I'm a Writer, Three Months a Year

I was in the middle of reading this post, My Journey As A (Non-) Writer by Jen Nixon ,when I stopped in the middle for a moment. It struck close to home you see, because I haven’t been writing.

My last blog post was for my New Years resolutions, which I've mostly failed. Oh I’ve done a bit of editing, I’ve written some here and there, and I did come up with some new ideas in the last few months. But for all of that I don’t feel like I’ve been doing much, in fact I know I haven’t been.

But yesterday that changed. Yesterday I started writing a new book. I’ve never done a story like this one and I don’t know that it, or I, am ready for this but I’m doing it anyway.

Why? Because Camp NaNoWriMo started yesterday.

New Year, Old Goals

Does the fact that I didn’t post this yesterday mean that I automatically fail? I did mean too, I just couldn’t say awake long enough to manage it.

Well in any case this is my, slightly late, New Year’s Resolution post. My goals can mostly be summed up by saying that I want to be more productive. More disciplined too, but productive about covers it. Most of my New Year's Resolutions are related to my writing; I want to do so much more than I have been. They are also a lot like the resolutions I made last year, I didn't get too far then but hopefully this time will be different.

I have a few more things (and more details) on my private list but here's the basics:

• Blog weekly (please poke me when I don’t)
• Work out a better plan for blogging (so that first one doesn’t fail)
• Brainstorm more (I have ideas, they just need a little filling out before I can write them)
• Finish drafting that major project of mine (two years in progress is long enough!)
• Edit those short pieces (they should be dusty enough now.) 
• Establish a better writing routine (scratch that. Establish a routine period.)
• Just plain old write more (and not just for NaNoWriMo either)

I know I can fulfill these goals, (okay actually I’m worried about a few of them but I’m trying to convince myself otherwise.) I’m working out a plan for how to right now. I just have to keep the procrastinator in me at bay long enough to implement it this time around.

How about you? What are your goals for this year? Or even just this month? Any advice on sticking with it?

Hope everyone had a Happy New Year and a Merry Christmas,
Rita

Day 30: Go Write

You don't have time to read blog posts any more then I have time to write them. 

Go Write

NOW!

~Rita

Day 30, the last day of NaNoWriMo

Day 29: Keep Writing

I am both too young and too old to be very wise and I am struggling through these last days of NaNoWriMo just as you are; what can I say? What can I do to help you get through this? Not much, but maybe these writers can:

"You say grace before meals. I say grace before I dip the pen in the ink."
— G.K. Chesterton"

"There was a moment when I changed from an amateur to a professional. I assumed the burden of a profession, which is to write even when you don't want to, don't much like what you're writing, and aren't writing particularly well"
— Agatha Christie

"I never exactly made a book. It's rather like taking dictation. I was given things to say. "
— C.S. Lewis

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”
— Louis L’Amour

“You may tire of reality but you never tire of dreams.”
― L.M. Montgomery, The Road to Yesterday

"Write me of hope and love, and hearts that endured." — Emily Dickinson

"I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I'm simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles."
— Shannon Hale

“Every few weeks she would shut herself up in her room, put on her scribbling suit, and fall into a vortex, as she expressed it, writing away at her novel with all her heart and soul, for till that was finished she could find no peace.”
― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

Aha! Today I shall become an author! And I will auth and auth and auth and make a squillion dollars, whoopee!"
— Brian Jacques

"Have you thought of an ending?"
"Yes, several, and all are dark and unpleasant."
"Oh, that won't do! Books ought to have good endings. How would this do: and they all settled down and lived together happily ever after?"
"It will do well, if it ever came to that."
"Ah! And where will they live? That's what I often wonder."
— J.R.R. Tolkien (The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)


Keep writing. Keep telling your story. Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.
~Rita

Day 28: Thanks for Words

For Americans, today is Thanksgiving. That means food, football (not for me,) counting our blessings and thanking God for the good things in our lives.

There are the usual things to be thankful for of course, friends, family, good food, and hopefully the day off. But at least take a moment to think of all the things we have to be thankful for as writers:

Books, libraries, book stores, bargain books, new books, old books…

All the words you wrote this month, in fact all the words you’ve ever written

All of your ideas, the big ones, small ones, bad ones, really good ones, all of them

Every person you’ve met, talked to, or seen this year. You never know who’s going to inspire your next character.

Any advice you’ve gotten this year on writing.

All the criticism that nearly broke your heart; It made you a stronger writer.

Any rejections you’ve had, this too has helped you work harder at your writing.

All the good things people have said about your writing.

Every funny, embarrassing, awful, delightful, and boring moment you’ve experienced, seen, or heard about. It’s all fuel: hoard it.

Everything you’ve learned this year, on any subject.

All the places you been, fantastic places, boring places, strange places; Ordinary places that you’ve been to a thousand times.

Pens, pencils, paper, printers, keyboards, chalk, sand, and thing else you’ve ever used to write record words

Words: All the words you’ve ever heard, or read, or made up.

There is so much that goes into our writing that we take for granted. Do you know that as a homeschooler I have no idea what attending a high school would really be like? I could, however, tell you about canning peaches or about the scent of wood smoke when it’s so cold the snow sounds dry when you walk across it. I could tell you about doing my math under a tree, or watching a calf be born.

What is normal and boring for you isn’t so for everyone. The world is a big place and everyone is living different lives. Sometimes I think that’s all people mean when they say ‘write what you know’ you can make up all kinds of things but don’t forget to use bits of things around you. The world is full of things we can use in our writing, we just have to look, really look, around for them.

Take time to appreciate, and give thanks for, everything that fuels your writing; the things we concisely draw from and the things that we aren’t even aware of being an influence.

Thanks for reading,
~Rita

Day 27: Borrowed Encouragement

Okay, I confess, I didn’t have much done for today’s post so I may have…borrowed some wise words. Really, I don’t mean any harm…I guess I didn’t really ask if I could but, well, I think we kinda need them, so yeah I took them. I mean these are the final days, I needed some help.

So anyway, have fun:

“These are the words you are looking for.” (Jedi mind tricks work every time.)

“Writing isn’t a strict progression of thoughts to words; it’s more a big ball of wibbly, wobbly, writerly… stuff.” (The Doctor said this, well sort of)

“One does not simply stop writing on the 27th of November” (thank you Boromir, that’s exactly what I was looking for)

one does not simply stop writing

“Okay, I can write this! I am, after all, a superhero!” (Larry Boy knows what he’s talking about, well most of the time.)

“Second word of the night and strait on till morning!” (I think Peter Pan said this, he always was clever)

“Weavers of Stories! Of Novels! My kindred! I know in your eyes must be the same fear that would take the heart of me! A day may come when words run dry, when we forsake our characters and leave their stories untold. But it is not this day. An hour of dry pens and broken keyboards when the age of Novelists comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we write! By all that you hold dear in good tales, I bid you stand! Writers of November!” (Paraphrased version of Aragorn’s speech at the black gates)


Good luck,
~Rita

Day 26: Must stay awake…

“…Must stay awake…Must keep typing…Must type…must…”

“Cathy what are you doing?”

“Hmmm? Oh, Natalie, I’m trying to *yawn* get *yawn* 3,000 words done before *yawn* before I go to…to bed.”

“Why are you trying to do that?”

“Well *YAWN* I got a little behind last week and *yawn*, and then it was Sunday, and today I had an appoint- *yawn* -tment and then I went to see the Doctor at the theater. He, they, were all 3D-ish. And now the numbers are…are all...mixed up. It was…It was brilliant. And fantastic. And cool. So I had fun there. Lots of fun and then I sorta slowed down and I was gonna go to sleep *yawn* and then I realized that it’s the last week and Thanksgiving is coming up. I *yawn* have to make up the ground and I want to be a little ahead bef-*yawn* before then. Before thanksgiving”

“Well that makes sense..... I think....Um…Cathy?”

“Ya-*yawn*”

“Its 7:00. That is its Seven AM.”

“That’s nice…Wait what?”

“Its morning you’ve; been up all night.”

“Oh…I need coffee.”

“I think you need a nap. How much did you get done anyway?”

“Uh, let’s see…oh. Not 3,000. I need coffee.”

“Nap. Now how much—Cathy this says that you got 6,109 words done sense you last logged them!”

“That’s what I said. Not 3,000. Where’s the coffee?”

“Cathy…Cathy you need to go take a nap.”

“No nap. Coffee.”

“Nap, then coffee. Come on there’s cots off the break room for days like this.”

“Cots? No COFFEE. It’s the stay-awake stuff; see, I have a cup. A cup and a thir- *yawn* therm- *yawn* a coffee thing.”

“I see that you had way too much of it last night if you drank all of that. Come on.”

“To coffee?”

“Sure, you lay down over here on the cot and I’ll go see about coffee.”

“Ok-*yawn*”

“Good night Cathy.”

“You said…Morning…coffee…”

“Sweat dreams.”

So, long story short, I just saw The Day of the Doctor in 3D with some friends and, oh, I can’t say how fantastically brilliant it was. Or how tiered I am now that I'm coming down from the excitement. If I wasn’t tired then Cathy would probably explain to Natalie what Doctor who is all about and they would plan a marathon for December. But as both of us need sleep, that will have to wait until another day. It’s just past midnight so I will go to bed and leave the writing until morning like Natalie does.

~Rita

day 26 of NaNoWriMo

Day 25: Don't Panic but it's a Deadline

Looming deadlines are things that either send us into a blinding panic or motivate us to write as we have never written before.

Take a deep breath and have a piece of chocolate, go to your happy place. You there? Good now stay calm, there’s a deadline coming up fast, but it’s okay because you’re not going to panic. No, you are going to write as you never thought you could.

You are going to sit down and write whatever comes into your head. You are going to write so fast that you don’t even know what it is you’re writing until you look back at it, and you’re not going to do that until the month is over.

Day 24: You Can't lose

We have one week left. Take today to rest up and prepare for what is to come. You are going to need it.

This last week is when you make that final push to catch up. You may survive only on coffee and chocolate. You may go without sleep. You may hurt your hands typing and have to resort to speech recognition to get things done. You may come to view the phrase, ‘word count’ as the product of your worst night mares.

But if there is one thing you will not do it is this: you will not falter, you will not give up, and you will not lose. You will not, you cannot lose in this. 

I know that you will not lose because not only are you not a quitter, you are a Creator. This month has always been about creating something new and whether you reach that 50,000 or whether you could only manage 5,000 every single word is a part of something new. Never before have those words been put together in just that way. Never before has your story been told. This month is its chance, so give it all you can this week.

Give it your best.

Wake up tomorrow prepared to write as you have never written; new lines and fresh ideas. I know you’ve been at this for the past month. I know you’ve worked hard. I know that it’s hard to imagine coming up with anything new this week, the thing is I know you can. You’re a writer, you’ve been at this for weeks yes, and you’ve learned so much. Look at all that you’ve written. Really look at the reality of the number you’ve been watching for the last few weeks. You did all that. You found new creative depths this month. Don’t let it stop now.

Tomorrow you will wake up and carry on with the same passion that you began with. You will write and learn and create. You will carry through. You are a writer; you cannot lose because whatever this next week brings, you have already won. You have won because this month you learned what it is to be a writer, and you became one.

No one can take that.
No one can diminish it.
No one can change it.

You are a writer.

~Rita

Day 23: You Can Keep on Writing

Do you sit down to write with a thrill of excitement or with dread and resentment?

Has the month gotten too long? Does your story make you cringe away? Do you feel like you have nothing more to say?

Well I can understand that. After 22 posts of this sort I sit down for the twenty third and I feel a bit empty. I keep asking myself ‘what else have I got to say? What else have I to give?’

Day 22: An Unscheduled Break

“Natalie Scribe was the sole victim in a tragic and wholly unexpected accident concerning the Plot Twist Closet of the Something in Ink Novel House. 

The nearly fatal accident occurred shortly after Natalie inquired as to the best way to prolong her story, The Princess’s Quest for Ink (working title), so as to continue it through the end of the month. Unfortunately while reaching for a box labeled, ‘Lesser Natural Disasters’ she bumped into a miss-filed box of villains, ‘Unstable Henchmen’ to be exact.

Fortunately the only one to be dislodged was one of the ‘Creepy but Harmless with Evil Grin and Cackling Laugh’ types (commonly abbreviated as CbHwEGaCL.) Natalie received quite a fright and bumped her head rather hard when she stumbled out of the closet. 

Natalie has been cleared by Nurse Plotter to continue writing and the CbHwEGaCL was returned to the Spare Villain's Storeroom with no further incident. The investigation as to how ‘Unstable Henchmen’ got into the Plot Twist Closet is ongoing; updates will follow as they are released to us.”

“Please stop reading that Cathy, my head aches so and it’s dreadfully embarrassing.”

“Oh come on Natalie, you made it into the ‘Something in Daily News,’ a whole article too. I’ve been here two years and only been mentioned twice, once in the newbie’s list and then as a participant in Deadly Tales Night. You’re practically a celebrity.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Well your better known then most newbies anyway.”

“Hmmm, I am aren’t I.”

“Sure, now don’t let it go to your head, there’s enough pressure up there right now as it is.”

“Thanks for reminding me. Don’t you have a novel to write?”

“Okay, Okay, I’m going, don’t get snippy.”

“I’m not getting snippy.”

“Are too.”

“Are not.”

“Are too.”

“Are not.”

“Are—.”

“Just leave already!”

****This break from writing was brought to you by Something in Ink, Something in Ink Novel House, and the Something in Daily News. Regular posting will continue tomorrow. On behalf of our sponsors I would like to wish you good luck with your novel today and to thank you for reading***

~Rita

Day 22 of NaNoWriMo

Day 21: Here's Your Options

We’ve got about a third of the month left and for some that may be causing mini panic attacks. If you’re one of those who is feeling hopelessly behind then this post is for you.

Things happen, we get sick or our computer crashes, or we just can’t fit in enough time to write around work, babysitting, and schoolwork. Time starts running out and our hope of completion is slipping away with it.

When we feel like this there are a few things we can do.

Day 20: One Stretch at a Time

You know most of the time I only write a few hundred words in a stretch and then I have to fumble about for another line or scene to work off of.

You’ll notice this in my posts; they generally range from 200 words to 500, with a few going over or under. This means that once I get started I’m good for, let’s say, 400 words before I stop. That means I need about four goes to get my word count for the day.

That doesn’t sound too bad right? And it isn’t; provided I get the next run started fairly soon. To be honest that doesn’t always happen, it’s one of the reasons I started this post series. See when I come to a halt I sometimes have a hard time getting going again. Last year I spent a lot of time combing through the forums for extra pep talks.

I need a lot of inspiration, support, and encouragement to get things done. (And to frequently update my word count)

How I get started can be pretty random: Sometimes I just start with a word or an image in my mind. Sometimes I write out descriptions so that through writing I can discover more about a place. Once I set out to make one character shout at the top of her lungs just for the heck of it. (That was fun.) I’ve also been committing myself to a lot of word wars this year, forcing myself to write for a set time.

So what about you? How much can you get done at a stretch? What do you do when you’re stalled? Do word prompts work for you? Or ‘what if’ questions? Working in life experiences? How about timers, do you write better when under pressure? Do you do challenges? Word wars?

If you have the time I’d love to hear from you, maybe your methods can help jump start my next stretch of writing.

~Rita

Day 20 of NaNoWriMo

Day 19: Killed anyone lately?

*Type. Type. Type. Type type type typetypetypetypetype.*

“Cathy?”

*Type type type*

“Yes.”

*Type type type*

“My story’s running out of emotion. There’s no heartache, no crisis. They say you need to make your readers cry and I just don’t know how to do that.”

*sigh*

“Who says so?”

“I don’t know, experts, professionals.”

“Whatever Natalie. Have you killed anyone lately?”

“What!”

*sigh*

“In your story…” *Type Type* “Have you killed anyone off yet?”

Day 18: Write off the Path

While trying to write anther NaNoWriMo post earlier today I ended up off on a tangent with only the slightest connection with what I had been writing. When I ran out of words I found that not only had I not completed my original thought but the new idea was too big to coral all at once. It wanted to be threaded through the process of writing a first draft through to editing and refining. It started going on about the relationship between writer and reader. It was not what I was aiming at at all. It has no place in this month’s theme.

But that’s alright, more than alright, because now I have a good start on a post, maybe more than one, for later on. It doesn’t help me much in getting my November posts ready but ideas can be so hard to catch I won’t complain about their timing.

The thing is you never know where a thought might lead you. The whole idea started with one line, one metaphor. Now it’s a half grown idea that is just waiting to be filled out a little and polished up. I couldn’t have known that when I started following it and if I had backed up and gone back to where I was supposed to be I wouldn’t ever have known what I missed.

Even if an idea seems to be going completely off your path follow it awhile, you might have found a new plot twist or an entirely new story idea. No matter how off topic it seems you can never waste your time on an idea. You never know what use you might have for that random paragraph or out of the blue sentence. Write these things down, keep them, feed them with a little brain storming and maybe they’ll surprise you.

Yes I know you’re in the middle of writing a novel right now and can’t take the time to follow every fancy. Really that’s not what I mean any way. Right now I’m just suggesting that instead of back spacing something that doesn’t fit that you consider cutting and pasting it to another file to be looked at later. And if the words are tumbling out in a direction you didn’t mean to go, go any way. See what’s over there and then come back and go on if it isn’t a better way.

Really what this rambling little post means is that if something wants to be written, write it: Even if it’s inconvenient. For NaNo writers remember that if it has any chance of being in your finished novel you can count it in your word count and words that want to be written come out faster than the kind you have to coax, drag, or otherwise terrorize onto the page.

— Rita

NaNoWriMo day 18

Day 17: Maybe a Nap

Truthfully I don’t know what I can tell you today that I didn’t mention in my last two Sunday posts. I think you should take the day off from writing; that you know. So what else can I say?

As I’m writing this in late September I can’t talk about the weather, not to mention the fact that my weather likely isn’t your weather. Actually I suppose in that case I could talk about the weather and then it’d be irrelevant to both of us. (It’s about seventy degrees out and the sky is a hazy blue with clouds on the horizon.)

It probably looked a little like this

I don’t know what I’m doing as you read this, though I suspect I’m sleeping. Or reading. Or drinking coffee and reading. In any case I’m sure I’m resting (or wishing I was.)

I suppose I could take Sundays off completely but then I’d mess up my numbers . Besides rambling about nothing much is half of what NaNoWriMo is about. (Okay not really but it is allowed.)

Well if you read this through then I suppose I got you to take a few mutes off at least. In any case have a good Sunday and I’ll see you on Monday with more (hopefully) helpful content.

God Bless,
~Rita

Day 16: Just Start Writing

Louis L'Amour

Staring a page and not knowing what to write is a very familiar occurrence. My brain just sputters at me and creativity goes on strike. I don’t know what to do with myself. Far too often my response is to go read a book or check my email. I find other things to do and leave the empty page behind. But the thing is, it doesn’t get easier to start writing the longer I wait. I lose time and who knows how many ideas because I walked away.

Some people call it writers block. To me that makes it sound like it’s out of our hands and we can’t write until it goes away.

 Lies. 

Day 15: That's Halfway

NaNoWriMo 2012

Today’s the halfway point for NaNoWriMo. According to that that lovely little graph you should have 25,000 words at the end of this day, but you know, it doesn't always happen that way.

This time last year I was frantically writing up until the very last moment to get to that 25,000 mark. I had started out behind by about four days and I was desperate to make up that ground by the halfway point.

I didn’t make it. 

Day 14: My Keyboard for a Word!

I need a word; Just one word to give me a start. Not just any word, a word that will give me direction, an idea. I’m grasping at straws, scrambling for something to say. I just need one word, why is that so hard?

The dictionary is filled with words, I could write about any of them, in theory at least. In the practical sense a post on shellfish isn’t going to motivate very many writers out there.

I could write about procrastination, I’m very familiar with that topic. But if I did that I might never get this done; particularly if I decided to do more research on the subject.

Inspiration, now that’s a nice word. I could use that. I could write all about inspiration. But now that I think, it’s a rather broad topic and one I’m not very up to date on.

I want a good word, the perfect word, to build this post around. I want it to be just right; I want it to be special.

Something inspiring, something worth your time. Poetic, vibrant, alive. All I need is that one word, I’m sure of it!

Oh, a word, a word, my keyboard for a word!

Day 13: Today You'll Write

Today is a good day: Today you get to write! Yes that’s right you get to spend every spare minute of this day writing.

Today you will discover new things; you will go to amazing places and incredible things there.

Today you might write a death scene. It will be tragic, or triumphant, depending on whether or not you liked that character. In any case there will be food later, well hopefully.

Today someone might fall off a cliff. Or climb one. Or maybe they'll have a picnic there.

Today you will write paragraphs that start with different words, not just one. Or not I mean if it’s a good word why not reuse it?

Today things will happen, good things and bad things, lots of things. Things that you will write down to show the world. Or maybe you’ll keep these words, just keep them for you alone.

Whatever story you are trying to tell, today is a good day for it. Why? Because today you will write.

Today, yes today you will write.

—Rita

Day 13 of NaNoWriMo