Whew! Forgot E-Mail and Password

I'm back! I couldn't get in to JaNo because I couldn't remember how. I have left bread crumbs this time to find my way back in and out.

I've been snowed under with a writing project that has had a few unexpected twists and turns, including writer's block, and as soon as I get that finished (which really HAS to be today) I am back to my real work, which is writing novels.

Notice the use of plural. Novels. Not novel. Because I am going to write more than one. Right after I finish this one.

I'm disappointed with my "progress" this year so far. I've got lots of excuses but not enough gold stars on any calendar. Though I can't recapture that time, I can learn from this experience (can't I?) and accept no excuses. Write first. Make excuses for why I don't get the OTHER stuff done, not for my writing.

Looking for that white hot streak myself. Actually, any kind of streak will do provided it is not a losing streak.

Will try to post and comment more often. We are all moving forward, even if at different speeds.

Good luck! Write much. The more there is, the better it will be even if you throw a third out.

The month is not half over. In fact, it's more than half full.

Finding The White Heat

I've been in something of an energy vortex for the last several months, so one of my writing buddies challenged me to find The White Heat. Totally on board with the idea, I struggled to find time to look for it.

But, today, I found it.

2266 words. 11 pages.

And I have tomorrow's work all lined up.

Can I get an, "Amen?"

Stuck

What do you do when you get stuck on a scene? I've been stuck for two days now. I try to write and it just comes out worthless and boring and I hate it. I need to get through this scene, and I know I can go back and fix it later, but does anyone else have this problem?

I'm sure the answer is yes.

So, what to do? Push through it? Skip it and come back to it at a more inspired time? Work on something completely new?

And another question... What's more important to you: Editing a finished manuscript (well, first draft) or working on something new?

Now I have to go to work. Why can't I be independently wealthy and be able to stay home... the one with my own office and the maid service to do the dishes, that is.

Everyone have a wonderful day!

I'm late, I'm late

I'm here! I'm writing! Not as much as I planned, and not on the project I'd planned--but I'm writing! Gave up on SW--well, not completely, but decided I need to write something lighter for a while. So, after dedicating half of last week to SW, I switched and started working up the outline/background/synopsis/character-sketches/and-all-that-stuff for a romance that's been rolling around in my brain since December. Hope to accomplish my 1500 a day on it starting today. So far, so good. With my nose to the grindstone, I should have a first draft completed by month's end--even starting it late. I love months with 31 days!

Happy creating, all!

Checking In

Well after making the big announcement that I am back, I seem to have slowly limped through the week. My creative spirit seemed to be still on vacation. I did get a bit of writing done, and a bit of re-writing done - but I can't say I managed to stay with my goal.

Ah, but another week is here. And, I am not giving up.

Monday Check-in

I started the week with 2706 words from my synopsis. I pasted the appropriate parts in Chapters 1, 2 and 3 since I have to turn in a proposal for this project. I was so excited to start the actual book so I thought I'd have no problem reaching my goal of 5000 words this week. I was wrong!

It was one of those crazy busy weeks and weekend. I managed to write but it was a few minutes here, a few there. Only one day did I have a significant chunk of time to work.

When I sat at my computer last night to see what I'd accomplished over the week, I was totally bummed. I didn't like it. Not one bit. I knew the main reason my writing had gotten off track as the weekend came around was I'd taken a wrong turn at the end of the scene which was keeping me from going forward. So I did the only thing I could in this situation. I started over last night. An easy decision since I was still in chapter one, but I've had the same problem later in books. Then I try to see if I can fix the problem without losing too much.

At the end of my Sunday writing session, I had 1624 words. Much less than my goal of 5000 words, but I surpassed my daily goal of 1000 words. And I'm much happier with the story! Yay!

Today starts a new weekly count for me. My goal is 1000 words M-F and use the weekend for catch up. I have a proposal due and those always take me forever to write. I really want to reach my 5000 word goal. Fingers crossed I make it!

Dropping out for this month - see you in April!

I'm throwing up my hands. It's a good thing - I just have too much going on this month and I recognize when I need to say "uncle".

I hope everyone has a wonderful, productive writing month!

See you April 1st come whatever...

Full Steam Ahead

March has been veddy veddy good to me. I've been a writing goddess so far. Well, in my mind anyway.

I've finished the first draft of my short story which came in at 13600 words. I'll let it sit for awhile before I go in and edit. I've also been working on my 2007 NaNo story, getting back to my horsey roots, which feels awesome.

So, my total words thus far for the month of March is 9183. I can deal with that.

I'm going to spend the rest of my day (the part that I'm on my computer) editing my 2008 NaNo story which I finished last month.

So much to do!!

I Have a Nag Hat... and I'm Not Afraid to Use It!!

WHERE IS EVERYONE?

It's so quiet in here!!!

Must I assign days?

Is everyone tired of doing this?

Has really life eaten my writing friends?

Check in, folks... check in! LET ME KNOW YOU'RE ALIVE, WELL AND WRITING!

We can't support you if you aren't here. So...

WAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZUP?

Checking In and Misc Rambling

I worked on "Queen and Assassin" this week. I didn't get as much done as I would have liked, and I didn't meet my goals... but I did get words down, so I'm relatively content.

Words written this week = 705
Total words on Q&A = 25,783

I admit to being just a tad worried -- I'm fairly close to the end, maybe another 15,000 words or so? And I want this story to be 65k or more. 25 + 15 does not equal 65, no matter how I do the math. Does the story have another 25k in it that I don't see? Are there legitimate scenes that could be added that contribute to the story and aren't just filler? Can I beef up what's already there?

There are a few things I need to happen earlier in the story in places I've already written: I need to name the dulin (and I'm on the fence about this... the dulin is known as a pretty scary and vicious predator, so do I name him something silly like "Fluffy" just for grins, or do I name him something that reflects what he is like "Terminator"?) and I need my heroine's brother to teach her a few things in regards to her psychic gift.

So, now, I've done the unthinkable -- I've gone back to the beginning to fill in the places I need filled in. I know, I know, in a real "wrimo" you don't go back. Ever. But I'm not really editing as much as I'm writing scenes out of order. I'm making the story better ("bigger, stronger, better than before") and hopefully at least a little longer.

And then, I need to brainstorm a few additional, meaty scenes. 65,000 words... here I come.

Peeking In

Just a quick check in...

This first week of March is going well on all counts. The story is coming along, the characters are behaving (although one did give me a surprise yesterday) and I'm having a blast watching the story grow. I've gone back every morning and tweaked the previous day's pages a bit before I get down to the business of writing. The manuscript feels fairly clean, and I am satisfied.

I didn't write at all today but so far I've got 8, 100 new words for this month.

I look forward to hearing about how everyone else if faring. I hope things are working well for you!

“March”ing to the beat of a different drum

Oh, I’m still writing. But this month, I’m not as concerned with massive amounts of words added to my draft manuscript--although I won’t refuse any that happen my way.

I’m doing my second stage plot and character development and taking a writing class called Masterful Sentences. As part of that, I wrote a 107-word sentence today. It was 106 words. I took an adjective out. Then I thought for a while and put it back in.

This, by the way, is what we call “revision.”

So here’s to March, no matter what beat you’re listening to.

Words!

Finally!!! 2706 words. Granted it's on the synopsis I emailed to my editor last night, but I'm counting it since I will now cut and past that synopsis into my manuscript so I know what I want to write where.

Huge sigh of relief to have actual words since though I was working all through February, it was all brainstorming and pre-writing.

I can't remember what my writing goal is so this may be a repeat, but I'd like to do 5000 words a week. Ideally that would be 1000 words M - F with the weekends off, but I'm guessing that won't happen so I'll use the weekends to catch up on what I don't get done!

Okay, better get to work!

If You're Reading this Blog, and Want to Join

One person left a comment, but has no email address on their blogger profile... so, if you're reading this and want to join us, send me an email:

authormariannearkins AT gmail DOT com

Okay?

My Feb Totals

Well... I did write SOME in February. Not nearly enough, but every word counts.

For "Queen and Assassin" I wrote: 2,127
For "A Jewel for Geoff" I wrote: 555

For a (not so?) Grand Total of: 5,364 (thanks to C for pointing out the interesting addition I did here, I hate typos *sigh*) 2,682

I'm setting a new goal of 500 words a day for March. Dang it. I'm going to do it.

Oh, The Irony

So I pulled out of JaNoWriMo so Marianne would stop making me feel guilty (heh-heh-heh) and...I outlined a new story and did verbal sketches of all the characters AND added in 500+ words on Molasses Swamp.

Maybe I should "quit" more often!

February Grand Total

Well, I didn't do as well as I hoped I would, but I did actually get some writing done. I went from 3712 to 4348... so a grand total of 636 words.

Somehow, I thought I had written more than that. When I went back and looked, I realized I had been doing quite a bit of research and world-building/rule-making. Ah, well, at least I'm getting more of it hashed out. And I'm having fun in the process, which has been missing for some time. I refuse to let my wonky health take away the joy I find in my writing (oh, alright, and the angst... but we won't go there right now).

I have a new goal of 1000 words a day, and even if I have to force myself to put down the new book by Gena Showalter (or whoever else I MUST read) I'll be working toward that goal. I love these characters and want them to have their story... so I can move onto the next set of screaming characters in my head. LOL

Here's my widget for now:



Keep your fingers crossed that by the end of March I'll have almost a full manuscript. Maybe by the end of April I'll have it all ready for the first round of edits and Crits. Yup, I'm being optimistic, I refuse to be anything else.

I FORGOT TO NAG!

I can't BELIEVE I forgot to nag y'all for a check in!!!!

For shame, for shame...

So, if you haven't, please do.

I will in a bit ... K?

Welcome, March

I feel like a little kid on the first day of school. Pencil sharpened, blank notebook in front of me, ready to go.

All right, let's be honest. I feel like a woman with a half-finished novel on file and a couple pages of scribbling littering her desk. Still, I'm ready to go.

Welcome, March. :-)

Ready to March Forward

First I wanted to do 1000 words each day. Well, due to circumstances beyond my control that didn't happen. So, then I wanted to at least make up the "redo" work I lost from two computer crashes. Well, almost. Overall, I have a little over 17,000 for February, which is still less than the amount I lost, but more than I would have had if I didn't keep plowing forward. I'm not going to say part of this hasn't been psychological--I'm notorious for not wanting to redo work that wasn't my fault. But I'm not going to whine. I'm cranking up my goal to 1500 words a day for March and marching forward.

Just try to keep up with me (grin).