NaNoWriMo: Down the Drain....

Last week ended my dreams of a NaNo win. Disheartening, but stuff happens.

The problem with being a writer, a mother and a wife is that the priorities are constantly changing. It is something I accept and unfortunately writing often falls into third place. It doesn't depress me, I'm realistic. When I married and had children, I was joining into something else, into a unit which takes precedence over my individual wants and needs. Writing is a personal thing for me, it is something I do for myself. No one else in the family understands what it means although they try to support me where they can. But not at the expense of the family.

I know it sounds bad, I find writers very protective of their writing and believe it should take priority over other things. I think that works for some people. It never has for me. My own personality contributes to this. I can't write in chaos thus my house has to be clean. I have children in too many activities and I insist in participating in them. If I'm going to commit myself to such, then I have to be prepared to put my writing aside.

And yet, I still see plenty of opportunities I had to write. I still need to be more productive with my time. I get distracted. There were plenty of moments where I could have pounded out a few hundred words. But I just didn't want to. With two birthdays to celebrate, three soccer practices, a baseball practice, laying sod in the yard, Cotillion, soccer games, baseball games, a baseball party and a birthday party to organize all in one week, I found it hard to concentrate.

But that wasn't the kicker. Losing power for 24 hours was what finally did me in. Tuesday night I had plans. I'd spent all day running errands and preparing for the week. My husband had a meeting that night so I knew I'd get two solid hours of writing time. Things were smooth. Until the lights flared in my house then went out completely. A transformer blew on the poll outside my house leaving me and two other houses without power. The electric company was out all night getting it fixed. The surge screwed up the main switch to my house so I had to get that repaired before the power would come back on. It put me so far behind and I couldn't write (no, I don't hand write, I'm too slow). So I give. I'm going to keep writing this week and see how much I can get, but Thanksgiving is this week and I'm hosting so I'm going to have to work on that.

Anyway, I wish the best to the other NaNos and hope they all get their 50K in. Its quite the accomplishment and I'm cheering you all on.

Tough Going

Ugh...I didn't think it would be this hard.

My word counts aren't what I'd like them to be. It isn't my WIP's fault, I'm in a meaty part of the story where the words should flow easily. It isn't a lack of time. I've had plenty of time to get writing done. I have made the mistake of saving some of it for evening and have been too tired to pick it back up.

Mostly its focus. My daughter has been sick and spent the first four days of the week at home. She finally went to school today. She isn't a bad kid, but she was restless. And knowing she was in the house interfered with my plan as it were. I'm not sure why, but just having another presence in the house was distracting.

In truth, I'm a little slow out of the gate anyway. My big word weeks are usually the last two of the month. But still, I had a plan and I'm unhappy that my plan is going the way I want.

But we adapt and I haven't given up. Just wish something would kick me and get me going.

Happy November!!

Today begins the madness that is National Novel Writing Month. Writers everywhere are feverishly pounding out words as fast as they can in an attempt to write 50,000 words before the end of the month. It averages to about 1667 words per day. I've set a goal of 1800 words a day. My plan is to do three sessions a day at 600 words per session. As I've said previously, my life is too hectic to sit and write in one sitting. Plus, I get antsy.

Every NaNo participant has their own game plan. They all have their own motivations they call upon to help them through. I've done this a couple of times although I've only won once. And each time is different. There are a couple of things I've found which help me succeed.

For me, I cannot start a new project. I have to be knee deep in a project in order to get the acceleration it is going to take to get the writing done. Too often, those first 5000 words are slow and difficult. I've started a book from the beginning for NaNo before and I ended up stopping midway through the month. The MS I've chosen to work on was at the 40K mark on October 31st, I'm hoping this month will get me to the end.

I think that's another thing which works for me. I don't want a mere 50K words, I want the end of the book. If I finish this book at the end of November, I have the holidays to clean it up and have it ready to submit. It's a great movitator.

I also plan rewards. If I get my 1800 words done, I have the freedom to do whatever else I want. Usually that is mindnumbing video games. I'm lucky that most of my shows are on hiatus for the first couple of weeks of the month so I'm not so tempted watch t.v.

Reading is a big part of my NaNo regimen. I need to find time to read. I'm not sure why. Perhaps reading reminds me of the final product. It reminds me why I have joined the madness.

Mostly I strive to make this month about the joy of writing. I'm trying to make writing an integrated part of my life rather than a seperate situation. I want to give it the same importance I give everything else.

Those of you who do NaNo or any other time of challenge-based writing project, what do you hope to gain from the exercise?

Crazy November

Next month is probably the craziest month of my year. There's Thanksgiving, both of my daughters' birthdays, the end of soccer season for one girl (which means a party), the end of baseball season (which doesn't really have a party but we tend to do something informal) and the beginning of basketball season for my older daughter. Plus there are a couple of big school functions and the usual things like homework and projects to go along with it. And then there's NaNo. National Novel Writing Month is an event which runs the entire month of November where writers try to write 50,000 words in thirty days. It gets insane. All levels of writers participate and I know a bunch of you are religious about the experience. I've done it a couple of times, I won in '06. It was the only time I have won and I think I understand why.

So I'm sure some of you are wondering why and how I'm going to do this. As to the why, I have several reasons and not all of them are writing related. First, I want to get this book done. My prediction is that I will hit at least 40K by the end of October on my WIP. If I'm focused, I should be able to finish it in November. Second, I give myself permission to put my writing top in my attention. And third, because of how hectic my November is, I need the escape of my writing. I'm not one to relax in a bathtub or take a "me" day. My novel is where I find my vacation. But NaNo requires a commitment of about 1500 words a day which is less than relaxing. So I have to plan it.

I created a November binder. I printed out calendar pages for each day of the month and put them in my binder. I've got a pad of sticky notes and a pencil ready to jot down any notes I need. Next week I'll go through and write in the times I have obligations and work around there for everything else. It means I need to schedule my writing. I need to be able to look at a day and find the time I'm going to write and make that a commitment.

I also decided I need to make time for exercise. Honestly, I don't like working out. I'll do it because I find my brain works better if I've got my blood pumping. Also, I'll have a boatload of Halloween candy around me so I'll need to work it off.

I have the advantage in that I'm a stay-at-home. Its also a disadvantage because I have a hard time saying the word "no" when asked to help. Did I mention I'm also the chairman of the food committee for the 8th grade party this year?

Are any of you planning on doing NaNo? If you are, have you mapped out any strategies to help you succeed in your goal? I'm organizing a small group of fellow mom-writers who want to do NaNo so I'm hoping that will help keep me motivated. I'm thinking of finding a reward for myself. I think I bought myself a video game when I won last year. Any thoughts? Oh, and my NaNo handle is Renered1 if you want to buddy me.

September Goals

Oh my goodness, it is already September. Here in the L.A. environs, it is hot and smoky, a most unpleasant end to summer. Remember this post? Well, this is where the big Acton fire is. Anyway, while we are in no danger of fire here, we are definitely feeling its affects with poor air quality. My cars are covered with soot and ash. Soccer practices are cancelled until further notice. Fire is a part of life here in SoCal and I've been through worse.

Anyway, no matter what the circumstances are that surround me, I can't use them as excuses not to get some priorities going. National Novel Writing Month is looming and I'd really like to participate. But I'm well into another WIP and I don't want to use it as my November project. So I need to get it done. I'm 20K+ on it with a projected word count of 85K. I have two months to get it done so I can focus on something else. Therefore I'm going to have to kick up my word production. My goal is...3K words a day. That's a a lot, that's more than my goals for NaNoWriMo. But I also know that is going to be tough. In fact, until next week, it is going to be real tough. But I'm hoping once my kids are back in school (let me pause for a moment and savor those words...) I can build up some steam and really go for it.

September really is my goal setting month for the year but I am a little too fractured mentally to focus on it. The giddiness of knowing next week at this time I will have my house back to myself has infected my focus.

So, any plans for NaNoWriMo? Have you thought about it?

And Now...the Deluge...

As I said in my last post I love Fall. Despite our non-chilly weather, I enjoy the activities and the food. I like the holidays and the fact the kids are in school. But it also means the return of obligations. I try to keep my summer free because of this. Soccer is in full swing and baseball starts next week. It wouldn't be so bad if we weren't involved. If it meant simply dropping the kids off or sitting in a chair reading while they practiced, it wouldn't be bad. But such is not the case.

For soccer my husband is the head coach of our older daughter's team and will be reffing. I am the temporary team mom. For our younger daughter's team, husband will be reffing and assitant coaching if they need it and I will be the team mom. For baseball, husband will be taking a winterball team and will be serving the organization in other capacities. I end up being the default team mom for this as well. And of course school starts and I try to keep myself involved there. November brings two birthdays, an anniversary and Thanksgiving. It also brings NaNoWriMo.

How can I think about writing with everything that is going on? Oddly enough, I tend to get more productive. It forces me to budget my time and make the best use of the free minutes I have. I think disorganization is a writer's worst enemy. It breeds procastination and excuses. We think we have no time, but really we haven't planned for it. Some people are naturally organized and don't have to work on it. I'm not in that group. It is a struggle for me. So being forced by other obligations works in my favor. Like a two year old, I need structure. Right now, I'm a leave in the breeze, writing because I'm at the computer anyway playing on the Internet. I've managed to accomplish some word counts, but I know its not going to last.

I'm going to get my organizer out and start planning my days, penciling in the "must do's" and scheduling my writing around it. I want to be good and motivated for NaNoWriMo. If I'm already in a pattern, I should be able to win this year.

Do you have any plans to do NaNoWriMo this year and do you have any strategies planned to accomplish it?

Struggling

I'm not used to writing rubbish. When I get the feel of something and decide its garbage, I quit writing and move on to something else. I'm not into heavy repairs. Somethings just can't be edited.

But now I'm doing NaNo and I don't have that luxury. Part of me wants to give up. Its a small part luckily, and I'm trying to keep my mind firmly focused on my goals. I'm writing something I'm not used to. This is an urban fantasy romance written in third person. It has been a long time since I've written in the 3rd so its a little harder work. I haven't written a romance in years. Oh, there is always a strong romantic theme in my writing, but not enough for editors to consider it romance.

I don't have any illusions that this book will actually see the light of day. And I'm not trying to sound pessimistic or negate the purpose of this NaNo. I do have a book in mind which is a romance and in third person which I am enamored of. I don't want it to be rubbish. I specifically chose something else for my NaNo project, essentially giving myself permission to write junk.

I'm hoping this frantic writing pace will kick me into overdrive. By letting the instinctual writer in me lose without presure, I hope to work the kinks out of my writing and feel more compfortable writing the next book.

I guess that is what I hope to get out of NaNo. For those of you doing NaNo, what do you hope to get out of it? For the rest of you writers, do you ever give yourself permission to write rubbish?

Speakings of rubbish, my word count numbers were down yesterday. I decided to wash all the upstairs bedding. Heavens, it was a much larger task than I planned. There are four beds upstairs. I employed both of my washers and dryers and still took all day. Today my legs are sore from going up and down the stairs so much. And I'm not done. I'd like to sweep and mop the floors up there. I'm thinking of taking my laptop up with me and giving myself breaks in between.

No No NaNo Weekend

Having NaNo start on a Saturday is not a good idea for me, particularly when Friday was Halloween and I have children running around on a methaphetimine-like candy high. Thing was totally out of control. None of them would listen and if they saw me on the computer they picked that time to demand something or chat about their lives.

My kids sense there is a new "baby" in the house and they don't like it. This new creature is taking Mom's attention away from them. And right now, the new kid is my favorite. I don't have to make it lunch or urge it to get dressed. I also don't have to yell at it to clean its room.

The NaNo website has been difficult to put it mildly. I can't get in to post my word count. Not that it is impressive. I've got some making up to do this week. I should have time.

I will give some kudos to my AlphaSmart and I'm starting to wonder why I haven't been using it more. I took it with me to the baseball game and did some writing while I waited for the game to start. Not a lot of words but any little bit helps.

Getting There

By this time next week I should be in my house. The last couple of weeks have been really difficult as I came to terms with the fact I wouldn't be hosting Thanksgiving this year. I felt pretty lousy for the last couple of weeks. The constant disruptions and the inability to be home has taken its toll on me.

This week, however, they are finishing up. The are doing the last of the tile today and the painters were in today doing the final touch up. We still have more work to do but it isn't the kind that will keep us out of the house. I'm hoping they get more of my appliances in and we can get back to normal.

Sorry, Wylie, I'm not going to win Nano this year. However, I actually have written over 6K words and I am enjoying my WIP. My lack of stability has cut into my writing time. I'm the type of writer who will pound out some words in the morning before anyone is up then go back to it for an hour or so when the kids are at school and then some more time when they are out of school and at home. Ah well, I'm pleased that I got anything written and I'm more pleased that I'm actually enthusiastic about my writing.

Today is Thing's birthday. Diva's was Friday. For Veteran's Day, we headed over to the Los Angeles Farmers Market and the kids ate at a crepe booth. When we got there I realized we were next door to the American Girl Place. Diva asked for a doll for her birthday so while the others were shopping, she and I ran over there and she picked out a doll (and I'm considerably broker). She is thrilled with her doll. I stomp around and glare at any other kids who want to touch it. It definitely needs more care than most dolls. She is enchanted.

Anyway, I'm hoping to hit some blogs today although I have to go the gym today. My friend said she had some gossip for me and the only way I'd hear it is if I went to workout. Better be worth it.

Setbacks

We've had a setback in the remodel and now I'm hoping the project is done by Thanksgiving. I'm bordering on a meltdown. I feel bad because there are people who have lost everything in the fires and there are homeless people out on the streets. I don't have it so bad when compared to others. However, I'm afraid I'm going to wallow in self-pity for the rest of the day. By tomorrow I'll be more upbeat and able to appreciate what I do have.

I have determined that this fiasco will not impact my committment to Nano this year. I've decided on something new, far lighter than what I had originally decided to work on. I'm looking forward to the intense distraction that Nano brings to me. November is always a difficult month with all of the family obligations I have. My brain seems to crave the escape of writing.

This Saturday is my chapter meeting and I volunteered to present (dummy me). I'm going to talk about goal-setting, something I'm incredibly week at. I'm hoping that I can gain something from all the prep work I've done. How good are you at setting goals and sticking to it? Not just for writing but for other things in life?

Hanging on by a Thread

Sorry, I have disappeared for awhile. Things have been...rough to say the least. I'm still trapped in remodel hell. But things are progressing. They are finishing the painting today. Hubby is having more oral surgery tomorrow so we kicked the guys out for Friday and Saturday. Monday the cabinets are supposed to come in. That will take a few days to do but at least we are at the back stretch. I had no idea how difficult this was going to be. I don't care if I never go out to eat again. For the most part, we don't come home until 8 p.m. since we have to find food. Some nights we eat with my parents and my inlaws. Other nights it is heat and eat from Costco. The other nights are made up of going out to eat. It really sucks. Before this I cooked dinner 5-6 nights a week. I really miss it.

I've tried writing but I have absolutely no focus. So I'm going to make the charge in November and do Nanowrimo. Anyone else taking the challenge?

Tonight is Cotillion for my kids. It is basically a charm school for the elementary set. They learn to dance and act properly. My son complained because the girl made him lead the whole time when they were dancing. Sigh..... My daughter likes it since she gets to dress up. However, she isn't really thrilled with the dress I picked out for her, not enough sequins I guess. I'll post pictures tomorrow and let you decide.

Well, I'm keeping this short so I can go and visit blogs before it is time to take Thing to school.