I'm pleased it's Friday because it's one day closer to the weekend when I can just give myself over to my story and my writing, become totally immersed and lose myself with my characters.
I've been setting a cracking pace so far but have slumped off the last few nights and days (daytime because I've been working the real job) - and nights because I've passed the fabulous sex and hit the heartache and that's confronting!
There are other fabulous writers in our group who have been sprinting hard, juggling housework, kidlets and jobs and still produced amazing word counts. If you're not one of these writers, then don't despair - the challenge is not yet over, and any word count is better than sitting on your butt and watching Australia's Got Talent.
I won't admit to juggling housework - with the man away, I've been ignoring all but the necessities (sometimes I even ignored the fact that I had to eat), which means that this weekend I will have to alternate between word sprints and housework because he's back on Monday night.
Now that we're almost halfway through the month, I want you to reward yourself for getting this far, no matter what your word count is. One of the reasons I haven't written tonight is that I did just that: my reward was an iTunes card (Big W are selling $50 cards for $30) and a shopping spree on iTunes. So I got myself 3 albums plus a few individual songs: a grand total of 47 songs. Ian Moss is serenading me right now.
I also bought a new Cyndi Lauper song called Same Old Story (although when she sings it, it has an extra adjective in there). I really hope that I'm not writing the same old story with my 50k effort but actually I don't believe I am. Instead of drawing events from my life in isolation and sticking them in a story, I've stolen the whole story and plot line from my life. The names and places have been changed to protect the guilty and I've added some extra characters. In a couple of days, I've going to blog about Helga (who appears as a character in my novel called The Harriet Chariot). Helga was my first car, a powder blue 1966 Volkswagon beetle, and she and I had lots of pizza delivery adventures together. That post will appear on Write on Track some time after the weekend, right after I've scanned her picture out of my 1986 diary. (Yeah, I loved my car - she was my ticket to independence)
So fellow writers, tell me how you are going to reward yourself for getting this far in 50ks and don't forget to post your total word count by 8pm on Sunday night so I can update your word meters.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Mid Week Blog; So How ya Going?
Hi All,
Well it’s Wednesday again, hump day, just three more days to the weekend YAY. First off I’d like to congratulate you all on a fantastic effort so far. You are all doing so well, especially the ones that have small children. Each and every one of you should give your selves a pat on the back for a job well done.
So how are things going? Are your characters playing nice? Is the story flowing as well as you had hoped it would? Are you finding new and exciting surprises each time you sit in front of your computer? If you have an answer to any of these questions come and tell us.
I’ve had no real surprises this week. I think my characters are just glad to be out of the holding pattern I’ve had them in for the last few months. I’ve learnt a few things about a couple of the secondary characters that are going to have their own stories which was interesting. The things you learn when you least expect it. Oh and I also found out that my heroines dead husband married her because he didn’t want her having what he couldn’t the hero. What a snot nose. So glad I got to kill him off. Anyway my aim this week is to finish this WIP, which will than give me three finished manuscripts ready for editing in July. With just another nine WIP to work on.
Now at the weekend I did a little blog hopping at the weekend and when I came to one of the blogs I was so impressed with just how much she had achieved during the week I told her she should be our pin-up girl for the week. So each Wednesday I’m going to announce who I think my pin-up girl is for putting in such a great effort during the challenge. So my first PIN-UP GIRL is… drum roll please… da-ta-ta-da NATALIE HUTCH. Natalie has worked so hard this week, (well everyone has worked hard) but Nat has twins, a three year old (by the sounds of it going on 33), teenagers (I think that’s right) a hubby not happy because the house was a mess (he did clean up for her so I’ll let the unhappy bit pass), plus she has kept us entertain from time to time with her witty emails and post. So there you have it that is why Nat got my nod this week, so nip over and visit her blog (just click on her name) say hi, and have a read of her first chapter (which I still have to do). But truthfully I think you are all pin-up girls.
Also at the weekend there was some discussion about the rules or the spirit of the challenge. Should we be sticking to the rules of the NaNo or do we do our own thing? This is how I see this challenge, while basically we are working at getting 50ks written in 30 days we have to remember that not everyone works to the mould of NaNo. Some are set in their ways they know what works for them and what doesn’t. If editing and fine turning their work as they go then that’s fine, if they only write 10k or 30k during the month but it is the first time they have ever written 10k or 30k in a month then they have achieved something. To my way of thinking this is about being there to support each other, to give a cheer when needed and a shoulder at other times, to help each of us do the best we can with our time.
The lovely Diane Curran will be updating the word meters this week, so please have your totals in by 8pm on Sunday night or you may miss out on having your word meter updated. Diane has a day job as well as taking the time to update the meters and fit her own writing in. Don’t forget we need your total for the WHOLE CHALLENGE.
Okay I’m off my soapbox now. Enjoy the rest of your week I hope you achieve whatever goal you have set yourself this week and happy writing.
Hugs
Sandie.
Well it’s Wednesday again, hump day, just three more days to the weekend YAY. First off I’d like to congratulate you all on a fantastic effort so far. You are all doing so well, especially the ones that have small children. Each and every one of you should give your selves a pat on the back for a job well done.
So how are things going? Are your characters playing nice? Is the story flowing as well as you had hoped it would? Are you finding new and exciting surprises each time you sit in front of your computer? If you have an answer to any of these questions come and tell us.
I’ve had no real surprises this week. I think my characters are just glad to be out of the holding pattern I’ve had them in for the last few months. I’ve learnt a few things about a couple of the secondary characters that are going to have their own stories which was interesting. The things you learn when you least expect it. Oh and I also found out that my heroines dead husband married her because he didn’t want her having what he couldn’t the hero. What a snot nose. So glad I got to kill him off. Anyway my aim this week is to finish this WIP, which will than give me three finished manuscripts ready for editing in July. With just another nine WIP to work on.
Now at the weekend I did a little blog hopping at the weekend and when I came to one of the blogs I was so impressed with just how much she had achieved during the week I told her she should be our pin-up girl for the week. So each Wednesday I’m going to announce who I think my pin-up girl is for putting in such a great effort during the challenge. So my first PIN-UP GIRL is… drum roll please… da-ta-ta-da NATALIE HUTCH. Natalie has worked so hard this week, (well everyone has worked hard) but Nat has twins, a three year old (by the sounds of it going on 33), teenagers (I think that’s right) a hubby not happy because the house was a mess (he did clean up for her so I’ll let the unhappy bit pass), plus she has kept us entertain from time to time with her witty emails and post. So there you have it that is why Nat got my nod this week, so nip over and visit her blog (just click on her name) say hi, and have a read of her first chapter (which I still have to do). But truthfully I think you are all pin-up girls.
Also at the weekend there was some discussion about the rules or the spirit of the challenge. Should we be sticking to the rules of the NaNo or do we do our own thing? This is how I see this challenge, while basically we are working at getting 50ks written in 30 days we have to remember that not everyone works to the mould of NaNo. Some are set in their ways they know what works for them and what doesn’t. If editing and fine turning their work as they go then that’s fine, if they only write 10k or 30k during the month but it is the first time they have ever written 10k or 30k in a month then they have achieved something. To my way of thinking this is about being there to support each other, to give a cheer when needed and a shoulder at other times, to help each of us do the best we can with our time.
The lovely Diane Curran will be updating the word meters this week, so please have your totals in by 8pm on Sunday night or you may miss out on having your word meter updated. Diane has a day job as well as taking the time to update the meters and fit her own writing in. Don’t forget we need your total for the WHOLE CHALLENGE.
Okay I’m off my soapbox now. Enjoy the rest of your week I hope you achieve whatever goal you have set yourself this week and happy writing.
Hugs
Sandie.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Mondays meter maid.
Well, I'm late posting this because I was hoping a few of you that haven't posted your updated word count would this morning. But, I guess life is busy or you're so engrossed in your writing that you've forgotten all about us!
Anyway, check out those meters!!! Don't they look fantastic?? I'm thrilled with mine, if I add up the actually time I spent in front of my computer I did really, really well. Some of you have exploded out of the starting blocks and I'm crossing my fingers that you can keep it up for the rest of the month. For those like me, who've decided slow and steady wins the race I've got a book for you; The Tortoise And The Hare. LOL
Everyone is doing great no matter what your word count. Let's face it, life often gets in the way. And as much as we'd love to say POQ to it all we can't, so we make do, do what we can and hope for the best. Every little bit helps, so even if you're only get 100 words while waiting for the bathroom it's 100 words you didn't have before. And yes, I've been known to get the note book out and scribble madly while waiting in line for the bathroom.
The big news this week that deserves a mention is Christina Phillips selling a short story to The Wild Rose Press. Well done KC!!!!!!
The Wild Rose Press have been picking up a heap of new authors over the last few months and I have to say us Aussie's are a large part of that number. Go Aussie's!!!!!
So, back to writing, or editing, or re-writing. LOL I've lost track of what everyone is doing.
Don't forget the sprints are happening regularly over at the group. They're going on as I type this, which reminds me, I'm supposed to be writing.
Catch you all during the week.
RC
Anyway, check out those meters!!! Don't they look fantastic?? I'm thrilled with mine, if I add up the actually time I spent in front of my computer I did really, really well. Some of you have exploded out of the starting blocks and I'm crossing my fingers that you can keep it up for the rest of the month. For those like me, who've decided slow and steady wins the race I've got a book for you; The Tortoise And The Hare. LOL
Everyone is doing great no matter what your word count. Let's face it, life often gets in the way. And as much as we'd love to say POQ to it all we can't, so we make do, do what we can and hope for the best. Every little bit helps, so even if you're only get 100 words while waiting for the bathroom it's 100 words you didn't have before. And yes, I've been known to get the note book out and scribble madly while waiting in line for the bathroom.
The big news this week that deserves a mention is Christina Phillips selling a short story to The Wild Rose Press. Well done KC!!!!!!
The Wild Rose Press have been picking up a heap of new authors over the last few months and I have to say us Aussie's are a large part of that number. Go Aussie's!!!!!
So, back to writing, or editing, or re-writing. LOL I've lost track of what everyone is doing.
Don't forget the sprints are happening regularly over at the group. They're going on as I type this, which reminds me, I'm supposed to be writing.
Catch you all during the week.
RC
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