Nano Day 1

So here we are, It's day number one and I can honestly say that I am incredibly enthusiastic about what transpired all day. I stayed up until midnight last night so that I could go ahead and begin writing just as the start. My region was hosting an online kick off party that I joined in on the first time and it was a blast! Just having that little bit of communication with others who are doing the same thing is truly awesome. So I suggest, if you've never been to an actual write in (like me) or kick off party I really think the online kick off really gave me a burst of momentum. I was able to write 1,738 words in an hour. So yes that was my total word count knocked out in an hour, which if I do say so myself, is pretty awesome. 

I went to bed at 1 and woke up at 6 a.m for work and began writing again while I was there. That's actually one of the things I really love about my job. I get to write and read and it's not frowned upon. it took me a little while longer to actually finish my second 1,716 words but I managed and it wasn't too painful. That brought my word count for the day to 3,454 words on day one and I am pretty happy with that. 

While writing I was able to flesh out a couple more details about characters that I just couldn't 'see' while I was plotting. Like I had no idea that Kai's group of men consisted of 4 men a set of triplets and a gorgeous blonde. I also had no idea that Matt smoked or that he kind of looks like Jackson Rathbone. Seriously. No clue. I think that's one of the things I love about writing, finding little tidbits of info that you never knew, but that makes these characters so much more real. 

I was originally planning on having a goal of 5k on the first day but I didn't want to burn myself out on the first day. So I'm going to set my daily goal as at least 3334 words, in two scenes with word count totaling at least 1.7k each. I'm setting the scene length because I've been known to write short punchy scenes and I wanted to challenge myself to try and make them longer. Who knows how that will work out, but I'm going to try. I'm also going to go back over what I wrote for the day and spell check (since I really detest spell-checking long documents) while I read over everything to get an idea of what the next scene will be.(But no editing) I think that's one of the things that always stopped me before, not knowing what was coming next when it was time to write. I want to already have at least an idea of how the next scene begins before I sit down to write.

I also received two postcards from my swap buddies (Nano Postcard Swap). They were both beautiful and inspirational and lifted my spirit even higher than it had already been soaring. So I'd like to thank Sarah and Krista for the wonderful words of encouragement. They really made my day.

Word count: 3,454

9 days

So here we are at the end of planning month and i can honestly say that im scrambling, trying to figure the remaining parts of my plot that have been evading me as well as getting to know my characters. I honestly can't believe that October is almost over. Where did it go?

So in these last days before the madness begins im going to really try and pin down who my characters are. I think that's one of the things that have really hurt me as far as my writing has gone. I just don't go in knowing who these people are and let them develop on their own in the course of writing just like I've been known to do with my plot. 

Also, I've been reading/listening to The Host by Stephenie Meyer, the book and audiobook. I honestly have no idea how this book isn't more popular than Twilight. Seriously if you haven't read it please for your own good, do.

Well, I think that's all for now. I hope to see you at the starting gate.

10.11.12

Nano Novel Update 10.11.12

I had a pretty good day today. I was finally able to pin down my plot. It's been a slippery little thing that I haven't been able to catch, but today I had a break through. For some reason I was having trouble with understanding the fact that it's entirely possible to have a main plot as well as a sub plot and that just because it's a subplot doesn't mean that it's not as important to the story as the main plot. I'm not sure why that failed to sink into my brain but I guess that's how it goes. As this will be my first time going into Nano with more than just a spark of an idea I hope all the work I'm doing now will prove to make my first draft better.

Also, I was finally able to decide on my two main character's names. Going into this, I knew immediately that I wanted someone's name to be Kai. The name just fit. Though I didn't know who since the name is unisex and could very plausibly go either way. But as I was doing a couple of plot exercises and creating back story for both of my characters I just caught a flash of an image where my MFC was screaming "Kai", so obviously there was no argument that that was his name. Long story short, after a long laborous search through name websites I finally decided on Brielle.

I'm really excited to begin Brielle and Kai's story. Is it November 1st. yet?

On another note, I'm happy to say that last night I was able to write over 1,200 on one of the novels I had put on the back-burner because I just didn't think i could save it. I love this time of year. It's like there's magic in the air.

Ideas for Nano

I'm currently going through Holly Lisle's 'How to Think Sideways' course, and this is one of the ways that she gets some of her ideas on a deadline. While I won't be explaining her methods since that's her work and I fully recommend that you buy it if you're interested I will be giving you some of my results.

This post will be updated as things go along.

Young adult/ Fantasy
Something different. Something that will start a series.
Word count- 85,000 words (50,000 words in November)
Deadline- January 1, 2013 (First Draft)

---edited 10.5
Okay, my first thought going into this was about a girl who could leave her body behind. Immediately after that i got an image of a sickly thin boy cowering on the dirt floor of a cell.
So i have Spirit walking girl (that's what I'll call it for now) and Beaten Boy.

I haven't quite worked out how they will work together, but the muse is working on it. I seriously didn't plan anything that felt this dark. I was hoping for something light this time but my muse wants what she wants.

---edited 10.6
Characters:
Spirit walking girl-- My first thoughts of her, were that she is a warrior. She's not one of those girls that need to be saved, she does the rescuing.  She is brave, because she has to be.
-Her mother recently had a heart attack and has suffered brain damage because of lack of oxygen when they were trying to resuscitate her. She's had to grow up quickly and take care of herself and her mother.
-Her father is forced to move back to where they live to help, but they don't get along very well. He somewhat resents the fact that he has to relocate his whole life to take care of them. (I really like that conflict, between doing what you're supposed to do but hating every moment of it.)

Beaten Boy who will now be known as Captive Male-- I changed his working name because at this point I'm not really sure if i want him to be human (actually I'm pretty sure i don't want him to be human) and also because I'm not sure how old he is.

--edited 10.7
I've been thinking today about my opposition, or the BBT as Kristen Lamb describes it. I think i have finally figured out who i want it to be. I have always loved the juxtaposition of both doing something wrong for the right reason. I'm not sure if that makes sense. Having noble intentions but hurting people for those intentions.

--edited 10.8
Okay, so yea. Pretty much everything that I wrote yesterday about my BBT, was incorrect. For this novel at least. I've decided I want the MFC to have her going against herself, in that she needs to relinquish the tight reign she holds on every part of her and her mother's lives in order to complete her goal. I have also nailed down what that specific goal is. I think I've had a pretty productive day, even though I had to take some meds for my allergies ( Damn Tennessee pollen and weather) which promptly put me to sleep for five hours after I got home from work.

I was also able to nail down some other facts about my MFC. Here is a conversation I had with my muse:

Who is he?
-He is very tribal.
What does that mean?
-He has never lived in the modern, or real world at all.
Okay, what else?
-He has tan/cinnamon skin. but more grey and sickly than sunkissed.
Does he speak English?
-He speaks whatever she speaks. He is evertthing that she is.
Does that mean he's just a male copy of her?
-No. 
Okay, what else?
-He has dark eyes, long hair. Black.
What is he called?
-He was never named. She will name him. 
What does she name him?
-I don't know.
Okay, what is he doing?
-Waiting. For her. He's waited a long time. two hundred years.
Anything else?
-Not right now. 

--edited 10.9
So last night I was getting pretty frustrated with my plot. It was still in that muddy, foggy phase where nothing is clear and your squinting and straining your eyes trying to make out the tiny light through the fray. So i was looking through some writer's blogs, as I have taken to doing these days and saw that someone was recommending Holly's Create a Plot Clinic and of course I could have and probably should have slapped myself. Of course my first thought should have been Holly's course! But it wasn't. Which is how my brain works (or doesn't work).

I paid for and downloaded the pdf, and the worksheets, got everything printed out and made sure I had enough paper and let the book just chill on my ipad for the night. When i got to work this morning i could hardly contain my excitement and began to read. Since I'd already read most of the beginning in the How to Think Sideways Course i knew the basics. But as i began to read the Tools and do the exercises my plot just began to unfold like an accordion. It was pretty awesome, so If you're having problems with your plot i would suggest the Create a Plot Clinic. It's only 9.95. If that's too much for you you can try the Professional Plot Outline Mini Course for .99.

From now on I am just going to make seperate posts about all my further planning for Nano, since I've been adding to this one every day it won't take very long before this is massive.


----------Now playing: Come On by Will Young