Bookworm

NaNoWriMo, Day Eight

I fell off the wagon, y'all.  I chose to watch television Monday evening instead of make my quota and haven't touched it since.  I might make an attempt to create a structure/outline for this thing and work on it some more over the weekend. Or I might, more fruitfully, pull out some other items and work on them instead. 

What I have noticed is that I do very much like the habit of writing every day (probably one of the most commonly given pieces of writing advice).  I'd be very pleased if I could find a space for this habit, either on my lunch break or before bed and on the weekend. 

Here is my annual rationalization for not "winning" NaNoWriMo (that's what they call it when you reach 50,000 words): With a full time job and a small child, I really don't have a lot of time available for this.  And I found out rapidly that I just don't seem to have enough to say about these characters, these characters that both are and are not my childhood friends and me.   But, I'm pretty sure that the 7,551 words I've reached so far is the most I've ever written for NaNoWriMo.  So, maybe I'll make miniature goals -- it would be nice to hit 10,000 words at least.

NaNoWriMo, Day Four

Currently trying to figure out exactly how to structure this "novel" -- think I will tell the story through exposition in the present interspersed with flashbacks of the past.  Am so far avoiding going back and doing any editing whatsoever.  It's working well to do a session in the morning to get past the daily goal and then another session before bed to keep myself slightly ahead.  I know it's only four days, but it's a rush to actually be meeting the daily goals.      

The NaNoWriMo site is getting slammed early on.  I couldn't get on last night, so am keeping my stats on a 3 x 5 card until I get on again.

Currently: 7000 words | 11:45 AM Sunday morning
Goal: 50,000 words by midnight on November 30th | 1666 words per day

NaNoWriMo, Day Three

OK, so it took me just over an hour to blast past the goal word count for the day, primarily because I'd overshot yesterday's goal by a bit.  I set up a spreadsheet and a line graph to show the daily goals and my actual word count.  Obviously my competitive nature is in gear.  Another great word count booster?  Dialogue.  :-)

Goal: 50,000 words by midnight on November 30th | 1666 words per day
Currently: 5173 words | 10:51 AM Saturday morning
End of day: 5706 words | 11:28 PM Saturday night

Realistically, I need to get three or four days ahead, if possible, in case I don't do much writing the long holiday weekend at the end of the month. 

NaNoWriMo, Day Two

Last night after my little G. went to sleep, instead of heading for the television, I headed for the laptop, where I figured out that throwing in a sex scene is a good way to get engaged with one's writing and up the word count.  *blush*

I've shut down the laptop for the moment, but will insert yesterday's end of day word count later.

Goal: 50,000 words by midnight on November 30th | 1666 words per day
At end of day on Day Two: 3866 words

NaNoWriMo Day One

As usual, I was eager to begin writing.  I'd originally, when I first received the "it's coming" email from NaNoWriMo, planned to do a plot outline, think about characters, etc.  What I'm doing instead is using a mixture of real life fodder (that I will go back and completely fictionalize later) and fiction.  I really am trying to think of this as a first draft of a novel that might be completely rewritten later. 

I'm using a wiki to house the novel-in-progress, which I think will work well.  I seem to be less tempted to check my word count when using the wiki, since I have to switch to Word to do so.  Plus, you can set it up so you are notified by email of changes to the wiki -- an effective automated backup!

Goal: 50,000 words by midnight on November 30th | 1666 words per day
Currently: 1,798 words

NaNoWriMo, Go, Go, Go!

Boy, November just snuck right up on me.  In an hour and a half, the National Novel Writing Month challenge will begin.  I just rejuvenated my user account at the NaNoWriMo website and was surprised to realize that I've done it every November since 2002 -- this is my sixth year.  Now, mind you, I've never reached the 50,000 word goal yet.  But every November I manage to focus at least a little bit of energy on my dream of someday writing a book.  I admire the people who say they do it with pen and paper.  I enjoy writing by hand, but when you need this kind of output in 30 days, I just don't know how they can manage.  This year I'm doing mainstream fiction and will try to fictionalize some events of my high school years.  I think I'll use real names for the writing and then just do a massive search and replace when it's done.  In the past I've sometimes had trouble, initially, keeping straight who the characters were and that slowed down the writing.  And I know, if this was ever going to be a real novel I'd have to morph the real stuff into true fiction and add things that never happened in real life, etc. 

NaNoWriMo, Day Eight

I'm disappointed in myself that I haven't written a word since Monday.  Last night I booted the laptop after my daughter went to bed, but I just didn't have the discipline to open the file and write anything.  I'm trying not let this derail me, as it has done in the past.  I am allowed to be less than perfect, to keep moving toward the goal of 50,000 words even though it's unlikely I will have the time to make it by 11:59 p.m. on 11/30.  Perfectionism and procrastination have been the forces I've struggled with both personally and professionally over the years and I've got to find ways to defeat them or channel them. 

Goal: 50,000 words | Currently: 4061 words | My NaNoWriMo Profile |

NaNoWriMo, Day Six

I sort of have a new appreciation even for "hack" novelists whose work I sometimes deride, not to mention the folks who create lovely, enduring works of literary art.  It's kind of hard to write something this long, even something that's not wonderful.  Yeah, and I'm only at 3349 words, so I'm hardly at the War and Peace stage of things.

Maybe I will take my work laptop home tonight and use it to write on.  I lent my sister my personal laptop and sitting at the computer desk at home isn't super appealing because it's not great ergonomically.  My body is still determinedly fighting off my toddler's cold but I feel a bit hollow-eyed and woozy at the moment.

Goal: 50,000 words | To be on pace, by end of today should be at: 10,000 words | Currently: 3349 words | My NaNoWriMo Profile |

11:25 p.m., same day - Currently: 4061 words

NaNoWriMo, Day Five

By the end of today, if I was going to keep to the pace of 1666.66 words per day, I should be at 8333.33.  I'm really not stressing or worrying about this because I've already written more than I accomplished last November.  I'm typing in one room while my spouse sleeps in the bedroom, my daughter watches Sesame Street in the living room, and piano music plays on my iPod.  I think I'm more motivated this year because I have a writing buddy -- thanks, writing buddy.  It's camaraderie, but let's face it, it's also the friendly competition.  :-D 

Goal: 50,000 words during the month of November | Currently: 3182 words
My NaNoWriMo Profile

NaNoWriMo, Day Two

Well, I had hoped to meet my daily goal yesterday of ~1666 words, since I'd gotten above a thousand before leaving work, but was too tired from work and personal/family obligations to open it up again.  Still, I don't think I wrote more than 2000 words total last year, so I'm on a much better pace.  My big problem, already, even with outlining a possible structure?  No idea if I've got enough material in my brain for these characters and this scenario.  Is there a National Haiku Writing Month? 

You know what, though?  I'm having fun thinking about this project even when I can't be writing.  I scribble notes here and there in between things.  If I could teach myself to have this discipline and focus on a regular basis, I might actually get something written for real.

Goal: 50,000 words | Currently: 1172 words