WHOO HOO!!!!

November over, another 50,000 words written. Novel number 2 still needs about 1,000 words to finish it off, and I will get there before the end of the day tomorrow. Then I will take a break and ponder on the two novels I have to edit now, both good stories at the core. I will edit the second one first, though. But not until January.

What now, you ask? Think of me, having a glass of wine. Catching up with friends. Doing the laundry. Cooking supper. Advent. Decorating for the holidays. Wrapping presents. Making cookies. Trimming the tree. Getting the puppy.

Sounds pretty good, huh. :)

Creeping Up On NaNoWriMo

Last year I kept the pace with the other November Writers and finished my NaNo novel early. Actually, I hit 50,000 words early, but wasn't done with the novel. So I continued writing until I was at almost 60,000 words and called it good. The novel still needs tons of editing and I never had time to get back to it. After all, December was Advent then Christmas, January was Birthday's then Super Bowl, February we lost Luka and went on the Cruise and had an anniversary, March we tried to get into a regular rhythm of life, but instead we went to Pennsylvania to see Dennis. In April we went to Raleigh to pick out kittens. In May we went to Raleigh to bring kittens home. In June we went to Pennsylvania for Dennis again and also went to the beach. In July we tried to recover and Gracie had her surgery, then in August we went to Charleston. In September we got used to school, and October was not only Halloween but we lost David. November was NaNoWriMo again. So, no editing of last years story.

And here we are, writing this years story. A better story, a better plot line. I have learned a lot this year because I have studied and also received a good bit of constructive feedback on writings that I have done, including this blog (which certainly has been more of a stream of consciousness life document rather than an intentional story). But with all the planning and expectation setting, life had been hard and so has writing.

Busy Busy, is all I can tell you. Thank heavens for our families who love us. And in my case, for Mr. Bryant who supports me and encourages me to write even when I am behind. He told me that if I decided not to write this year, that would be ok. It wouldn't be quitting, even if I quit. I appreciate the support and reassurance more than I can say. I; however, would consider it quitting - and I may be a lot of things, but I am not a quitter. I am writing this blasted novel. I am spending this weekend working away, learning that when my mind is engaged the words pour out. I will win NaNoWriMo, dear friends. Yes, I will. And then we will tackle editing, in January. After the holidays. After the first new puppy. And after a little time to take a break and just be.

Move Along, Move Along....

I am getting my mind ready to write.
In November I will do my second NaNoWriMo.
What happened to that first amazing novel?
It languishes on my laptop, wishing I would both finish it and mightily edit it. The novel and I both know (as do the characters, each and every one of them) that there is a wonderful, fun, interesting story started here. We understand that some major changes are required to remove the rambling, the nonsense, the back-story, the long paragraphs that don't really drive movement, the flowing descriptions of the landscape that can wait.

It is clear that the reading now is painful - but
the bones of the story are exceptionally white, amazingly strong.
We know that there is more pain and choice and LIFE that can be added. More growth and depth.
Much more work is needed here. We need a focused editing month.

And so, as we prepare for November, instead of planning on a deep dive into that first story, I am already off, thinking about the new story. Preparing the outline. Thinking about interviews. Considering the background. Building excitement and suspense in my mind.

Why would I leave the first for the second?
Planned novel 2 has been a story idea in my mind for several years. The time has come to write it. The story will be a romance loosely based on reality - and so now is the time to talk to the folks that were involved, to make sure that the sense of reality is included - or not included - appropriately.

I am inspired.
Inspired to do the research.
And also....
concerned
about doing the research.

Why?

To do the honest research, I have to ask some very difficult questions of some loved ones. I need to put people on the spot.
Get folks to talk about things they want to forget.
Understand the real story, so I can create the fictional one
with all the underlying solidity.
At least, I think that's what I need to do.
The research.

Maybe...maybe I can just make it up.
But oh, I feel the desire...to write...and I want to write
the truth of it.


***
In Paradise there are no stories, because there are no journeys.
It’s loss and regret and misery and yearning that drive the story forward, along its twisted road.
***

– Margaret Atwood
[from The Blind Assassin]

The Manuscript

I finally got new ink after the holidays, and after I printed out a couple special presents that still had to be sent off, I took a minute to print the manuscript from NaNoWriMo. It is time to get editing.

And look - to help me out with all my commenting and marking up, Ama and R gave me the best birthday present of all!




Thanks loves!

NaNo!

I am over 50,000 words in the novel.

Whoo Hoo!

I still have a few chapters to complete to actually be finished with the story, and I am working on them this evening and tomorrow evening so they will count in my word count. And so, my first ever novel length crappy first draft will be complete! A banner event!

We are going to have champagne tomorrow.

I suggest that you do as well!

Hugs to you and yours. More soon.

Happy Thanksgiving 2009

My very best wishes, loves, hugs, and kisses to all of you on this day.

We have many things to be thankful for and I find myself almost overwhelmed with the grace and blessings of it all.

Family get together this afternoon at momma's, turkey in the oven, everyone bringing something, heading that way in an hour. I promise to take lots of pictures and get them posted too.

NaNoWriMo has been taking a toll on my time so no blogging. I know I know, I will do better. But I still love you all. Between today and Sunday I will cross well over the 50,000 word mark, and we will ALL celebrate the typing of the words "The End."

I am grateful for all of you.

And on Saturday. . . .

we write and work on the treehouse.

the way I understand it, Mr. Bryant heads to the kids with "a dozen assorted and a vanilla chi," to wake everyone up and start the day, whilst I have coffee and more coffee, and write and write.

pictures tomorrow night.

nothing but progress round here (and a tiny bit of carpel tunnel, but who's checking?!).  do you really think we can do it?

Our Biggest Fear

Thank you to those that remind me of this regularly, and especially to Marianne Williamson for writing it down in the first place - this oft repeated quote is from her book A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

So here, as I approach November and the overwhelming NaNoWriMo goal, and as we - all of us - approach every single day of our lives, let's remember what we are born to do and be. Let's remember that we each make our own lives, our own luck, our own destiny. Let's remind ourselves and each other that we are not Average. That we can each, in our own measure, make a difference in the world.

Go and be, loves. Be all that you and I both know you can be.

Be strong, intelligent, creative, talented, fabulous, and a gift to the world!

NaNoWriMo

Lots to catch up on this week, before the big writing of next week begins. An update on the wedding and reception along with updates on the tree house and the research into Civility, all coming your way. With appropriate pictures, of course. But next week - ah, next week we begin the big writing.

As you know, Ama has been working on her first novel using the BIAM system. She should be completed by 10/31. I am quite proud of her, and before she could get too comfortable with Novel 1 and consider herself done, I brought her the idea today of participating with me in NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month provides a semi-structured community environment with the goal of completing a 50,000 word novel in the 40 days of November. So this will be a first for me, and a second for Rose (who said yes, by the way)!

I am filled with anticipation and a tinge of concern - but my commitment is in and I am going to write. Mr. Bryant has agreed to provide incredible support, to ask me about my writing, to help with the critters, and to fix dinners. He has even agreed to give me weekend time when needed, and as always to love me through what has the potential to be a few emotional moments (really?).

Now my brain is filling up with thoughts, potential stories, genres, characters. Should I write a young adult story my grandson might like? A novel about grandmothers? A novel about women of a certain age? A fantasy? A novel about memory keeping? Science Fiction? A book club? Fiber and spinners? A spinners flock? The possibilities are endless and I am working to define a manageable scope.

So here we go. A novel friends. My commitment is on the web site, and now here in public for all to see. My thanks to Mr. Bryant, dearest love, for unfailing support. And to quote a favorite author of mine, "Hold on to your hats, we could end up miles from here!"