Monday, October 31, 2016

NaNoWriMo 2016

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It's here!
The NaNoWriMo novel 50k writing marathon is under was as of midnight November 1st.

Below is my monthly progress.


KEY
Green = good, met daily average.
Yellow = okay, about have daily goal.
Orange = I wrote something.
Red = nothin' written and that's okay, but want minimum red.

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Sunday, October 23, 2016

Momentum at Rest

It really isn't as contradictory as it looks. It's also another title that I'm not quite sure where it came from, but it bits. Or I hope it fits. Or it will fit before I'm done writing.

What I was thinking about when I started to write this is how it's getting closer to NaNoWriMo. I'm excited and feeling - yes, again - doubtful that I can do it. Again. This is going for number nine.

Hey, that's a good number!

My point. I have a place to start this year, and a plot, but still no outline. And I'm good with that. No, I'll take it back. The story I am basing this year's novel on has a Scapple of the pieces - which is a type of mind mapping software made with writers in mind (the same people who created Scrivener). The mind mapping is not an outline but could serve a similar function.

See? There I go thinking about pantser or plotter. Maybe I'll go for a hybrid this year; that looks like where I'm headed.

So it's a week plus a day before NaNo begins. The period of waiting. Getting pens and paper and backup laptop battery and extension cord with multiple plug ins on the end to share with fellow NaNoers. Preparation in whatever form that takes.

The "momentum at rest" is the active and conscious version of "inertia." With inertia my brain goes numb and I am filled with doubt (I've already admitted the doubt, okay), and the project is fogged over, murky, it's gray like Portland November skies. But with momentum at rest, the energy is there, I'm alert, and I know the blue is on the other side of the clouds, but I can't take action at the moment, so I rest.

Momentum at Rest. And counting down toward NaNo.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Gathering Resources and Making Plans


November is getting closer, which means NaNoWriMo is almost here. Yes. I am going for the 50k in 30 days, again.

Do I think I can do it? Yes. And no. Depends on when you're asking and depends on, I don't know, the wind, perhaps. Yes, I know I can reach the 50k. I've done it for the past eight consecutive years. Going for number nine.

Last year was one of my dull years. I crossed the finish line but what I had was a mess and probably won't be going anywhere and I haven't opened that file since November 30, 2015. It was only the second year I'd written all those words and have no intention of ever looking at them again. It was kind of like cleaning out the garage and the attic - a good thing to do but not something to revisit any time soon.

This year I hope to write something I like and feel good about. Do I have a plan? Maybe. So, yes, I guess, I have a maybe plan. An idea that I think I will go with.

But here's the deal: even the dull years where I'm pouring words onto the page and hitting goals and cleaning up head/hand/heart space, I'm writing. For me, that's what NaNo is about: writing. If I get something "good" - yippee! A bonus. I do hope this one goes better.

And by better, I mean that there is a cohesive and complete story. It will need editing because I am a pantser. Yes, I am. I may try to have a minimalistic outline - if I go with the maybe plan - because I have a lot of information about this story already.

No, I'm not telling. Not yet.

NaNo is coming and I am excited. I have my writing retreat booked and tonight I even ordered up a few food supplies for that retreat. I have my schedule planned to include some writing around work and theatre. And some other slots besides the retreat tagged as writing time where I won't let myself add more work. Because, NaNoWriMo.

My plan to get up to daily writing speed hasn't happened. Not yet. It might still be a good idea to get there. Or get to almost every day writing. I'll try. Because, NaNo.

Now I must get to bed because - no, not NaNo - my weekly writing meetup is in the morning and I need some sleep.