#Nano and GE. Ugly transforms into beautiful. #ASMSG #IARTG @nanowrimo

 

"Ideas are scary, messy, and fragile, but under the proper care, they become something beautiful."

Interesting, fun, intense, thrilling and ugly. That's how the first draft of a manuscript often feels whether it's during @Nanowrimo or not. I was thinking about the current Under-Cover Knights book I'm writing and how these emotions have bounced around. Then during that fabulous Saints football game last night (sorry, you know I have to get my Saints thumbs-ups in when I can) I saw this again. It's a perfect description of a new creative work - or perhaps a career.

When you're in the middle it's messy, and yes, very scary, and then hopefully, the magic happens and it transforms into something you're not ashamed to put your name on, a piece that gave you joy to create and a sense of satisfaction to see the finished project. You do know that we are all creative beings.  Where does your imagination take you if you're a mechanic, a fisherman, a football player, a doctor, whatever. The mind is magic isn't it?" So says the GE commercial. Haven't seen it? You're in for a treat.

Kudos to GE for this ad that has so much truth in it. 

L is for Learning #A2Zchallenge blog

 

Anyone who's done any creative writing can tell you if you do it long enough, your process changes. Or maybe it adapts to your new knowledge of yourself, the introspection and acceptance of your own particular way of thinking and creating.

There are plotters, pantsers, plantsers or plotsers, or mini-versions in between. 

When I started writing, I grabbed a composition notebook, opened it and began. No pressure, just telling a story. Then I started studying the craft of writing, listening to traditional publishing workshops, learning the rules. And following them. And until I decided to Self-publish, my process suffered. I thought to "do it correctly" I had to plot my stories first. And so began the struggle.

But last year during another challenge - Nano - which I've done every year since 2008, I discovered my true process is to sit down and let the characters tell their story. It's terrifying. And it's bliss when I make myself sit there and write, whether it's in the tub on a small notebook, on a legal pad going down the road, on my MacAir or on an ipad. Just write. 

Have you had an epiphany like this? Maybe you're a plotter who's tried to go by the seat of your pants. Writing is an individual as, well... each individual. But writers write

Yey, I'm a winner!

I'm very pleased with my progress in Nano, considering I lost an entire week. So my 51,509 total was achieved in three weeks minus the Thanksgiving weekend. It's good to know what you're capable of doing if push comes to shove.

Word count was the goal but it wasn't the only benefit of Nanowrimo. Through the interactive website a writer can become acquainted with others across the globe as well as those in his/her local region. Writers were competitive but greatly supportive.

I was even more thrilled this year to be a part of Nano. The community feel is so successful in goal setting that our Goals loop is setting up our own challenge similar to Nano so our members can take advantage of this ritual. I'm excited about being able to participate in two or even three of these challenges a year to enhance my productivity.

So now we have Nano in November, perhaps two challenges with our loop, the BIAW loop run by Barbara one week of each month. Are you aware of other writing challenges, loops, contests? I'd love to know about them.

Long Day

It was a twenty-hour ten hour day. You've had them right? Mentally tough. But now I'm settling in for the biggest game of the year, so far, the New Orleans Saints vs the New England Patriots. I hope it's a slam dunk or it will be a long night as well.

Go Saints!

It's also the end of Nano. Congratulations Nano writers and winners! Until next year!

Nano Saturday #3

Okay, I read the last couple chapters in Chris Baty's book, No Plot, No Problem, about the third and fourth weeks of Nano. I hadn't read the part about making your book finish by the end of Nano even if you have to sketch scenes. I think that's what I was doing in the initial prep and writing of the book.

Though I like the idea of having THE End on it at the end of Nano, I don't think it's practical. If I sketch a scene and move on, I won't see the magic happen as C.L. Wilson calls it and the way it worked out for me on Thursday when I just hung in there and worked my way through a scene and wound up with some wonderful new creatures I hadn't even conceived of in the development and advance worldbuilding process.

So I'll just wait and see where I end up at the end of the week. I WILL get 50K though, regardless of Thanksgiving, relatives coming in for the weekend, work Friday and Saturday, and the time-consuming but rewarding blog on music for writers on Tuesday. I Hope...

Whew, I guess I better stop listening to music and get busy.

It's raining here, the dog is doing the only other thing that rainy days are good for besides writing and that other thing.

Have a sweet Saturday.
Nano, Nano

Finish the game

'It ain't easy what we do. But gettin' to the end of the trail...'






Two more weeks of Nano and I almost took a break to reassess. Two things happened. A friend gave me the 'boot' saying 'isn't that what Nano is about? Finish it then worry about the rest.'

Good advice and watching Peyton Manning bring the Colts come from behind (AGAIN) on Sunday Night Football brought fresh confirmation.

Second and goal with a minute thirteen seconds on the clock and barely a foot to get into the end zone and win the game, one of the commentators said, "they better worry about having too much left on the clock when they make this touchdown." I screamed, 'Win the game.' You don't know what might happen if you fool around and run a time consuming play before you go in, you might lose the football worrying about what happens after.

Win the game. Finish Nano, otherwise - Life Interrrruptus - and there you are, you haven't won Nano, and you haven't got a completed manuscript to revise or pitch.

Nano, Nano

It's all good.

I had a wonderful brief vacation early in the week to hurricane country - southern Mississippi. But a friend called from Florida saying we should check the weather. Ida, the wonder storm, was headed our direction and was coming on land earlier than expected. (Even in our brick cabin in the state park, it was a difficult night, 30-40 mph winds and hard rain.) We'd planned to drive south to the coast and do our part toward the recovery - lunch, shopping at the outlet mall. So instead, we went shopping and dining locally in Hattiesburg about an hour north of the coast. It was lovely.

I didn't plan to write but since the time change I haven't been able to sleep past 4am so I got up and trudged forward on RCP a couple thousand words. My total has been at 21,131 since Tuesday. Came back enthused but feeling like I need to look over what I've written so far before I get too scattered.

I also didn't anticipate being called into work the last three days which was a financial blessing and a Nano loss. All in all, a special week. I'll start on Nano again Monday.

Today is Football Sunday! Saints vs Rams! (In case you're interested Denzel Washington's son plays for the Rams.) Go Saints!

Nano update

New total - 20,038!

Got up at 4am this morning to get my 20k for the week! I'm going on a three day mini holiday so I had some extra motivation. I honestly didn't think I was going to have time but I couldn't sleep anyway so I popped open Scrivener and started on the scene I've been avoiding. Will I keep it? I'm not sure. I think I may be introducing these characters elsewhere in the book and this idea I loved when I was developing RCP may go into 'I really loved it but it's not working now, but I'll keep it just in case' file. It's hard to let your babies go.

Need some inspiration? InkyGirl is chock full of information, hints and links about Nano.



NaNo, NaNo

Love Knows No Boundaries!

A limitless sky filled with balloons reminds me that anything is possible.



My new website is up. Don't you just love it? If you saw my previous website with the Atlanta skyline and the flashing lightning, you know my webdesigner, Rae Monet has a healthy muse. I hated to see it go, even took a little video of it for posterity then said my goodbyes. It was designed around my first series of books set near Atlanta.

I asked Rae to design something to represent whatever I might write - paranormal romance, suspense, contemporary. Ironically, she'd designed this one a couple weeks before I contacted her. After I saw it I couldn't get it out of my mind. It didn't help that the Balloon races were in Natchez that weekend!

I'll be adding a 'For Writers' page and doing more software reviews after Nanowrimo.

Good luck, Nanoers.

UPDATE: Monday Night Football and our Saints are ahead 28-14. Go Saints!

Nano Begins

Just when I was gathering some momentum with my networking, writing, and blogging NANO arrives. My website redo is ongoing, the dude will be a year old next week (hey, Leah, he and GG may have the same birthday) and constantly needing attention and the holiday mail season is upon us.


















For those of you who aren't familiar with it... Nanowrimo is an annual writing challenge - it's free by the way - and the goal is to get 50,000 words by November 30th (or just to boost your word count, get a good start on a new wip or finish one). I heard from one Nanoer that last year he did 82,000 and won a contest with it last month.

So forgive me if I'm inconsistent this month. RCPn is waiting for me. I created a poster this week with all my characters on it for inspiration. Shut up, Marley, and start writing.

PS If you didn't catch the interview I did with Susan at Twisted Sisters check out that one and the rest on Susan's Meet a Psychic.

Write... or Die, Sucker! Die!

"Putting the PROD in productivity." Youch!

See the fire on that keyboard? That's what this little program will do for you. Nail your butt to the chair, your hands to the keyboard.

You set the mode and goal. Choose Gentle or Kamikaze!!

Just in time for Nano Write or Die has put out a desktop version of it's popular online writing productivity software.

It's only $10 and works on Mac and PC. Simply pay, follow the link in your payment confirmation email and then click on INSTALL on the site. You'll be prompted to install AIR if it's not on your computer and you're set. (Don't worry about all those scary little error messages you get that make you think you're downloading the HBomb virus, just say yes and continue.)

Now, be brave. Go for it!



I want to hear about it. Did you try kamakaze? Elektric shock mode? (Double Youch!)

Don't be a wuss, set your grace period on Evil, ahhaahhahahhahhhhaaaa. Or you can choose your least favorite evil song to play if you don't make your goal. And new in this version is the ability to have a Word war with a friend, a fun way to kick up the numbers.

Oh, and the free version is still available here.to use if you're online.

Hint: This little program would work well with Freemind if you have to brainstorm in between writing stints.

NaNo

Because of NaNo I'm meeting goals and learning to trust my own process. I must truly be a pantser; my story unfolds as I write.

For instance:

Today my heroine picked up the phone and called her girlfriend, a character I didn't know. She wasn't in the outline I'd spent two days creating! I had no idea what she was going do. Before I knew it she was telling her friend everything. Then I realized that the girlfriend is going to be the heroine in the sequel.

Funny how that happens.

Since I gave up trying to hit 10,000 in a day - (sheepish grin) - that was Saturday, I've hit or exceeded my goal of 2100 per day. Today I was writing along and before I knew it I had 3100.

Good luck to everyone for the rest of the month. It's not too late to set a different goal for the last sixteen days.

Amy Ruttan's experience encouraged me. Congratulations, Amy, on turning last year's NaNo project into a deal.