I’m almost done. Not with the word count, but with the story. I busted out about 6000 words in the past day and a half, and realized that that barely puts me half way to the word count goal, and I’ve pretty much told my story. How is this possible? I know that sometimes I’m blunt, but I think I’ve been doing a heck of a job describing the weather, the neighborhood, the drama…I guess the plot is flat. I thought it was going well as it came to me and got better as I wrote, secrets and deceptions just entered as if on their own. I must need more.

So, I’m going to have to either go back in there and spice things up a bit, or well, I don’t know what. Un-do contracted words? Call everyone by their full names? Give them hobbies that require a lot of description? Have them all write letters to their congressmen?

Now accepting ideas for the 20,000 words I’m going to come up short…

By the way, we leave Thursday for Las Vegas, so I need those ideas yesterday. Thanks.


www.dvdmedia.ign.com

I need a job*. Everyone that has a job, children, commitments, stress, they all have more book done than me. I don’t know what the deal is. I’m officially behind. Way behind considering that I will have limited time down the road. I have seven days before I am out of TX for the rest of the month. I don’t know what to do. My first attempt in getting some words going was to start nearer the end.

I DON’T FEEL LIKE WRITING.

I’d rather…everything. Soaps, blogs, showers, cleaning. I did not think I would procrastinate. Not on this. Surprise, surprise. My cold is gone, no excuses.

The biggest thing that I think is bothering me is that the setting for my book is in cooler weather, and we are having record heat. That’s not helping. Everything that is fun around me is not helping. November might not be the optimal book writing month after all. Grr. I’m going to go try to write now…


www.georgia2maine.typepad.com

*Nope, not really.

My main character (MC in the cool world of writer’s lingo) doesn’t currently have a job. Or a love interest. Or a pet. She bought a car…that’s all I got.


www.bushwhacked.net

I’m creeping right up on 15,000 words and I’m spent. I’ve got a couple of things I really like about this book right now. I have honestly realized that some of the plot lines are a little muddy, but that’s for fixing next month. I just need to figure out the amazing plot twist that is going to sell 600,000 copies. Right…
So, in fair “writer-wanna-be” fashion, I’m going out to lunch. Maybe a margarita would help…

Maybe it’ll come to me.

On a more personal note, I have officially reached pain status. As in, my neck is not functioning properly. All it has to do is hold my head up, and it can’t even handle that right now. My wrists, as a result of me (I guess) not holding my hands properly on the computer, are sore and I think they are colored funny.

My sweater, Nita, is shedding all over the place and could stand a washing, if any one wants to stop by and start some laundry for me. According to the NaNo bible, No Plot, No Problem, I’m right where I’m supposed to be, tired, grouchy and lazy.

Fun times.

It seems ironic, that I have NOTHING to do and yet can not accomplish anything. We are at the 8th day of November, the 8th day of NaNoWriMo. I have 2 C’s a 1 W on my calendar. Read: I am not keeping up with working out. I just went and ran out of sheer embarrassment that I was going to have to admit that to you.

Writing has been fun, but it definitely still feels like a pressured obligation. I have dawdled most mornings, made coffee, sipped said coffee, swept/done dishes…and otherwise wasted as much time as I could. I would then open my novel, reread it (there’s some implied rule for some reason that you’re not supposed to be doing this, but that has something to do with editing, whereas when I reread I pat myself on the back and add whatever description I can to make each passage more lengthy…) and then maybe I’ll finally type a few new words at the end after lunch. I have not ventured out of the house NEARLY enough, due to the laptop making little odd noises when it gets hot, and as of THIS morning, VIA BLOG, Snippy has given me a sinus cold. Okay, maybe it wasn’t her, but we both have it. You figure it out.

Here are the stats, I thought you might find this interesting:

How many novels have been written through NaNoWriMo?
1999: 21 participants and six winners
2000: 140 participants and 29 winners
2001: 5,000 particpants and more than 700 winners
2002: 13,500 participants and around 2,100 winners
2003: 25,500 participants and about 3,500 winners
2004: 42,000 participants and just shy of 6,000 winners
2005: 59,000 participants and 9,769 winners.


www.bankersonline.com

In good news, I’ve crossed the 10,000 word barrier, a big intimidating one that for some reason had me daunted.
In bad news, I should be somewhere around 12,000 really like 24,000 if I’m going to see this through, due to the end of the month Turkey Day travels. We were in Houston the past two days, and that helped this morning but not at all the day before.

Tomorrow will be a big day. We’ll see what happens.

I’m dividing my time writing and reading, I am halfway through The Emporer’s Children, and it’s GOOD.

I have a little head cold, and I reek like a Starbucks. Seriously. The beans are hiding in my jacket and laptop case somewhere. I need Fabreeze.

Other than that there haven’t been any major writing casualties to speak of!

Remember those? I feel a little like I’m writing a book that is out of my control. The guy who started NaNo was right. You start with this basic frame and scope, and there go the main characters. They propel themselves. My main character has found things and done things as if it was on her own. I didn’t have plans for secondary characters and here they are, helping her on her mission. All of a sudden there a flashbacks and background and chapters and progressions that I hadn’t even planned out.

It’s like they are choosing the adventure and I’m just following along. I feel like a writer. I had been waiting for that. It’s transcendental. At this point also, my writing is improving. It feels more natural and has a strong tone.

For everyone aspiring to be published, check this out: iUniverse.

The opportunity that this provides is remarkable. I of course am a long way off from thinking about becoming published, but it is working as a strong motivator!


www.fantasticfiction.co.uk

The first weekend of the month is here, and I’m fully expecting to do 20,000 words. As though there were other things I’d been doing during the week.

I will be attending my first “Write-in”, where others doing the same silly thing as me get together. We’ll be at Mozart’s. I got a little giddy to meet the other writers. Chicken slash who are these people style.

It’s just that seeing as I’m going to be out of town for the second half of the month, how much will I really get accomplished. So it’s now or bust. And I’m not a non-finisher-of-things-started. Really…


www.mozartscoffee.com