Day 8 1/2 - Pacing Myself

Quick note to say we're soldiering on. The writing has been slow on some days, faster on others. Some days the writing is pure genius, most days its pure funk but its all good. Just the act of writing gets you thinking. That's what matters. The act of writing. You may never look at this piece of work again. Or it may spark a whole new love of writing in you. You never know.

So far I'm about a third of the way through my writing at 16,624. tTe weekend was heinous. I wrote only about 800 words total. But I spent the wee hours of last night writing during sprint after sprint with other people online. There is something about the challenge of seeing how many words you can fit into a 15 minute time frame. It challenges me more than just sitting and writing. I tend to overthink too much when I have too much time on my hands.

My story has taken a side road. Not sure how to get back, not sure which way we're headed now. It could all come full circle but so far, no end in sight. Having fun though. 

My daughter is up to about 550 words. She was feeling completely uninspired the other day and I offered a cookie from Borders for 200 words of writing. I haven't seen her write that fast in like, ever. And it was good funny writing too! She just doesn't see the talent yet in herself, but I do.

I'll keep encouraging her, as each day of continued writing does for me...

Day 2 Almost a Wipeout

So, as much as day one was fabulous and the ideas and words flowed from my fingertips like milk and honey, so today was the exact opposite. I don't know if I was tired, sick, fed up, crowded, bothered or what but by 3 pm I only had 700 words.  The best part of my writing was when I did a Word Sprint with NaNoWordSprints on Twitter. My 11 year old dd accomplished it with me. She is enjoying writing her book and is up to about 310 words. Very impressive for her, who usually gets bored with something right away.

The evening proved to be better after I acted like a grouch telling people I couldn't write with them near me. My husband chose to ignore me and play his video game so I propped the laptop up on my lap to block the TV, plugged in my headphones and listened to music while typing another 2400 words. Ahhh, what we can do if only we put our minds to it.

Last night I went to a Write-In at the local Barnes & Noble. Okay, we can't technically say I 'went' because I didn't identify myself to anyone there as a 'NaNoWriMo participant.' I just typed away in the corner all by myself. A bit shy I found myself. I did however, manage to do alot of typing being out and about without people chatting in my ear. I go tomorrow to another Write In, this one mom will be joining me. Who knows how much we will get done. We're not the best at being quiet. We like to talk and laugh. But it will be a good time nonetheless. 

Now to think up some more dialogue and events to happen in my book. It's already getting a one note feeling. Well, that will not do at all!

Day 1 - NaNoWriMo Begins...

So, NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month. I thought of joining the throngs of writing crazed people last year but didn't make it. I let the lack of a plot keep me from my destiny. Yea, what destiny? lol But it is panning out to be a lot of fun at the moment. Who am I kidding, it's only the first day!! Just hoping the ideas keep flowing.

I started out this year with no ideas, no plots, no characters, no nothing. Just a hope to sit and write and complete 50,000 words. Mom has decided to join me in this effort. For her I bet it will be effortless since she has written short stories, devotionals and the like for years.  I'm just hoping to finish. I told DH I may never edit the book, I may never pick it up again to look at it. I'm just shooting for the accomplishment of completing 50,000 words in the month of November without boring myself to death. Lofty goal, don't you think? But first coming up with a plot was a headache and then keeping said plot was difficult. I went through a few...

Plot #1: Super smart kids use time travel to solve the world's greatest mysteries. I couldn't even come up with characters for this idea and started to panic. I was pacing around the kitchen when the next desperate idea hit me. (I will still keep this idea around for a middle school type book. Just don't want to stray too far into a Cyberchase type series. Too similar).

Plot #2: All the letters of the world are real living entities and they unite and rebel against all the authors of the world. They start pulling themselves from all written material and panic ensues. There would be a cross over from human land to letterland and vice versa, in some such time travel/portal way. This plot seemed feasible albeit a little farfetched and on the implausible side. I brainstormed with DH on Sunday and he gave me some ideas for altering this plot into something people might be able to wrap their brains around (he couldn't understand the alphabet letters. What did they look like, big A's sticking out of their heads? How did they talk? Walk? lol It is still in the back of my head for a children's book. Children are more apt to believe breathing A-B-C's... :))  

Current Plot: Last I typed, my protagonist, Soliloquy,  is being chased by an angry mob, her brain is filled with things she doesn't understand and to top it all off, random tattoos she didn't get are appearing on her body. It's going to be a busy fall for her.

So, onward and upward! It's a start...