Starting Off With A.....Fizzle
As some of you may know, I’m participating in NaNoWriMo for the first time this year. I have no other projects to distract me and I even decided to start a brand new story, which I’ve been plotting for the last two weeks. I’ve read craft books, created a list of scene suggestions, and worked to make sure I have plenty of conflict. As the weekend started, I was constantly thinking to come up with a great opening line, knowing if the first scene went well, the momentum would carry me forward.
So, Halloween night arrived, midnight of Nov 1 grew ever closer, and I was determined to get words down immediately. Especially since I knew I’d gain an hour when I turned my clock back. And for once, I did exactly what I set out to do. I wrote for one hour achieving 645 words on paper. Then I changed the clocks and passed out.
It’s now just past 6:30 Sunday evening as I write this, and I’ve yet to write another word today. I’ve added more buddies to my NaNo list, balanced my checkbook, folded some laundry, cooked and cleaned up the kitchen, and watched some World Series of Poker. (I love watching poker on television.) But no writing. This is not what you’d call, starting with a bang, hence the alternative title.
As soon as I finish this blog, I plan on diving back into the WIP. This “keep writing no matter what” thing is HARD. I’ll let you know today how it went.
Since many of you are also participating, how did your first day go? What is your strategy for hitting the 50K? Are you stocking up on chocolate? (You would not BELIEVE the amount of candy we have after Saturday night.) Anyone writing with rum?
Books by the Crew
71 comments:
I refuse to admit fizzle. What is crazy is that I spent all day yesterday day dreaming about my first line. I tossed about ten before I made a final decision. More than likely it'll change anyway. But after all that daydreaming, all that wishing for midnight to roll around faster did nothing for me today. I fell asleep before midnight, and I didn't start pounding out my first words until late Sunday afternoon. Then company arrived. I'm close to my daily goal if I shoot for 1700 words a day, but the glutton in me is pushing for 3333 words a day, especially if I want to finish by the 15th. :)
Yes, I'm insane.
Ain't it amazin' how we discover domestic talents when we be avoidin' the blank screen? I'm not doin' the Nano. No nano-ing fer me. But I'm pushin' meself ta write, fightin' ta reach the end a' me tangle of some months ago.
And I wrote 2000 words on it taday. Not sure how good they be, but another ten days a' that and I'll 'ave an endin'...
I wish I were writin' wit' chocolate. Dietin' ... down 13 pounds in 6 weeks. But I be crusin' the first week a' December and I plan on chocolate then...and rum!
Glad ta hear the munchkin struck such gold on Saturday night!
Only 777 words. NO trick or treaters, so I have lots of supplies to sustain me: pixy sticks, blow pops, reeses, M&Ms and nerds.
We'll presevere.
Captain, 'ope ya don't fall inta a sugar coma...
This reminds me of Pirandello's play 'six characters in search of an author'.
Should be 'six words in search of a story' :lol:
Terri, didn't you know that the carrots don't work without the stick. :wink:
Seriously though, I'm very impressed.
645 words/hr is pretty nifty!
Dropping in to wish all you Nano-ers an awesome run.
I did it two years back and only made it to about 40K before I called it quits to work on submitting some full requests. It was crazy! And kind of fun.
I've never done NaNo. I'm in awe of all of you. Go, Pirates! I have 30,000 words to go on the current project, but I have generously given myself till the end of December. I'll have a few interruptions (a grandson's arrival, for one)so don't want to put too much pressure on. I always fall into very calm seas at 60,000 and have trouble getting the wind up, but I'm going to start huffing and puffing in a few minutes. :)
Good luck Nano'ers!
Huh, conquering the blank screen huh? I find housework helps loosen my brain. Then I can usually dive back in when I sit at the computer.
I could suggest a nice spreadsheet, detailing each scene and mapping out the different acts....
But I won't.
LOL!
Good luck, I'm sure you're going to get moving like the wind before you know it.
Who all is participating? Hells, you doing it too?
Renee - I know! That first line killed me. Even though I KNOW it will likely change and does not have to be the perfect first line right now.
And I do believe trying to finish by the 15th makes you certifiable.
Chance - Congrats on the 2K and congrats on th diet! I'm afraid diet is not part of my vocabulary. And I'm frightened to think of how much I'm going to widen in the next 30 days. LOL!
Good luck to everyone participating in the NaNo and to everyone else going for a big push on their current projects!
I'm in the "everyone else" category not doing Nano in order to finish the current WIP. Not such a big push right now though with my son and I fighting a flu bug. Everything is in sllloooowww motion, but I'll wave as you speed by. :)
Hellie - NO kids showed up? That stinks. Especially when you were all prepared like that. Well, you won't need coffee to stay awake. And 777 is like a holy number or something, isn't it? Maybe that's a good sign.
Q - If you've got six words laying around, I'll take them. And what are these carrot things you mention? Never heard of them.
BTW - I did hit 1676 words by 10pm. But this "Don't revise anything" suggestion is harder than I thought it would be. I know my opening scene needs lots more added. It's so hard not to do that now.
I'm right there with you. I only wrote about 300 words yesterday. But, so far today I'm over 500, so there's hope I'll be back on track in no time.
Di
Tiff - It is fun, as long as you don't psyche yourself out. LOL! Thanks for the cheerleading.
Maggie - You could write 30K in a week. And they'd be awesome! You and Tiff both put the rest of us to shame.
Marn - I have been plotting in a notebook. I have a mental block with the spreadsheet thing, but I think it's because I use them all day at work. They're too closely related to the day job. :)
Since it's been so long since I started something new, I know I don't really know my characters yet. So I'll keep going and hopefully, by the time this is done, I'll know them well enough to make it better in the re-writes.
Melissa - So sorry to hear the ick has not made it your way. So many people are sick these days. You're going to be the proof that slow and steady wins the race. LOL! I bet you still finish before I do!
Di R - Keep chugging along. I'm counting on Veteran's Day (I have off!) and Thanksgiving being my opportunities to make up ground if I get behind. And the truth is, even if I only hit 30K or 40K by the end of the month, that would be a major accomplishment for me and still more words than I've managed on anything else.
Cap'n, just remember what the late great Robert Benchley said: "A man can do any amount of work PROVIDED ONLY that it is NOT the work he is supposed to be doing at the time." This aphorism explains much...
India, that INDEED does explain so much about my current situation. *LOL* I cleaned my house, frittered around with "useful" things, but didn't write anythig particularly compelling.
This is supposed to be compelling? Shit, I'm worse off than I thought.
India - That sentence sums up my entire existence. Except at work today, I have a ton of stuff to get done. Hopefully I can go back to the things I'm not supposed to be doing this afternoon.
Way to go Ter! I'm doing it this year. Did just over a thousand words yesterday. Solid progress, though not the 1,600 or whatever it is you need to average daily to make the 50k mark. I've done NaNo two years, but never won, so this year I'm determined. I spent hours plotting yesterday, and writing.
For those of you doing it, what are your screen names? Mine is haleighlachance
Q - If you’ve got six words laying around, I’ll take them. And what are these carrot things you mention? Never heard of them
A carrot and stick approach involves using inducements to get results and if these don't work there are punishments.
I think it comes from getting a donkey to pull a cart. You dangle a carrot (vegetable!) in front of its nose and if it still doesn't pull you whack its rear with a stick.
Course you wouldn't be using donkey carts in high tech America LOL
You sound just like me!
I'm doign NaNo and have spent all of Oct. getting ready. From booking lots of guest authors for Nov on Cheeky Reads (so you know, I don't have to write blogs everyday) to reading about setting, plotting, character motivation,etc. I was so excited for Nov. 1st.
I mean so excited. I had written that opening scene in my mind 10 different ways. I even had the house all to myself Sunday. Hubby was gone from 9am-9pm. PERFECT I thought. I literally had all day to write and thought I could hit maybe 3k in order to make up for some short writing days during the week.
When I sat down to write - nothing. It was a struggle to get that opening scene out. I mean a STRUGGLE - all caps for emphasis. I mean hello, I had all day right. No interruptions, nothing to keep my fingers from flying across the keys.
I'd been preparing all month, so what happened?
My opening scene sucks. And I mean sucks big hairy ass. Horrible. And I'm not just being critical. It's all dialogue and not between the h/h either. There's no meet cute, no glowing introductions to how the characters look, or even any insight into what kind of character they are. It's flat and crap.
But you know what? I kept writing. I made it to 1,791 words. Not the 3k I had such high hopes for, but I made the daily goal and I kept going knowing every word will never see the light of day.
But for me, NaNo is about learnign discipline. You know, the ass-in-chair kind. The kind that will eventually make it a little bit easier for me to trust in my ability to sit and write something I will be proud of.
I'm hoping today will be easier - and each day after that. Not becuase the writing will come easier, but becuase the act of writing will.
Ok - can this count toward my goal? that has to be a huge chunk right there!
Hal - I just added you to my buddy list. Nearly 5000 words already? Really?!
Q - Sorry, that was meant to be a joke because I don't eat carrots. Or vegetables of any kind. But I get the inducement reference. However, my inducement seems to be the bag of mini Hershey bars sitting on my kitchen counter. *sigh*
*hanging head in shame*
No. I lied on my word count. Almost 2,500 of those words are from Saturday, not Sunday. But I wasn't sure how to keep track of it otherwise. So I just decided my personal goal will be 52,500. Then I'll know I really won.
Sabrina - what's your user name so I can add you to my buddy list?
Sabrina - We're in this together, girlfriend. I do feel good about where I'm starting the story, but this front end will need MAJOR revisions once the story is all out. I'm hoping to get some momentum going.
And yesterday I found out how much they expect me to pay monthly on my student loans. Talk about motivation to sell something. LOL! There will be much negotiating happening soon!
We're not supposed to revise anything? Ooops. I did make it to 1760, I blame television for not reaching my 3333. Dh left it on some bloodsucking creature show on animal planet. Before he fell asleep, he said, "Hun, you know bigfoot isn't real, right?" My reply, what the hell ever, remember that time when the car got stuck in the mud on the back roads. . .I don't think cows stalk humans." ;)
Anyway, first lines suck! They suck! They suck! I was even considering writing a different first scene. I hate needing the cute meet on page one. I guess I should quit obsessing and just write.
As far as 777, um Hellie, if I were you I would have written one more word. I'm a 7/7/7 baby, my birth certificate even says time of birth was 6:53 a.m. Yep, 7 minutes before 7. I even played the lottery 7/7/07, not even a $1. You'd think I'd be one of the luckiest on earth, or one of the most anointed, especially since my real name, well we won't go there, the point is I feel like the least luckiest at times.
Okay, obviously I've had too much coffee, not a good thing.
Y'all have a great day. Hope it's filled with writing.
Hal - You broke the cardinal rule? You should be so ashamed. Actually, I was in the forums last week (where I will NOT go again) and someone said he'd written 2 pages because the words came Thursday night and could he keep them and still use the story for NaNo? You'd think he suggested he was selling his unborn children.
Some people were laid back and remembered this is all for fun and there are no NaNo police. (There aren't right?) But others got all bent and threw a fit about following the rules and if he used those two pages he was going to burn in the fiery pits of hell for all eternity.
And he wouldn't like himself very much at the end of the month. That was enough for me. I'll avoid the forums, thanks.
Renee - I managed to turn the television off twice. But then Amazing Race was on and I've watched it all season and I caved. I'm going to be taping so many dang shows on weeknights, I'll do nothing but empty out my DVR list for the entire month of December!
Funny about the numbers. My daughter was born on 7/14 and she weighed 7lbs 14 oz. Come to think of it, she was born around 6:45am which if it was actually 6:46, that would be 14 mins before 7.
Creepy.
I'm CheekyGirl on NaNo if anyone wants to buddy me. I can use all the nudging and accountability I can get!
I'm not participating but I'm here on the sidelines - cheering, nudging, offering plenty of tlc, encouragement and a kick in the butt to anyone who feels they need it.
Keep typing, Terri. You can do this thing!
I had major trouble with the TV too - V miniseries marathon was on SyFy and I couldn't turn away.
Then Music and Lyrics and many others...LOL. Now I'm surprised I made my 1,791!
I'm Di R on NaNo, I second Sabrina, I can use all the help I can get.
I'll add Haleigh and Sabrina to my buddy list.
Usually most of the writing I actually do is on monday, because my critique group meets on tuesday. *sigh*
Okay, now I'm really logging off and am going to write.
Check in later-Good luck, everyone!
Di
Sabrina - I've added you to my list. And I'm considering moving the comp to the table in the dining room. No tv in there!
PJ - Thanks for the cheers and the support. It is much appreciated.
I realize I'm adding all these people to my buddy list, but what do I do then? Other than see how many words you've written. LOL! Do we pester each other with NaNomail over there?!
Di - Are you continueing the crit meetings during NaNo? I don't think I can do any crit stuff since it's so rough and shitty and obviously going to need work. Would be a waste of everyone's time.
he wouldn’t like himself very much at the end of the month. Seriously? Geez, some people take themselves waaaay too seriously. I just figured I'd write an extra 2,500 words and it'd all come out in the wash. What was I going to do? Not write because it was October 31 and not Nov. 1st?
Yes, that is what you were expected to do. LOL! According to the masses, you should have been smited and struck by lightening. Or you should have the dignity to pull out of NaNo after so flagrantly breaking the biggie rule.
Really, these people were a little too anal about all this.
India, you are brilliant. So, if I say I should be doing dishes and laundry, I may just sit down and write. hmmm I think it just might work.
I managed just over 2K yesterday, but they really do constitute a s&#@#% first draft with so many bits I need research for that I'm keeping a list. I'd like to do 60K by November 30, but we'll see. I'm trying to write linearly, a nearly impossible task for me. I'm already thinking that my opening scene needs to come later and that the first scene should be the plane crash. And I don't know if I can write a plane crash scene. :(
I'm Janga on NaNo for any of you who haven't added me. I'm off to add names to my buddy list.
Renee - You be the test bunny and let us know if it works.
Janga - You can write any scene you set your mind too. And think of it as writing scenes that you'll move around and piece together later. Which is what you do anyway, right? I don't think there's any rule that this has to make sense when you're done. Write whatever scenes you feel like writing when you feel like writing them. (Did that make sense?)
As long as it adds up to 50K (or for your goal 60K) then you're all good.
you should have been smited and struck by lightening. Or you should have the dignity to pull out of NaNo after so flagrantly breaking the biggie rule.
LMAO!!!!!
Hal - They skeard me, they did. There are a lot of butt plugs being over-used over there.
oh yeah.
LOL!
LOL! Ter, you're cracking me up....
I do think people are a little too uptight about it. It's supposed to get you writing. It's supposed to be fun, it's supposed to help you fulfil a goal with the support of others doing it with you. For real, people. Relax....
Perhap they don't just need rum; sounds like some may need some serious downers.
Umm...backing away from the butt plugs...maybe I don't need to visit that NaNo site anymore.
pass the benzodiazepines
Hal - I would google that, but I don't want to know.
Sabrina - Just back away from the forums. The rest of the site looks safe....so far.
Marn - I do think rum would do these people good. And "relax" should be posted all over the site. LOL! But I get the anxiety going in. I just wish I'd have carried a little more of the excitement into yesterday. A snap, crackle, or pop would have been better than the fizzle in my living room during the afternoon. LOL!
So, accordin' ta India...the key ta actually gettin' housework done is ta put me priority onta somethin' else...
I can do that!
Seems ta me the safest route ta take fer the official Nano-ers is ta write and keep yer head down...let the flingers fling and stay outta the line a' fire!
Idiots! I never done well wit' competition...
I need rum to function at this point. I'm going to cheerlead you guys to 50k! Good luck this year everyone!
Chancey - That's the problem - competition. It's not like there's one winner who gets the "Greatest writer of them all" award. It's just silly.
Sin - Nice use of cheerlead as a verb. Shake those pom poms, girly!
I'm not a writer but I wish you all good luck. How about some chocolate with rum in it?
Terri-yes I still meet with my critique group, but not so much for me to read anything in it's rough state, more to keep me on track. Also, one of my cp's is entering the GH this year, so right now we're helping her polish her ms. And another is at the black moment of her ms, and the last just finished another rewrite and is ready to submit.
For now, I'm a cheerleader and when I write myself into a corner, they help me to plot.
Chance-line of fire sounds like a drink to me!
Di (off to lunch)
Welcome to the ship, Linda. Readers are always welcome here! And I do have some chocolate liquer hidden in my cabin. Though we do have a drink that comes with a wonderful brownie. Which one is that again, Chancey? (She's our bartender aboard this vessel.)
Di - I can see how that would keep you inline and no sense throwing off the others. That's great that all your partners are so far along. And soon they'll be helping you polish your MS and get it into the hands of agents and editors. (Soon being 2010, but the way time is flying, that's VERY soon.)
Is anyone else having problems with writing buddies disappearing from their list? Terri, I added you twice--and now your name has disappeared again.
Janga, you're adding "BosunTerriO" right and not just "TerriO"?
I almost added the wrong Terri too. Poor girl is probably very confused by now :)
I almost added the wrong Terri too. Poor girl is probably very confused by now :)
Not all of my buddies show up for some reason. If you click on "writing buddies" on the left hand column there, under your picture, you see everyone on the list. No idea why they don't show up with the little meter thingies.
Never mind. I figured it out. The page will only display the last 11 added.
Going to the following link once you'r logged in will show the complete list:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/buddylist
NaNo does have it's quirks.
I wrote a kick-off email to my buddies wishing them luck Sunday morning - and the backlog for emails there meant I submit and the email went nowhere. No way was I going to write it again.
oh. see i don't even have 11 friends :)
Look at Janga all popular!
Captain's Cocoa Puff goes wit' the sugar free brownie! And I'm gonna make up some Double Stuffed Flamin' Twinkies in honor a' the Nano...
Bring the chocolate liquer over, Bo'sun...we can soak the twinkies in that afore we lights them afire!
Line a' Fire do sound like a drink!
Is that why they don't all show up? Sheesh. But I don't think the collection that shows up are my last eleven. Weird.
By the time I got there, TerriO had already been taken. Dang it. I had to throw the Bosun on there so it would be unique. LOL!
Oh, and since my WIP is set in a HS and involves the sports teams, I had to come up with a school mascot. I now have the Pineville Pirates. :)
HA! You can get the Captain ta help ya compose a good fight song or a cheer or two! But keep it clean!
The Captain's Cocao Puff. That's right. How could I forget that? And NaNo is definitely Twinkee worthy. I might buy a box for the month.
I haven't thought about a fight song. Dang, we'll see if that comes up. LOL!
My plan for tonight - get in some exercise first and let my mind think about where I'm at in the story. Then, sit down to write trying to forget about what's wrong with the first part.
See, I'm worried that I'll continue with the bad writing becuaes I'm making it "match". Does that make sense. When I know I need to add more description and less dialogue, somehow I felt compelled last night to keep going down the same path instead of switching the style.
So tonight the goal is to switch paths (but no re-write the opening) to the direction I'd like to see the book go in. We'll see how I do.
Saw this article today and thought I would share it with the crew.
It's "How unpublished authors can build name recognition."
http://romanceuniversity.org/2009/11/02/how-unpublished-authors-can-build-name-recognition/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Well, my plans for a Monday night would usually be to attend belly dance from 6 to 7:30, but I've decided I don't want to go anymore. I never should have signed up for this second round. Monday is the worst day to do this anyway.
So I'm calling off my belly dance career. It was never meant to be anyway. I was not a star pupil. :(
That means more writing time tonight and every Monday during the month. Whoot!
Off to check out the article, Sabrina. Thanks for the link. And NO EDITING!
Sabrina, jus' keep writin'! Honestly, don't get caught up in gettin' it perfect right away. This be a learnin' experience and if ya let the details of what what yer doin' wrong dominate, you'll miss what yer doin' right!
It's called editin' and fer this bit a Nano-ing, it has ta wait fer December. If ya must, make notes off the screen a' what ya want to fix...but keep yer forward momentum!
When the screen opens, ya put the notes away. If, and it's a big if, yer makin' the same mistake as ya go, then it will be easy ta edit! Because ya'll get the hang a' what ya need ta do quickly...when ya open yer edit stage.
Jus' keep writin'!
Terri, belly dancing? Really? I'm living vicariously through my characters. When I was looking up veils, I found a peculiar site on veil fetishism complete with pictures (all rated G), but there is something exotic about the veil. I know nothing about belly dancing but I think it would be fun to incorporate it into my ms.
Sabrina, I love Romance University. I'll hop over there now.
Good luck crazy people! I did it once two years ago and it was a great experience, but I'm not going to do that again.
Although, having said that I do want to finish this book by the end of the month and I have about 30,000 words to go. I started off November with 2300 words yesterday. So far today I've got zip. Waiting for kiddo to go to bed so I can get started...
Chance - I've considered taking notes on the things I want to pay attention to when this is finished. I was thinking that might make moving on easier.
Renee - I've been doing belly dance since August and it's okay, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. And it's not much in the way of exercise when you only do it once a week. This 2nd round was where we'd learn to use the veil and I did get to mess around with one last week.
There are so many different disciplines and styles of belly dance, it would take years to really research and get to know them all.
JK - You've proven you can finish a book AND sell it. LOL! I don't think you have anything else to prove. Now I have to get off of here and get some words down!
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