National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

[Hairy Woman]

Happy Full Moon everyone,

Blessings of the crabapple tree, shelter of the lunatic,

Tuar Ceatha

You know, I had a dream about a crabapple not so long ago.

I noticed the full moon last night, high in the sky. Pouring down on the high-rises, with all their lights off and the trees casting shadows onto the concrete floor, the air was clean after a day's rain and it was magical.

How's everybody doing? I've lost my initial advantage, and am now just 'on target', rather than ahead.

[Tuar_Ceatha]

Hello,

I just realized how silly I was yesterday. While I was definitely feeling like I needed the shelter afforded by the crabapple, it's actually vine moon, which is great for inspiration.

May you be blessed,

Tuar Ceatha

[Reyna]

Thanks Julie!

I think I will dribble along getting a few hundred words in now and then and try again next year. Yes, yes, throwing in the towel early but at 0 words?

But who knows, maybe I'll surprise myself

[Hairy Woman]

Reyna, why wait until next year? Start as soon as you can once your academic work is out of the way, because you never know what will stop you in the future.

If I complete my novel, I'm going to reward myself with guitar lessons. Might be interesting since my instructor and I won't be speaking the same language, but I can read music as I've learnt two instruments previously. 'Tis also me birthday near the end of the month, so it's a present to myself too!

[Tuar_Ceatha]

Hello fellow bards!

I'm just on target myself, but I'm okay with that. I've really struggled with this story. I had two things really help me out. I picked up a YA novel from my local indie bookstore and read through a few chapters til I felt more confident about my own story language. I think it will be okay.

Then I used that 40/20/40 method of writing (write for forty minutes, break for twenty etc) it's really helping me boost my word count.

Next, I am totally excited. My book release/book signing party for my first Nanowrimo book is next Saturday at a local (Denver) metaphysical store. I'm really excited about it.

So, it's a good day!

Blessings of the peaceful forest to you,

TC

[Hairy Woman]

I'm sure I've said it before, but I'll say it again: I'm really happy for you, Tuar_Ceatha! I'm looking forward to reading your current NaNoWriMo novel when you're done too. Do you have a sample you'd be willing to show us of what you've done so far?

[Tuar_Ceatha]

Hairy Woman,

It's probably corny, but I really appreciate your support.

As you requested I have posted a little something-something in the Writer's Grove. It's a part of what I wrote tonight, so it is absolutely unedited. Errors and All.

It's really great to have community around what is essentially a lonely pursuit!

But right now what I need to pursue is a good night's sleep!! I work in the morning. I'm super proud of putting down 3068 words tonight.

Blessings of the vine to you all, grape juice or wine as you choose!

TC

[Willowen]

Wow! Tuar Ceatha you should be proud of yourself! I am going to check out you story. I am still plugging along with 21,000 something but I am determined to finish. Congrats to you!
Good luck to everyone and Keep Writing!

[Tuar_Ceatha]

Hi Julia,

Thank you so much!

You keep writing, too!

It's good to have made it so far.

TC

[wyeuro]

i've come to a complete stop but i'm not minding much because i got an unexpected amount out of it. and i'll be ready for my next attempt next year.
congratulations all you successfuls - it's good what you're doing. keep it up!
what would i do without the smilies?

[Kima]

Congratulations to those of you who are still on the race half-way through! It's hard to keep up for a whole month. I admire you.

[Hairy Woman]

i've come to a complete stop but i'm not minding much because i got an unexpected amount out of it. and i'll be ready for my next attempt next year.
congratulations all you successfuls - it's good what you're doing. keep it up!
what would i do without the smilies?

No, Wyeuro! No! Noooooo! *Puts a candle on a little paper boat and sails it out to sea.*

[Tuar_Ceatha]

Wyeuro,

I'm so proud of you! So many people don't even believe enough in themselves to start!

I hope that you continue with your writing in whatever form suits you and you join us again next year for the challenge.

It is in community that we sharpen an entirely different set of skills than we would have done alone.

Peace of the great trees to you,

Tuar Ceatha

[Hairy Woman]

Would everyone be up for a story swap once November is over? Regardless of how much was written, I would love to read what everyone has accomplished. Tuar_Ceatha is right about what we have all achieved: just by giving it a go is an amazing feat and I am so glad that I have all of you with me.

A quick question for everyone: What is/was your best and worst experience of NaNoWriMo so far?

Mine, I think, was last night: 2,000 thousand words done, but my bedroom door kept banging in some phantom breeze. Kept me awake all night long and I work today. Arg. I think I'm ready to finish this event, now.

Also:

http://writtenkitten.net/

For those of us that need incentives to write that story/essay/poem.

[Tuar_Ceatha]

That written kitten was a hit with my niece!

My book release party went well! Sold 16 books! Had a fantastic time. Feels like coming full circle: it was 5 years ago this month that I was writing that novel, in Nano for the first time.

Reminds me of that part of The Cauldron of Vocation:


[it is] where laws are regulated,
where meanings are recited,
where musical runs are chanted,
where knowledge is propagated,
where the free-born are taught,
where the bound are set free,
where the nameless win fame;


Truly we are blessed.

Tuar Ceatha

[wyeuro]

thank you everybody for saying encouraging things to me! the good news is i'm crawling back up again and if i do 3333 words/day from now on i can still make it!!! but i'll get up some kind of plan of action and make it fit. if i take the 40-20-40 option i can easily do four thousand a day - but there isn't any slack . i'd best get down to it.

Would everyone be up for a story swap once November is over? Regardless of how much was written, I would love to read what everyone has accomplished.

sounds like a good idea. anyone can read mine anytime - i'm blogging it: http://howisavedtheworld.wordpress.com/ .

happy writing!!!!!

[Willowen]

[quote="Hairy Woman"]Would everyone be up for a story swap once November is over? Regardless of how much was written, I would love to read what everyone has accomplished. Tuar_Ceatha is right about what we have all achieved: just by giving it a go is an amazing feat and I am so glad that I have all of you with me.

A quick question for everyone: What is/was your best and worst experience of NaNoWriMo so far?"



I am so glad to have all of you with me too. My worst experience is right now. In the words of Peppermint Patty (Peanuts cartoon), "I think I just pulled a ligament in my brain."
I think I have a case of burnout for the day. I am still 3,000 words behind what NaNoWriMO says I should have but I am going to keep trying.
When November is over I will be up for a story swap.
Good luck to you all. I agree that just by trying to do this we are all awesome! Congrats to everyone

[wyeuro]

"I think I just pulled a ligament in my brain."

that's what happened to me. i went into total shock. first up, i came into day one still not decided about which of two or three novels to attempt, and then at the last moment flung myself into something completely unexpected, which had been major in my life for a long time but sort of buried because very fraught, and i was amazed how the subject took hold of me. but i sort of flew with it till i fell off, bruised and battered. like, my novel wheeled about suddenly and sent me flying off. i felt physically bruised all over. i was going to stop there, because obviously i needed to have a look at what i'd been keeping submerged - not that it isn't interesting in its way, but it is unshared because not likely to be believed, and so is crucial to my integrity as a writer, and in danger of alienating me from readers. these are tough, deeply personal themes to deal with and rushing them off the top of my head while not stopping to deal with the energy and passion of it seemed counter-indicated, a bit irresponsible - it gave me pause. but then i'm back to work, though i hardly know why. it has to be written, even if no one reads it. it will blast the hardened plug of repression from the volcano of my literary career, if nothing else, and then i'll be able to revive the old flows and weave in the new and maybe produce a stream of useful fiction. something to do in my old age .

and here's an omen! just as unexpectedly, the day i resumed the novel, esmerelda, our angora goat, kidded. she'd been very affectionate lately, but with her fleece just about full and the feed so flush in the pasture and they're all in fat condition anyway, i had not suspected that she'd brought on the buck that late in the season. i'm calling her healthy little son wrimo.

[Tuar_Ceatha]

Wrimo is a perfect name!

TC

[Hairy Woman]

That's adorable! Any pictures of Wrimo and mum?

I am in the last 10,000 and approaching the novel's climax and I cannot get it out: written 400 words today, despite having the day completely free (to procrastinate ). Had my second 'trial' guitar lesson this morning. Oh, do I look forward to learning a new instrument, yet less forward to paying out the money and having to abandon the guitar when I leave (doubt airplanes will allow it on as a free 'extra'). I realise why I am procrastinating: it is because these last few scenes are the climax and I've had them in my head since the beginning as scenes, but never as words. Now that I come to put them down, they are shallow versions of these 'memories'. I may have to write the end and work backwards; that'll be interesting.