NaNoWriMo Progress Report - Week Three

Week three, I mastered the art of procrastination.

I did everything in my power to avoid my MC story because he I was talking me myself into a circle.  Rather than combat him the issue - because I hate confrontation, don't ya know - I ignored everything that had anything to do with writing.

I was extra diligent in my cleaning, I gave my dog the extra cuddles he wanted, took a nap or two or four, watched some extra shows, and even recorded some things I probably never would have watched if I hadn't recorded them.  And yes, I took to Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Pinterest, and even Ebay to get away from writing my NaNoWriMo Novel.

And now how do I feel?  Panicked!  Because at the end of week three, I was 5k words behind goal and am extremely busy week ahead.

Let's hope that the final week, sees me through to getting to that 50k mark!

I apologize for keeping this short and sweet, but, well, I should be writing a novel!

SIDE NOTE

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you that are celebrating on the 28th! Eat lots of good food and then diet on Monday to get ready for the next big holiday!

The Art of Writing

Is it an art?

I believe so and I'm not alone.

It takes an artist to be able to put into words, what they see in their mind, and then make you visualize it.  The picture they've painted on the wall that is your brain, is so deliciously perfect that you want to reach out and touch it.  The funny thing about that is that most times, the resulting image is different for everyone.  

For example, if a writer were to describe a handsome white male, with short, unruly brown hair, a jaw that bore stubble to make any woman giggle at the feel of it against her cheek, and pink lips so kissable that it was hard to keep away from him, who would you picture?  

Someone had to come to mind.  Maybe an actor you've seen and dreamt of.  (The moment I typed "unruly hair", I know who some of you chose, but I'd be willing to bet, that he's not the one I was imagining.)  Or was it the guy down the street that always smiles and waves at you as you pass each other?  What about that guy at work who looks like he could easily be on the cover of GQ?

You see the writer did the same thing that you did, but in reverse.  They had someone in mind when they were describing your new fictional boyfriend or girlfriend or best friend, only the description is just vague enough that you can place anyone you want as that character.  Why?  Because it makes them more real, drawing you deeper into the story.  Even though the love interest may not look like you, you want to be them.  Why?  Because unlike most of the guys you've come across, he's romantic, he's chivalrous, he knows how to protect you, and he knows how to turn you on.  

Yes, I went there and you know why.  

If you don't know why...keep reading.

If a writer describes a hard-nosed, voluptuous woman, with long, flowing brown hair, pouty red lips, and looked like she could drop you on your rear in a split second, who do you think of then?

They could have been describing the barista at Starbucks, the girl across the way who's always giving you the evil eye, or an actress who's known for kicking tail.  Everyone conjures up a different image.

Again, you were drawn into the story, because you could picture this person.  You know them.  If this individual just happens to be someone you know and dislike, what happens to that story that you promised you'd read because it had been on your TBR list for months?  For some of you, you put that story away. You give it one to two stars and then sell the book or even donate it.  

The moment you put a face with that character they may have become too real and seemed bitchier or more of a jerk because of it.  But if you were able to picture your ideal for that character, your flipping through pages as if your life depended on the outcome of the book.  Before you know it, it's morning and you have to work or go to school or get the kids ready or make breakfast for your spouse in three hours.

You could go to bed, but your mind is racing.  Will there be a sequel?  There has to be because you want to know more about what happened to your new friend, right?  You begin searching for the author's blog to see if there has been a sequel announced or if your character is going to make an appearance in a book related to a series the author is writing.

When nothing shows up, you want to hunt down the author and demand to know what happened and tell them that they just have to write more.  If there is an announcement you hound them or stalk every page you can find about them, waiting to hear about the next installment of that character's life.

Am I close?  

- A fellow tortured reader and future author you could have a love/hate relationship with

NaNoWriMo Progress Report - Week Two

Didn't I just post about week one?

This last week went by rather quickly, but I can proudly say that as of this posting, I broke through the halfway mark for NaNoWriMo!  That's right (or is that, write?)! I have passed the 25,000 word mark!

The way the first week went, I thought for sure that there would be no catching up.  Thanks to the encouragement of my writing sprint people at Coffee & a Good Book, my pre-reader, and a friend that wants to see me in print, I've made the first major milestone.

So, now what do I want to do?  Double it up!  I actually want to hit 50,000 by the end of week three.  I know, it's not necessary to have the 50,000 until the end of the month, but I figure that if I can do it early, I may have a full length story to tighten and begin editing by the end of the month.  Then, I will have two books to shop around with.

Honestly, I'm anxious to get back to book one and make sure that it is as clean as it could possibly be.  Alas, I have a goal.  I need to focus, get this second book out of my system, and then go back and see what I can do.  Or write another book.  I do have plot bunnies frantically hopping about.

Oh!  I began using Scrivener, and although I thought myself to be more of a lineal writer, I have to admit that being able to return to certain scenes without actually having to search for them, is an awesome feature.  Having everything easily accessible because it is on a "cork board" and ready for viewing, makes things even better.  I haven't even begun to learn all that the program has to offer, so I do look forward to it.

If you're a writer and are writing for NaNoWriMo, Scrivener is offering a free trial and 50% off when you hit the 50,000 word goal in time! It's a great offer.

No matter what your word count, just keep at it!  You can't succeed unless you try.  Nothing ever gets done, without effort.  Even if you only get a few thousand words by the end of the month, it is a start and you can write beyond November!

Good luck to you!  To all of us!

NaNoWriMo Progress Report - Week One

I wish I could say that the story flowed for me the entire week.  Truth is, I had to drag every word out of the deepest recesses of my brain.  I couldn't figure out what was holding it all back.  Then, a few nights ago, it clicked.  I was so focused on word count, that I wasn't creating anything.

I couldn't picture my characters.  I couldn't imagine them doing anything that they should have been doing.  They weren't doing their part in speaking with me either.  It was so frustrating.

The week started out alright.  The first 1800 words came out easily enough, but by the third day, I was more than 3000 words behind schedule.  I got to the point on day five, where I started avoiding the computer.  I tucked away my notepads, put the flash-drive away, and did everything I could to avoid the stinkin' keyboard.

Luckily, I have a friend that I've been writing with for years, who is very good at kicking my butt.  I also got into a group with a few other writers, and we're holding each other accountable.  It's been a great help.

Day five, I went to my NaNo page and found this little gem...

"At This Rate You Will Finish On December 16, 2013"

First thought was, "What?!?"

Then it was, "Oh, hell no!"

In the next two hours, I wrote over 1200 words.  Not quite at the speed of writing I was accustomed to, but it was coming out.

So where did I end up at the end of the week?  I was three full days behind schedule.  Am I worried?  I'm really not anymore.  I know what was holding me back and I'd also done a lot of research in that first week.

If I'm smart, I'll keep reminding myself of my own rules.

Where do I go from here?  Get in on those writing sprints, talk through my plot points that are sticking, and look at the picture of my dream cast and tell them that I need their help.  I'm looking forward to week two and can't wait to see how everyone else's stories are coming along.


If you're writing for NaNoWriMo, you may be feeling some of the same frustrations.  Feel free to voice them and get a conversation going.  Good luck to us all!

So I Wrote a Novel

Yes, that's right.  I wrote a romance novel.  It's over 90,000 words and it was written within thirty-two days between August and September of this year.  I've edited the poor thing to death and now, it's very nearly ready to be sent out to a publisher, so why haven't I?  Well, two reasons.

One:  I want someone who is very good at red-penning to look over it.  I do have someone in mind, but I obviously need to pay this person for their services.

Two:  Well, this is my real holdup.  I'm too chicken to get it out there.

Oh sure, in the real world, in the every day situations, I'm brave and can get around and do what needs to be done.  When it comes to really putting myself out there and exposing my work to people, I get to the point where I feel like I may vomit all over some poor individual's shoes.

My husband, God bless him, keeps telling me to just bite the bullet and get it out there.  He constantly whispers words of encouragement - Harper Collins and Simon & Schuster - into my ear.  Bless his heart, he just has no idea.  There's query letters and full story synopsis to write.  Then there's the issue of the large publishing houses requesting that a literary agent "sell" your book.  That's all fine and good, but there's still no guarantee with a literary agent.  I know what you're thinking; it all sounds like lame excuses, right?  You are correct, my friend!

There's always the smaller publishing houses that are willing to take on new authors.  There's also the self-publishing route.  So what's stopping me from traveling down those roads?

Remember the chicken?

Disney's Chicken Little

I have to figure out how to rid myself of the fear.  In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho wrote, “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”   There it is.  It's not really fear of my own failure as a writer - I've written for myself for decades.  It's the fear of failing the reader.

Have you ever read a review before reading a book?  Some readers can be very cruel in their review and it isn't always the good reviews we pay attention to.  It's the people that we fear failing that cause the trepidation.  The truth is, you can't satisfy everyone.  Trying to do so is insane.  You can't make everyone happy.

So what am I going to do now?  Probably sit on it a while longer until I get up enough courage to just get it out there.  Call me "Chicken!"

National Novel Writing Month

Here it is!  November 1, 2013 and for the first time ever, I am participating in NaNoWriMo.

What is NaNoWriMo?  It's a writing challenge.  Each participant is given the objective to write 50,000 words within thirty days.  I know, most people ask why in the heck anyone would want to do that if they didn't have to, but you see that's where my kind of people come in.

You know that book that you just couldn't put down?  Or that movie you thought was written so well?  What about that play you saw and thought was so hilarious?  Well, it took a writer to create those moments for you.

50,000 words seems like a lot doesn't it?  It really isn't for me.  This won't be my first attempt at writing a novel, but it will be the first time that a community of writers will be going through the same thing I am, right along with me.

So, what am I going to do?  I'm going to have some fun and write about a guy.  There will be a girl involved, and there will be some banter.  How do I know this?  Because it's what I love writing and a few close confidants love me for it.

As the days pass in November, I'll have my coffee by my side as I type away on the keyboard.  I'll have a notepad and pens tucked away in any purse or bag I carry, just in case inspiration strikes.

If you want more information about the month ahead of me, just follow along.  You can also keep tabs on my progress at my author info page.  If you want to learn more about NaNoWriMo then visit them!

November 1-30 • The world needs your novel.