NaNoWriMo 2009- Day 24

By this time, in my first and third NaNo years- 2006 and 2008- I was finished with my NaNoWriMo challenge, had passed 50k words.

Right now, I am more behind than I've ever been. The last time I was on track was on day nine at 15k words. I've fallen behind since; in fact, I am currently about a week behind- at a mere 30k. I'm pretty much out of ideas, my characters aren't moving, there is no real plot.
I have an idea of themes, things I want to address, lots of input from my personal life which is the problem and perhaps the solution. It began as a story of fiction- it's a novel-writing month after all. But with all my personal input, it's telling me it's a memoir and I have struggled against it, reluctantly accepting it.
I currently feel like I don't have enough to take me to 50k and am currently considering writing words for another work- pretty much repeating what I did in 2007 where I didn't make the 50k deadline, working on two different novels...or something. And now this year, I had decided to continue working on the one I hadn't done much work on then, and now, find myself in a similar position- on a losing track.

Of course I'm still at a point where I can save this year's NaNo- 6 more days after all, a little less than 20k more words. I would have to do something like 3300 words a day every day until 11:59pm, November 30th. I know that's not particularly difficult- can be done in under 3 hours. If I only knew what the hell to write! Every time I get a starting point now it dries up in under 300 words it seems.
Still, I won't say I'm doomed...yet.

NaNoWriMo 2009- Day 2

Ok so I managed to knock out some ideas last night, plotted some sections and overall have a better idea of where I'm going with this work.
Thankfully, I am currently right on schedule for the end of day 2 minimum with a little over 6 hours left in the day; in fact, I hope to make 5000 by the end of the day which would put me at a day ahead, and ten per cent done.
At this point, my goals are still quite do-able as the story comes together more bit by bit, piece by piece.
I want to maintain being ahead of the daily minimum, and that would entail being on top of outlining, brainstorming ideas- basically giving myself something to write about. Luckily, the magic that happens with writing still occurs- you start and a porthole opens and things you didn't even know were there crawl out. Your brain starts putting random shit together and makes sense of your bits and pieces.

NaNoWriMo 2009 and Other News

So today is day one of NaNoWriMo and I'm in the worst position I've ever been in. I have been unable to come up with a new idea, so I've been planning on working on two older ideas- the two stories I worked on for NNWM 2007. Then, I was advised to concentrate on one and accepted this advice as best considering how things turned out in 2007 when I wasn't focused on one idea. However, I still haven't managed to plot much for the one I've chosen- and for me, that is the worst place I can be.
My successful years have been based on a solid general idea and good outlines/planning. I have neither this time around. So today, I will be working on solidifying an idea of where I'm going, and plotting/outlining- basically something I should have already done. Not a great way to start! Especially considering I usually get a headstart on day one by beginning writing around midnight or so and getting a good amount of it in before going to bed so that when I get up and it's still day one, most of the remainder of what I write is gravy.
This is going to be an interesting year.

In other news, I have gotten back one response so far from the seven submissions I made for my short story. Yup, you've guessed it (otherwise there would have been a separate entry about it)- my first rejection! I kind of figured the story wouldn't fit that particular publication though.
I am expecting more rejections but I know someone will pick it up- perhaps not in the first round of folks I submitted it to, but I will find its market.

I also have two more stories just about ready to be submitted so I should have updates regarding those shortly.

Submitting!

Wow- it took a while yet it happened so quickly: I have submitted one short story that I think is ready to several publications (who are all okay with sim-subs of course) and I feel such relief to have gotten something out there. The story that ended up at the finish line first is the one taken from last year's NaNoWriMo project- the collection of short stories. It was the strongest of the collection to me because it had much more emotional resonance than the others. Now I think I have to find what's missing in the rest.

I still think I'll submit a short story version of the short film I wrote- it just needs more cleaning up according to beta1. It's currently not as sensory as the submitted one. In fact, it's exactly the kind of 'flighty' story some publications specifically say not to submit. I thought it would have a chance because it's kind of experimental anyway but I won't be lazy about it; I'll work on it some more and make it fit more 'traditional' tastes.'

In the meantime, I'm so excited about the first one making its rounds! I should hear back from the journals/magazines by X-mas lol. That wasn't even a joke.

Anyway, I have the strong feeling I will be published soon- within two years. Then I can have something to say in my novel query letter! But even without that in mind, it really excites me to think someone could soon be writing me a check for my writing- what a thrill, what a day that will be. One of the happiest days of my life I'm sure.

More Shorts

I recently realized what I need to do to help me sell my novel is to submit- and hopefully get accepted- short stories to magazines, journals and the like. To get some credits in the publishing world.
I'm almost surprised it took me this long to come to this conclusion- it only seems natural. Here I was, going straight for the lead role when I should be earning trust through bit parts, featured, supporting roles. Getting the powers that be to notice and realize I'm not as much a risk as a newbie. I should have been treating this like the television/film industry!
So in the past two weeks or so, I've been working on a few short stories- one gleaned from the first novel I wrote (trunk-novel, but some good parts), one based on the first short film I wrote, the third an excerpt from the last NaNoWriMo project which was a collection of short stories anyway (so I basically have more than the blueprint for several already). Now it's time to polish them and send them off.
Amazing how it seems the most natural thing to do now. Do the short stories. Submit. And don't forget: read, read, read.

One Down...?

I've been sort of working on TPA and somewhere inside, thought it would be my first completed work post-college (i.e., polished and ready for publishing/producing) since it's basically complete although in dire need of more revision. However, some kind of magic happened: an idea was born, and a few days later, in one day, I wrote my first short film. Working closely with a partner, a few more days later (two of which were days of heavy revising, plus some additional polishing from a veteran screenwriter), it was in ready-to-shoot form. Idea to completion: approximately 10 days.

Yum, short films. Or beginner's luck?
Actually, I wrote two short films in one day. The second one, however, was mainly a typing up I suppose- I had worked out the basics of it with...well, the co-writer. So these short films are my first real, collaborative works (post-college). And I'm not sure when I'll get back to the other short film as I'm still somewhat in the glow of the first.
Probably tomorrow actually.

New Year's Resolutions?

After a successful NaNoWriMo and currently holding two books with publishing potential in my hands, I feel like it's time to really get serious. Not that I wasn't before, but I am a queen of procrastination.
With a new year coming up, it just feels like the time is coming where I need to put my foot on the gas; I'm not getting any younger, and I'm feeling less and less accomplished as the time goes by, and more and more like I'm just wasting my time here on earth.
Two desires struck me recently: the first, a few weeks ago, is to start volunteering. I have time, and a big heart and I feel like I should be sharing myself in a non-profit pursuit. I want to work with educating kids or in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program or something like that. I just want to help someone. The second desire: to read way more than I have been. I had challenged myself in 2006 to 100 books and that didn't quite work out as I had planned but I had still read a lot more books than I would have otherwise. I realize a problem is introduced when I make lists: I read more when I just pick up random books instead of making carefully planned out lists of worthy material. So I think I should approach this new task the same as before: go outside of my box and read books I normally wouldn't "waste my time" on. Just hit up books from all over. My elite tastes hamper me a bit.

So because this is December and New Year's Day is coming up soon, I suppose these desires will turn into cliched new year's resolutions. But that's not too much of a bad thing I guess. My list is shaping up to be pretty standard (when compared to the average list), but for me, in a lot of ways, necessary:

- Exercise more
- Eat healthier
- Volunteer
- Read at least 50 books

And oh yeah- keep writing.

NaNoWriMo 2008- Day 23

Yay!! I made it! 11 p.m. on 11/23 I crossed the 50k finish line.

Feels good now that the pressure's off!
I still have some writing and rewriting and fixing to do since this is of course just the beginning but yay! I've got something to work with at least.

NaNoWriMo 2008- Day 20

So there goes that whole prediction about finishing ten days early. Still, I don't doubt I'll make 50k in November; in fact, I've modified my goal to reaching 50k by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, the 23rd. Which still has me finishing earlier than my first (and successful) NaNo where I finished on the 24th.

Let's compare stats: as of right now, not having written anything for the day yet, I'm at over 41.1k. This time in 2006 I was at 40.3k. So yup, that puts me just about one day ahead of the 2006 pace.

I'm not feeling like writing much, but I should be putting in at least 500 words. Maybe I'll have a tiny goal of making 42k today and 45k before midnight on Friday. Or something.
Actually, I better write more today since I'll be working most of the day on Friday.

Ok, I'm off...

NaNoWriMo 2008- Day 15

So, earlier this week I had planned to update when I had reached 25k or the 15th of the month had arrived- whichever came first. It is day 15, and I waited until I reached 25k to write this blog. I am about to close in on 26k but still I have fallen behind on my original goal- to continue beating my 2006 rate. As you can tell, I'm right around where I need to be minimally to make it by the 30th (just a little ahead of the minimum); in fact, at the current rate, I will reach the 50k goal one or two days early. This time last year, I was at *checks files* over 32k. So I'm basically around 6k behind last year's count.
Can I still conceivably make 50k by the 20th? Sure! If I write around 5000 words per day for the next 5 days. Yes, it is actually quite do-able, especially since I don't currently have work scheduled for four out of five of those days and since I realized I can write 1000 words in half an hour, so theoretically 2000 words in an hour. So if I have a good 2.5- 3 hours each day and write like mad, then yeah, absolutely. I can, of course, break it up so that I write for at least two hours earlier in the day, then two hours later in the day so that I don't tire myself. And get myself hopped up on caffeine. But seriously, yeah- I can still do it; I can still beat my first year's results. I'm no longer sure I will, but I will still try.
Guess I better get back to work!