NaNoWriMo 2005

...Halfway Point....

2005-11-15T20:09:00.000-08:00

Well, it is halfway through the month. I am 5,000 words behind, at 20,000. Still, I'm doing better than I was last week.

I got absolutely NO writing done this morning, because I was at the stupid endocrinologist for 3-ish hours. So, I didn't start writing until this evening. Got my 2,000 words in, though, which is good. During Commander-in-Chief tonight, I'll see about getting another thousand done, to help get me caught up.

I'm actually running out of plot. I never had a clear idea of what happens once my characters go through the Ivory Tower. I mean, obviously there will be some kind of showdown, but I don't know anything about it. My characters are strong, though, and will lead me through it.

Speaking of which, I just wrote the most touching scene. I'm sure it is utter crap, but I felt so moved while writing it. It's where Elle and Trent are in the garden, after Elle has a nightmare about her captivity. She tries to explain to him why she can't tell anyone what K'Shron did to her. It was really sweet. And about 1,000 words all by itself. The characters wrote it; I had no idea what was going on--I hadn't even planned for them to have a garden scene. It messes with my timeline, but I'll just shift everything by a day, so that they will finish out the day they were on, and then do the next order of business. But, yeah, Trent led the scene, and Elle responded marvelously. Those two have excellent chemistry...too bad they aren't real and actors.

Well, I must take a shower before Commander-in-Chief, so ta-ta!

On the...Dear me, what day of NaNo is it?

2005-11-14T07:48:00.000-08:00

Goodness, I've lost count.

So, I wrote absolutely nil on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I was something like 7,000 words behind. Yesterday I stepped up and wrote 3,000-ish words. Yay me.

Now, I've got a cold thanks to my darling sister, who came down to visit last week. Grr.

This week is gonna be uber-busy, because we're getting ready for the Thanksgiving trip, and next week I doubt I'll be able to write much because I will be surrounded by several dear family members, like my cousin Dan, who I only get to see once a year. He and I are very close, and I'll be spending as much time as I can with hiim...so, I must work like the devil today.

Tomorrow I've got an endocrinologist appointment and the we invited the Elders over for lunch, since Elder Castillo is getting transferred on Wednesday.

Wednesday, I've got a trip to LA for my play, which will take most of the day, and I have to be home in time for dinner, because we scheduled a dinner with the Elders; I'm kind of happy, because I'll be able to meet the new missionary before everybody else, lol.

Thursday is going to be relatively quiet, except for last-minute cleaning, packing, and doing laundry.

Friday I have to pack and stuff.

Saturday we're leaving for Oregon. wOOt.

Not to mention, I've got rehearsal every day, and I can no long skip out because the director from hell made me the sound technician. *rolls eyes* Like I know anything about the sound equipment except the basics of the sound board.

So, my plan is to write at least 3,000 before rehearsal today, and get another 500-1000 in after rehearsal. Then, tomorrow, I need to write at least 2,000 throughout the day, spaced between my appointments and rehearsal and stuff.

Then, I'll just do what I can for the rest of the week. If worst comes to worst, I'll write on the way up to Oregon. Its a 16 hour trip, and I get carsick, so maybe if I keep myself writing, it'll go faster.

Hey, guess what? The love interest has finally made his appearance. He is making the love interestee act amzingly out of character, because she is supposed to be really, really traumatized, blah blah blah, but it is about bloody time that he show up.

Also, my characters are out of the evil nasty desert, and are currently healing at the Ivory Tower. Bria's hand is permanently crippled from when she deflected the sword-thing. Likki is whole and well, and Elle is too traumatized to talk (except to the love interest).

Also, my dialogue sucks. And my description sucks. My form also sucks. Gr. I hate suckage. Where is my Evanescence collection? I think I'll listen to Origin again...

On the Third Day Of NaNo, My Muse Gave to Me...

2005-11-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

Inspiration, extra words, and a plot that moves!

Okay, so, yesterday, after writing my blog entry, I popped in an Evanescence CD (Origin, actually, if anyone cares), and, in a half an hour, I had 1000 words done.

Long story short, I wrote 2,295 words yesterday, which put me ahead of schedule.

Today, I had such difficulty writing anything. Until, tonight. After dinner, I began writing. I wrote a nice prologue, finished chapter one, and am almost done with chapter two.

I went from 4,295 words to 6,834 words. Woohoo!

And, as icing on the cake, my plot is actually moving! In the direction I want it to go! Yes, the dialogue sucks and my characters are trying to rebel, but something happened! For the past two days, it has been boring. My characters wake up, do their daily routine, sleep, have weird dreams, wake up, do their daily routine, sleep, etc. Now, something has happened! They have been attacked by Meladri and forced out of their home.

I have not gotten farther than that.

Still, it's progress!

Anyway, I am so proud of myself for getting almost 1,000 words ahead of schedule. I'm tempted to keep writing, but I need to get to bed. I've been lagging in my bike riding the past couple of days, and I don't know if it's because I'm sick or because I'm tired.

I thought I'd update my blog, though.

Good night, everyone!

On the Second Day of NaNo, My Muse Gave to Me...

2005-11-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

...two obstinate characters.

Ok, so I got the minimum 1667 words yesterday. BFD. So, today I have to make up the 300 words I didn't do yesterday, and write 2000 more. Gr. This is starting to feel a lot less possible than it did a couple weeks ago.

And, to top it off, nothing is happening. The plot is not moving. My characters are stagnating. They wake up. They do their chores. They talk. They eat. They do some more chores. They bicker. They have dreams. They repeat the cycle.

Boring.

I can't seem to get them started.

Say, I've got an idea: how about I use this blog as my NaNo? I'm sure to get 50,000 words from all my b*tching about my stupid story.

How about it? I might, if November 30th comes around and things are looking hopeless.

Goodness, what a cop-out. On the other hand, it would be perfectly within the rules; I would have written 50,000 words of something within a month. Hee hee. I'd have to be really desperate to do that.

Oh, by the way, I just finished making up the 300 words I didn't do yesterday, and I'm already running out of steam. I don't know what I'm going to do for 2000 more words. Maybe I'll insert a new character and kill him for fun. Hmm. It has possibilities.

I will come back when I have written 2000 words. See you in a million years.

1:28 p.m.

2005-11-01T13:24:00.000-08:00

It is 1:28 p.m., and I have 1000 words. It took long enough. *scowls* I was on the internet most of the morning, doing absolutely nothing productive. I finally just took out my wireless card, and, in the last 20ish minutes, went from 300 to 1000 words.

I just thought I'd pop in with a status report, having reached my first thousand and all...

O.G.

On the First Day of NaNo My Muse Gave to Me...

2005-11-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

A plot and some dialogue.

The day is young, I wrote for about 10 minutes, and I have 101 words. Pathetic. On the bright side, I love my opening paragraph. It is very good, for having come up with it in about two seconds. Here it is, for those of you who care:

"Bria was in a room. It was perfectly ordinary, not outstanding in any way, save that Bria did not know where she was."

All right, it isn't so much a paragraph as..two sentences. Still. Allow me to be proud of myself.

I have a sore throat and a nose that thinks it's running a marathon. So, I'm miserable, but trudging along with writing. I will conquer. Eventually.

I'm not nervous about finishing, because I know I can do 2,000 words a day if I put my mind to it. I'm actually quite excited and happy to finally have started. Anyone wanna take bets on how long that feeling will last?

Cheers!

Two Days Till NaNoWriMo

2005-10-30T11:26:00.000-08:00

It is Sunday, the 30th, and I cannot wait until the 1st. I've been ready for about two weeks, and I'm afraid I'll lose interest if I don't start writing soon.

This is the most preplanning I have ever done for a story. I have a political map, a geographical map, an outline of the first two chapters, character sketches, a two-page plot summary, several subplots, and a list of ways to pad my wordcount, should I be in dire need.

I also have several rewards in place--and my darling little sister told me she'll buy me stuff when I reach my goals.

At 25,000 words, she's going to buy me a darling brown fedora. I'm going to buy me a darling black fedora.

At 50,000 words, she's going to buy me a pair of boots that I absolutely love, with little kitty faces on the toes. I'm going to buy me Law and Order: SVU, season 2 on DVD.

I'm contemplating throwing in a pair of pants at 35,000 words, but Christmas is just around the corner...

Monday night I'll be working a haunted theatre till 11:30, so I might as well stay up till midnight to start NaNo. I figure I'll write for about an hour, go to sleep, wake up at 5:30, drink some caffeine, commence my daily bike ride (urgh), go home, and begin writing again until class. After class, I will resume writing again until rehearsal. At rehearsal, I will write unless they need me for something. I plan on going to bed fairly early Tuesday night, since I can't get much done if I'm tired.

Wednesday, I will wake up at 5:30 and ride my bike. After that I will treat myself to a good breakfast...maybe fried eggs and sausage (yum). Then, I will resume writing again. Same formula as Tuesday--write until class, write until rehearsal, early to bed...

My goal for each day is 2,000 words, and I'm contemplating a mini-reward for each day that I reach 2,000 words. I can't afford to buy something every day...maybe it'll be breakfast the next morning. I usually have waffles or cereal or something, but I love fried eggs, so each day I reach 2,000 words, I'll make breakfast the next morning.

I guess it is a good thing I'm not working right now, otherwise I wouldn't have time for this. Of course, I don't have the money to buy all of my rewards, so I had better find a job soon, LOL.