Day 4

1,312 written today which means my total word count is 6520, so far, and I’m not sure I’ll be writing anymore today (though there are still 3 hours left until midnight–my time). My shoulder is killing me and I really need to take some pain medicine and rest. It took almost all day to write that because of my shoulder. But I am doing it, albeit slowly.  And that  is what matters.

Not much to say today… Worst today than yesterday, but I’m keeping my chin up and taking a much needed break this evening.

Hope all of you are having a good day writing, or at least a decent one. NaNo on, whether it is NaNoWriMo or NaBloPoMo.

 

Write. Write. Writing. Wrote. Write some More.

 

 

Busy month for me!!!!!!!

 

 

 

It’s the beginning of Day 2 for NaNoWriMo and NaBloPoMo for me.  YAY me!

I’m off and running. Meeting word count goals and writing a post. 😀  So far it’s been great as far as the writing goes. Me, personally, however, is a whole other story. Off to the emergency room yesterday morning. Pain in my arm and shoulder and collarbone so bad it felt like someone was snapping my bones in half. This doctor says it is arthritis in my neck and a pinched nerve. The last doctor says it’s an injured or torn rotator cuff. (I’ll be glad when I can see the specialist, but that won’t be this month. I don’t have time–especially since I’m participating in both NaNoWriMo and NaBloPoMo.

I’m thinking that now would be a great time to win the lottery–a million dollars! What would I do with a million dollars???? Hmmmm… Thinking really hard.

I would:

Pay off all my bills, including my almost $30K worth of student loans.

I’d buy a house.

2000 Pontiac Firebird

Fix the damn pop up lights on my car

I’d get my writing cave. I LOVE THIS!!!

I’d buy my husband a brand new Dodge Challenger. And we’d need a new truck since ours is Kaput…Gone bye, bye!

I’d get my shoulder fixed, whatever the hell is wrong with it.

I’d buy a new computer, a new laptop, and a tablet. (Maybe go over the to the Mac side)

I’d donate to the Cancer Society and to Hospice.

I’d get lasik surgery on my eyes so I don’t need glasses anymore (I’d still most likely need reading glasses but no more bifocals at least).

I’d take my husband on a real vacation. Take a train somewhere. I’ve never been on train unless the subway in NY counts, and to me that doesn’t count. Take a cruise from there (my husband has never been on either a train ride or a cruise).

Send my husband to school to do what he really wants to do so he doesn’t have to be on the road. I respect the hell out of truckers. My dad was a trucker a long time ago and then went into construction. But being away from your family is hard and though he’s awesome at his job, he can drive the hell out of an 18-wheeler, and he loves driving, he hates being away OTR (over the road, which means away from home anywhere from during the week to weeks at a time, depending on what company you work for, where you go, etc). Though I’ll be going with him some, and of course I’ll be bringing my laptop and camera, I won’t be able to go all the time. I have a young grandson that I NEED to spend time with and watch grow up so I won’t want to be away all the time.

I’d donate to NaNo.

Invest.

Buy my sweet young grandson all kinds of things.

AHHH the dream… Give me a hammock and a winning lottery ticket 🙂

 

Related articles

• How to Decide Between NaNoWriMo and NaBloBoMo (seditiousjoy.wordpress.com)
• NaNoWriMo & NaBloPoMo (iwriteforlifeblog.wordpress.com)

 

 

NaNoWriMo Survival Guide

If you haven’t heard of NaNoWriMo then check out the website, but in essence for over a decade now November has been the NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth. People from all over participate. All you have to do to win is write 50,000 words in a month. And here are some tips for how to win.

Note: These tips are not in any specific order….

• Pick a genre. A working title. Write a synopsis (basically a sentence that sums up what your novel is going to be about).
• If you’re a plotter then write at least a basic outline. Note: If you’re a pantser and you’re like me, you might want to at least write down a few key ideas about where you want your story to go, what’s going on with the character, and at least a few details that are important to the story. Or you can just wing it completely (but I tried that and I got stuck at the midpoint and was floundering around like a fish on land).
• Find a place you can write. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a corner, in your very own writing room, at Starbuck’s, at the library, on your bed, or outside. Just somewhere that is your very own writing niche.
• You’re going to at least need a pen or pencil and some paper. If you’re writing old school style then you’re good, but if you’re like me and you’re going to need a laptop, a desktop, or at least a typewriter or word processor (hey, there are writer’s who still write using a typewriter).  Note: if you have a Mac or Windows, I suggest you use Scrivener. It’s awesome and amazing, and perfect for writing whether you’re writing a thesis, a blog, a book, a script, etc. And they have a special for NaNoWriMo (a discount) and there’s a free trial version just for NaNoWriMo. Check them out.
• Get yourself some rewards for short term goals and long term goals. For example, if you make your word count goal for the day allow yourself a piece of chocolate…If you WIN NaNoWriMo reward yourself with something you’ve been wanting (for me it was purchasing Scrivener, for another writer I know it was buying a new book). Each Friday if I’ve made my word count goal for the week I’ll be getting myself a White Chocolate Mocha venti from Starbucks with whipped cream. Haven’t decided on the big goal yet.
• You’ll also want to stock up on coffee, or whatever other type of drink(s) you like. I’ll be getting extra coffee, half & half, and Splenda, as well as chocolate, water bottles, Dr. Pepper, popcorn, Twizzler’s, baby carrots, and a few other goodies.
• You’ll also want to make sure that you get up from that chair, move around. Go outside and check the mail. Take a walk. You need to keep your blood flowing, it’s better for the brain and for you circulation.
• Make sure you get plenty of rest. It seems like a good idea to pull all nighters when you’re on a roll, but you need your sleep. Besides, I often dream about my characters and that helps with ideas.
• Write every day! If you write 1667 words a day you’ll make the 50K goal in 30 days, but please remember that Thanksgiving Day is in November and if you want to take a break on that day you’ll need write a little extra on some days.
• Put your inner editor away. Do NOT edit during November. You can edit once NaNoWriMo is over.
• Many people use the sprints and it works well for them. I don’t like them, but a lot of people do. There are word sprints on twitter, check them out.
• Do your research before November. Don’t spend time during November doing research.
• Save your novel in multiple ways, in multiple versions. I save mine as an attachment in my email, on a thumb drive, and on my hard-drive. You’ll be happy you saved it if something happens to your computer, and believe me you hear about it happening to at least a few people each NaNo.
• Remember that pen and notebook…Well once you’ve completed your 1667 word count for the day go places, get out, have fun. Listen to conversations between strangers, people watch…Have FUN and take notes.
• If you have a certain pair of pants, a favorite t-shirt or sweat shirt, hat, bedroom shoes, etc… Then wear it.
• Tell your family and friends that you’re doing NaNoWriMo. 1. It makes you accountable, 2. Hopefully they’ll support you (I know husband did while I was working on my novel during April’s Camp NaNo.
• And last but not least, IT”S OKAY IF YOUR NOVEL NEEDS EDITING. IT’S OKAY IF IT’S SHITTY.

 

A Beginning

I’m excited about sharing my writing experience. For the first time in a long time I’m following my dream(s). It helps that I have a partner (my husband) who supports and encourages me. So pen and index cards in hand, coffee in the other hand, my computer and Scivener, a cork board (or three) to tack my inspirational stuff to, and a few books about writing, as well as a ton of good (even great) fiction books that I’ve enjoyed over the years, and I’m ready to begin.

Next step, figuring out that I don’t work well as a panster, or an OCD plotter. I’m somewhere in the middle. Since I started using Scrivener I’ve found that I can plot the basic outline and then write from the gut, or the heart, or that secret place…Doesn’t matter what you call it. To me it’s my writer’s eye, or maybe it’s the reader’s eye, since I want my readers to get that same thrill, that smile, that WHOA moment, that I can’t put this book down…the I’ll just read one more page or one more chapter…

So I thought the best way to chronicle the process was to start at the beginning. I’ve participated in a few Camp NaNoWriMo’s, and won one, the last one I made my word count goal but the computer started acting up around the same time I ended up watching my 1 year old grandson full-time while my daughter works, and damn if I didn’t forget what day it was and not put in my words on time. Oh well, there’s always November. 😀

Today I’m working on my character outlines…I’m using the Character template from Scrivener and adding in personal info of my own. Tomorrow I’ll be finishing my basic outline. I’m trying the 3 act structure model for fiction to see if it helps. We’ll see how that goes. Tomorrow’s post will be about using the 3 act structure and whether or not it seems to be working for me.

An added note, I LOVE SCRIVENER!!! Best investment I’ve ever made.

Related articles

• Mr. Nabokov’s Index Cards (yourbeautifulwords.com)
• A Great Organization, Research, and Writing Tool (londonexternal.wordpress.com)
• 3 more reasons why Scrivener makes writing a book easy (whilethekidsaresleeping.wordpress.com)
• The movie angle – a new way to outline (davidhewson.com)
• The New Love of My Life: Why Using Scrivener Makes Writing a Book So Easy (whilethekidsaresleeping.wordpress.com)
• Pants vs. Plans (sheisoutwithlanterns.wordpress.com)
• Free Scrivener Templates To Structure Your Novel (mediabistro.com)