I'm done for the day and I manged to write 3,274 words today. Phew! I don't know if I can keep this pace for long, but it's nice to be able to get so much in!
My total word count so far is 11,810.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
NaNo Day 7
Well, yesterday was a bust. I was sick, so no writing. I feel like I'm in a constant state of catch up. I'm still sick today, but feeling like I can concentrate so I'm going to write some at some point. First, I really want a DQ Blizzard. Popular opinion is that you save the treats for after the writing as a reward. That's never really worked for me. The reward for writing is seeing the words on the page and the story form so I can believe that I'm getting that much closer to actually having a book that I can query the hell out of, lol! I'm still dreaming of that day when I can quit the day job and make my living from writing and perhaps teaching/coaching writing. Or other things.
I was reminded this last month that I'm a damn fine teacher/trainer and that I love getting up and helping people improve some facet of their lives. I'm good at it. I enjoy it. I really should get off my butt and look for jobs in this area. I've had some ideas floating around for a while. I need to shake off the fear and just see what happens when I submit my proposals.
How this relates to NaNoWriMo or writing in general? It's easier to write when life is in a positive place. When something in your life isn't positive, you owe it to yourself to understand why and then figure out what to do about it. November isn't just going to be my novel writing month, it's going to be my "Figure out what to do with your career" month. Or, at the very least, the start of it.
Happy writing!
I was reminded this last month that I'm a damn fine teacher/trainer and that I love getting up and helping people improve some facet of their lives. I'm good at it. I enjoy it. I really should get off my butt and look for jobs in this area. I've had some ideas floating around for a while. I need to shake off the fear and just see what happens when I submit my proposals.
How this relates to NaNoWriMo or writing in general? It's easier to write when life is in a positive place. When something in your life isn't positive, you owe it to yourself to understand why and then figure out what to do about it. November isn't just going to be my novel writing month, it's going to be my "Figure out what to do with your career" month. Or, at the very least, the start of it.
Happy writing!
Monday, November 05, 2007
NaNo Day 5
So far, so good. I didn't write this weekend. I know, I know. What was I thinking? I was thinking that it was really nice to enjoy the last warm days of the season and that it was really wet giving the dog a bath.
Not to worry. Today I was on a role and able to write about 20 pages. Yes, 20 lovely pages, each containing roughly 250 words. Which brings my page count to 8020 words in the last 5 days! And it didn't take me forever. I wrote for about 3 hours. Well, I instant messaged, did some online research and wrote for 3 hours.
This means I can write faster than I think I can. Which is amazing! If I can write for an hour a day and make 5 pages consistently, I could potentially write more than one book a year. Whoop!
Of course, I'm trying to not get ahead of myself and to just keep writing this book. No clear plot yet, but I'm really enjoying the two main characters. We'll see where the month takes me.
Happy writing!
ETA: Well, I got caught up in the story and am now up to a 5 day total of 8535 words! The last 500 words written in the last 30 minutes. Phew!
Not to worry. Today I was on a role and able to write about 20 pages. Yes, 20 lovely pages, each containing roughly 250 words. Which brings my page count to 8020 words in the last 5 days! And it didn't take me forever. I wrote for about 3 hours. Well, I instant messaged, did some online research and wrote for 3 hours.
This means I can write faster than I think I can. Which is amazing! If I can write for an hour a day and make 5 pages consistently, I could potentially write more than one book a year. Whoop!
Of course, I'm trying to not get ahead of myself and to just keep writing this book. No clear plot yet, but I'm really enjoying the two main characters. We'll see where the month takes me.
Happy writing!
ETA: Well, I got caught up in the story and am now up to a 5 day total of 8535 words! The last 500 words written in the last 30 minutes. Phew!
Saturday, November 03, 2007
NaNoWriMo - 2007 Style
There is this phenomenon that strikes writers - from the novice to the published - that strikes every November. This phenomenon is called National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short. The goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. And to do so with a story idea that you haven't plotted or outlined or researched to death.
I've done this in past years and have always become side tracked with life. In other words, I wasn't really committed and didn't truly believe that this great idea would work for me. It was a nice thought, but more fantasy than reality.
Well, this year is different. On November 1st I picked a story idea out of my "ideas" folder, sat down at the computer for about 90 minutes and the result was 1800 words. I wrote for another 90 minutes yesterday which equaled just over 1600 words. Not too shabby.
My goal - to write every day a word count of about 1600 words. Or about 6 -1/2 pages. I'm going to try to blog daily this month as well. If nothing else, it will be to publicly declare where I'm at with the NaNoWriMo challenge. Wish me luck!
I've done this in past years and have always become side tracked with life. In other words, I wasn't really committed and didn't truly believe that this great idea would work for me. It was a nice thought, but more fantasy than reality.
Well, this year is different. On November 1st I picked a story idea out of my "ideas" folder, sat down at the computer for about 90 minutes and the result was 1800 words. I wrote for another 90 minutes yesterday which equaled just over 1600 words. Not too shabby.
My goal - to write every day a word count of about 1600 words. Or about 6 -1/2 pages. I'm going to try to blog daily this month as well. If nothing else, it will be to publicly declare where I'm at with the NaNoWriMo challenge. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
As if Squirrels Weren't Bad Enough
Woodpeckers have decided the side of the house under the soffits are perfect for pecking and for finding bugs. They love to peck. All. Fricking. Day. Long! We're in the middle of renovations so there isn't siding up under the soffits. And there isn't Tyveck up either. Just exposed paneling. Which would be fine. Except for the damn woodpeckers. UGH!
You know, I'll be lucky if I have a house standing by the time this winter is over. And it's not even really winter yet. Just a wet fall. Reason number 2594 that you should pay someone to do the work for you when you renovate.
Check back soon. You never know. I may have a family of deer moved in by then. With the squirrels and the woodpeckers, anything is fricking possible. *sigh*
You know, I'll be lucky if I have a house standing by the time this winter is over. And it's not even really winter yet. Just a wet fall. Reason number 2594 that you should pay someone to do the work for you when you renovate.
Check back soon. You never know. I may have a family of deer moved in by then. With the squirrels and the woodpeckers, anything is fricking possible. *sigh*
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Invasion of the Suburban Rats
Red squirrels are the embodiment of evil. Especially when they chew through the soffits of your home and get into the attic and the new loft that you are building.
I have come to this conclusion because two red squirrels have done exactly that. We have two huge black walnut trees near the house. The walnuts attract all manner of squirrels. Which is fine. The dog usually runs them off. Well, the dog is getting hold and can't run the way he used to. Or hear the way he used to. So the squirrels figure they can move on in and make themselves right at home. I don't mind them outside, but in my house? No!
The boy brought home a live trap and we trapped a squirrel yesterday. He has been released back into the wild. Far away from our house. The boy and my dad (who is visiting with my mom), fixed three different holes that led into the house. Of course, there was no way of making sure a squirrel wasn't still trapped in the house, so the live trap was reset. And the boy and I went to work.
I got a call from my mom, frantic because she can't stand rodents, telling me the trap had been sprung and yes, there was a second squirrel running around, rattling the bars and trying to escape it's confinement. Could I please come home to deal with it?
I got home, the squirrel and trap are outside waiting for the boy to pick up. I decided to do some looking around the house for any nuts the little rodents might have squirrel away (pun intended). Sure enough, three one-gallon buckets worth of walnuts were hidden through out the new and unfinished loft. And I found another gallon bucket's worth in the basement along with two boxes of linens that now have to be tossed because the squirrels have desecrated them. I'm talking chewed through, used as bathroom material, disgusting.
My fingers are crossed that this is the last of the squirrels, for this year at least. I really, really, really do not want rodents in my house again. Especially not urban rats like these. *sigh*
I have come to this conclusion because two red squirrels have done exactly that. We have two huge black walnut trees near the house. The walnuts attract all manner of squirrels. Which is fine. The dog usually runs them off. Well, the dog is getting hold and can't run the way he used to. Or hear the way he used to. So the squirrels figure they can move on in and make themselves right at home. I don't mind them outside, but in my house? No!
The boy brought home a live trap and we trapped a squirrel yesterday. He has been released back into the wild. Far away from our house. The boy and my dad (who is visiting with my mom), fixed three different holes that led into the house. Of course, there was no way of making sure a squirrel wasn't still trapped in the house, so the live trap was reset. And the boy and I went to work.
I got a call from my mom, frantic because she can't stand rodents, telling me the trap had been sprung and yes, there was a second squirrel running around, rattling the bars and trying to escape it's confinement. Could I please come home to deal with it?
I got home, the squirrel and trap are outside waiting for the boy to pick up. I decided to do some looking around the house for any nuts the little rodents might have squirrel away (pun intended). Sure enough, three one-gallon buckets worth of walnuts were hidden through out the new and unfinished loft. And I found another gallon bucket's worth in the basement along with two boxes of linens that now have to be tossed because the squirrels have desecrated them. I'm talking chewed through, used as bathroom material, disgusting.
My fingers are crossed that this is the last of the squirrels, for this year at least. I really, really, really do not want rodents in my house again. Especially not urban rats like these. *sigh*
Saturday, September 01, 2007
A Writing Excercise
Barbara Samuel, a wonderful author who I had the pleasure of taking an online class with last year, posted the following exercise on an email loop.:
I did this exercise for myself and the resulting few paragraphs were very insightful. I discovered that I want to be absolved of making renovation decisions but have my vision for this house in tact. I want a Dairy Queen blizzard. Yum! I want to let go of fear. I want to let go of self recriminations. I want my poor dog to live forever. There are so many things I want.
I'm not going to get all my wants. That's life. But there is something about saying what you want and letting your fingers go that centers you and helps you to cut through the crap and get to the heart of what matters.
I encourage you to set your kitchen timer, sit at the computer or pick up a pen and paper and write for 15 minutes about what you want. Just keep writing. Don't stop to read, edit or evaluate. When the timer goes off, listen to that still soft voice inside you as you read through the list again. It may take some time, but you'll get to the heart of what you really want. Trust me. I'm slowly getting there myself.
You can begin to uncover and discover what you want by doing a simple, timed writing exercise. Set your timer for 15 minutes and write without stopping, starting every sentence with the words “I want.” Writing without stopping for a set period of time enables your inner voice to override your inner censor and helps to unearth buried dreams. It also creates a feeling of relief in the mind, heart, and body.
Sometimes the simple act of expressing a want actually releases it, while other yearnings retain their energy, asking us to pay attention. When we pay attention to what we want, we are that much closer to getting it.
I did this exercise for myself and the resulting few paragraphs were very insightful. I discovered that I want to be absolved of making renovation decisions but have my vision for this house in tact. I want a Dairy Queen blizzard. Yum! I want to let go of fear. I want to let go of self recriminations. I want my poor dog to live forever. There are so many things I want.
I'm not going to get all my wants. That's life. But there is something about saying what you want and letting your fingers go that centers you and helps you to cut through the crap and get to the heart of what matters.
I encourage you to set your kitchen timer, sit at the computer or pick up a pen and paper and write for 15 minutes about what you want. Just keep writing. Don't stop to read, edit or evaluate. When the timer goes off, listen to that still soft voice inside you as you read through the list again. It may take some time, but you'll get to the heart of what you really want. Trust me. I'm slowly getting there myself.
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