Row80 and WIPpet December 4th

Yay NaNo! I’m still not quite finished with Book 2 yet, but I’m getting very close. I can sense I’ve got too many scenes, but I give it the first draft shrug and kick it into overdrive. That’s the way it goes you know. Besides, those extra scenes can give you new ideas that you can incorporate elsewhere.

Since I won NaNo, I’m also looking to pick up Scrivener, which is 50% off for the winners. I’m never the sort to pay full price for anything if I can help it. But I don’t go as extreme as attending that event called Black Friday. No sir-ree bob, not me! I do the Cyber Monday, if I do anything, which is kind of weird to call cyber. But I don’t think anyone can think of a better name, so it’s stuck that way.

THE GOALS

Finish line edits on SHADE. Achieved!

Read at least 2 new books. Making progress. I started a book called Gone Girl, but I’m the sensitive type when it comes to language and crudity. It’s not that this book is extreme by any means, but it kicked on my offend-o-meter too many times and I moved onto The Night Circus instead. But if that sort of stuff doesn’t bother you, I think the book is fairly well written, at least based off the 3 or 4 chapters I read. I think it’ll turn into a decent story.

I did manage to get a hold of a copy of Matched from the e-library, but it’s an epub which means Kindle no likey. I’ve tried finding any other medium that doesn’t involve reading on my computer (cuz that just ain’t happening). There’s a chance I can get it to work on my phone, but if every there was a strong case for sticking to the Kindle only, this would be it. I guess I could buy it, but I hate to buy stuff I’m not sure if I’ll read again in the future. #firstworldproblems

October NaNoWriMo Prep Work. Achieved!

NaNoWriMo Challenge. ACHIEVED!

Edit/finish the short stories I do have. No new progress.

WIPpet Wednesday

Time for the whole reason in my hectic and somewhat shenanigan-filled life that I keep on trying to blog, the WIPpet. When last we left Logan an angel was there to either help or destroy him. Some background info, though Logan was raised by a human named Gentry, of his biological parents, his father is a full-blooded infamous demon and his mother is half-demon, but also just as infamous to the angels.

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Row80 and WIPpet November 27th

NaNo has been a ton of fun and I’ve got a lot accomplished thanks to it. I’m planning on scheduling some kind of project during November every year. The motivation is awesome! I’m fairly certain I’m going to hit 80,000 words today and once I do, I’m going to enter my words and call my NaNo won. Though the story likely won’t be finished, so I’ll keep going, though probably a little into December. Thanksgiving will likely keep me from doing much of anything the rest of November.

Besides, it’s free ski day at Jackson Hole resort on Friday. Hello! For free! This place normally costs $100/ticket. It is the #1 resort in the nation, after all. In fact, it recently kicked Deer Valley out of that spot, and I’m sure the DV is nones too happy. That’s where I have been skiing, since they give locals a sweet deal and it’s a great resort, and the BFF tends to get free passes there, so that’s where she wants to go.

Yeah, I’m ready for winter I think. Fall has been fairly decent this year, so if it snows, I’m ready. Just need to get my new tires, but don’t worry, friends, it should be this weekend.

Hope all of you celebrating Thanksgiving have a great holiday and for those that aren’t, hope your weekends are awesome just because! 😉

THE GOALS

Finish line edits on SHADE. Achieved!

Read at least 2 new books. No new progress. I’m still a total slacker when it comes to mornings and train commuting still isn’t happening. Hopefully soon.

October NaNoWriMo Prep Work. Achieved!

NaNoWriMo Challenge. ACHIEVED! Just marching toward 80,000 now.

Edit/finish the short stories I do have. No new progress.

WIPpet Wednesday

Now let’s WIPpet good. Let’s say eleven lines about 7+2=9 pages from last we excerpted. A little reminder info: Ebon is Logan’s dog. Last week you got a snippet of when Logan’s aunt captured him. But what happens when someone tries to capture his aunt?

Row80 and WIPpet November 20th

So I totally spaced this post today. Got a little involved in outlining the upcoming parts of my novel and busy with other things and well, you know how it goes. Have you ever gotten to the end of plotting one book and the next is trying to demand your attention? One project at a time you crazy ideas. ONE! (That’s how I roll. Don’t know how you multiple-projects-at the-same-time people do it).

Anyways, great weekend for me. More on that in the goals below!

THE GOALS

Finish line edits on SHADE. Achieved!

Read at least 2 new books. No new progress. I’m still a total slacker when it comes to mornings and train commuting still isn’t happening. Hopefully soon.

October NaNoWriMo Prep Work. Achieved!

NaNoWriMo Challenge. ACHIEVED! Yep, hit 50,000 words over the weekend. But I’m pressing forward, because the show ain’t over yet. I’m going to try for 70K, which was my original goal anyway. I think I’ll hit it. I’m pretty into my story right now. I know a few of you hit 50K a bit ago, but hey, at least I caught up. And for those of you still working toward it, don’t give up. The point is to write, no matter how far you get. So write!

Edit/finish the short stories I do have. No new progress.

WIPpet Wednesday

Onto the WIPpetting. I think I’m going to continue on with what I had last week and give the next little excerpt to what happened. (Feel free to read last week’s so you’re not confused).

Row80 and WIPpet November 13th

NaNo is a whirlwind. A destructive, yet wonderful whirlwind that takes over your life and you wonder how you can possibly get anything else done. Hence my neglect of the blog….

But it’s WIPpet Wednesday, by golly. And that deserves at least a few minutes of my time to get something up. But first, let’s talk about Row80 goals.

THE GOALS

Finish line edits on SHADE. Achieved!

Read at least 2 new books. No new progress. I’m still a total slacker when it comes to mornings and train commuting still isn’t happening. Hopefully soon.

October NaNoWriMo Prep Work. Achieved!

NaNoWriMo Challenge. I’m a bit sluggish, but still making decent progress. I’m at ~28,000 words as of this post. That’s more than halfway. But I’m not loving what I’m getting. I’m having that murky middle moment. I’m still going to push through, because the best remedy for murky middles is rewrites. And pushing through has brought me some new ideas and discoveries that weren’t in my original outline. So this first draft may suck in one way, but it’s helping me in several others.

Edit/finish the short stories I do have. No new progress.

WIPpet Wednesday

And now for something completely WIPpet. Let’s see, today’s 11-13? What about 13 pages in and 11 lines. A bit of explanation: Vera and Logan went to visit Vera’s father Balfour in the city and find instead Logan’s aunt has set a trap for them.

Row80 and WIPpet November 6th

Do you people know what yesterday was? It was a significant date in history. You see, back in 1955, this unknown scientist was standing on a toilet to hang a clock and he fell and he had a vision. And from that vision came the flux capacitor. And that’s what makes time travel possible, ladies and gents.

Hats off to you Doctor Brown. And since we’re discussing Back to the Future, I just wanted to throw up a little reminder in case you see any rumors circulating on Facebook or otherwise about the date Marty goes to the future. We’ve still got a couple of years, so don’t believe the deceivers. We won’t be seeing that date until 2015. So no flying cars or hoverboards, not yet.

That’s right, I took a picture of the DVD playing on my Mac. Let it now be settled.

THE GOALS

Finish line edits on SHADE. I’m EXTREMELY pleased to say this goal was accomplished BEFORE NaNo began. Woot! I did notice a couple of flaws as I reached the end, but any fixing shenanigans will have to wait until at least December. Count that goal as achieved!

Read at least 2 new books. No new progress. I’m still a total slacker when it comes to mornings and train commuting still isn’t happening. Hopefully soon.

October NaNoWriMo Prep Work. I didn’t finish the outline completely, but I may have to rely on a little pansting to get me from point A to point B. Of course, if I have to stop and think then I will. But I’m fairly confident I can make 50K by November 30th. I’m hoping to push it to 60K, perhaps 70. We’ll see how ambitious I am come around November 20th. So I call that goal achieved as well.

NaNoWriMo Challenge. I’m off to a strong start. As of this post I’ve got ~13,000 words. That’s like 1/5 of the way through. The first couple of days were really strong, but I’ve reached a more fluid part of my outline and it takes some thinking, which slows down the writing. But I’ve met daily word count goals so far, so I’m at least on target.

Edit/finish the short stories I do have. No new progress.

WIPpet Wednesday

Okay, now that I am really working hard on another WIP, I’m going to post a short excerpt and then I’ve got places to be people. (I’m sure you have too). Let’s see, 11/6. What about 6 pages in, 11 lines? Since I haven’t posted anything from the previous novel, it’s hard for you to know much of anything. Logan is my main character and without a whole lot of backstory, his mother has been sealed inside him. He’s looking for a way to get rid of her, but for now he has to deal.

The NaNo Beginneth

I know I’m a little late to the posting game, but what can I say, I’ve been busy. And part of that has been busy writing away. If the first day is any indication, I don’t think I’ll have trouble reaching 50,000 words in one month. Of course, I don’t necessarily have a complete plot either, so if I reach the end of what I’ve got and haven’t connected the dots trouble may then ensue.

Until then, I’m enjoying it.

It’s really, really hard not to go back and edit what I’ve written. I’ve been considering adding comments to the side of the document of things I need to fix later. I think that can satisfy the internal editor enough to keep it at bay.

But I’ve already made my goal for the day and I’ve still got some good juice left in me, so I’m going to keep going. I’ve noticed the little widget I have on the blog seems to update instantly, so it’s been fun to update my progress and know it’s being displayed. It’s a real sense of accomplishment. Hopefully all this motivation will hold through the 30th.

I have one chapter finished, and I’m thinking I’ll excerpt a little bit from this for WIPpet Wednesdays. Of course, it may be that I’m being too ambitious. We’ll see.

How are all you NaNoers doing? What are you doing reading? Go write, write, write! Let’s dominate this November!

 

The NaNo Cometh

NaNo begins this week. Okay future participants, now is your cue to start freaking out.

Am I ready for NaNo? -ish. The outline is coming along and I’m solving plot point problems, but let’s face it. I need to get some serious plotting done if I want to be ready for Friday. I guess because it’s the end of the week that seems far enough away. Plus I’m trying to get some other goals accomplished before NaNo consumes everything.

But there’s something I’ve learned in prepping for NaNo, and that’s trust your creative brain. I worried a little about connecting some dots, but I kept that conundrum on the back burner and moved forward and things are starting to work out. I don’t know what it is about the blank page before me that makes me wonder if this is the one. You know, the time where you’ve finally run out of ideas. Where you won’t actually be able to pull a story off. End of the universe kind of stuff.

I think for us creative types, that’s just not going to happen, at least not permanently. Especially if you’re feeding your creativity constantly. (That’s where reading and watching and consuming other forms of media comes in handy. Blogging especially can spark creativity in unexpected ways).

So my small words of advice as NaNo approaches, is to prepare in your own best way, then trust your creativity. Let your muse run amok, send your editor on a cruise, and write. And if you reach November 1st and you’re a plotter and things aren’t quite there yet, don’t worry. Trust yourself. And trust that this is a first draft anyway. Let it be a land free of criticism and full of discovery. Just write. And enjoy it.

Are you ready for NaNo? Still doing last minute prep or waiting for that 12:00 a.m. November 1st moment? If you’re not doing NaNo, what will you be up to this November?