NaNoWriMo

We are halfway through the month, but I am not halfway through my writing goal for National Novel Writer's Month. I was doing great for the first nine days, totally on track. Then I got busy with real life. Then I played some Bejeweled. Then I procrastinated (I read The Taker by Alma Katsu -- a disturbingly haunting story).

This weekend I plan to get back on track. I'm using NaNo as a platform to push myself to produce. I am not actually 'competing' since I'm continuing my existing work in progress, Possessing Karma (still not sold on that name). As I read other blogs about NaNo prep and schedules, I feel a little like a fraud because I don't do any of that. Yes, I have my rough outline (from which I have deviated like nobody's business), but I have no spreadsheets, flowcharts, or sacred writing hours. I just write -- which is what I've always done.

Right this moment, I'm blogging as a warm up to writing. Coffee is almost ready, the dishwasher's runing, and I'm caught up on work for the time being -- ready to write.

Do you have ways your prepare for writing sessions?

November? Already? I think I'm fine with it.

It's November and I'm relaxed. Why? Because I'm not doing NaNoWriMo. I'm not even pretending to be thinking about doing it. In fact, after I post this, I will unsubscribe from all the NaNo emails I get. Wow - freedom.

The deadline for RWA's Golden Heart is coming up and I have decided I will not cram to get Courtly Abandon ready. If it happens, great. If not, oh well. I'll send Courtly Scandals in and I will not be worried or feel like a failure because of x, y, or z. It's just not worth the energy. I will just write what needs to be written.

Courtly Abandon has thrown me for a loop. I thought I knew my characters really well, but I started with Jane as the woman I wanted her to arc into. Where's the growth? What are the stakes? Plus, her sentiments are too modern. It's always been a challenge to create a historical character that a modern woman could understand - but I like doing that. It makes history real and relatable. Now, Jane's too modern, not Elizabethan at all. Le Sigh.

I am starting from the beginning and figuring her out step by step. I have ideas, but I'm worried that changing certain aspects will alter the overall story too much. Then again, if the change is good, who am I to complain?

And I lied -- I'm not really relaxed. On the heels of finishing Hallowe'en costumes and housework. Lesson plans, grading, and setting up a quilting art unit. Chest colds, dance lessons, working out, dead laptop, Christmas looming, first Fèis... no, I'm not relaxed. I am, however, choosing to be at peace about writing. For now.

How's your November starting out?

NaNo

Sigh.

Even thinking about it stresses me out.

I was so excited and gung-ho to participate. I was going to make amazing progress and show myself how prolific I could be when I was focused.

And then I realized that it was physically possible to finish my w.i.p. for this year's Golden Heart, and buckled down to get that done. As result, I wrote about 22k over the month of October. 22k in a month is not as impressive as 50k, but it's a chunk of words and helped me make my point to myself. And I finished Courtly Scandals and started my edits. My book will not be at 100% polish, but it shouldn't embarrass me.

The problem I have is that I'm hosting a class for my students for YWP NaNo. It's a little embarrassing to not make my word goal when I'm encouraging them to write every day to achieve their's.

I did go ahead and take a brain break from Courtly Scandals and started pantsing something for NaNo, but it's 23 days into November and a paltry 1800 words is a drop in the ocean.

How's NaNo going for you?

Golden Heart Contest

It's that time again -- Romance Writer's of America's Golden Heart contest opens for entries on September 21st. Crazy. Didn't they just finish up the last year?

The good news is that you have until November 15th, 2010 to submit your entry form and until December 2nd, 2010 to get your submission to the RWA offices.

That is right on the heels of NaNoWriMo... if I'm focusing on finsihing my w.i.p. for the Golden Heart, I won't be able to start my new project. Hmmmm. Of course, I could just finish my w.i.p. for NaNoWriMo without actually participating in the contest aspect.

The date just snuck (not 'sneaked') up on me and took me by surprise. I know, it shouldn't have, but it did.

I could also resubmit Courtly Pleasures (previously known as Courtly Love). It has gone through some major changes since I submitted it last November. Who knows? I certainly don't.

Last year was exciting. The contest dates gave me a real deadline. Once I had done everything to their specifications and sent it off (I think it cost about $50 to mail it all, it was such a big package) there was that feeling of accomplishment and some closure. Then the date came when I knew the judges were going to start reading. It was neat to think that some author was reading my first fifty pages. The date came when I knew the judges had to turn in their score sheets. Finally the day came where the finalists were going to be notified. I stayed home, watching the RWA site get updated. I cried when I was not included.

But I would do it again in a heart beat. It was like my novel was a part of something. The judges had to read the first fifty-pages -- my entry fee guaranteed it. My novel was really out there in the world (to an extent). It was a good feeling.

NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month is almost upon us. For the month of November the goal is to write 50,000 words. No editing, seat of your pants, a spewing of words that may or may not make up a good story. We shall see.

NaNoWriMo website describes the process.
"Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly."

The only problem here is I can see filling page after page with, "All work and no play makes Erin a dull girl." Then again, for me, writing is play. It's what I long to do. When I don't have time for writing, something is wrong in my world. I just hope that my real life calms down a touch by November.

I also hope to finish my first draft of Courtly Christmas. I plan to start Courtly Manners for the NaNoWriMo project.

For my fellow teachers out there, NaNoWriMo also hosts a young writer's version.