From Start To Finish Challenge

NEW CHALLENGE! Who is game to play? The rules are simple just write, edit and submit your novel in twelve months. That’s right, you have one year to reach your goal. This is open to everyone, whether you’re a published author, who would like that extra push to meet your dead line or get that new novel going. If you are unpublished and want that extra something to keep you on track, this maybe just what you are looking for.

Challenge starts 1st November 2008 and runs through to 31st October 2009. The word count is up to you, how many novels you write is up to you. The main thing is to have your butt in front of your computer ready to write on November 1st, to help you achieve that goal at least, we are going to have two months of plot, plan and research. Through September and October we’ll do whatever is needed to have you ready to start your challenge in November. You can sign up for the ‘National Novel Writing Month’, which runs during November, 50ks in the month.

We’ll be on the RWA NaNo loop, to encourage, cheer and hug you no matter what you decide to do. If you’re interested in taking part just head over to the loop page http://groups.google.com.au/group/rwanano/web/from-start-to-published?hl=en for the challenge and tell us, your name, word count goal, genre, and title of your novel/s (if you have one). Hope to see your name on the list.

Hugs
Sandie

It's A Frantic Friday Check In

Well here we are at the end of another week and what a week it has been. We’ve had sick kids, sick and injured challenges, boy it’s been tough. But we have continued on, battled through the rough spots and continued to work towards our goals. What can I say other than ‘FANTASTIC’ ladies, take a bow. With three having hit the 50k mark earlier this week, we have a few that are nearing that mark each day. This is great to see, to read each day how they have reached yet another rung on that ladder. BUT! I know I have said this before; still I’m going to say it again. This challenge should be about doing the best you can for yourself, it’s about getting you writing whether that is 50ks or 1k it doesn’t matter as long as at the end of the month you are happy with what you have achieved.

Now let’s talk about good news of a different kind. We have ladies on the loop who have achieved great results in contests this week. Natalie placed second in one of eHarlequin challenges; Nicki B is in the finals in the NZ ‘Great Beginnings’ contest. As well as Cathryn and Karen are finalists in the NZ ‘Meet the Editor’. So bring out the marching band.

WOOHOO ladies and all the best wishes for the next round. Now I’d tell you all to cross your fingers for them, but you need those to type with so cross your legs instead. If your hubby complains tell him it’s for a good cause. What else has happened this week???? Oh yeah the wonderful Diane Curran had had her story she wrote during NaNo ‘Beyond Happy Ever After’ accepted for publication with Wet Ink magazine. Double WOOHOO.

Also this week Paula Roe has her book in the ‘Diamonds Down Under’ series out, called ‘Boardrooms & A Billionaire Heir’ this is the fifth book in the six part series, so keep an eye out for it ladies.

Okay I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone if I have please accept my most humble apology. So now it’s to work. Yes it is now time to add your total’s so I can update your word meters. As always you have until 8pm (Sydney time) Sunday to post your total. Don’t forget I need to know your complete total for the challenge. Happy writing everyone and I’ll catch up with you over the weekend.

Hugs
Sandie

I'm writing a what????

Okay, I'm in warm-up mode...doing those star-jumps and stretches....getting ready for the main event starting tomorrow. (need to get an early night tonight so I can actually start before noon tomorrow).

As many of you know I am picking up the story that I wrote during my first attempt at Nanowrimo in 2004. I halfway succeeded so I have just over 25k of words. It's based on my pizza delivery days as a young innocent uni student. There's a bit of fiction thrown in there - the customers mainly - but everything else is based on real life, real people....gulp....my life! My sexual awakening. My education in sex, drugs and rock n roll.

Is it any wonder that I got cold feet and stopped writing at the end of November 2004? It was cutting too close to the bone and I was feeling way too vulnerable. Do I really want to reveal myself like this?

Yesterday, in between answering customer calls at work (it was rather quiet and there was long gaps between calls), I read a fair chunk of what I wrote all those years ago. Suddenly it got very hot in there. My own writing was making me blush and transporting me back into my first lover's arms.

I've got to face it now....I'm writing a sexual memoir. And like the 'characters' in the story, I need to go all the way. I need to keep writing when the writing becomes too difficult or too confronting. I need to be honest and I need to be completely vulnerable. I need to not only relive that ecstasy of first love, but also the pain of having it all ripped away. Because I know this story does not have a happy ending. But I survived. And grew.

Last night, in preparation, I pulled out an old journal. Some written during the time of that first love affair. Some in retrospect. Then a list of diary entries, snippets of conversation. I typed all this up and ended up with a timeline of 5 pages. I won't be deviating from the plot of the story because its mine. And it ended exactly as it was supposed to.

Years ago, I did a writing exercise where you write the words 'I remember...' and then finish the sentence with whatever first comes into your head. I filled a heap of notebook pages doing this. I found the notebook last night and typed up all the entries that were relevant to my pizza days. Another two pages of reminiscing. (BTW, I totally recommend this exercise)

This morning, I found my photo album of these days in my shed. I'm going to scan the pics and post them to my phanfare album so friends may see what we got up to. Curiously, I don't have a photo of me and my first lover together. All the photos were taken after the relationship imploded. I think I was too busy living and loving at the time to capture a Kodak moment.

With all this reading to get my head back into that time, all these thoughts about my first lover, I was prepared to dream about him last night. It didn't happen. Instead I dreamed of another lover in the interim, a lovely guy who set me on the right track when it came to relationships. It was a nice dream about recapturing friendship - however oddly in the dream he was the manager of a retail store, despite the fact that he is now a psychologist in real life. Perhaps the dream was a sign that I need to send him an email.