Catching Up

Now that NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) is over and successfully completed, it is time to begin catching up on all that was left hanging during November. For those of you who have asked, this first completed novel is not something that anyone will ever see. A first draft is just that, a first draft, and not meant for anyone but the author's eyes. Whether I retain any of this first effort remains to be seen, but it is doubtful. My basic intent was just to prove to myself that I could do it, that I could actually finish a novel. Too many stories have I begun and set aside when the going got tough or life intruded. But now I know I am capable; I can see a story line through from beginning to end. Not only that, but writing that many words in not an impossibility, as long as you keep writing! That is the key, to keep writing!

I did discover one thing about myself. That email is my main time waster. When I removed myself from the computer that has my email program, I could write for several hours without even thinking about email. I accomplished big things! But sitting at the computer with my email, the temptation is there to check it frequently. This not only takes time away from actual writing but also distracts the mind, causing me to lose the flow of the story and lose my momentum. Better to write one hour uninterrupted than to write three hours with many interruptions. As I was reading my favorite blogs (playing catch up after finishing the story Thursday), I came across a timely post: How to Keep E-Mail from Wasting Your Time. If you have find email to be taking up too much of your daily focus, check out the article. It has some good tips!

So, what do I need to catch up on? Besides the usual laundry, dishes and house cleaning? Numero Uno is my desk! I had done quite a good job of keeping it clean until NaNo hit. Oi! It is going to take all afternoon to find the desktop again.

Second is crocheting. I finished the baby afghan for my niece's new baby boy. I will get a picture taken later today and posted up asap. Thursday, while waiting for my car at the dealership (which I still do not have back!), I began working on a doily for a Christmas present. I need to make two and will not be able to post up pictures of those until after they have been given to their intended recipient. And I have several items to make for Miss Munchkin. First her Christmas stocking and then two hat and mitten ensembles, one for her and one for the dolly that Santa is going to be bringing her. Or for her favorite Miss Kitty stuffed animal or any of her mommy's several teddy bears that are fair game for playing with. She is at the age where she likes dressing up dollies and kitties and bears. Hmm . . . maybe I will need to make more than two.

Third, Christmas cards must go out soon. I did not send out cards last year … last year was the Christmas from Hell and no one felt in the mood to do any celebrating. Plus, with our move, I need to get cards out early so that people have our new address. Luckily, the MC (main character) in my just completed novel wrote her Christmas letter and it looks remarkably like what I need for my letter! So that is done and I just need to get it printed off and mailed out.

And last, but certainly not least, I am sure that my readers here would appreciate something new to read besides NaNo updates for the month of December. So I will strive to provide something that might actually be interesting and/or thought-provoking reading, although maybe not both at the same time!

A Picture Is Worth

. . . fifty thousand words.

Official NaNoWriMo 2007 Winner

Day Twelve

I did not write quite as much yesterday. I only managed 4235 words, which brought my total to 44,934. So I still have a little better than 5K to write sometime today and/or tomorrow. The biggest problem is that my story is done. I wrote the Epilogue. Even wrote The End at the end. I have no more to add to it. Some suggestions given to me by fellow NaNo'ers is to write a prologue, have my character write some emails to her children and include them the story line somewhere, maybe even write my Christmas Letter from the viewpoint of the MC (Main Character). I am not sure what I will write. At this point I am tired of the story, tired of the whole thing. Maybe that is because I still am not feeling 100% healthy. Which leads me to the next paragraph …

This post could have just as easily been titled "It's Your Sinuses, Stupid!" Yeah, I know I said earlier in the week that I did not think my vertigo was related to sinuses, but now I think I was wrong. By yesterday afternoon my head was hurting and there was that telltale pressure behind the eyes. When I finally fell to around five in the afternoon that my head was hurting due to sinuses, I broke down and took a sinus tablet. Today the head is better, although the dizzy still feels there a little bit, mainly when I am sitting motionless. Very odd.

Plus, my eyes are tired from my marathon days on the laptop Monday and Tuesday. And now I am tired from sitting at the car dealership all morning, waiting for them to diagnose why my check engine light is on when they supposedly fixed it last week. It did not take even a day for the light to come back on last week after they "fixed" the problem. After sitting there all morning, they found the problem (under warranty, thank goodness), but it will take most of the afternoon to fix. So they gave me a ride home and when the problem is fixed, they will send their shuttle van back out to pick me up. Ugh. Making chit chat with the van driver all the way back in to the dealership again, oh goody. Have I ever publicly stated here how much I hate making chit chat, social pleasantries, with someone I do not know? Well, I do. Hate it, that is.

So I am home, catching up my blog and trying to figure out what I shall write to use up 5+K more words! Tomorrow is the last possible day to finish. Check back and see if I make it!

Oh! And a shout out to my friend Lisa … hey knitbits! Happy Birthday!!! And yes, she's a knitter. Whatever gave that away?

Day Eleven

Another excellent day of writing yesterday. I added 8870 words to bring my total word count to 40,699. Just a little more than 9K to go and I will have done it!! Hurray!

The vertigo seems a bit worse today after being better yesterday. Not a lot worse, not like it was on Monday, but enough to notice. If I remember rightly from the last time I had a full-blown case of vertigo, the doctor prescribed some medication, but I think those meds were just designed to make you sleepy so that you would rest. I can do that without meds. If it continues much longer, though, I may decide to make a visit to the chiropractor. Bill has visited our new chiropractor, but no one else in the family has yet.

Day Ten NaNo Count

I guess vertigo can be a good thing! I managed to write 9,689 words yesterday! That brings my NaNo total to 31,829. Another two days like that and I will actually make the 50K goal.

The vertigo is better today. At least I can walk without playing pinball with the walls on my left side. But when I sit at the computer, I still feel like I am tilting slightly in that direction. And I feel slightly nauseous. Obviously there is still some inner ear something going on. Usually when I feel a little dizzy it is because my sinuses are plugged, but I do not feel like that is the case this time. And I have not had a full-blown case of vertigo in several years, probably since after Charles was born. I remember getting it a few times when the children were very young, which was not handy at all. At least I do not have to worry about taking care of small children this time around.

I think that maybe another day of resting in the recliner will be a good thing. Both for my vertigo and for my NaNo writing!

I'm a Great-Aunt, again!

I just received an email notifying me that I am now a great-aunt, again! My niece, Melanie Gibson Webster, gave birth to a second boy this morning.

Welcome to the world, Aidan Ansley Richard Webster! Mommy (& Daddy) and baby Aiden are doing well.

Ansley is a family name on mommy's side of the family and I assume Richard is a family name on daddy's side.

Now, I am off to do some NaNo writing. I seem to have a case of vertigo this morning, so I believe I am going to take the laptop and plant myself in the recliner and do nothing but type. Even sitting here at the computer I find myself leaning to the left. Hopefully the laptop idea will work. I have a lot of words to write today!

Day Nine NaNo Count

Slow going, what with Thanksgiving, Miss Munchkin here for an extra day and Bill home for the four-day holiday. I did manage to write 1463 words on Wednesday (my Day 9 of NaNo writing), but I have not gotten back to it since then. That brought my total up to 22,140 words. That leaves me with 5572 words to write each day for the remaining five days of November. Not sure that will be possible, but we'll try!

Day Eight

Yesterday was a much better day for NaNo writing. I managed to type 5200 words, which brings my grand total to 20,677. Phew! So six more days like that and I will make 50K. Of course, with Turkey Day coming up and all that requires, I do not think I will get another 5K-word day until next Monday. That will be cutting it way too close for comfort.

I just spent all morning at the car shop getting my van serviced and a small repair done. So no writing then, although I did get a lot of crocheting accomplished. I am working on an afghan for my niece Melanie, who is due with her second child any day now. So that was not wasted time, really. Just not writing time.

And then this afternoon is a trip to the grocery store. Oh goody. The grocery store two days before Thanksgiving. Brave, aren't I? Or just plain insane!

Day Seven - NaNo Update

2614 words written yesterday, for a grand total of 15,475. And I wasted too much time at chat today!!

Finished Flying Crows by Jim Lehrer last night. Interesting read. Odd, but interesting. I'll have to try to get a review up later. And yes, it is the same Lehrer that does the PBS news show. He has written about fourteen fiction books.

Day Six - NaNo Update

A great day of writing yesterday, 3289 words. Hopefully today will go just as well! I am up to 12861, which is 1/4 done! Of course, the month is 1/2 done as of today, but that just means I need to keep on!

Day Five

I got in a bit of writing yesterday. 819 words. So a running total of 9572. Not quite where I had hoped to be by now, but I should be able to get some good writing time in the next couple of days.

Day Four

Day Four of NaNo writing for me was Wednesday, November 7th. I completed another 2108 words, for a grand total of 8753. I am not sure when I will next have a chance to write, possibly not until next Tuesday. But I will be sure to post an update when I can.

Day Three

I know this is actually Day Five of NaNo, but it is Day Three of actual writing for me. Another 2641 words today. Total of 6645. More than 1/10th of the way there! I might just make it!

Very distracting, writing with the sound of the surf in the background. But a nice way to relax and refocus the eyes every so often after a period of typing, to look out on the horizon, watch the boat traffic, follow the birds in the sky. One could get used to it!

Vacation From Reality

Pinch me, quick! I must be in heaven! Picture this. No children. No meals to fix. No hubby during the day time. No laundry to wash. No errands to run. Open my door from the bedroom and I step out on to a balcony overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Blue sky. Rolling surf. Palm trees. Warm breeze. And all the time in the world to write!

We are staying at the Beachcomber Resort in Fort Lauderdale. Bill has three days of Citrix training and so the days are mine!

The drive down yesterday was nice, although the traffic once we hit Interstate in Ocala was crazy. Speed limit of 70 mph? Yeah, right!

And what is it with Ocala and horse farms? It felt like we were in Kentucky with all those horses! I will have to remember to Google and find out why Ocala is horse heaven. Sure was pretty, though.

And now, I'm off to write. Maybe I will take the laptop out on the balcony? Or would that be too much of a good thing?

Day Two of NaNo

I wrote another 1418 words yesterday, Day Two. So my running total is 4,004. Not quite 1/10th done, but getting there! I probably will not get much time for writing this weekend, but Monday I will be back at it and should have lots of time on Monday - Wednesday.

The weather today is just perfect. Cool this morning, down in the 50's. 70's today, light breeze coming in the windows, brilliant blue sky, not a cloud to be seen. We all keep pinching ourselves; this can't be November 3rd!

Day One

A good day of writing yesterday. 2586 words! Another day like that and I'll be 1/10th done!

NaNo Eve

This may be Halloween for most people, but for over 100,000 crazy souls, it is NaNo Eve. The night before NaNo begins. Am I ready? No way! We somehow acquired a Miss Munchkin on Saturday afternoon for an extended stay. She went home this morning. So I am exhausted from lack of sleep (she does not sleep through the night when she stays at Grandma's), shell-shocked from her continual (and improving) efforts at talking, and hurting from being pummeled by a 20 month-old toddler climbing all over, up and around me. Somehow, until I saw the announcement in my e-mail box this morning, I had forgotten that November 1st was just around the corner. I mean, I had almost a whole week right before Miss Munchkin arrived … but time seems to have slipped away.

One good thing about time slipping away is that I have not spent hours and hours contemplating my plot and characters. In fact, I have the barest of outlines and only a slim idea of my main character. Last year I had so much planned ahead that I felt burnt out by the whole thing before I even began writing. We will see whether not knowing everything in advance (or thinking I know everything) will work better.

Another good thing is that Penelope is home! She was home again for a couple of days last week, but then her check engine light came on, so she had to go back to the shop. But it was just a vacuum hose or some such thing easily taken care of, so she is back home today. That means that David can take himself to class and I no longer have to drive people everywhere. More time for writing!

The goal for NaNo is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. That breaks down to 1,666 words per day. And since I already know of a few days here and there where I will not be able to do any writing, I figure I need to do at least 2000 words per day, and it would be way better to do 2500 words per day. Wish me luck! I'll try to keep my count updated here, but if you don't hear from me for a few days, hopefully it is because I am busy writing the Great American Novel!

NaNo Creator Interview

One of my favorite blogs lately is Writer Unboxed. Their October 19th entry is Part 1 of an interview of Chris Baty, founding father of NaNo. If you want to know more about how and why he started NaNo, check it out! I particularly love his viewpoint when asked how many people who have participated in NaNo in the past have actually sold their books:

"I think that nobody has it as bad as aspiring writers. Look at the world of sports. If I went out and played a round of golf, when I came back from it, none of my friends would say, “Oh, you going to join the PGA?” The sense is that you do it for fun and you do it regularly, and it doesn’t have to be something you make your living at. My goal for the last decade has been to make a living as a writer. And I think there are other people in National Novel Writing Month who share that ambition, but I think that represents 10% of the overall population, and the other 90% are doing it for completely different reasons."

My friend Tammy wrote about the Baty interview on her blog, Just Enough, and Nothing More, "Homeschooling Is Like Music". Can you tell we've been discussing this interview on a list that we're both on?

October Already?

Where did September fly off to? If this is how quickly months go by at my age, how fast are they going to whiz by when I am ninety? And yes, I do plan to live at least that long! Many of the women on my dad's side of the family lived to be well into their nineties and I do not plan to be the exception.

So we begin a new month, October. And November is only one month away. November is National Novel Writing Month. Last year I participated in NaNoWriMo, but did not succeed in completing 50,000 written words. This year I will try again. No, what is it Yoda said? "Do, or do not. There is no 'try.' " So this year I will DO (write) 50,000 words.

To prepare for said feat, I will be writing here daily for the entire month of October. So enjoy the feast of posts this month while you are able, for next month it will be famine here as I write for NaNo instead!