Thursday, December 01, 2005
Inspired by my crazy romp through literary land? (If anything, this month has made me wordy. Plain Talk watch out!) Then check out:
Janowrimo - January Novel Writing Month
&
NaNoWriYe - National Novel Writing Year (100,000 words!)
I myself will be doing:
NaNoEdMo - National Novel Editing Month, but that's not until March. Phew, a break...But I am hoping to get this thing into readable shape soon. Edit out all the weird passages, like "She walked in through the yesterday and took a seat in the booth." I think I meant doorway.
If you do decide to embark on any of these, I'd like to share my NaNoWriMo lessons learned:
Janowrimo - January Novel Writing Month
&
NaNoWriYe - National Novel Writing Year (100,000 words!)
I myself will be doing:
NaNoEdMo - National Novel Editing Month, but that's not until March. Phew, a break...But I am hoping to get this thing into readable shape soon. Edit out all the weird passages, like "She walked in through the yesterday and took a seat in the booth." I think I meant doorway.
If you do decide to embark on any of these, I'd like to share my NaNoWriMo lessons learned:
- Do not take days off from writing, at least don't take off five days;
- Write extra every day because inevitably you will want to take a day off, Thanksgiving maybe, and it's a bitch to catch up again;
- Have a lot of coffee on hand;
- Sucker someone into cleaning your house for you (I just thought of that now, way too late.)
- A vanilla latte and a tootsie roll do not a breakfast make;
- and finally have a good incentive, like sending a check to the GOP. Really kept me going, even when all my fingers hurt.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
And it's done!
Last line of the book:
She heard the soft spattering of the rain as it started to fall on her windshield, she turned the wipers on, took comfort in their familiar back and forth and drove off.
The End.
Last line of the book:
She heard the soft spattering of the rain as it started to fall on her windshield, she turned the wipers on, took comfort in their familiar back and forth and drove off.
The End.
Ever have one of those moments where you think, I need a break and I need some chocolate? I've had five of those today.
Today's the day. The finish line is near. I've decided to think in terms of pages rather than words. I have 12 pages to go and then i'll be done. That sounds totally doable. Of course, I've got the little added challenge of being done by the time Lost comes on but then again, I guess there are always reruns.
Monday, November 28, 2005
There are several things I'm looking forward to doing when the month ends and I can take a break from writing, things I thought I would never miss:
As expected, I have procrastinated so thoroughly that I am very sorely behind. I'm taking Wednesday off from work so I can finish this dang thing. If I haven't killed off all my characters by then.
Strangest thing I've written:
Cash looked at her, saw her clothes were covered with the product of mrs. potters tragic last minute.
A wordy way to say "blood".
Strangest plot twist I've taken:
Paul Cash gets conked in the head with a bible, which gives him some sort of serious concussion. He leaves the hospital early to get a drink and crack the case only to end up passed out on the bar room floor from an infection. Can you get an infection from being hit on the head with a bible? I'm not sure I care. It's fiction. Let's suspend some disbelief.
- Cleaning the house (actually, being in a clean house)
- Exercising
- Watching sitcoms or reality tv or whatever other brain damaging things come on at 8pm
As expected, I have procrastinated so thoroughly that I am very sorely behind. I'm taking Wednesday off from work so I can finish this dang thing. If I haven't killed off all my characters by then.
Strangest thing I've written:
Cash looked at her, saw her clothes were covered with the product of mrs. potters tragic last minute.
A wordy way to say "blood".
Strangest plot twist I've taken:
Paul Cash gets conked in the head with a bible, which gives him some sort of serious concussion. He leaves the hospital early to get a drink and crack the case only to end up passed out on the bar room floor from an infection. Can you get an infection from being hit on the head with a bible? I'm not sure I care. It's fiction. Let's suspend some disbelief.
Monday, November 21, 2005
20,000 more words to go. I've added several new twists and turns, one happens to be "ripped from the headlines." See, it's not only characters that I'm stealing from Law and Order. Dum-dum.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Worst thing I wrote today:
Jack had a notorious appetite for pizza and all things hot and cheesy.
(Yes, my characters are slowly taking the same names of the people on Lost, they're also showing characteristics of Law & Order characters. I may be officially out of creativity...)
My favorite thing I wrote:
He grew to think rodriguez was wedded to her work. If it wasn’t such a cliché, he’d think it now.
Best thing I've learned:
My desk is tremendously not ergonomic and needs to go.
Words to go before midnight:
6,000
Jack had a notorious appetite for pizza and all things hot and cheesy.
(Yes, my characters are slowly taking the same names of the people on Lost, they're also showing characteristics of Law & Order characters. I may be officially out of creativity...)
My favorite thing I wrote:
He grew to think rodriguez was wedded to her work. If it wasn’t such a cliché, he’d think it now.
Best thing I've learned:
My desk is tremendously not ergonomic and needs to go.
Words to go before midnight:
6,000
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Want to know what it's like to be me at this very moment? bang your head on your keyboard a couple of times. If you come up with a couple of keys stuck to your head and only three additional words added to your wrimo book, you'll get the idea...
Actually, I added another 1000+ words. Which is fine but I've killed one of the main characters and pretty much can wrap up the whole book in maybe another two pages. Not good, not good. (I've been having rainman like bouts of word counting, i think it is also making me repetitive.)
so, i don't know. tomorrow, i think i need to add a new character, maybe a female cop, to investigate the killing. cash is looking like a suspect himself but i suppose he could still investigate it. good god or maybe i should add some more adjectives somewhere or something. aaghh, key on the head, key on the head.
Actually, I added another 1000+ words. Which is fine but I've killed one of the main characters and pretty much can wrap up the whole book in maybe another two pages. Not good, not good. (I've been having rainman like bouts of word counting, i think it is also making me repetitive.)
so, i don't know. tomorrow, i think i need to add a new character, maybe a female cop, to investigate the killing. cash is looking like a suspect himself but i suppose he could still investigate it. good god or maybe i should add some more adjectives somewhere or something. aaghh, key on the head, key on the head.
Friday, November 11, 2005
11K plus a few extra words. i was panicking a little because i'd done some math and realized the more i wrote, the further behind i got. it was similar to how the more money i sent to my student loans and credit cards, the greater my debt grew. luckily, i redid the math and i'm still behind but not getting more behind with every word i write. whew. i'm also still bad at math.
here is the formula (some nanos use a fancy spreadsheet to figure this out, i used my fingers and toes):
day 11 x 1667 words per day = where i should be or 18,337.
18,337 - what i've got 11036 = 7301. 7301/1667 = 4 days behind.
So, you could say, I'm catching up.
here is the formula (some nanos use a fancy spreadsheet to figure this out, i used my fingers and toes):
day 11 x 1667 words per day = where i should be or 18,337.
18,337 - what i've got 11036 = 7301. 7301/1667 = 4 days behind.
So, you could say, I'm catching up.
8700 words as of this morning. 3000 more to go today. i think if i get in a couple of good hours, i can reach that easily. yippee, i may catch up after all...