NaNoWriMo Day 30: Another Closing

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In ten minutes, NaNoWriMo 2013 comes to an end here in the Pacific Northwest. It has already ended in other places around the globe, but there are ten more minutes for authors in this region; Hawaii has even more time.

I let today go without adding a word to my NaNoNovel. I am making the final revisions to my poem for the online poetry workshop in the Literary Kitchen, but I will leave it outside of the novel.

I am proud of my accomplishment. Of both reaching 50k words and the end of the story.

Thank you, to the Municipal Liaisons who set up the write-ins and the kick-off party and the midnight write-in, to everyone at headquarters for another NaNovember!

The End.
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NaNovember 29: A Little More

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Yesterday I finished the story in my NaNoWriMo novel. Then, just after midnight, I wrote a little more.

And I wrote "The End."

Tomorrow is the official final day of NaNoWriMo. And I just might squeeze out a few more words on the novel. We'll see. Or maybe I'll let my NaNoCalendar widget just take the dark red day (for nothing written) on the last day of the month.

Although I do have a poem due tomorrow. So the poet in my novel may just have to write one more for he chapbook. We'll see.

This was a good writing month. I like the story and, with heavy editing, it could actually become a book. I think. I have handed the story off to my first beta reader, with her annual instructions that it is raw, there are typos, there mostly likely are conflicting pieces of information here and there, and other things which would have to be fixed before moving forward. Oh, and some places the story needs serious editing. But her job at this point is to see if there is a story deserving of further development.

This is probably my last NaNoWriMo 2013 post. Unless I find one more thing to say between now and midnight tomorrow.

Good luck to my fellow NaNoTravelers who are still writing their ways to 50,000. Go, authors! I have faith in you. You can do this!

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NaNoWriMo Day 28: Giving Thanks and The End

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We spent time with family today. A family to which I have no blood or legal connection. But I do have connection of the heart. The head of this family, my partner's step-father, has been in my life for over thirty years, as have his adult children (my partner's step-siblings). There were other extended family members from others' second marriages and, well, it's complicated and I would have to draw you a chart to show the connections, as loose and fluid as it is. The family who have been around for these thirty years, I only see once or twice a year and it was good to see them. I am thankful to have these people in my life and to call them family. And I'm thankful for all of the good things in our lives. It is not perfect, there are some hard things, but overall, life is good.

Also, with two days left in NaNovember, I have completed the story. Yesterday I passed the 50,000 word mark and today I completed the plot. The book needs much editing, some plot points need changing, moving, expanding, enhancing, but the story is there from beginning to end.

The rule is to let it rest. I think of it like making bread: it has to rest and rise and then it's ready to be punched down and kneaded and let to rise again. Yes. It must rest and then it can be manipulated and shaped. But it must rise and "rise" for me and the novel is that I have to forget some of the little things, come back to it fresh, and renew my energy for the project. Then dive in, look at it fresh, and clean it up.

I like the story. Still. This is good.

This was my sixth consecutive NaNoWriMo win:

NaNoWriMo 2013: "The Center of the Universe" 

NaNoWriMo 2012: "Forty-nine Days of Bardo"

NaNoWriMo 2011: "Following Instinct: of Shadows and Edges"

NaNoWriMo 2010: "There Was This Garden"

NaNoWriMo 2009: "Cascade Lakes Footnotes" 

NaNoWriMo 2008: "Open Boxes"

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NaNoWriMo Day 27: I'm A Winner!

The story isn't yet done, but I have surpassed the goal of writing 50,000 words in November. Now, back to writing the story.

Yay!

NaNoWriMo Day 26: New Goal? Finish Tomorrow

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My word count at the end of today is
47,450.

I wrote nearly 3500 words today and it felt great. I made a lot of progress on the story; and there is much to write. But in terms of NaNoWriMo, I am 2550 words from the 50,000 word goal. Soon. Very soon.

Tonight we had date night and went to see "Blue Jasmine" at The Academy. Afterward, I went to the store to buy the ingredients to try the recipe I want to make for Thanksgiving. I've never made it and thought it would be good for us to test it on ourselves rather than our multi-faceted family gathering. I hear it beeping in the oven as I type; so I will keep this short.

My new goal is that I will past 50k tomorrow. I will reach the NaNoWriMo goal and I will keep typing. I do want to finish this story. Then I will let it rest when the story is done and come back in a few months to begin the editing process, which will be extensive. And in the meantime, between the end of the first draft of this novel and the first revision of this novel, I will return to - and hopefully finish - the memoir; again.
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NaNoWriMo Day 25: Back to the Mystery

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The goal is clearly in sight now. Yes, I am going to make 50,000 words before midnight on November 30th.

Right now my total word count is 44,101. Only 5,899 words to

Yay!

I left the beach retreat behind, still without much more information (for me, as the author) about the play. Argh! But the novel called me back to earlier in the book, where I was writing yesterday, so there I am. Or was. We'll see where they lead me tomorrow. I think I will be wrapping up the investigation of the rehearsal theater and the disappearing actor. The director has been taken to the hospital (OHSU) with non-life threatening injuries.

I think tomorrow we'll wrap up the investigation. Get a lead on the disappeared actor. Then I suspect we'll move on back over to the coast and pick up with the retreat. Find out what is up with this play!

Oh, and there was a hint that maybe there is a connection with the replacement actor and the disappeared actor.

I also think I know more about the dead body in the opening scene. But I'm not telling. Not yet.

*smile*

I can do this. I am nearly there.

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NaNoWriMo Day 24: Backing Up

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I am talking about backing up in terms of saving the novel (in multiple formats and in multiple places) and backing up as in time.

Today I found myself jumping back to the scene where the director was attacked and then one of the actors went missing. Yes, that was a very passive statement about the actor - but that's all I can say at this point. Right now the paramedics have arrived, they are checking out the director who has passed out, and there is still the question of the bloody hammer upstairs. The police are dealing with the hammer and the fainting actor; the firemen have just opened up access to the basement green room so the EMTs can get the director out.

That's where things are in the novel

And my word count as of right now - and I doubt I'll get more in tonight as this is my last break of the shift - is 41540. That's a good number of words and I'm closing in quickly on the goal. I'm still on track to finish up on November 29th, which I would love to do. I hate the pressure of waiting until the last minute. But, if I need it, I do have time to cram on Saturday. With a big writing day on Tuesday, I don't think I'll need Saturday.
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NaNoWriMo Day 23: Another Milestone Passed

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The NaNoNovel is still progressing. The words are flowing despite the rest of life continuing to, well continue. Work, time with family, tickets purchased last summer for a performance tonight.

And, still, I met the daily word count today. I wrote 1683 words today and passed the 40,000 total word count mark. My total words are 40,896 (the goal for midnight tomorrow is 40k, so I am still ahead of the benchmark).

We're still mucking around in the play, digging out what it is or isn't. The playwright is leading an exercise at the retreat. And there will be a few scenes run on the beach the next day. Right now, the scene I'm writing, they drank Prosecco, did a word association exercise, and are giving the playwright feedback.

I think we're also getting close to discovering more information about the actor who disappeared when the lights went out and the director was attacked. No details are currently available; but I feel it coming.

This project is still enjoyable and I will finish it. I like it. It has potential. Yes, it will need major revisions and clean up, but I think it is a viable novel.

Yay for me.

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NaNoWriMo Day 22: Dinner Gathering

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photo by my Tuesday writing partner, Rooze.

Today I wrote 1821 words and my ending total count is 39213.

It may be hard to wrap up this story in 11000 more words and that's okay. I see the goal in sight; I will make the 50000 word goal. It may be November 29th when I finish, or perhaps the 30th. I have a long writing day lined up next Tuesday, a few extra hours tomorrow and next Wednesday. Other than that, I will be writing with my usual time - around work and sleep hours. Then, just in case, I have Saturday 11/30 wide open for writing; unless I need to add another viewing of the play I'll be interpreting in a couple of weeks.

I do plan on continuing this story until it's done. I like it. There are some NaNoErrors, I know. Some conflicting facts. Some lousy writing. Maybe a few gems. And some likable characters. I like the basic story and I think it's worth finishing and then revising. So far, at least!

The cast, director and her partner, the playwright, and a couple of tech crew guys are just sitting down to dinner at the coastal retreat. I believe that after dinner there will be a discussion about the script and we might find out a few more details. I mean I might be told a few more details. Right now I know very little about the play they've been working on, other than that it does includes some dance, has something to do with energy and movement, and a few other details.

It was a good writing day. Tomorrow will probably be a little less, due to work and then attending a performance tomorrow night.

Writing it going well. I'm satisfied with my story and writing right now. And that feels great.
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