Done with day one’s writing! NaNoWriMo, here I come!
I write quickly. I forget that. And I write way faster when I have a plan,
which I roughly do right now, and I write faster in the beginning, when
everything is an option and I don’t have to remember things. At the end
of a novel (no, I haven’t really completed one yet, but I’ve been at or near the end of three that are in desk drawers, waiting for the light of day), I can’t remember what characters are likely to do, or what
they look like, or what they do for a living, so I spend lots of time
flipping back and forth, doing research on STUFF I WROTE MYSELF. That is how bad my memory is.
But in the beginning, I just go at it, and I got more than 2025 words
written in 75 minutes. Words that don’t suck very much, and it would be
okay if they did. I am supposed to just get the words down, not worrying about editing or whether it’s ass or not. It does help that 70,000 other crazy people are doing the same thing today. A lot of them are probably having trouble with the beginning. I wish I could share the excess beginning mojo that I have and swap it for a little middle-part stick-to-it-tivism.
Of course, I’ve always taken my time with big projects, and writing lasts months and months, into years. That’s a long time to be forgetting things, and I’m very good at that. One of my biggest talents, actually. I’ve been trying to remember whether Lala likes a big fork or a little fork for almost three years, and I never remember it right. (I’ve solved this by setting out one of each, because I don’t care and then it looks like I remember.)
So perhaps jamming through 50,000 (I’m aiming for 57,000, actually) in 30 days will help because that gives me way less time to forget. We’ll see.
My challenge for this week is to write while at SOAR. I leave tomorrow for the retreat session, and will spend four of the first five days of Nanowrimo at a spinning retreat. How’s that for a time-spending quandary? See, my goal is 2000 words a day, which it totally do-able. Almost easy. But where I will run into major trouble is if I lose a day. 2000 words a day is fine. 4000 to catch up would suck. 6000 to catch up would make my lower lip tremble, and 8000+ to catch up would make me cry. Not a day missed, okay? And if you’re doing it, we’ll do it together. Send me your user name, and I’ll add you to my buddy list (I’m writerach406 — me linking you does not link you to me for some reason, this is no friendster). (And if you link me, it’s a working title, and a joke. I can’t decide on a title, ever, so I’m torn right now between using Bleating Hearts or Alpacas of the Heart. Heh.)
Woot! Off to the dog park! What a life!
Ooh ooh! Bleating Hearts! That’s a great title. Even if the novel has nothing to do with fiber animals or love. Bleating Hearts! (That would be a good band name, too…)
Now I’m really glad I decided to not do nanowrimo, ’cause it turns out we’re moving this month. That would have been… fun. But I just finished a short (600 word) story yesterday, and I suppose that’s enough of an accomplishment for now. But knowing that you and tens of thousands of others are writing away this month will definitely motivate me to put my own writing hat on more often.
Love Alpacas of the Heart. All I can picture now is Fabio in a passionate embrace with a reluctant alpaca. Good luck!
Yay! Off to a great start! I’ve got 563 right now, but I just got off work. Most of those were written in fifteen minutes this morning, with the rest tossed in at random times at the office.
Missing a day is really what can do it in. Not only do you have to make up wordcount, but you have to make up momentum as well. But that’s also what days off are good for, long stretches where you can curl up with the laptop and just go!
Good luck at SOAR, I’m sure you’ll be fine. You only need a spare hour, really. I know it may be tough to find, but it should work out.
I linked you as a buddy, and emailed you my username.
My ex never did remember which spoons I liked. Maybe that’s why I love my current (and future) husband so much. He’s at least got that one down. We don’t like the same spoons or forks. His mouth is so much bigger, he can handle the big ones. I need the little ones. Silly to have preferences like that, don’t you think? We have these huge soup spoons that look like serving spoons to me, though, so it seems normal to have a preference for the smaller ones.
Go, Rachael, GO! I know you can do it!
Yes! Let’s do this!
I got my day’s share of words in early this morning, and then some, and now that dinner’s over, I’m probably going to jump back into it.
I’m ReeBecki but I’ve only written 126 words today. I hope to accomplish much more after work…26 minutes to go. Of course I have a party to attend but after that! I’ll write and then there is Lost. I’ll write then!
Big fork, small spoon.
Little fork, luncheon plate. I was kinda hoping Lala was of the salad fork persuasion with me.
Good for you for tackling NaNoWriMo! I’d love to, but it’s such a bad month for me (birthday, Thanksgiving, family visits, etc). Why couldn’t they have picked a month like March which usually doesn’t have that much going on?? But, anyway, I’m envious that you’re trying and wish you luck!
Don’t feel bad about the forgetting stuff part–just the other night The Husband was lamenting that he forgot to include some semi-important details which were in his outline (which he had right nect to him and was referring back to!). It happens.
I have been *threatening* to write something for NaNo, like that mystery novel about the body found in one of the public toilets in SF. Hmmmm….
My username is “mandylee”…I didn’t get off to such a great start yesterday, but I hope to gain some ground today! Good luck!
(hope this one goes through, computer has been kicking me out lately)
Try making a “style sheet.” You can do this with cut and paste on a computer. Make a page for each character (and maybe location) where you keep physical descriptions, correct spelling of names, etc. so you don’t have to keep flipping back through your manuscript to find them. It takes a little time to make them but they save you time and hassle and continuity later.
Go Rachel go go go!
My username is dear23. I haven’t started yet. I don’t know if I will start or not. I’m still debating whether or not I want to do it this year, since I quit smoking (!!) and writing = smoking. I will try to catch up today and see how I feel about it.
So cool, man! I wrote about 1700 words and then wrote another 1600 words, and like, I’m totally stoked, man! (I _think_ my user name is enosdrive. I’m pretty sure). I know whatcha mean about forgetting details. I’m already havin’ to look back and see what the characters do and stuff. I base a lot o’ it on my own life, though, so that makes it easier to remember! 🙂
i wrote no words yesterday. i have written none today yet. it’s not looking good so far! 🙂
so says carolyn34.
Write, Rachael, write!!
Have a terrific time at SOAR, and hug Janine for me…
Do you usually have a blue metal needle/stitch gauge in your traveling knitting kit? If so, I think I have it.
Okay, I tried sending you NaNoMail so that I wouldn’t have to re-comment here, but the site is so bogged down and sloooow right now!
My NaNo ID is lizzikins, and I’ve added you as my buddy.
Perhaps Alpacas of the Bleating Heart, just to cover all bases…I’ll be watching your progress with interest – being in full on gift knitting mode I won’t (maybe ever) particpate, but the idea is so intriguing.
woohoooo!!! keep it up girl!
day 2 i didn’t want to write. but i did. i’m at 2969. could be better. could be worse. i may not get any done today, depends on if any actual work comes my way this afternoon…..
i’m hennafairy there. and writing a tarot based novel. and not feeling much like a writer, because i like my plot and it sounds good in my head but on the screen? looks like a 6th grader wrote it. which wouldn’t be bad if i hadn’t left the 6th grade oh, about 20 years ago. sigh.
SOAR. Nice.
Is it just me? Every time I see NaNoWriMo I instantly start singing (in my head) Yo Mo Be There.
ooops- ya mo be there. Heh!