Good Bye NaNo

November 21, 2007 | NaNo, Writing

So today I decided to give up on NaNo. This goes against the grain for me as I typically don’t like to give things up once I’ve dug my teeth in, but I need to face a few facts. Having written a little over 20K, I doubt very much I’ll be able to reach 50K by the end of the month. And I just have too much happening right now to dig in and get it done.

Sigh.

On the upside, I’ve written about twenty pages more than I normally would have in a month. I will of coarse continue to write said story, but back to my thousand words per day. This will give me time to continue rewriting Blood and Bone, catching up on crits that I owe, (thank you crit partners for being so patient.) fixing the last few chapters of Witch and, blech, bookkeeping. (I may need to face a few facts about that last one, but I’ll wait until the new year.)

On the Living Lies front, I’m just finishing up my book blurb. Writing this has proven not all that dissimilar to writing a query or synopsis–except maybe worse. It’s one thing trying to get your work in front of an editor or agent, but quite another trying to convince a potential buyer to shell out X amount to read your book. Oh, the pressure.

I also received my signed copy of the contract yesterday. I put in my filing cabinet with the printed version of the MS, the CD and all my notes from when I was writing it. Then I stared at it while thinking about writing the first draft nearly seven years ago. It was a real full circle moment.

Mood: Content

Out of Practise

November 6, 2007 | NaNo, Writing

Okay, I’m sucking at NaNo.

I have to admit I’m a little surprised by this turn of events. Usually, I write 1,000 words a day on WIP and get it done in about two hours. I’m a pantser and do all my editing after the first draft is complete so I thought NaNo would be right up my alley.

Huh!

If I’d been writing 1,700 words a day (to get 50k I think you only need 1,667 per day, but I was planning on padding a little in case I fell behind. So much for that.) I should be hitting 10,200 words today. I’m at 6,900. That’s more than a little behind.

I of course have a theory. (Don’t I always? or a plan, or a list…)

I think I’m out of practise. After putting the WIP aside over the summer to clean up after my computer crisis, then waiting for NaNo to start, I think I’ve lost my writing stride. Sure, I’ve been rewriting, but that’s not the same as a first draft, as grabbing hold of all those random ideas and putting them down on paper in some semblance of order now is it?

So today, I locked myself in the attic. (that’s where my office is, not as some kind of self-punishment) Just me, laptop and coffee.–ah, sweet nectar of the Gods. No email, no blogs, no Facebook. And a mere three and a half hours later, I had met my 1,875 word goal for the day.

Yes, 1,875 words is what I have to do everyday now to reach 50K by the end of the month. No padding this time around. Everyday until the 30th.

Mood: To be determined
Music: None-My CD player broke.

NaNoWriMo

November 1, 2007 | NaNo, Writing

Today is the first day of NaNo and, upon flipping through my calender, I realized the DS has doctor’s appointment today and no school tomorrow. A bit of an ominous start. On the upside, after last night I have more than enough chocolate to see me through the month. Yay!!!!

Today’s goal is 1700 words. Wish me luck.

Out of Coffee

October 28, 2007 | NaNo, Writing, life

I ran out of coffee this morning. Well, not right out. There was enough left for DH and I to each have one cup. Somehow that was worse than not having any coffee. Kind of like a tease. I suppose I could walk over to the nearest coffee shop, but it’s cold and damp. The kind of day you just want to stay in. I’ll settle for tea.

Three more days until NaNo, and truth is, I could use another three weeks. All through October I’ve been running myself ragged trying to get everything done so my November is free and clear for my WIP.

I do some bookkeeping and have playing catch up ever since my computer crashed. For the past two weeks, that’s pretty much all I’ve done, putting most things writing on the back burner. The experience has certainly reminded me why I don’t want return to anything accounting related as a full time career.

Mood: Tired
Music: Rose Coloured Glasses–Blue Rodeo