Thursday, November 27, 2008

NANOWRIMO '08 VICTORY


I finished my Nano novel today. It was 50536 words when it went through the counter. If I could remember how to do it I would upload my certificate, but I can't.

I could have gone on writing too.

The first time I did NaNoWriMo was 2005 and I scraped through then. I never revised that work because it was rubbish.
This time I just dropped into the Zone and wrote. I wrote almost every day with the aim of 2000 words a day. Sometimes I was exhausted and limped through to my total and on others I had to double check my word count because it seemed too easy.

I feel good.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

snakeskin

Yes I've been sluggish, but it's damned hard to slough off of your old skin and get the new one working right, but I'm all gleaming and wriggling now.

I'm tackling NanoWrimo again. Partly to see if I have any writing in me, because the last one was done to save my sanity. but also because it's fun.
I'm enjoying the slog and punching in my daily total. I get the writing done in small bites and it's largely physical discomfort that gets me up and leaving the laptop.
I walk the dog with more pleasure because the fresh air tastes better. I enjoy the TV programmes that I do see. I'm rationing myself to one maybe two per day and they are my reward for working hard.

Ok if you don't believe that I'm really trying hard I 've posted chapter one first draft aka load of rubbish over on 'Whatever comes'. and I HAVe written chapters two and three as well!

Monday, September 08, 2008

I'm back and this time I think I'll be staying

Well it's a long time since I posted, but I think I'm going to stick around this time. I've realised it's time to change. I'm used to change and I miss it, there's no fizz any more.

Since I doubt that life is going to throw anything new my way aside from bad news, bad health and slow decline into terminal Bleah I must create some interest to divert my attention. So I am going to start writing properly; in other words I shall be professional about it. I shall set myself targets and write every day; I've done that before so that's not a problem.
This time however I'm going to submit stuff to publishers.I always shied away from that before because I didn't want rejection, but now I realise that there'll be tension and excited anticipation while waiting for those letters telling me 'No Thanks'. I shan't mind the failures because I'll be able to tell myself that there's always another publisher so there'll always be fizz in that, plus the enormous buzz from actually finishing stuff.
I'm getting excited just thinking about it!

It's odd the way my mind makes decisions. I've been in an old pattern recently but failed to realise it. I've been slothful and sad, but little things kept popping into my mind. I was remembering snippets from stories I'd written and I've been having vivid dreams with intricate story-lines. That pattern of depression and day/night dreams has always preceded any major decision I've made but I'd forgotten because it's been a long time since I took any action.