11.29.2002
Why is this taking so long?
Man, I should have been done HOURS ago! Cripes, I'm at 48515. Just finish the damned thing! I should just type the same sentence over and over again until it's done. But I won't cheat, not when I haven't done it yet. Hell, if I was going to cheat I would have been done weeks ago.
Only 2200 to go
You know, if I'd just sit here and concentrate, I'll bet I could be done by seven pm. You know it will be later than that, if not tomorrow, right? Well, that's okay. Tomorrow's the last day but at least I'll have done it. Again.
11.27.2002
45036
Goodnight!
44365
Okay, not feeling too bad about where I am right now. I want to go to bed, though. Busy day tomorrow. But look at how close I am to 45000...can I do it in 20 minutes?
BTW: Right now in the novel it's Thanksgiving morning. I couldn't help it.
BTW: Right now in the novel it's Thanksgiving morning. I couldn't help it.
Hardy Har Har
I just re-read Sunday's entry about maybe being finished by tomorrow. Okay, that THAT is not going to happen! As of last night I had 42066, which means I only have 8000 words left. Unfortunately, I only have 4 days left to do it, and one of them is a holiday.
But I am confident I will finish before midnight on the 30th.
But I am confident I will finish before midnight on the 30th.
11.24.2002
39760
I could sit here and do the extra 200 words to get myself officially back on the original pace for doing Nanowrimo, but I'd rather go to bed right now and get the extra sleep, and just do them tomorrow. I've been going over quota anyway the past couple of nights. If I do the same amount of words I did tonight each night this week, I could be done by Thursday. Cooooooool.
11.23.2002
Extra words today
I did 400 extra words over my daily quota and ended up with 37221 for the day. Not bad...I may be able to hit 40k by tomorrow instead of Monday. I mean, it's within the realm of possibility. I just wish I could get myself in a writing groove in the middle of the day instead of only at night. I don't want to keep going to bed at midnight! Well, this thing all ends a week from today, so I guess it will be back to normal, non-nano schedules soon enough.
I think I'll miss it.
I think I'll miss it.
11.22.2002
Three Minutes to Midnight
34530. I guess anything else I write after this counts toward tomorrow.
I've Got a Lot to Do
Man, I'd gotten into the top 900 writers on the Nano website (for people posting their word counts) and now I don't even want to know how far behind I am. HELLO weekend.
I'm at 32744
I'm at 32744
11.21.2002
Thursday's Numbers
I spend almost all day on the road (except for a brief stop to see the Wiggles in concert!) and didn't do any writing. I'm taking the laptop up to my room now and I'll see what I can spit out before I fall asleep.
11.20.2002
32019
Okay, I broke the 32000 barrier. I just wanted to hit 32k so I could go to bed. I was so close, it seemed a shame to stop at 31899. Now to bed. You won't be hearing from me until after I get back from New Haven tomorrow afternoon.
Unfortunately, my reason for going, to attend a children's concert, doesn't lend itself all that easily to the novel. But I'll find some way to get them in there. If only to call their attention to me when it's published and I become famous.
Unfortunately, my reason for going, to attend a children's concert, doesn't lend itself all that easily to the novel. But I'll find some way to get them in there. If only to call their attention to me when it's published and I become famous.
Okay, Let's Go
I'm about to start typing. At this point in my story there is no plot. I thought I had one but I was mistaken. This is fun. I just don't think anyone is going to want to read this damned thing when I'm finished.
11.19.2002
Broke 30k
Okay, this was worth writing about. I'm going to bed with 30430 words written. Only 20,000 to go. (Ugh)
word count
Oh ya, because I probably won't be back on here to update this blog before tomorrow, I'll just say that right now I'm at 28746. Boy, that's a nice round number for you, isn't it?
Busy and Slow, Busy and Slow
Got eight (!) different things done on my to-do list. Unfortunately, none of them was "write 4000 words in my novel". I'm throwing a few words down tonight but I fear I won't hit my daily goal.
On the other hand, with a clear to-do list, tomorrow might actually be better.
On the other hand, with a clear to-do list, tomorrow might actually be better.
11.18.2002
So will it go faster now?
I'm about to hit 27k. I can't really tell, but it feels like it's going faster now. Maybe it's just going faster this week...
I kicked one of my characters to the side by sending her on a series of prolonged business trips. I don't even say what she does for a living, which is funny. But she was getting in my way, and I have to pave the way for her to eventually move out of the house. I figure having her move for work is probably the only way this chick would move out without a cattle prod.
I shouldn't belittle her, she and I have a lot in common. She isn't "me" but she may be more like me than the other two.
I kicked one of my characters to the side by sending her on a series of prolonged business trips. I don't even say what she does for a living, which is funny. But she was getting in my way, and I have to pave the way for her to eventually move out of the house. I figure having her move for work is probably the only way this chick would move out without a cattle prod.
I shouldn't belittle her, she and I have a lot in common. She isn't "me" but she may be more like me than the other two.
11.17.2002
HALFWAY!
Woo Hoo! I hit 25k just now! I have half the words I need to say I finished this novel, and I'm only two days behind. That's NOT bad, considering how poorly I've been doing thusfar. So okay, here's the sentence that contained the 25,000th word:
I guess they figured they'd rather sell you some logs so you could have a real fire in your fireplace, instead of letting you simulate one on your computer.
I guess they figured they'd rather sell you some logs so you could have a real fire in your fireplace, instead of letting you simulate one on your computer.
Okay, How Many Words Today?
I have written a few words, not even enough to mention here. I'm going to unplug the computer from the DSL line and move it to a new location. I'm hoping the view change will inspire me. Wish me luck!
11.16.2002
Well It Turns Out Better Than I'd Hoped!
I got to 24048 tonight. I did NOT think I'd get that much done. I had a real burst of energy around 10pm. But I don't want to be writing this late every night. I'm tired. More tomorrow.
p.s. The plot is non-existent, but they do chat alot. Would anyone buy such a book?
p.s. The plot is non-existent, but they do chat alot. Would anyone buy such a book?
21025
Okay, going into the evening I have a whopping 21025. I wonder if I can write 4000 more words tonight? That would be wicked cool. I don't see it happening. The kids are all here watching tv, playing Playstation and we're going to eat pizza in about 5 minutes. Maybe pizza is good writing food.
I took the computer upstairs to write in bed again last night. I don't think that works for me. I got so sleepy. I was typing with my eyes closed, because I can touch type. But then when I'd read what I wrote, it didn't make any sense. I should have left that stuff in, it looked like I wrote it while drunk or something.
Okay, let's see what I can do tonight, seeing as I didn't do a very good job during the day today.
I took the computer upstairs to write in bed again last night. I don't think that works for me. I got so sleepy. I was typing with my eyes closed, because I can touch type. But then when I'd read what I wrote, it didn't make any sense. I should have left that stuff in, it looked like I wrote it while drunk or something.
Okay, let's see what I can do tonight, seeing as I didn't do a very good job during the day today.
11.15.2002
That Sound You Hear? It's Typing
I swear, I'm actually typing. Starting the day with 18621. I'd hoped to be closer to 25k, seeing as today's the halfway point. I don't see it happening.
11.13.2002
Good Morning
Lets see if we can have a more productive day today.
11.12.2002
Sheesh
Look, I'm not going to try to blame anyone, but I was all set to do some big-time writing last night when I realized that my dinner was trying to escape my body. Yes, I ate at mom's house, and she says she and dad had the chili for lunch and were fine, but I had it for dinner and it officially lasted until just around 10pm. At that point I just went to bed for the night cause really, I was in no mood to sit and be creative.
I've had a side job (THANK GOD) this week so until it's done, updates to the novel will be scarce. I really do fear I'm not going to finish the 50k this year. And I'm sad about it but really, I'd rather have paid writing to do, y'know?
Current word count = 14881, I'll do 15k by the time I go to bed, I promise.
I've had a side job (THANK GOD) this week so until it's done, updates to the novel will be scarce. I really do fear I'm not going to finish the 50k this year. And I'm sad about it but really, I'd rather have paid writing to do, y'know?
Current word count = 14881, I'll do 15k by the time I go to bed, I promise.
11.11.2002
Slacking Off
You know, I could have had this damned thing written already if I wasn't avoiding it. Okay, so time to sit down and get going. No, wait, I have to eat lunch. I'll do both! I am at 14411 right now (I was busy last night). I want to do 2000 today. We'll see.
11.10.2002
12576, but I need another 800
I'm getting tired but I can't go to bed until I get 800 more words written. If I expected the quality to be decent in this thing, I was sadly mistaken.
12576, but I need another 800
I'm getting tired but I can't go to bed until I get 800 more words written. If I expected the quality to be decent in this thing, I was sadly mistaken.
Okay, Sunday evening, I'm ready to go
I've got 11608, and feeling just the tiniest bit better about it today. Had something happen last night (regarding something out of my past sneaking up on me) and it game me some inspiration for what should happen to Janet. Cause it's all about using what you've got, right? Anything to increase the word count.
Off to write. As of this morning my ranking was listed on page 29 (in the top 1400 out of over 14110 participants, so top 10%, right?) at the main site. I'm guessing after a full Sunday, I've dropped back quite a few pages. Okay, just checked, only 3 pages. I can make that up easy.
Off to write. As of this morning my ranking was listed on page 29 (in the top 1400 out of over 14110 participants, so top 10%, right?) at the main site. I'm guessing after a full Sunday, I've dropped back quite a few pages. Okay, just checked, only 3 pages. I can make that up easy.
11.9.2002
Frustration
My novel stinks. Pages and pages and pages of conversations. I'm great with dialog. It's the bits between that are killing me. And as much as I know it's quantity, not quality, I seem to be too concerned with the quality. I wanted people to be able to read this one right away, not like last year. I'm literally the only person who has seen it. And I don't write for me, I write for the universe.
So I'm making myself not care. If they're in the middle of eating breakfast and I think it's gone on too long and I can't think of a transition, screw it. I'll move on to the next conversation.
But it does beg the question...am I a worse writer than I thought I was?
So I'm making myself not care. If they're in the middle of eating breakfast and I think it's gone on too long and I can't think of a transition, screw it. I'll move on to the next conversation.
But it does beg the question...am I a worse writer than I thought I was?
Saturday Night's Alright for Writing
Okay, over on the offical site I dropped a note in the forums to the other Central Mass NaNo-ers that as much as I was thinking I might sit at Barne's and Noble to do a little scribbling, it was going to be TOO NICE TODAY. And I was right, it was freaking delightful. So not much writing done, but the yard looks AMAZING! I even got my tulip bulbs replanted. I mean, I was a dynamo. I think that if it dumped snow tomorrow and the snow lasted until March, I'd be okay with that. But now, gotta get writing. I'm at 9829, so in a very short while I'll hit 10k. Many days behind schedule.
11.8.2002
Sample From Tonight's Writing
Here's a sample from the stuff I wrote tonight.
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"You know, you'd think it would be harder to disappear in a restaurant this size. Most of the kitchen is exposed so you can watch that skinny guy cook your eggs. And yet, this is the second time I've lost sight of our waitress. This whole place may actually be an optical illusion." Janet swirled in a healthy dose of half and half into her coffee. "We should check to make sure that David Copperfield or that other guy, the one who was trapped in the block of ice?"
Angie nodded. "Oh, ya, that guy..."
"Ya, him, you know, make sure they aren't sitting up at the counter or something. Maybe this whole restaurant is going to fly over the Grand Canyon."
"Well that will be some trick, carrying a restaurant from Massachusetts to Arizona," Paige added. "You know, I'd pay money to see that. I mean, I know how he did the Statue of Liberty thing because I read about it in a book. But a whole restaurant full of people 2000 miles across the United States? Okay, that would be good."
"David Blaine."
"What?"
"David Blaine," Paige repeated. "He's the other magician. I couldn't think of his name, but he's the one who was encased in the big block of ice in the middle of New York. I don't understand why anyone would want to do that, but whatever. He sat at the top of a pole or something too, didn't he?"
Angie nodded. "It wasn't as popular as the ice thing. I think there was some kind of controversy about it. I'm not sure if I'm aware of the basic rules for long-term pole-sitting. That's not magic, if you ask me. Magic is that card stuff, or when they make a tiger turn into one of those girls in the little short skirts."
Friday, End of the Day
9358. Wow, I did way worse today than I intended. Now that I think about it, what the hell did I do today?
11.7.2002
Just over 8k
I've got 200 words to hit 8k, and then I'm going to bed. It's been a long, productive day, if you don't count this nano thing. If I had known I'd be this busy in November, I would have convinced them to start NaNoWriMo months ago.
Okay, right now, my desk is cleared of 90% of the things I had to do. I swear on a stack of photo albums that I'm going to write until my fingers bleed tomorrow. My goal is between 3000 and 4000 words. We'll see.
I mean how hard can it be? I set out to write a fairly humorous novel about a single woman, and suddenly her grandmother just moved in with her. Gotta love the direction this one is taking. I feel like maybe I'm writing myself into a corner, plot-wise.
Okay, right now, my desk is cleared of 90% of the things I had to do. I swear on a stack of photo albums that I'm going to write until my fingers bleed tomorrow. My goal is between 3000 and 4000 words. We'll see.
I mean how hard can it be? I set out to write a fairly humorous novel about a single woman, and suddenly her grandmother just moved in with her. Gotta love the direction this one is taking. I feel like maybe I'm writing myself into a corner, plot-wise.
Google Search: ride the clutch
(repeated from main blog):
I have to laugh...if you do a Google Search for "ride the clutch" my little snippet from my novel appears on PAGE 1 of the results.
My unfinished novel is already making its way out into the world!
I have to laugh...if you do a Google Search for "ride the clutch" my little snippet from my novel appears on PAGE 1 of the results.
My unfinished novel is already making its way out into the world!
11.6.2002
7046
I'm going to bed.
2002 vs 2001
Last year at the end of the day on November 6th I had 11,576 words written. Uh oh. I have some work to do.
p.s. The camera is on. I like the pressure it ads to not get up out of my chair.
p.s. The camera is on. I like the pressure it ads to not get up out of my chair.
Typing Again
Okay, I'm going to start writing again. Starting NOW. No, wait, I need to put on some tunes. Let's see, what would work? My main character's name is Janet cause I was going to do this thing where I picked a sitcom and gave all my characters names from the sitcom so that they'd be easier to remember. (Doing this last year I had to create a chart and it just slows you down to have to go back to look up stuff like that.)
For whatever reason, I ended up with Three's Company. I don't even LIKE that show. And the novel isn't anything like it, but I thought "hey, those are pretty basic names." But so far the only one I used was Janet, and I think when I edit this thing in December the name will be changed. Oh, and I named Janet's grandmother "Mae". I had no control, that's just the name that came out of my fingertips.
For whatever reason, I ended up with Three's Company. I don't even LIKE that show. And the novel isn't anything like it, but I thought "hey, those are pretty basic names." But so far the only one I used was Janet, and I think when I edit this thing in December the name will be changed. Oh, and I named Janet's grandmother "Mae". I had no control, that's just the name that came out of my fingertips.
11.5.2002
4372
Crap, I'm only at 4372. I have some handwritten notes, and I don't count them as words until they are typed in. The 4372 is about 10 pages of text. I hoped to have twice that by now.
11.4.2002
Cracked 4000
I went ahead and wrote to 4030 this evening. Now I can go back to the other work I was doing for the next two hours. I'll pick up the novel after that. Let's all just hope and pray that when Word crashed just now it didn't take anything with it. *sigh* I hate when that happens.
Still behind...what else is new?
As of this morning I have 3457 words. If I do the math correctly, that means I have to write about 3200 words today to be on target. No problem, she said with a weak smile.
11.3.2002
What is this blog doing to me?
Why am I so behind on my word count, I asked myself. (I'm at 2443) Last year I was doing GREAT right out of the gate. I know I have a lot more on my plate right now, but 1666 words a day are NOTHING. So why the low word count? I think it's because of this blog. I said I'd post the novel, or parts of it, and what I have so far SUCKS. I mean, it's fine in bits and pieces, but structurally it's terribly unsound. I started off in one direction, and immediately veered off course. It's the ADD in me, I fear. One minute you're describing someone standing in her kitchen, the next it's a conversation with a car salesman. Very disjointed. It would be embarrassing to post it. But not, because you all DO know that the point of NaNoWriMo isn't to write a good novel, but to write 50,000 words as quickly as possible. So maybe it would be funny for some of you to see what happens when someone attempts to do this crazy feat.
Okay, I feel better now. I just wish I could copy and paste all these words onto page 7. It would be good for my word count.
Okay, I feel better now. I just wish I could copy and paste all these words onto page 7. It would be good for my word count.
Sunday....late start
I was supposed to get up two hours earlier than I did to have some quiet time to write. Ahhh, beautiful sleep. So much for plans.
11.2.2002
The Saturday Excerpt
Okay, here's a little taste of what got written today:
Janet's thirty-two hours a week paid well enough that she could afford the payments on the house, the utilities, and the car loan. Let us not forget the never ending car loans. Just when she was done paying off her last car, the transmission went. This was not her fault, no matter what her brother and father tried to say. Sometimes, cars just get sick and die. Such was the case with her Mazda.
"Dad, I don't ride the clutch. I never ride the clutch."
"I've seen you do it, Janet."
"Dad, you never ride with me. Are you seeing this from long distances using x-ray vision? Is it your sixth sense kicking in?"
"Don't be a wise-ass. A transmission doesn't just go unless you aren't driving properly."
And so it went. Regardless of whose fault it was, she either had to replace the transmission or the car. It was also going to need a timing belt and a new fuel filter. And the wiper blades needed replacing. It made sense to just get a new car. The dealer gave her the bare minimum for a trade-in, given that she had to drive it into the lot in first gear.
Janet's thirty-two hours a week paid well enough that she could afford the payments on the house, the utilities, and the car loan. Let us not forget the never ending car loans. Just when she was done paying off her last car, the transmission went. This was not her fault, no matter what her brother and father tried to say. Sometimes, cars just get sick and die. Such was the case with her Mazda.
"Dad, I don't ride the clutch. I never ride the clutch."
"I've seen you do it, Janet."
"Dad, you never ride with me. Are you seeing this from long distances using x-ray vision? Is it your sixth sense kicking in?"
"Don't be a wise-ass. A transmission doesn't just go unless you aren't driving properly."
And so it went. Regardless of whose fault it was, she either had to replace the transmission or the car. It was also going to need a timing belt and a new fuel filter. And the wiper blades needed replacing. It made sense to just get a new car. The dealer gave her the bare minimum for a trade-in, given that she had to drive it into the lot in first gear.
Saturday Night
I can't believe that I didn't have time all day to work on my novel. I mean, stolen moments here and there, but not chunk of time to plow through and maybe get ahead of the curve on the word count. Banking some words for a day or two when I won't be able to hit my numbers. Oh well, I guess I could get up early tomorrow. I saw some people on the official website with upwards of 15,000 words already. I guess if I sat here, fingers strapped to the keyboard and an IV with fluids and nutrients flowing into my arm, I might be able to get 15,000 words in 2 days. But I am just not that person. I'm going to stop updating the blog, put in another 15-20 minutes down here on the computer, and then take my notebook and some other reading and head up to bed. Right now, before I shut down for the night, I've got almost 1800 words. I think I can get to 2000 without a problem.
(Updated at 11:06 - yup, got to 2075. g'night!)
(Updated at 11:06 - yup, got to 2075. g'night!)
Saturday
It's day two. I'm starting the day with 1300 words. I am getting good at procrastinating, and it's only the 2nd day. So far I've cleaned my bathtub, my toilets, my microwave and a load of laundry. I should always have a novel to write...my house would be sparkling!
I'm going to have the place to myself for some of day and some of tomorrow, so I've got time to do some catching up. I'm 366 words short from yesterday, plus today's 1666 words. But I like the 1300 I have, even if I still have no idea what the novel is going to be about.
I'm going to have the place to myself for some of day and some of tomorrow, so I've got time to do some catching up. I'm 366 words short from yesterday, plus today's 1666 words. But I like the 1300 I have, even if I still have no idea what the novel is going to be about.
11.1.2002
Okay, I've Doubled My Word Count
Imagine that, a mere 10 hours later and I've got almost 288 words written! Woo hoo! And like many a NaNoWriMo writer, I'm already unhappy with my story. I'll write what I had, and then I'll tell you that I've already started over again with something completely different. I'm a good Nano-er, I don't delete things once I write them. It will just give me something to do on December first. Here are the words I will delete one month from today:
My mother’s shower curtain is clear, with a map of the world printed on it. But it’s not the world as we know it today, it’s the world as we knew it about 20 years ago. I have been admiring this curtain for as long as she’s had it, each and every time use her toilet. I know that when my son sits, he sees it too. But I’m concerned he’s going to start talking about “Russia this” or “Russia that” and when I try to explain that there is no Russia, he will defend his belief with my mother’s shower curtain. Russia is pink, Canada is yellow and the United States of America is gray. Grey seems an odd selection, given that an American company made and sold the shower curtain. Why not green? Why can’t we be yellow, and Canada gray? The gray almost disappears if you glance quickly. As if we aren’t even there.
Now if I'm browsing at Barnes and Noble some day and I read these words, I'm gonna be so angry!
Word Count: 109
Okay, I threw a couple of sentences into a Word file so that I could say, "Yes, I've started." Now let me get my work done.
It's November! DING
That sound you hear is me NOT starting yet. I didn't remember last night and right now I'm up to my eyeballs with stuff I need to get done by late this afternoon. I'll write maybe 2-3 sentences just to say it's started, and I'll do my required 1666 words for today later this evening.
Happy writing, everyone!
Happy writing, everyone!
