NaNoWriMo

I can't believe so much time has passed since my last post. I guess that's what happens when you decide to participate in NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month where the goal is to write 50,000 words in the thirty days of November.I've been writing and writing with some incredible results. On the last Monday my word count sat at just over 28,000 words and I wondered how I was ever going to make 50,000 by Friday when I thought that the most I could write in a day was 5,000 because that's the most I had ever written. And I'm not one for writing unneeded words just to accumulate them. I began NaNoWriMo to write a specific book, so the last thing I wanted was a bunk of junk I needed to wade through when I returned to edit.On Thurday, November 29, I did the amazing: write 9,256 words bringing me within range by 7,500 words win. And win I did.Many people say the last few thousand words just about sail in themselves, but I fought with every last one to get them down. Not because I was

So how's it going, participants? I did not sign up for the program, but have set a goal of 1000 words a day, unofficially. I'm almost keeping up--My project involves one of my favorite characters from Shiva's Arms, Nela, the headstrong unmarriageable daughter of the Sambashivan clan. I am trying to find out the difference between what she believes she wants and what she actually wants. The subject is always desire, I suppose. Since Nela becomes a mathematician, I'm trying to pin down the way mathematicians talk. I'm going to get David Leavitt's The Indian Clerk, an account of the relationship between Hardy and Ramanujan. Research--I read at least one hundred books about or set in India while envisioning Shiva's Arms. Here we go again...

In case no one knows about it yet, I feel the need to point out that it is actually National Novel Writing Month (It should really be International, but whatever). I really should have said this before the month started, so if you wanted to you could join in, but I'm selfish like that, I didn't want you stealing my glory.I've wanted to do this for a few years, so this year, despite not being any more prepared, or with more time than any other year, I took the plunge and signed up at NaNoWriMo.org. Here's five reasons I shouldn't have done this:1. It's 1,666 words a day, the number of the beast!2. I hardly write in my blog.3. I don't have a plot.4. I'm as easily distracted as a chubber* at a buffet.5. I can't actually write.The basic premise is that you spew out 50,000 words in one month. I

In case no one knows about it yet, I feel the need to point out that it is actually National Novel Writing Month (It should really be International, but whatever). I really should have said this before the month started, so if you wanted to you could join in, but I'm selfish like that, I didn't want you stealing my glory.I've wanted to do this for a few years, so this year, despite not being any more prepared, or with more time than any other year, I took the plunge and signed up at NaNoWriMo.org. Here's five reasons I shouldn't have done this:1. It's 1,666 words a day, the number of the beast!2. I hardly write in my blog.3. I don't have a plot.4. I'm as easily distracted as a chubber* at a buffet.5. I can't actually write.The basic premise is that you spew out 50,000 words in one month. It is an incredibly rough first draft that you can then do whatever you want with. Even if that is storing it away and calling yourself a writer for the rest of your life, which is what I plan

***Scroll down for manic Monday***Here are some wall papers that I made for those of us who are doing NaNoWriMo... the calendar has the word counts for each day and was made by another NaNo'er (sorry I tried to find you name to give you credit!). All of the photos were taken by me.Click on the image to enlarge to it's full size, right click/save as.Enjoy! :D

Welcome to Blog Your Blessings Sunday.I have three blessings to post today.1. IJ, now almost 13 years old, went hunting with his dad yesterday morning for youth weekend and he saw a buck. Jim said it was about 140 pounds, old and gray. Not many get to see or shoot one of those. IJ said he didn't shoot it because he didn't have a good shot and he thought he wasn't allowed to shoot a doe. But he regrets it.Jim and IJ are out again early today for another round and hope to see that deer. IJ says that this time if he sees the gray doe, he's going to shoot it. He has a good chance because the deer are bedding down on the bank just beyond our playground (the old llama pen extension).2. Apparently, deer isn't all IJ saw yesterday morning. Later that day, he came to us with a tick on his neck and another crawling up the front of his shirt. He freaked a little seeing how earlier in the week we had to dig one that had sunk itself deep into his hip.Then CJ found a tick crawling up her leg, s

So, it's NaNoWriMo day two. I really really wish I could tell you that my novel is off to a great start.I really wish I could tell you it was off to any kind of start.But...I haven't written a single word. I haven't even opened a new Word document. I don't even know what I'm writing about. I wish I could take the novel I started last year, the one I had to abandon when my computer crashed. I really like that one, and I would love to finish it. But that would be cheating.Maybe I could just wait until day 11 or so--that's when the laptop died last year--and take up my last year's novel from then.Maybe?Nah, still cheating. Tempting, but cheating.This is the third year I have done NaNoWriMo. The first year I was newly pregnant with Bek and spent most of November sleeping. The second year--well, you know. So this year I am determined to finish my 50,000-word novel, if it kills me.And considering the fact that each November the housework goes undone for a month, if the writing doesn'

I'm now at 4576 words for Nanowrimo.org. Here's is an excerpt from today's writing:One morning I was getting ready for school when my new foster mother came in and said we were going to the doctor that day instead of going to school. My new foster sister, Rhonda was coming along for something called, “Moral Support.” I was confused as to why she would need to go to the doctor for help with her morals. I asked her, “Don't you need to see a psychiatrist for that?” Rhonda & Rhoda laughed all the way to the doctor's office. I wondered if they were as crazy as my Jewel.You can read the rest of today's writing at http://mezamashii.blogspot.com/

Tap Tap Tap… No, those aren’t students furiously cranking out a 5-page thesis the day before it’s due; it’s much worse than that. It’s the NaNoWriMo’s doing a crazy, insane writing project.  The Goal: writing 50,000 words in 30 days! Every November, at various bookstores and coffee shops around Albuquerque, a dozen or so people will be gathered around their laptop or writing pad writing at a frenzied pace.     Killing the inner editor There’s no time to ponder; this is all about speed. Just get the words down. Is it garbage? Who knows, you don’t have time to go back and read it– just keep writing.     It’s all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly. So far, over 440 fools have affliated for this year’s NaNoWriMo in New Mexico. November 1st is kick-off. A group is meeting at the Uptown Borders around 7:00. Saturday, November 3r

I don’t have anything profound to say today (like most days I guess). I did want to mention a few things I’ve been reading lately. But, first if you weren’t aware of my ‘Required Readings‘ page, you should check that out. It’s not complete, but basically I’m trying to construct a list of books, movies and sermons that would be part of my required reading list for Trying To Follow 101. The goal is for the list not to be overwhelming long, so it’s a work in progress. Anything you think I should add? I’ve actually gotten myself on a roll reading books, which I hope to continue. I finished With Justice for All by Jonathan Perkins last week, which I would highly recommend if you know nothing of the CCDA philosophy. I also just finished Freakonomics, which I found extremely interesting and entertaining. I’m almost done with Divided by Faith which sheds light on the racial divide in the evangelical church. I had started reading the

So I've been meaning to write a book since I was, oh I don't know, seven or so. Always with the excuses though. First it was not understanding basic sentence structure, then puberty, then self-doubt, then marriage and the myriad of distractions that come with.In the meantime? People were stealing my ideas. Yup. Pretty shocking, eh? My brilliant idea of writing a Choose Your Own Adventure style book for an adult audience? Something fabulously thought provoking and inspiring? Stolen. Multiple times even. Although some authors' interpretation of "adult" differed from mine. Ahem.So I signed up for NaNoWriMo. No people, I'm not making this up. That's what it's called.Not only am I going to write my first book, I'm going to do so in a month. However, I'm also going to join the NaNoBloMo movement. Which consists of blogging every single day for a month. I figure I can pull this off because there's nothing to say the daily blog posts have a minimum word requirement. I figure two word

***Scroll down for Wordless Wednesday***Well, I'm taking the plunge :D I have an idea for a book that was inspired by writing snippets for 3 Word Wednesday. I stopped writing for the usual reasons, I chickened out. I am trying to get over my "fear of failure" (you know, the one that my mother bludgeoned me over the head with any chance she got), and so this is my way of kicking Fear Of Failure right in the junk ;)Wish me luck!It's only 50,000 words, no big deal right? Here is my profile page if you would like to be my writing buddy there at the NaNoWriMo headquarters.Anybody want to talk the plunge with me?

After a week or so of deliberation I have decided to participate in National Novel Writing Month in November. Inspired by StrugglingWriter who is also participating and swung in no small way by the involvement of a certain fantasy writer I occasionally blog about. The idea is simple, the best ones usually are, you have one month - November - to write a full first draft of no less than 50,000 words by midnight of 30th November in whatever time-zone you’re located. As I have a bit of time off work that month as well as two long flights I thought I’d give it a go. This of course also puts pressure on me to finish Priest as soon as possible. Another good thing. And of course I also need to get G to read “This hard land” in a bid to help me decide if I can do anything with that particular turkey. So that will be me, in November, drinking far too much coffee and pounding away at my keyboard - no change there then. I think I have an idea lined up…I hope I have

I'm stuck on about 6500 words. I'm supposed to be at around 25000 tonight. Needless to say I'm behind. I'm down, but not out. As they say in sports, it's still mathematically possible. But it doesn't look good...

Where I am: 5801 words Where I should be (by midnight tonight): 10000 words Wow, what a crazy week it's been. But I can already see why people do this. If there's a 10K in town, people come out in droves, even though 99.9% of them know that they will not be competing for first place. In many races I've been involved in, the winner has already finished the race before many have even crossed the starting line. With absolutely no chance of winning, why do people still participate? To reach a personal goal, to brag to their friends that they did it, and for the unexpected rewards you get from being a part of something bigger than yourself. While this all makes perfect sense in the world of athletics, it has not translated to the arts. I think most everyone deep down has a desire to paint or sew or write. But for whatever reason, we feel like it's something best left to the "pros", whoever that is. And when those of us who are blessed (or stubborn!) enough follow through and

No, this isn't some warmed over Mork from Ork saying. This is one of the more ridiculous and interesting creative endeavors you could ever embark on. And when I say "ridiculous", I don't mean "bizarre" (although this is a bit out there). I mean you will invite the ridicule of your friends and close relations. And guess what? I'm seriously considering it. What exactly is "it"? It's National Novel Writing Month, of course. And what is National Novel Writing Month, you ask? Well, you sign up at their website, then you write a 175 page (50,000 word) novel during the month of November. You have exactly that long to complete it. Besides an exercise in masochism (non-sexual, I can assure you!) of the extreme sort, this could be a good way to overcome writer's block and crank out that "crappy first draft" so many of those creativity experts go on and on about. I think in the case of my non-writing, internal editing, Gemini self, it could be the only way you would ever see me c

For those of you participating in the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year, I've compiled a list of tools and tips to help you get started and keep you going along the way. Nanowrimo Podcast 2006 - back by popular demand Character Questionnaires - Get to Know Your Characters Steve's Columns - lot's of motivational stuff Feaths Bookcase: Writers resources, random generators, progress bars - fun! The Writer's Software Companion - just in case you get lonely The Scriptorium - writer's toolbox - for the writer who has everything Language Is A Virus - NaNoWriMo tools & toys - for the writer who has more than everything How to "win" National Novel Writing Month in 5 (no, 6) easy steps - courtesy of Write Now Is Good National Novel Finishing Month - what to do with your manuscript after November 30 NaNoFiMo Resources Page What are you doing to prepare for NaNoWriMo 2006?

Happy Friday all! My condolences to those of you living in the Buffalo area. But hey, maybe if you're home for a snow day you'll be able to get some writing done! Although I suppose it will have to be with pen and paper with no power! Eric has a great pre-NaNoWriMo post over at Quantum Storytelling: "Cooking Up Some Creative Constraints" Angela Booth also has some NaNoWriMo QuickStart posts to help participants get ready. Check "em out here. I have entered NaNoWriMo this year - my first time. My user name is Nienke. Who else is going for it this year?

Last year, probably around this time, a couple of sentences popped into my head, and I knew that these would form the opening lines of my first attempt at National Novel Writing Month. The sentences were as follows:Angelique was thin in a way that resembled tall. Her husband, Laszlo, was short in a way that resembled broad.I had no title in mind, nor did I have a premise. All I had was two sentences. I was confident that they constituted a fine start. True to the spirit of the exercise, I did not commit those sentences to paper (nor did I type them into a computer, nor did I utter them aloud) until November 1. And that's where my journey began.I am plagued by a terrible memory, and so I knew that there was a high likelihood that by the time November 1 rolled around, I might well forget those sentences. They might be superseded by something better (or by something worse). Or I might just start NaNoWriMo with a blank mind, having to manufacture a whole new start when November began.But

CONGRATULATIONS to those who made 50k during November! You ROCK!I didn't make the finish line for NaNoWriMo. However, it was very successful for me and I've learned much.Here are some of the things I've learned:1. Any writing is better than no writing.2. I can find time to write.3. I get gut rot from too much coffee.4. Writing 50,000 words in one month is hard!5. Once I get into the groove of my story, and I write regularly, the story stays with me and I think about it all the time.6. First drafts can, and usually do, suck.7. You can't rewrite or improve a blank page.8. It's fun to watch word count go up.9. (one I already knew) The online writing community is very supportive. Thank you - you know who you are.10. Hey, maybe I CAN write a book!!What have you learned?

I came across an interesting journal of one persons account of the national novel writing month or nanowrimo. The object is to write a novel no matter how haphazardly in one month (it starts in november this year). The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30. The nanowrimo website states that:'Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that's a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down.'It does appeal to me.... but i just don't think i'll have time in November, i'll have just started an intensive masters course in biological surveying... not the ideal time to write a novel, but there's always next year.Anyway, if anyone wants to read the account of writing a nanowrimo novel it's here.