Well, November is over... My final word count for the month is 25,216... I managed to get just over half way...
I have learned a lot over the course of the month, the most important thing being that if I put my mind to it I can actually write alot more than I ever have before. Okay, I didn't crack the 50k, but I got half way which is still a hell of alot of words... Next time I'll get it, I'll know what to expect and I'll know how best to face the challenge...
But, the thing to remember is this: I have half a novel, I have a head full of ideas, and there is no reason to quit. Maybe I can have this novel finished by the end of December and ready for re-write and editing.
This whole thing has left me hungry for more and I know that this is only the beginning...
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Day 3: Only just beginning...
You may be wondering why I am starting so late.
Well, in answer to your rampant curiosity, I will tell you.
On Thursday I started coming down with the 'flu. We're heading into the last month of Spring and I get the 'flu. How bloody typical. Of course, I thought it was just hayfever at this point in time, it wasn't until midday Friday that it occured to me that it might be worse than mere hayfever...
Saturday and Sunday I was dreadfully ill. But by Sunday night I seemed to be improving.
"Thank god," I thought to myself, "my week won't be disrupted and I can continue as normal despite this horrible affliction."
Back to work Monday... longest day of my life. By the end of the day I was near collapse and had decided that I might have to miss work the next day and visit the doctor instead. By the next morning there was no maybe about it, I was not going to be able to go to work in this condition.
Long story short, I spent Tuesday and Wednesday sleeping, drinking large amounts of water and juice, and wishing I was dead. The competition started Thursday, and I could barely write my own name.
Thursday morning, the first day of the competition, dawned and I managed to drag my poor weary body to work. I made it through the day, but by nightfall was ready to collapse into my beloved bed and sleep til morning. Friday I fared better, but again was fatigued to the point beyond creative effectiveness by my exertions of the day.
And now it is Saturday. 3 days in and I've only just made a start. This does not bode well for the rest of the month...
Well, in answer to your rampant curiosity, I will tell you.
On Thursday I started coming down with the 'flu. We're heading into the last month of Spring and I get the 'flu. How bloody typical. Of course, I thought it was just hayfever at this point in time, it wasn't until midday Friday that it occured to me that it might be worse than mere hayfever...
Saturday and Sunday I was dreadfully ill. But by Sunday night I seemed to be improving.
"Thank god," I thought to myself, "my week won't be disrupted and I can continue as normal despite this horrible affliction."
Back to work Monday... longest day of my life. By the end of the day I was near collapse and had decided that I might have to miss work the next day and visit the doctor instead. By the next morning there was no maybe about it, I was not going to be able to go to work in this condition.
Long story short, I spent Tuesday and Wednesday sleeping, drinking large amounts of water and juice, and wishing I was dead. The competition started Thursday, and I could barely write my own name.
Thursday morning, the first day of the competition, dawned and I managed to drag my poor weary body to work. I made it through the day, but by nightfall was ready to collapse into my beloved bed and sleep til morning. Friday I fared better, but again was fatigued to the point beyond creative effectiveness by my exertions of the day.
And now it is Saturday. 3 days in and I've only just made a start. This does not bode well for the rest of the month...
Saturday, October 27, 2012
The Rise of Panic...
What am I going to write?
This question keeps plaguing me... Every time I think I've decided, a new idea comes to the fore, and I'm excited about it...
Should I try and plan before diving into this massive task, or should I trust my instincts and jump in blind, allowing the right story to just come out...
It is absolutely terrifying facing this monumental challenge with no clear plan, but at the same time, writing is such an organic process that too much planning might stifle it. Plus, it's hard to plan when you keep getting distracted by new ideas...
I guess I'll just let it go for now and see what happens.
This question keeps plaguing me... Every time I think I've decided, a new idea comes to the fore, and I'm excited about it...
Should I try and plan before diving into this massive task, or should I trust my instincts and jump in blind, allowing the right story to just come out...
It is absolutely terrifying facing this monumental challenge with no clear plan, but at the same time, writing is such an organic process that too much planning might stifle it. Plus, it's hard to plan when you keep getting distracted by new ideas...
I guess I'll just let it go for now and see what happens.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
A Comment on Insanity...
Well, here we all are... Me in my comfy chair, contemplating the future with a degree of anticipation and terror, and you... doing whatever you're doing.
You may be wondering where all this started. Well, I've been writing stories and poems since I was a little girl and it's always been my dream to write a novel and become that which I admire most - a person who can transport others to a world far beyond the one we inhabit.
On many occasions I have started stories, I have used many techniques and ideas to try and get this seemingly insurmountable task done but with no success. I don't think it is the fault of the ideas, nor my writing ability, it's just a task which seems too large to be beaten by little old me.
And then one day I was walking through my local shopping centre and a sign caught my attention. I stopped and looked, making sure I hadn't misread as I wandered mindlessly towards the grocery store for dog food and milk. No, I hadn't misread. The public library had a sign out the front which read "November is National Novel Writer's Month". Well, I thought to myself, that is something that sounds right up my alley. So I looked into it and found that it was an event that has been going on since 1999, every year in November novelists the world over take on the task of writing a 50,000 word novel from scratch.
Now I was a little perplexed, how had I never heard of this? More importantly, could I enter? Would I enter? SHOULD I enter? I took a deep breath and registered, then immediately went into panic mode. What had I done??? One month to write a novel of 50,000+ words?
Well, I philosophically thought, maybe this would allow me to succeed where I never have before. Besides, even if I don't finish, I might get a lot further than I ever have before, and that is a cheering thought. Plus, I won't be alone, there will be many many more writers struggling along with me.
And as for this blog? Well, I thought I should document my progress, maybe others will find it helpful or encouraging, and maybe I'll be able to indentify things that work or don't along the way.
So, there we have it. In 11 days it begins... Bring it on.
You may be wondering where all this started. Well, I've been writing stories and poems since I was a little girl and it's always been my dream to write a novel and become that which I admire most - a person who can transport others to a world far beyond the one we inhabit.
On many occasions I have started stories, I have used many techniques and ideas to try and get this seemingly insurmountable task done but with no success. I don't think it is the fault of the ideas, nor my writing ability, it's just a task which seems too large to be beaten by little old me.
And then one day I was walking through my local shopping centre and a sign caught my attention. I stopped and looked, making sure I hadn't misread as I wandered mindlessly towards the grocery store for dog food and milk. No, I hadn't misread. The public library had a sign out the front which read "November is National Novel Writer's Month". Well, I thought to myself, that is something that sounds right up my alley. So I looked into it and found that it was an event that has been going on since 1999, every year in November novelists the world over take on the task of writing a 50,000 word novel from scratch.
Now I was a little perplexed, how had I never heard of this? More importantly, could I enter? Would I enter? SHOULD I enter? I took a deep breath and registered, then immediately went into panic mode. What had I done??? One month to write a novel of 50,000+ words?
Well, I philosophically thought, maybe this would allow me to succeed where I never have before. Besides, even if I don't finish, I might get a lot further than I ever have before, and that is a cheering thought. Plus, I won't be alone, there will be many many more writers struggling along with me.
And as for this blog? Well, I thought I should document my progress, maybe others will find it helpful or encouraging, and maybe I'll be able to indentify things that work or don't along the way.
So, there we have it. In 11 days it begins... Bring it on.
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