through in the future. (Yes, each book would be different, and have their own timeline to create, but finishing one book means that others can be finished as well, so the "Spectre of Non-Completion" can be exorcised, and sent for coffee and doughnuts when the internal editor gets cranky.)
I managed to write a chapter the other night (about 13 full pages, in a 5x7 journal)... the idea for chapter 2 is hanging around, probably having a beer and smoking a joint in order to avoid being put on the page...
But that's okay, because I've been trying to hammer out a story for class [that is supposed to be turned in on Tuesday]... At the moment, that is more important (and easier to generate while at work)....
So.... right... back to the trench...
Friday, November 30, 2007
More Comics....
The above strip was online for yesterday (apparently late in the day, since I didn't see it until just a few minutes ago... and I was busy in the afternoon to go back and look...), and this next one is the one listed for today - 30 Nov...
I personally know the feeling... pretty much that all of the sentiments presented in the NaNo related strips this month - although in different circumstances... I expect there to be a couple more strips next week... mostly about the "post-NaNo" experience, so we'll see what pops up...
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Dork does NaNo...
Another good one... and the month is drawing to a close. There is yet time for a few more... but I digress...Friday, November 16, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
Another Comic...
Yet another NaNo strip from the folks at Dork Tower... Sometimes it's great to be a geek, just to get how subtle some comedy can be... Especially since we have a twisted sense of humor anyway...
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Dork Tower
A classic for the moment...
And for the record, this is also one of my regular stops on the tubes... Since I have been far from an active gamer for many years, it allows me those moments to reflect and remember the good times...
And the subject matter just couldn't be more hilarious, considering the fact that I can soooooo relate (last year, a stalled out at about 10 pages, or so, and I have another project that I was working on that stalled at about 12 pages...)
I'm trying very hard to embrace aspects of the NaNo ideal of "forget editing, just write"... and I fully understand (logically & intuitively) the point there... but damn if it's not the hardest thing - getting the "internal editor" to just sit down and shut up...
Ah, the joys of being a writer...
Oh, I would highly encourage anyone (even the non-gamers) to check out the Dork Tower on a regular basis... A word of warning for non-gamers, though: if you find something you don't quite get... find a gamer...
Friday, November 02, 2007
It Has Begun...
NaNo 2007 is underway, and so is the novel. I'm still in the introductory portion (having only written while I was at work yesterday... and not quite sure how I wanted to start until sometime in the afternoon)...
But it is in progress... I've started the novel with some basic character introductions and scene dressings, and suggested that Chris hop ahead to the major plot hook event - the point that forces the transition in the novel... It's a point we've talked about (it involves a ship and a storm, and that's all I'll say for now... :op )...
But it has begun... and I have to get back to writing, or it will never get finished...
But it is in progress... I've started the novel with some basic character introductions and scene dressings, and suggested that Chris hop ahead to the major plot hook event - the point that forces the transition in the novel... It's a point we've talked about (it involves a ship and a storm, and that's all I'll say for now... :op )...
But it has begun... and I have to get back to writing, or it will never get finished...
Friday, October 26, 2007
Projects & Progress...
We are drawing close to that time of year again... it is almost November, and NaNoWriMo is just around the corner... Last year, I tried, and failed miserably (barely breaking 5,000 words - a mere 1/10th of the quota of 50,000 to "complete" the event). But there are benefits to that effort... I have a manuscript started, and that's the first major step... actually writing something...
This year, however, I wasn't quite sure about participating, until I got an email from a friend of mine. His name is Chris (aka: whtedrgn), and we go waaay back. We go so far back that the only way we remember how far back we go is because of yearbook pictures (trust me, I've checked, and was very surprised to make that discovery...). Anyway, the point here is that he's been in a writing slump for a while, and I obviously would be at great risk of roadrash and gravel marks from trying to make the journey myself. He suggeted that we try a collaborative effort this year (thusly making it an interesting 25,000 words each... a daunting project, but much easier to manage individually....). The theory here is also that we can split days... instead of directly writing each day, we could alternate days... or whatever the word count suggests, or the story dictates...
The other key to this plan: the fact that we go waaay back. Seriously, it's an important piece for the puzzle. We have been bouncing story ideas and other creative projects off of each other, even collaborating on a three-book story arc idea way back in seventh grade (damn... I just realized that's damn near 20 years ago... somewhen around 17 or 18 years, to be exact... wow.) Mind you, it was an idea, and we didn't get to far beyond the basic plot points, but it's something we've been doing off and on for years, so it is a natural idea to pursue...
Well... that's the "project"... and here's the "progress"... I will be writing... :o) Pending final decision on the project, there will be character development and basic storyboarding, going back and forth to get things rolling. And I haven't been reading a lot lately, except for online articles/posts... but I've been journaling... a travel journal for the Mini (road trips), as well as keeping notes on "patient humor" - some of the crazy things that I've been getting over the phones at work ([funny] names, word butchering, and half-listening callers, just to name a few)... So my major progress (creatively) is getting the juices to flow... which is always a good thing for writing...
Then there is the "exterior" progress... I have started trying to make headway in the cleaning/purging of the house... the focus (right now) is still my stuff (and there is/has been a LOT of it), before delving into the things that were Jenn's, but I'm starting to seriously think about it, and I want to make dents. I want to purge most of my stuff and simplify what's around me. But often, it's all about finding the time, which I'm trying to do (and getting nudged into, thankfully, when I'm not to "in the moment") a little bit at a time...
This year, however, I wasn't quite sure about participating, until I got an email from a friend of mine. His name is Chris (aka: whtedrgn), and we go waaay back. We go so far back that the only way we remember how far back we go is because of yearbook pictures (trust me, I've checked, and was very surprised to make that discovery...). Anyway, the point here is that he's been in a writing slump for a while, and I obviously would be at great risk of roadrash and gravel marks from trying to make the journey myself. He suggeted that we try a collaborative effort this year (thusly making it an interesting 25,000 words each... a daunting project, but much easier to manage individually....). The theory here is also that we can split days... instead of directly writing each day, we could alternate days... or whatever the word count suggests, or the story dictates...
The other key to this plan: the fact that we go waaay back. Seriously, it's an important piece for the puzzle. We have been bouncing story ideas and other creative projects off of each other, even collaborating on a three-book story arc idea way back in seventh grade (damn... I just realized that's damn near 20 years ago... somewhen around 17 or 18 years, to be exact... wow.) Mind you, it was an idea, and we didn't get to far beyond the basic plot points, but it's something we've been doing off and on for years, so it is a natural idea to pursue...
Well... that's the "project"... and here's the "progress"... I will be writing... :o) Pending final decision on the project, there will be character development and basic storyboarding, going back and forth to get things rolling. And I haven't been reading a lot lately, except for online articles/posts... but I've been journaling... a travel journal for the Mini (road trips), as well as keeping notes on "patient humor" - some of the crazy things that I've been getting over the phones at work ([funny] names, word butchering, and half-listening callers, just to name a few)... So my major progress (creatively) is getting the juices to flow... which is always a good thing for writing...
Then there is the "exterior" progress... I have started trying to make headway in the cleaning/purging of the house... the focus (right now) is still my stuff (and there is/has been a LOT of it), before delving into the things that were Jenn's, but I'm starting to seriously think about it, and I want to make dents. I want to purge most of my stuff and simplify what's around me. But often, it's all about finding the time, which I'm trying to do (and getting nudged into, thankfully, when I'm not to "in the moment") a little bit at a time...
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Updates, pt. 2
Well... I have finally changed over the keyboard from the shiny black Dell model that came with the machine to an archaic (looking) white model... A whole lot of keys that will be staring at me, waiting to be pressed but will likely never be used (for a while, anyway). Gone are the quiet clicks and ticks, overtaken by solid thuds and smacks of heavier springs and thicker plastic...
The biggest thing to get used to will be the placement of the keys... probably a week of having to think through some of the calls, the mental chess of, "Oh, wait... that key is over... um... here, I think..." played in about a split second, trying to override (and over-write) the muscle memory that has been built up...
But enough about work... turns out I wrote more than I thought I had... my final word count was just over 2,000 after yesterday... yeah, me. That only covers the beginning of the story, and by my "original" schedule, I have allocated until around the 23rd for this project... so I'm going to have to pound some keys and see where the story takes me... I have a general idea for the events, but I'm fuzzy on the ending... guess it may depend on the middle first...
But I also need to make some notes on lengths... I've read about a couple of different spreads, estimates for work lengths - average length for short stories, but in what range does it start to be too long and enter into the wilderness of "novella" before emerging on the other side as a novel...
NaNoWriMo puts a target of 50k words as a decent benchmark for a novel - it equates to about 180 pages... I think Stephen King put a breakdown in his On Writing, but I have to find it again...
*sigh*
The biggest thing to get used to will be the placement of the keys... probably a week of having to think through some of the calls, the mental chess of, "Oh, wait... that key is over... um... here, I think..." played in about a split second, trying to override (and over-write) the muscle memory that has been built up...
But enough about work... turns out I wrote more than I thought I had... my final word count was just over 2,000 after yesterday... yeah, me. That only covers the beginning of the story, and by my "original" schedule, I have allocated until around the 23rd for this project... so I'm going to have to pound some keys and see where the story takes me... I have a general idea for the events, but I'm fuzzy on the ending... guess it may depend on the middle first...
But I also need to make some notes on lengths... I've read about a couple of different spreads, estimates for work lengths - average length for short stories, but in what range does it start to be too long and enter into the wilderness of "novella" before emerging on the other side as a novel...
NaNoWriMo puts a target of 50k words as a decent benchmark for a novel - it equates to about 180 pages... I think Stephen King put a breakdown in his On Writing, but I have to find it again...
*sigh*
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
The New Year, pt. 1
Here we are in January... the new year underway, and a bastion of hope for what the new year may bring. With that, I give you my "resolutions" for the coming year... at least the ones that I see as fit for public consumption. Here they are, in no particular order:
1) Get my weight down to between 160-175 lbs.
2) Read between 26-30 new books during the year (meaning - reading a book for the first time)
3) Finish "Book 1" - the current project started in November's NaNoWriMo
4) Write 8-10 short stories/articles.
5) Complete 1st draft of a script idea I've been working with (working title: Four Corners)
6) Compete in a 1/2 marathon (there's one that I'm looking at that's scheduled for the fall in Virginia Beach...)
7) Learn three (3) songs on bass guitar (to be able to play through completely)... (By default, one of them is going to be "Lady Madonna" by the Beatles, as I have already started on it... the other two are still undeclared at the moment)
8) Clean my office (and keep it clean)... trust me... it is a bigger deal than one may think...
9) Clean & Organize my attic space... a big undertaking, considering the attic has become one of the "catch-all" storage spaces...
10) Clean & Organize our guestroom (our other "catch-all" storage space... which has made the room impossible to use for anything else... like, guests!)
That's the basics for now... I'll try to put a "year in review" post a bit later...
1) Get my weight down to between 160-175 lbs.
2) Read between 26-30 new books during the year (meaning - reading a book for the first time)
3) Finish "Book 1" - the current project started in November's NaNoWriMo
4) Write 8-10 short stories/articles.
5) Complete 1st draft of a script idea I've been working with (working title: Four Corners)
6) Compete in a 1/2 marathon (there's one that I'm looking at that's scheduled for the fall in Virginia Beach...)
7) Learn three (3) songs on bass guitar (to be able to play through completely)... (By default, one of them is going to be "Lady Madonna" by the Beatles, as I have already started on it... the other two are still undeclared at the moment)
8) Clean my office (and keep it clean)... trust me... it is a bigger deal than one may think...
9) Clean & Organize my attic space... a big undertaking, considering the attic has become one of the "catch-all" storage spaces...
10) Clean & Organize our guestroom (our other "catch-all" storage space... which has made the room impossible to use for anything else... like, guests!)
That's the basics for now... I'll try to put a "year in review" post a bit later...
Friday, December 01, 2006
Hello, December...
(Funny side note: as I was typing that, I had part of the Counting Crows singing "Long December"... sorry, I thought it was actually quite hilarious so I had to write it.)
Well... it's Friday, which is always a good day. Alas, NaNo is NoMo and I can honestly say that I am actually disappointed in the fact that I just let it go... I started ok, but after a couple of bumps, I just stayed stalled (I guess a good comparison would be a race car driver getting into a Daytona or Indianapolis 500 race and then blowing the engine before even completing a tenth of the race). I think I ended up derailing myself once I got a day or two behind... that and trying to do a lot of the mileage at work (which, after staffing changes REALLY killed those chances) were not helped at all by the fact that I had exressed concerns before the project started (translation: the philosophy works - Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right.)
But, it is a new month, and new goals to tackle. According to my schedule (yes, I drafted a schedule back in September... kind of a guide to some projects) most of December is intended for drafting some notes, so I have a perfect starting point for my 1,000 word a day goal - my current NaNoWriMo WIP.
So, while my 2006 NaNoWriMo efforts may RIP, there is still life for the story... If you'll excuse me, it is time for me to raise the dead... and if we're good, maybe teach it some new steps
(Cue Gene Wilder and "the Monster" for "Puttin' on the Ritz" to take it away)
Well... it's Friday, which is always a good day. Alas, NaNo is NoMo and I can honestly say that I am actually disappointed in the fact that I just let it go... I started ok, but after a couple of bumps, I just stayed stalled (I guess a good comparison would be a race car driver getting into a Daytona or Indianapolis 500 race and then blowing the engine before even completing a tenth of the race). I think I ended up derailing myself once I got a day or two behind... that and trying to do a lot of the mileage at work (which, after staffing changes REALLY killed those chances) were not helped at all by the fact that I had exressed concerns before the project started (translation: the philosophy works - Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right.)
But, it is a new month, and new goals to tackle. According to my schedule (yes, I drafted a schedule back in September... kind of a guide to some projects) most of December is intended for drafting some notes, so I have a perfect starting point for my 1,000 word a day goal - my current NaNoWriMo WIP.
So, while my 2006 NaNoWriMo efforts may RIP, there is still life for the story... If you'll excuse me, it is time for me to raise the dead... and if we're good, maybe teach it some new steps
(Cue Gene Wilder and "the Monster" for "Puttin' on the Ritz" to take it away)
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Progress...
Well, the day is moving along steadily... no issues with lunch today as the "other 12 o'clock" person actually called out sick. (Of course, that means that there has been a lot more calls for each of us that are here... wahoo, right!?!)
I have pretty much chalked up NaNoWriMo this year to nice thought, good start, good starting effort, but poor planning and weak follow through when I was not able to push as many words at work. (Yes, I know that TECHNICALLY there is still one day left, but I highly doubt that, even getting no sleep and not working tomorrow that I would be able to make 50k words, as I am still looming down at the 4,000 word range).
So, here is the reevaluation of things, and my plan for future progress: The NaNoWriMo pace is 1,667 words a day. My new target is to aim for a regular output of around 1,000 words a day. However, those words need to be USEFUL words (in other words - actually building a story - notes do not count, and blog entries do not count), while working on a project. If I am "between projects", then the goal of 1,000 words still stands, I just need to be creative about things (using writing prompts and exercises) to keep juices flowing.
I do plan on participating next year, and hopefully spending time generating text will set me up with some chops to plow through the increased numbers (maybe I can establish some routines and be able to hole myself away a bit more often, without some of the trips to help through off my numbers).
But I have a list of things for today (split - some for while I am here at work, and some for while I am home tonight). So far, I have most that list completed... A little bit of progress, there. Also, a little progress each day (they say it's 21 days to make/break a habit) with the writing will be a good thing. I revisited and rekindled this, with the intention of making the habit of entries and writing something... and at two months later, that appears to be a habit that is taking hold. Here's the funny part - I go through the day and think, "Maybe I should write (blog) about this," and I tend to feel guilty when I haven't written an entry on the normal schedule (M-F, so far... maybe I'll add the weekends, but I cannot maek promises as weekend travels may limit ISP access). A little bit of progress each day, and a mountain of scenes and ideas will be gerated. A little each day, and I can send manuscripts to potential publishers.
Three cheers for progress...
I have pretty much chalked up NaNoWriMo this year to nice thought, good start, good starting effort, but poor planning and weak follow through when I was not able to push as many words at work. (Yes, I know that TECHNICALLY there is still one day left, but I highly doubt that, even getting no sleep and not working tomorrow that I would be able to make 50k words, as I am still looming down at the 4,000 word range).
So, here is the reevaluation of things, and my plan for future progress: The NaNoWriMo pace is 1,667 words a day. My new target is to aim for a regular output of around 1,000 words a day. However, those words need to be USEFUL words (in other words - actually building a story - notes do not count, and blog entries do not count), while working on a project. If I am "between projects", then the goal of 1,000 words still stands, I just need to be creative about things (using writing prompts and exercises) to keep juices flowing.
I do plan on participating next year, and hopefully spending time generating text will set me up with some chops to plow through the increased numbers (maybe I can establish some routines and be able to hole myself away a bit more often, without some of the trips to help through off my numbers).
But I have a list of things for today (split - some for while I am here at work, and some for while I am home tonight). So far, I have most that list completed... A little bit of progress, there. Also, a little progress each day (they say it's 21 days to make/break a habit) with the writing will be a good thing. I revisited and rekindled this, with the intention of making the habit of entries and writing something... and at two months later, that appears to be a habit that is taking hold. Here's the funny part - I go through the day and think, "Maybe I should write (blog) about this," and I tend to feel guilty when I haven't written an entry on the normal schedule (M-F, so far... maybe I'll add the weekends, but I cannot maek promises as weekend travels may limit ISP access). A little bit of progress each day, and a mountain of scenes and ideas will be gerated. A little each day, and I can send manuscripts to potential publishers.
Three cheers for progress...
Monday, November 20, 2006
Another Monday..
Here at work it is another busy Monday - busier than most, probably due to the nature of the week (short due to Thanksgiving). As far as work is concerned, I am actually rather excited... this is actually the first time in several years that I have not had to (or felt compelled and/or obliged to) spend time working on Thanksgiving... but I also get the following day off (without having to ask for it!)
On the writing front, there has been no significant (read: none, period) change in my NaNoWriMo word count. I'm feeling bummed out about my faroy into the project (much less output than I was anticipating), and I am thinking that I may just need to "skip ahead" in the story line a bit to jump start the engines... Not too much, mind you, but just enough to be past my curent sticking point (get into some of the action, then fill in the background details to lead into the landing from the "jump point")...
But a slew of intermittent calls beckon, and only a short time before the end of the work day...
On the writing front, there has been no significant (read: none, period) change in my NaNoWriMo word count. I'm feeling bummed out about my faroy into the project (much less output than I was anticipating), and I am thinking that I may just need to "skip ahead" in the story line a bit to jump start the engines... Not too much, mind you, but just enough to be past my curent sticking point (get into some of the action, then fill in the background details to lead into the landing from the "jump point")...
But a slew of intermittent calls beckon, and only a short time before the end of the work day...
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Thursday...
Here we are, nine days in to NaNoWriMo... I can honestly say that I have hit a wall. My enthusiasm for the adventure, while still present, is screaming at everything else and telling me I should be writing - and the "outside world" keeps getting in the way.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
(As at least four hours have passed since I made the initial notes for this entry)
I will be zooming home after work to pack and do more laundry (to finish packing) before getting ready to catch a train to the Apple. All of that, and clearing memory cards for pictures, etc. "Oh, what fun it is to be, in a great big hurry" (sing along, everyone - make sure you use "Jingle Bells" as the reference music or will sound rather funny and not make sense)
And I have many hours of writing in my plans - both on my NaNoWriMo project and personal journals for the trip...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
(As at least four hours have passed since I made the initial notes for this entry)
I will be zooming home after work to pack and do more laundry (to finish packing) before getting ready to catch a train to the Apple. All of that, and clearing memory cards for pictures, etc. "Oh, what fun it is to be, in a great big hurry" (sing along, everyone - make sure you use "Jingle Bells" as the reference music or will sound rather funny and not make sense)
And I have many hours of writing in my plans - both on my NaNoWriMo project and personal journals for the trip...
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Next Day...
OK... so I've slid on my novel writing. My word count for yesterday was dramatically better than Monday's paltry total (I still cannot believe it was only one (1) word... that is probably more depressing than writing nothing), it still was not close to pace... but it was writing...
I am currently also getting ready for a trip to NYC this weekend (can you say, "Wahoo" boys and girls? I know you can.) Some of my evening time has been occupied trying to clean, pack, and get the house ordered and ready for our absence (nothing like digging luggage out from a closet, eh?).
We are travelling up by train, but on the "Midnight" train, leaving at around 1am... either little to no sleep before the train, and likely passing out while on board. And trying to still keep the pen moving...
I am currently also getting ready for a trip to NYC this weekend (can you say, "Wahoo" boys and girls? I know you can.) Some of my evening time has been occupied trying to clean, pack, and get the house ordered and ready for our absence (nothing like digging luggage out from a closet, eh?).
We are travelling up by train, but on the "Midnight" train, leaving at around 1am... either little to no sleep before the train, and likely passing out while on board. And trying to still keep the pen moving...
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Another day...
Another word... literally! I only added one glorious word to the text of the NIP (novel-in-progress) yesterday. The addition of only one word (just one), it's not really worth the effort of updating the word count totals... Phones were crazy and finding a few moments to eat was a feat unto itself.
That said, I am not giving up... I'm already further along than when I started, and I look to be even further along by the end of the month...
And with all of that being said, did I mention that my birthday was yesterday? It was, and I am now thirty. 30. Three Zero. 30. Geez, I have a lot of writing to do...
That said, I am not giving up... I'm already further along than when I started, and I look to be even further along by the end of the month...
And with all of that being said, did I mention that my birthday was yesterday? It was, and I am now thirty. 30. Three Zero. 30. Geez, I have a lot of writing to do...
Monday, November 06, 2006
After Five Days...
Five days into NaNoWriMo... and my word count stands at: 4073 words! That's right, Friday's production was a meager 414 words, with nothing added on either Saturday or Sunday (the scary thought is that I expected about that much production from the weekend...)
Here is the really scary part... I am now about 2.5 days behind on basic word count.
I read a blog post from a former classmate of mine... ( www.staceycochran.com )
"I have written a little bit each day for the past four or five days. Some days it's only a few hundred words, but if you write just some each day, eventually you'll get a whole novel written. The current word count is 18,773 at 97 pages. That is a solid 1/4 of a novel, and that thought makes me feel content and happy.
"It's just amazing to me how a novel comes together every time. Some novels you write in three weeks; some have taken me three years. This current one feels slow sometimes, but even at this pace, I'll have 70,000 words in a total of six months.
"The key is to just write some every day, even if it's only a couple of paragraphs."
I guess that's the reassurance and the logic that I keep coming back to... I'd like to get to the 50,000 word mark by the end of the month, but if I don't, at least I'm closer to a completed novel than I was when I started the month. That is also part of what caused my hangups from Friday (other than it just being a Friday and having to handling a lot of calls) is that I was trying to plug through a slower segment near the beginning, just before reintroducing the primary character into society... I have the feeling that I will inevitably have to either cut or rework much of the current segment that I am working on...
Such is the life of a writer, I guess...
Here is the really scary part... I am now about 2.5 days behind on basic word count.
I read a blog post from a former classmate of mine... ( www.staceycochran.com )
"I have written a little bit each day for the past four or five days. Some days it's only a few hundred words, but if you write just some each day, eventually you'll get a whole novel written. The current word count is 18,773 at 97 pages. That is a solid 1/4 of a novel, and that thought makes me feel content and happy.
"It's just amazing to me how a novel comes together every time. Some novels you write in three weeks; some have taken me three years. This current one feels slow sometimes, but even at this pace, I'll have 70,000 words in a total of six months.
"The key is to just write some every day, even if it's only a couple of paragraphs."
I guess that's the reassurance and the logic that I keep coming back to... I'd like to get to the 50,000 word mark by the end of the month, but if I don't, at least I'm closer to a completed novel than I was when I started the month. That is also part of what caused my hangups from Friday (other than it just being a Friday and having to handling a lot of calls) is that I was trying to plug through a slower segment near the beginning, just before reintroducing the primary character into society... I have the feeling that I will inevitably have to either cut or rework much of the current segment that I am working on...
Such is the life of a writer, I guess...
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