Nano day 29: WINNER!!!!

You guys.

I did it.

I DID IT!

On Friday, November 29, at 1:49 AM, I wrote the last words to my novel and won NaNoWriMo. This is the best, craziest, most wonderful writing experience I've had so far, and it's all because of this ridiculous challenge that I have always wanted to do but never got around to doing. I'm so thankful for everyone who has supported me and helped me through this month. I've had a wonderful time!

I just wanted to explode with happiness here before I go to bed. Not to worry, there will be a more in-depth reflection on this journey. But for now, thank you thank you thank you. And also YAYAYAYAYAYAY I DID IT I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID IT!

50,000 words in a month? Totally doable if you stick to it. I'm not saying it's a great or even good novel, but it's a novel all right, and I've never written such a long piece of anything before. I am so happy I decided to participate this year after several years of just wishing I had the energy to do it.

So, YESSSS!!!!!

Okay. Sleep time!

Nano day 17: More than halfway there!

We're now in our third week, and I'm more than halfway into my story. After flailing a little bit in my story and where exactly it was going, yesterday I finally settled on a new outline to follow and now I have the finish line in sight! I know where to go and what to do, and now I just have to write it. Finally, I've found my way again!

I am discovering how much I love outlines. It really helps to have a plan, at least for me, because I'm one of those people who like to know what I'm writing about. I've tried the write-as-I-go method before, and while it does get my characters to do fun stuff, the plot never goes anywhere. And this is just one of the few things I've learned this month about my writing habits.

I also learned that the afternoons are difficult times for me to write. Around 2-5 pm is generally a sleepy, lethargic time of the day for me where all I want to do is eat, watch TV, and sleep. I don't even get the reading bug around this time! And while I can work in the mornings, I find myself writing more quickly and easily at night after dinner. Of course this is the only free time I have from work and meals and sleep. As a kid, I did all my schoolwork right when I got home and did the studying at night, so this might also have carried on to my habits today. But just because those are the prime times doesn't mean I only write in these time slots. I got about 500 words in this afternoon after all, even if I was very distracted by the 49ers vs. Saints football game.

As for the atmosphere, writing with music or in silence is most conducive to getting into my story. It's hard to write with the TV on (which is what I do a lot anyway) because there are other story lines and actions going on. Lately I've been listening to a lot of soundtracks from Disney films and Pitch Perfect. But this doesn't help me write. It actually makes me stop writing so I can sing along and wave my arms and pretend I'm Mulan, staring into the river, lamenting about how I will never bring honor to my family. So I would recommend music that you cannot sing along to.

So how is my NaNoWriMo experience so far? I am happy to say I haven't hit any walls or encountered writer's block yet. The most negative thing I've had to deal with so far is just being too tired to write, and even then I just push through my exhaustion to get in some words for the day. I am discovering how inspiration works, too. I used to think it would hit you and suddenly everything in your story would come together, but I haven't felt this bolt during this whole month. What actually works for me is the experimentation with plot outlines. I try something out, and if it works, then something else pops into my head to follow that. For me, creativity comes from trite ideas that are used, then tossed, then exchanged and developed and eventually transformed into potentially good ideas.

November's passing by so quickly because all my attentions are put on writing my novel. Can you believe it's already the 17th? I'm working hard on this thing to try to finish on time. If you're writing for NaNoWriMo as well, good luck on the rest of November! We're halfway there!

NaNoWriMo Day 10

We're in week 2! I've heard/read a lot about the dreaded week 2, when the novelty of your story wears off and now you're heading towards murky waters. Here we go!

So far I've been keeping myself on track. I got through most of my outline I made in October of how the story was going to being and the adventures they go on -- but now I actually need to develop the story and the characters. I know what the ending is, so it's just getting the characters to that place now. I want to write a believable and gradual transformation in my main character, so that's taking a good chunk of my daily word count.

I've been tallying 1,667+ words almost every day. On Friday, I was only able to get in 900-some words because I had work and then had a birthday dinner to prepare. (It was a fantastic night and I don't regret not making my word count. Don't let writing rule your life and relationships!) But I made up for that yesterday and am pretty satisfied with what I'm doing in my story. It's kind of a mess when I think about it overall, but the point of NaNoWriMo for me is not to look back and to keep going. Material is better than a blank page!

I haven't hit the wall yet and I haven't gone crazy yet. Yay, success!

Update! What's going on, and is this NaNoWriMo Day 6?

Hello! If you are new here, then welcome to my strange little blog where I write short little stories and fun thoughts that come into my mind. I used to write a bit more regularly here in the past, and now not at all because I've been concentrating on my other blog.

But! I hope for that to change. See, the reason why I've been slacking here is because I felt for a long time that I just wasn't a writer. I don't know how to write, but I like to fake it. I'm not very creative, but I like to pretend I am. I'm not very dedicated, but I would like to be.

That last one is important, because I've decided to take on a ridiculous challenge this month. I've pledged an effort to try for a 50,000-word novel written during this month of November, and so far I've been pretty on track. Go, me! And as for not knowing how to write and not being very creative--I think these can definitely be developed over time and experience. Writers don't automatically become great at writing. Practice, practice, practice, my friends.

I've always wanted to do NaNoWriMo, but I never signed up because I felt too intimidated by the gigantic word count to even try. Last month though, there were new developments in my work life, with two internships coming to an end a new part-time position at a publisher. I knew that in November I would have more time to myself for self-improvement, and since my copywriting at least was getting tons better, I thought my writing deserved further exploration again. And hey, wouldn't it be perfect timing since NaNoWriMo was coming up? I decided to toss out my fears and just bite the bullet. So I've been writing every single day this month, at least 1,667 words! That's not to say I'm writing a masterpiece (toooooootally far from it, which I'm proud of). But writing a terrible story is better than not writing at all.

This is just a personal project for me, inspired by a national movement, to get the writing juices flowing. To keep myself on track, I asked my friend to do daily creations with me, except her project is illustration-based. It's just the 6th day, but so far we've both been keeping up.

I'll be blogging here sometimes about my NaNoWriMo experience and what I'm learning. And hopefully after this month is over, I'll be reinvigorated to write stories again. Can I get a high five? Anyone?

That's okay; I got it. I'm also learning self-sufficiency!

He'd thought to find some place in the road where the snow had melted off completely but then he thought that since their tracks would not reappear on the far side it would be no help. They kicked snow over the fire and went on through the trees and circled and came back. They hurried, leaving a maze of tracks and then they set out back north through the woods keeping the road in view.

-- The Road, by Cormac McCarthy. Vintage Books: pp 104

But there was no sign left of the bears from the night before. He put out his hand and stopped, waiting, listening in the whistling wind for the hungry animals that stalk the forest.

"I think we're safe," the girl said.

He shook his head but began moving anyway, ignoring the way the cold cut his cheeks until he couldn't feel them anymore. They couldn't stop after this, not for more than five minutes at a time, and only if they have to. The woods are never safe. He shouldn't have listened to her. Their tracks, no matter how confusing, are still a sign of food.

The girl walked beside him and wrapped her coat more tightly. Her hands were pale, probably numb, but at least they weren't blue. Yet. "Sorry I made that fire last night," she said. "Are you still mad at me?"

A twig snapped nearby, and immediately they stopped moving, holding their breaths as they took in the sounds around them.

He finally relaxed. "No," he said. It wasn't worth it, dealing with things that have already passed. The next best option would be to leave her, but they've come this far and there was still farther to go. Besides, the bears have better ears in the wintertime for careless, arguing people.

She frowned, and closed her eyes. "You're lying."

They followed the road silently for the rest of the way, stopping just once to empty the snow out of their boots. The sun disappeared in the grey sky, its silhouette just a shadow of itself until finally it wasn't there anymore, and the forest was black and angry again. But in the distance he could see faint lights blinking their way through the trees.

He could see the girl stumbling and caught her arm just as she tripped, her eyes tiredly staring into his before they narrowed into the distance. "Ah," she said, her voice a faint sigh. "We're here."

sash

Today I went shopping and found The One.  The love of my life, my dream come true; I found the perfect dress.

Pale pink silk, white sash draped loosely around the waist, it was girly and flirty and romantic.  I was just passing by to the jeans section, but my eyes got caught and suddenly I was frozen as my mind whirled with possibilities.  I could dress it up with a blazer and heels.  I could dress it down with black tights and flats.  I could accessorize it with that gold necklace I never found to match anything.  Oh my god, that sash is removable?  The dress seduced me before I could even think.

I had to tread carefully.  You can't just buy a dress like that!  You had to be careful, try it on, touch and feel it before it will commit to you.  I brought it to the dressing room and zipped it up.  The mirror smiled at me as the dress accentuated my legs and hid my hips.  Perfect.  Beautiful.  I adore you.

I twirled around in the room for a while before finally switching back to my clothes.  It was settled, of course.  I brought the pink beauty to the register and took out my wallet.

"One hundred and sixty three dollars, thirty nine cents, please," the lady behind the till smiled.

My face reddened with shame as I could hear a trill of laughter.  What a tease.

Journal

My journal is my best friend because I tell her my secret thoughts and hopes and dreams that I've never told anyone else before.  And of course, I'm her best friend because she reveals herself only to me.  She's a loner that way.  But if she ever interacts with anyone else, I would cry and jump off a cliff.  There's some seriously embarrassing and even incriminating things that my journal knows about me.

So I did what any logical person would do.  I burned my journal.

My mother screamed as I shredded the pages of my best friend into the smoking grill.  It wasn't too painful, tearing apart my only confidant that I've shared laughs and tears with over the last two years.  I've had other best friends before, and I've gone through this same exact ritual.  But this was the first time my mother has caught me in the act.

Her eyes were wild with panic.  "What are you doing?"  

I couldn't let her ruin my best friend's death, so I continued tearing pages as I stepped in front of the watering can. The flame grew as I finished up, and I smiled with satisfaction as my mother stared in wonder and fear.

For her sake, I should keep to inanimate best friends.