...and I WON! For the third year in a row, I have WON the NaNoWriMo! I have three certificates on my wall to testify to that. This year I was more sporadic in my writing unlike the last two years when I wrote some every single night.
This year I also did over 90% of my writing OUT of home. I found that I had the best luck at a couple local spots, with fellow WriMos. I tried something new - alternating "chapters", the first taking place in present time, the next in biblical times and so on. The idea was that they'd sort of meld together at the end.
It was a learning experience. I learned: DON'T EVEN TRY THAT! It was pretty stupid, and now that I HAVE gotten over 55,000 words written I can say with confidence that what I have is TWO entirely crappy pieces of dreadful writing, each about half the length of a NaNo. I'm thinking of letting the biblical one sort of wizzle away and putting some effort into the "present day" one. I suppose at some point I could try to resurrect (there's a joke there; I'll tell ya later) the biblical one, although it's going to take some SERIOUS cleaning-up.
Like - this is not a "taking a little plastic bag and a pooper-picker as I bring the story out for a walk". Oh no. This will be like "hiring a garbage truck with one of those enormous scoops on the back as I tear along behind the out-of-control story." For starters - the Crucifixion figures in.......but the whole thing takes place in ancient Egypt. What's that? Jesus wasn't crucified in Egypt? OY VEY!!! (See what I mean?)
But I have to say - I'm inspired enough to actually be considering going back to clean up the present tense part of the story......AND considering going back to last year's (which I also didn't finish -- did I mention that I'm still plodding toward the end of this year's novel?) and finishing that one for further editing.
In 2008 I DID finish the story, and while I haven't read it probably since right after NaNo that year, I remember it fondly, and by gum I might take that back out too!
Here's how I see it: I'll get a day-glo orange camouflage pattern jump suit and hat. I"ll go wait out in the middle of nowhere with a tent, and I'll pack in a bunch o' food, and I'll line up all three stories and let 'em go. Then I'll tear after 'em shooting, and if I can bring 'em down....I'll haul 'em home for butchering.
But for now? Think I'll watch "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" or wossname.
NaNoWriMo Survivor party Sunday next at Brocach. I'll be there!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Behind the Door...
This is a Writing Blog - and I'm writing. But at this moment I'm using this space as my Secret Place Behind the Door; I can safely vent here because so few know of its existence (none of the people I'm about to mention, though not by name) and I'm overcome with a fierce desire to speak my piece:
It's Thanksgiving 2010 and 6:30 AM. We've done Thanksgiving the same in my house for something like 25 years. My three children have been here, they KNOW the routine. A couple of weeks ago I sent reminders: please be here at 2:00, bring the usual (the one daughter-in-law makes the ever-present green bean casserole; the other, being a relatively new daughter-in-law, can bring whatever she'd like - last year she surprised and delighted us with a vegetable and barbecued ribs! Her new husband, my son, likes 'em. So did we all.)
My daughter brings delicious pie. We put a huge table in the living room, I use my grandmother's Spode, and I love it. It means a lot to me and having all three of my children together with me at once is a once-a-year event.
Did I mention that it's 6:30 AM Thanksgiving Day? Did I mention that I'm in tears? I thought I'd raised courteous, thoughtful children. Son #1: his son, my grandson, was in the hospital for pneumonia and just came home Monday (today is Thursday). He finally called back last night -- they may NOT be coming. Not because the boy is still poorly, no - "he's back to his usual annoying self", he said (fondly). NO -- seems HER mother is having HER Thanksgiving at 2:00 today too, and after all these years, they may get priority. The reason? Well see, her dad needs help with his car and my son can help. (I'll pause so that can be given some thought.)
The other son? Well...his wife (who declared to me very recently that nothing is as important as family) replied that he has to work Wednesday night and MAY have to work Thursday night (emphasis mine) so they probably aren't coming either. I can appreciate his having to work - but his wife and my stepgrandchildren and/or grandchildren (all of whom I love - and to whom "family is important") apparently aren't coming either.
So the only sure thing? My daughter, our dear young friend, my husband and I are assured of an excellent meal with much laughter and joy and leftovers.
My tears will dry. Knowing myself as I do, my sadness over terribly hurt feelings will turn to the realization that they're all behaving in a boorish and discourteous way - then I'll become angry. Then - my daughter, our friend, my husband and I will have a nice meal. Right now, still in tears, I"m fantasizing calling the boys and saying "Your behavior is discourteous and hurtful. Please think about my feelings in future."
I won't. I actually have no idea what I will do - but perhaps later I'll return and set forth what transpired. I guess I'll stash these feelings - they may come in useful for a character some day.
It's Thanksgiving 2010 and 6:30 AM. We've done Thanksgiving the same in my house for something like 25 years. My three children have been here, they KNOW the routine. A couple of weeks ago I sent reminders: please be here at 2:00, bring the usual (the one daughter-in-law makes the ever-present green bean casserole; the other, being a relatively new daughter-in-law, can bring whatever she'd like - last year she surprised and delighted us with a vegetable and barbecued ribs! Her new husband, my son, likes 'em. So did we all.)
My daughter brings delicious pie. We put a huge table in the living room, I use my grandmother's Spode, and I love it. It means a lot to me and having all three of my children together with me at once is a once-a-year event.
Did I mention that it's 6:30 AM Thanksgiving Day? Did I mention that I'm in tears? I thought I'd raised courteous, thoughtful children. Son #1: his son, my grandson, was in the hospital for pneumonia and just came home Monday (today is Thursday). He finally called back last night -- they may NOT be coming. Not because the boy is still poorly, no - "he's back to his usual annoying self", he said (fondly). NO -- seems HER mother is having HER Thanksgiving at 2:00 today too, and after all these years, they may get priority. The reason? Well see, her dad needs help with his car and my son can help. (I'll pause so that can be given some thought.)
The other son? Well...his wife (who declared to me very recently that nothing is as important as family) replied that he has to work Wednesday night and MAY have to work Thursday night (emphasis mine) so they probably aren't coming either. I can appreciate his having to work - but his wife and my stepgrandchildren and/or grandchildren (all of whom I love - and to whom "family is important") apparently aren't coming either.
So the only sure thing? My daughter, our dear young friend, my husband and I are assured of an excellent meal with much laughter and joy and leftovers.
My tears will dry. Knowing myself as I do, my sadness over terribly hurt feelings will turn to the realization that they're all behaving in a boorish and discourteous way - then I'll become angry. Then - my daughter, our friend, my husband and I will have a nice meal. Right now, still in tears, I"m fantasizing calling the boys and saying "Your behavior is discourteous and hurtful. Please think about my feelings in future."
I won't. I actually have no idea what I will do - but perhaps later I'll return and set forth what transpired. I guess I'll stash these feelings - they may come in useful for a character some day.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
You Asked for It....??
OK, my friend James (HI JAMES) gave me an idea. No...TWO ideas. So I've started to implement the one, and the other will follow:
1) After my description of a particularly embarrassing evening some years ago, he said "That'd make a pretty good short story....";
2) He said, "I post writing on my blog, whyn't you do that thing?"
So the short story is about done, and you will see it here. Now - when *I* say "short" I may not mean the same thing you do. For one thing, I'm short, and the meaning of it is clear. I'm 4'11". That's short, unless you're eight years old or a Hobbit.
Regarding stories, however -- "short" for me may be "novella" for someone else; therefore, my story may be posted in chunks. We'll see.
Watch this space.
1) After my description of a particularly embarrassing evening some years ago, he said "That'd make a pretty good short story....";
2) He said, "I post writing on my blog, whyn't you do that thing?"
So the short story is about done, and you will see it here. Now - when *I* say "short" I may not mean the same thing you do. For one thing, I'm short, and the meaning of it is clear. I'm 4'11". That's short, unless you're eight years old or a Hobbit.
Regarding stories, however -- "short" for me may be "novella" for someone else; therefore, my story may be posted in chunks. We'll see.
Watch this space.
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