Day 16: Burning Up My Safety Cushion

Today is a logistical nightmare. In addition to my writing, I DM for a bunch of crazy cool friends of mine. Anyway. This Friday we are kidnapping a friend who is moving out of town and introducing her to the wonders of Dungeons and Dragons. This meant that I could only do the bare minimum of writing. So much for being ahead of the curve....

Day 15: Eye of the Tiger

Yesterday was nearly a complete loss with tutoring students, grading, choir, and attending a gallery opening for one of the hubbie's employees and a former co-worker of mine. I managed to get about eight hundred words done, but not much else. Today was better despite my still hefty grading load and low energy level. I managed to cross the mid-point of the novel and add a bit of padding. Huzzah. The plot bunnies are still creeping in from time to time, but I am satisfying them with the promise of attention after November. All right. Ciao for now.

Day 13: Body Count Helps

Today was the Tuesday Write in at Barnes and Noble, and it was pretty productive. I love the DeKalb Wrimos; they always put a smile on my face. I am still in the mid-novel doldrums, but I killed off one of my stock characters in a disgusting yet spectacular manner. It was fun, and that kind of gave me a second wind, but I have a crap ton of grading to do, and my students seem to be slacking off a lot, so grading is an unusually large energy suck. Any tips from those of you in a similar situation? How do you get back in the flow when doing a lot of tiresome work projects?

Day 12: Crossing the Midway Mountains of Madness

It's about that time again. Those of you out there who have been keeping up pace with your word count will be somewhere approaching the mid point of your novel. And if you are anything like me, you are about to bash your head in with the nearest laptop. I do not know if there is really a way around the doldrums of mid-month, but I know what is getting me through this week. Wine. Lots of cheap box wine right after I finish my daily grading and writing. Speaking of cheap wine, I am done writing this evening and still lamentably sober. Need to fix that up right now. Good luck folks, and do not let go of the bucking mustang that is Nanowrimo. This bronco bites. 

Day 10: On the Mend and On the Ball

Today's writing adventure began with me stealing a little bit of writing time at church. Yes, I am aware that it is odd for an Atheist to go to church, but, hey. My husband is a choir director and I a first soprano. Our associate pastor, a lovely woman who embodies the best spirit of the Reformed faith, is leaving for Indiana today, so I wanted to be there. But that did not make my writing obligations go away.

I managed to hit 20,000 words at our Sunday write-a-thon, which will allow me to tweak an exam I need to give on Wednesday and attend Pastor Karen's farewell dinner this evening. On the good news front, that chihuahua who followed me home on Friday is back and safe with his peeps. He didn't even have to spend the night in doggy jail. Happy day.

Day 10: I'm still standing

Well, I have manage to exceed my word count requirement today, despite the fact that I am still sick and oozing phlegm. I did eat way into my word count pad over the past two days, but I am starting to build it up again the only way I know how: sheer bloody mindedness. On Tuesday's write in, I said something to a fellow wrimo, "Writing is a game that rewards the stubborn." At the time, I was just saying that to be witty, but this ongoing November illness has taught me the truth of those words. I have discovered that a good deal of this novel writing business really is cultivating terrier tenacity.

Anyway, I want to get a few hundred more words knocked out tonight. Have a good night, all.

Day 9: Making the Best

Today really did not work for writing. I am still sick, and my energy levels are sort of spiraling the drain today. So mostly I wrote at the teaching center, and

sunny Wal-Mart. This was while I was waiting for my bus. I had planned to do a bit of writing when I got home, but the Fates were not looking out for me. A little stray Chihuahua came bolting out of the shrubbery and followed me home. I used my energy walking around and trying to find his people (unsuccessfully). Well, he is in animal control's hands now. I will be checking in to make sure he gets into a home. Never fear.

Day 8: Diseased and Asking for Monies

Day 8: Late last night, I started feeling a wave of achyness crash over me, my sinuses began burning, and my nose began leaking. This will be my second illness this month. My first was a short bout of stomach flu on Saturday night. Somehow, I am still keeping a bit ahead of the curve, but not by much.

Now on to something different. In a moment, I am going to put a fund raising widget up for Nanowrimo, and I would be most grateful if you would donate. This isn't about just a bunch of nerdy adults living out their dreams. Nanowrimo does a huge amount of work in the public schools, and when they have left-over money, they give that away to support literacy and whatnot. It's one of the best non-profits that I know.

Day 7: Too Much Work, Not Enough Writing

Day 7: DeKalb Public Library

As you might be able to tell from the expression of pure joy on my face, today was not the best writing wise. I managed only two hours of sleep last night, and today's teaching load was particularly heavy. Consequently, I managed to pound out only a little over a thousand words. Ah well, there's always tomorrow. So how do you all manage to push past a serious hump? Any tips?

Day 6: Still Ahead of the Curve

Well, it's day 6 and for some weird reason, I am still ahead in the word count. Though my plot bunnies are still hopping out from beneath the couch, they are content with being jotted down and kept in day care, so huzzah. I did my writing at our local B&N after having voted, and managed to knock out 1600 words with relatively little pain. So, I am going to get back to work and hopefully get another 1,000 before I go to bed. Good luck to all of you fellow Wrimos and happy writing.

Attack of the Killer Plot Bunnies

Day 5: Me at the Kishwaukee College Cafe

It's going well so far--this whole novel writing business. I am consistently hitting my word count goals and even exceeding them. None of my characters make me want to punch them in the face, and the plot is developing. But the first real challenge has arisen: Plot Bunnies. Plot bunnies are random ideas for stories that creep out of the wood work unbidden. They are particularly drawn to working writers. For those of you new Wrimos out there who are thinking of dropping your novel for one of those cute, big eyed little shits, I have one bit of advice: don't. Plot bunnies are assholes. They will sucker you in and leave you high, dry, and behind on your word count, until another one comes into view. The problem is that plot bunnies nag for attention like a four year old nagging for candy.

So the question remains, what to do with the plot bunnies? My response is to putter with them a bit in the notebook, to promise them some room in the limelight come December. It works for me, but I am interested in what works for you.

Day 4 at the official Ream of Writers write in: Barnes and Noble. Doing well. Somewhat ahead of schedule, and that makes me happy. But I feel like I am getting sick. Not good. And Monday I have two sections of Writing with assignments due. Sigh. Grading and writing.

Nano: What Once Was Lost

Buster "helps" me write

So, this probably goes without saying, but I am an idiot. Last night my husband and I went out to pick up a present for a friend's wedding and some hosiery for yours truly. Anyway, guess who left her manuscript at the store? If you guessed this blond bombshell, you guessed right. Anyway, I was so mad at myself that I refused to go back to get the manuscript and stayed up late making up for lost time. (It doesn't make sense to me either) Fortunately, the good people at Ross's kept my MS safe and sound, and now I am going to be quite a bit ahead of schedule. The moral of the story? Don't bring your MS shopping.

Nano Day 2: The Sugar Rush has Crashed

Here's me at the beginning of my day, taking a writing break at work and only 200 measly words into my quota.

Here's me at the end of the day: where I need to be regarding my word count, but a good 446 words away from my quota. Oh the pain!

So, out of curiosity, how is the month of writing dangerously going for you all?

Nano: Challange accepted. Goal met. Now where's my sugar?

Here's me about to celebrate meeting my daily word count with a tasty butter finger. Oh yes, victory, even in small doses, is sweet!

Nano fabulous

This year I've decided to record my Nano journey in photos, to record the glory and the agony. Every new place, every writing session will get its own photo.

This was me in my office just a few minutes before the pumpkin dropped Nanowrimo kicked off. I managed to knock out 193 words before the siren song of sleep became too strong.  Look. I'm still smiling and in my Halloween costume