Progress - August 31, 2012

I didn't do as well on updating here as I'd hoped. However, after scrapping the first day's work and writing about 19,000 words from last Saturday to last night, I finished the first draft of Long Legged Beasties. A day before the deadline for Camp NaNoWriMo.

I was astonished to do it. At one point in the month I was so far behind I didn't think it was possible to catch up. But I did. The first draft is finished and I'm taking a little break to focus on unpacking and organizing the apartment I moved into in July. After that, I begin revisions on the NaNoWriMo novel (Environmental Hazard) I wrote last November.

I may share a snippet or two from LLB later in the weekend.

Progress - August 19, 2012

Title: Long Legged Beasties
Words Total: 23,683
Words Today: 2,166
Reason for stopping: My brain is getting tired and I still have to gather things for work tomorrow.

Wordage I liked: "Jessica?"

I glanced back. Shawn's eyes were closed but he said, "Don't fight with him because of me."

"I won't. I'll be fighting with him because of him."

Things discovered: Things are about to go very badly.

***
What I've discovered is that I need to go back and add more scenes between my two main characters. And figure out what the sub-plot is. Possibilities. Possibilities.

Progress - August 16, 2012

Title: Long Legged Beasties
Words Total: 18,511
Words Today: 2,046
Reason for stopping: It's getting late. One more work day until the weekend!

Wordage I liked: My hand gripped the staff tighter as a flash of off-white sped by the place I'd entered the clearing. [...]

I followed the rough path I'd made back toward the cabin. Every few steps I stopped to listen and watch for whatever had been watching me. I breathed easier when I cleared the tree line. Shadowy Cat still sat at the bottom of the stairs, the tip of his tail twitching.

When I sat on the bottom stair, he looked at me as if to say he'd told me not to go.

"Ya, ya," I muttered and scratched him on the head.

Things discovered: Jessica needs to learn more about Gil's culture.

***
I managed to write 1,000 words between work and my massage tonight. The other 1,046 were harder to come by. One of the side effects of writing in the evenings is that my brain doesn't like to shut down quickly. Makes sleep difficult at times.

Plans for the weekend include more writing, cooking and moving some furniture so I can continue unpacking. Such a glamourous life.  :-)

Aug 15 - Progress

Title: Long Legged Beasties
Words Total: 16,465
Words Today: 2,117
Reason for stopping: I'm going to try stopping earlier than 11 pm to see if that helps me sleep.

Wordage I liked: Gil let me drive. If he thought it would calm me, he was wrong. I knew almost nothing about his people, save that he and his mother were Elders, Shawn was a child and they mostly stayed hidden from the human world. I couldn't shake the feeling we were riding into the heart of enemy territory. Well, I was anyway. Gil was going home.

Things discovered: The heart can take you in directions you never considered.

***

This is working so much better than the YA novel. That one will have its turn but I need to do more worldbuilding before I can really focus on it.

Updatery

I know I promised updates and snippets. It's been a busy month so far but there have been words. The original YA novel has been replaced by a paranormal romance. (Yes, quite a difference.) I'm a bit behind if I want to meet the August 31st deadline but I'm not stressing about it.

There will be an update tonight. Maybe even a snippet.

Looking forward

NaNoWriMo went well for me, so I thought I'd try CampNaNo. Same end goal - a 50,000 word novel - but in 31 days (for those of us who chose to attend camp in August).

I signed up knowing I'd still be dealing with post-move things. I may not "win" but I'm going to give it my best shot. This time, I'm planning to write a fantasy YA book. The original idea came to me when I began a short story for an anthology. The short was never completed but I think it's elastic enough to expand.

As with NaNo, there will be (mostly) daily updates and, perhaps, small snippets.

Wish me luck.

Small update

The lack of posts in this blog is a reflection of the lack of writing currently happening. Most of my focus has been on sorting/clearing/cleaning/packing my current apartment. (A move in a few weeks will do that to your focus.) When I'm settled in, writing (and blog entries) will resume. Promise.

At the moment, the only update I have is a rejection for a short story submission. I'm not surprised. It was a long shot. I do have one other submission out there. I feel a bit more confident about that one. But that's what submitting on spec is all about. Waiting. Hoping. And then resubmitting.

Birthday Resolutions

Growing up, returning to school each September was more of a new year than when I hung a new calendar on the wall. Birthdays also held that magic.

My birthday is almost here. This year, I'm making a few resolutions, hoping to regain that magical feel of a brand new year.


House & Home
- move to a new apartment
- continue to sort, clear and release what no longer serves me

Health
- introduce more veggies into my diet
- practice yoga again

Creativity
- write a little every day (fiction/journal/blogs/whatever)
- learn to play the ukelele

Spirit
- find new ways to refill my well
- continue GT seasonal studies

ScriptFrenzy Update

Well, I have fallen off the script bandwagon. Could be due in part to the subject I chose. I love the story and want to do more with it but a script is not quite right.

I do need to get back to writing. I've been focusing on some other parts of my life and the writing has slipped further down the list than I like.

Perhaps one of my birthday resolutions will be to write a little every day. (What? Doesn't everyone make birthday resolutions?)

Dare Campaign

As this is writing related ...

I am excited to be participating in the Dare Campaign for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. I’m taking on a personal challenge to raise funds for community-based organizations in Africa working to turn the tide of AIDS. Help me reach my fundraising goal! Every dollar counts! It’s easy to contribute. All you need to do is click on the link below - or copy and paste it into your browser - and then click on the Donate button in the top-right corner of my Dare page. Click here to sponsor me!

My Dare page

By supporting my Dare, you support my own daring effort, and the millions of Africans who rise to meet the challenges of the pandemic with extraordinary acts of courage, ingenuity, determination, and the strength in their communities.

What is my dare? If I reach my fundraising goal by the end of 2012, I will write 4 short stories or poems (from subjects suggested by my sponsors). They will be the only people to see them during 2013. If we raise over $200, there will be more words. And if you'd just like to support a great cause, you don't have to read anything. :-)

If you can't donate at this time, a signal boost would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Script Frenzy at a glance

Just want to get this worked out before April 1st.

Challenges

The year (which I've dubbed The Year of Dam Busting) also appears to be the year of writing challenges. Last November, I took on and won NaNoWriMo. This year, I'm planning to do it again and also take on two other writing related things.

One: a fundraising challenge, a Dare actually, for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. If I can raise $200 by the end of the year, I will write 4 short stories or poems in 2013 using suggestions from my sponsors. They will be the only people to see the stories for at least one year.

Two: while November is National Novel Writing Month, April is Script Frenzy. The goal: 100 pages of a script. Have I written a script before? Not a complete one. Am I going to let that stop me? No. I'm going to attempt to adapt one of my short stories into a stage play. I have absolutely no idea how it will turn out or even if I'll be able to write 100 pages. We shall all see together.

Progress - February 20, 2012

Title: Chaos Unleashed
Words Total: 30,935
Words Today: 1,177
Reason for stopping: The current section is starting to snowball and I know I don't have enough time or energy to let it roll tonight.

Wordage I liked: Once M joined L in the sleeping chamber, Birte began pacing. She had to keep moving. If she stopped, she would fail Anden. She would not allow that to happen.

Things discovered: Nasty things are happening. Also that I will have to write a scene I thought (okay, hoped) could be off-screen.

***
This was a long weekend for me (extra-long since I took Friday off as well). Today was one of the better word count days I've had since November.

Yes, it's been a while since I've updated here. It would be a sign that I haven't been writing much. The day job has required extra hours the last few weeks. Unless my schedule changed on Friday, the next couple of weeks look to be the same. I have hopes of not having to do overtime on the weekends. It would be good to have dedicated writing time.

Progress - January 2, 2012

Title: Chaos Unleashed
Words Total: 28,785
Words Today: 527
Reason for stopping: Dinner time. There may be more words tonight.

Wordage I liked: Spoilers all today.

Things discovered: Emotions, emotions.

***
I'm using new software for writing (WriteWay). It counts words a little differently than Word. I've adjusted the numbers above to what WriteWay shows. Less confusing for me. :-)

2011 Review

After nearly 1.5 years of not writing, 2011 saw words.

I:
- finished a 4900 word short story
- added 6925 words to the fantasy novel
- 'won' NaNoWriMo with a 50052 word romance/thriller novel

In 2012, I want to:
- polish the short story and submit it
- finish the first draft of the fantasy novel
- polish the romance novel and consider what to do with it

Thanks to those of you who read this blog. Here's to a fresh new year with new words and continued progress.