A quick ROW80 check-in:
I haven’t been doing much of anything. Time of year, being out of writing shape, still deeply in the midst of processing my mother’s death. Lots of reasons. I haven’t been able to get my head fully in the game, but I’ve been doing some prep work.
I’ve been setting up my novel notebook for Inheritance. I’ve been going over my notes from the Sufficiently Advanced Magic class I took via StoryWonk in October and revising some of my anchor . And I’ve been trying out word count meters** (the one in the sidebar right now is this NaNoWriMo Word Meter from Language is a Virus, but it clearly works beautifully outside of November, too, and I really like that you can choose your own color for the progress bar).
I’ve decided to try out publicly displayed word counts and publicly stated (here and on Facebook and Twitter) goals to help me stay focused. I always do really well during NaNoWriMo because I work well under a deadline and with an audience, so I’m going to see if I can create some of that feeling outside of November. I’ll have widgets for my novel and for writing practice, because I feel that at least a few 10-minute sessions each week will build my writing muscles better than just working on the novel.
That’s where I am right now. Although ROW80 will be wrapping up next week, I am still going to push to get a sketchy outline (but fuller than the anchor point outline I have now) finished by year’s end so I am ready to write the story come January.
** I’ve been looking at bunches of writing meters, but I still have a few to check out. Once I have a good list, I’ll post it.
I love NaNoWriMo! I love having a word counter and a set goal, but…most importantly…the idea that there is no ax that will fall if I don’t make the word count or don’t finish the story.
I love having other writers and support people to commiserate with as I go, but I don’t share the actual story. The most I might do is say something like “I think they’ll take a blimp to get to the next place…”
Yes, the word counter and goals and the community are fabulous. I also don’t share my actual writing while I’m doing it, except if I happen to be working with a critique partner. I think sharing it too much before it’s done starts to make me less interested in it. I mostly just share things like “oh, I just came up with a great problem to give my MC” or things like that. And now I’m trying to figure out if any of my characters can take a blimp somewhere…
I know… you look and there are two weeks left in the year, and you figure, screw it, I’ll just pick it up in January. That’s about where I am right about now.
Losing your mother is tough. It’s been almost 15 years for me and I’m still processing it. Sorry for your loss.
Thank you, John. I’m sorry for your loss as well.
January is almost here! I am trying to keep my hand in a bit, but I suspect that the real momentum will start building again after we hit that magical date on the calendar.
The Vulcans put it simply, and beautifully:”I grieve with you.”
I’m commenting here on a break from an intense scene where my MC is dealing with grief, and likens himself to driftwood afloat on the ocean…and then gets a signal that perhaps there is a purpose even in a time of purposelessness, when it’s needful to rest.
I have an idea, if you’re interested – an arrangement I have with another writer. She wanted people to lambaste her into writing, but -well, I’m just not that type. But I wanted to help, so I offered to let her pick a word for my WIPpet Wednesday post, every time she added 10K to her word count.
So far, she’s given me three words that have led to some wonderful new directions for my WIP, so we both win.
If you’d like, you can give me a word when you finish that sketchy outline.
In the meantime, much love. It takes as long as it takes…I lost a fiance in 1995, and a newborn son in 2003, and I haven’t truly finished grieving either of them.
Thank you, Shan. I grieve with you over your losses, too.
I will let you know about the words. Thanks! 🙂