http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/My journey from 'one-day-author' to author, in 30 days. Vol. 2en-UKhttp://backend.userland.com/rss092http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/http://data5.blog.de/design/preview/60/26a0e12e491932cfe7c9fdbdf147f3_160x200.jpg <p>I just wrote such a sad scene that I nearly cried. I don't like killing characters that I know well.</p> <p>It's the last day of National Novel Writing Month, so the last official word count is 66,304.<br> I know that it will increase as I edit and add bits in.</p> <p>I have also decided what needs to happen and be explained in the second book! So when you finally get to read it don't expect all your questions to be answered by the end. Just to annoy you you'll have to wait till the second book is written and rewritten... Ha! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/30/66-304-day-30-the-end-or-maybe-not-5140845/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/30/66-304-day-30-the-end-or-maybe-not-5140845/Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:23:53 +0100 <p>The world is falling apart, but someone thinks they can fix it... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/29/62-861-day-28-shaky-doom-5129750/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/29/62-861-day-28-shaky-doom-5129750/Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:00:59 +0100 <p>This is the part of the novel where it all goes arse over eyeballs for the characters; the climax to the warnings in the rest of the novel. I estimate 65-70k in the end. More writing tomorrow afternoon. It's raining doomy doomy doom!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/27/60-xxx-day-26-27-doomy-doomy-doom-5121782/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/27/60-xxx-day-26-27-doomy-doomy-doom-5121782/Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:33:54 +0100 <p>Today I hit 60k.<br> That's a big 'woo' and a 'hoo' to follow that! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/25/60-011-day-25-the-big-5101522/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/25/60-011-day-25-the-big-5101522/Tue, 25 Nov 2008 01:11:14 +0100 <p>The washing is still in the washing basket, the snails need cleaning out and the fridge smells like something had died in it, but I have got some writing done!</p> <p>I may have already hit 50k, but I still need to finish my story by the end of the month, and I still can't get my spaces in the right places!</p> <p>Another scene is done and we're heading toward the big disaster. Who will survive?<br> I have already decided to kill someone off; one of the main-ish characters, but not before he reveals his big secret... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/23/57-275-day-23-32wpm-but-nothing-else-done-5093316/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/23/57-275-day-23-32wpm-but-nothing-else-done-5093316/Sun, 23 Nov 2008 21:36:16 +0100 <p>The hand is OK now. I did a little writing, but it was hard with one hand.</p> <p>I made it up by writing 5k at Chelmsford library today. 60-65k is in sight for the end of the novel.<br> Only two of us made it to the meet up in the afternoon. I don't know if there were more people in the morning.</p> <p>Now to organise the wrap-up party for next Sunday <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/22/55-369-day-22-back-to-the-writing-again-5088698/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/22/55-369-day-22-back-to-the-writing-again-5088698/Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:48:53 +0100 <p>Thank God I hit 50k yesterday. Today I badly scalded my hand (luckily the left one), so typing is hard.<br> I'm typing this with one hand, and it's taking ages...</p> <p>I'm going to try to write something today, as I have written something every day so far. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/19/writing-disaster-5064621/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/19/writing-disaster-5064621/Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:37:46 +0100 <p>It's green, the little progress bar is green! I've won! (OK, so the one you see to the right is red, but on the NaNo site it's green!)<br> I can't verify it on the site until day 25, so as I'm 12 days ahead of target I'll just have to wait.</p> <p>The story's nowhere near finished, but it will be by the end of the month. I estimate 60-65k will be the final total. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/19/50-082-day-18-target-schieved-5060580/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/19/50-082-day-18-target-schieved-5060580/Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:18:47 +0100 <p>"<em>She can'na take it no more, captain, she's going to blow!</em>"<br> The words echoed as the speaker spat them in my direction.<br> "Calm yourself, Scotty," I said, "What - is - the - problem?" I did my best James Kirk impression in order to placate the irate Scotsman.<br> "<em>The letters are in the wrong order, and the spaces 's in all in the wrong places. She can'na take it no more.</em>" He sounded on the verge of panic.<br> "Do - not - panic," I continued with my not-very-good-impression. Then I gave it up for lost. "All we need to do is tell Word to stop showing the little wiggly red lines, and I'll even turn off the grammar check for good measure."<br> The sigh of relief that came over the speaker was audible across the entire bridge.<br> "<em>Thank ye, captain,</em>" he drooled in his thick accent, and the com went silent.</p> <p><em>It's a mercy the Enterprise doesn't run entirely on Windows</em>, I mused. <em>If the transporters didn't run on Linux we'd all be screwed</em>. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/16/46-604-day-16-a-spot-of-panic-in-engineering-5048203/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/16/46-604-day-16-a-spot-of-panic-in-engineering-5048203/Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:45:55 +0100 <p>The meet up was great!<br>And we have another one tomorrow : )</p> <p>Hopefully I'll hit 45k tomorrow!</p> <p>If I'm having trouble I'll include the lemmings...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/16/41-582-day-15-a-night-of-writing-dangerously-5042885/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/16/41-582-day-15-a-night-of-writing-dangerously-5042885/Sun, 16 Nov 2008 02:12:50 +0100 <p>Today I have written the most I have ever written in one day. Probably because I'm sitting waiting for Juliet to arrive. She's very late and I'm starting to worry. There must be trouble on the A127.</p> <p>But <strong>5,495</strong> words in one day, wahoo!</p> <p>This means I am now <strong>13,943</strong> ahead of today's word goal. <em>Superb</em>!<br> More writing tomorrow, at the Basildon write-a-thon, and again on Sunday. We're going to have competitions and word wars. We might even throw in a few sprints! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/14/37-276-day-14-best-writing-day-yet-5036445/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/14/37-276-day-14-best-writing-day-yet-5036445/Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:54:54 +0100 <p>I have been off work sick today. I managed to work in a nursery yesterday, not needing my voice much, but this morning I could barely speak and I kept loosing my voice completely in the middle of sentences. It was hard to turn down work as it means I won't get paid, and I only get a paltry sum for yesterday.<br> Hopefully I will be able to work tomorrow and I will be called in the morning.</p> <p>I have hit my target of 30k today, which means I am 10,114 words ahead of my daily goal!<br> I was surprised when I did the calculation!</p> <p>Interestingly I think that my touch typing has gotten worse during NaNo. I seem to be putting spaces in the wrong places, so I'll write 'spacesi nth ewron gplaces' as I write in my blog.<br> When I turn the screen on my text is always riddled with little wiggly red lines, but who cares? I'll correct them later.</p> <p>Just keep typing. Justk eept yping! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/13/31-781-day-13-not-an-unlucky-day-5031902/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/13/31-781-day-13-not-an-unlucky-day-5031902/Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:21:01 +0100 <p>My goal of hitting 30k by Friday is looking very likely at the moment. I have two days to write 2,507 words. I may even hit my goal tomorrow <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>I have currently misplaced my voice. Luckily this does not affect my typing in a negative way, in fact it probably increases my word count as I cannot talk to people on the phone.</p> <p><em>You hear me everyone? Don't phone me at the moment because you won't understand me and I'll just strain my voice even more. Yes Lindy, that means you</em> <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>You can thank Juliet and her stupid cold for my loss of voice. I shall croak at her on Friday!</p> <p>Tomorrow I get to write about a funeral. Fun.<br>Also I will be teaching with no voice. That will be interesting.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/12/27-493-day-5026176/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/12/27-493-day-5026176/Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:55:49 +0100 <p>25k, I'm half way there.<br> This means I'm 6,884 words ahead of target! I'm really hoping I'll reach 50k by Nov 25th, and then I'll carry on. I'll either finish the story, if I'm not finished by 50k, or start going back and adding bits in.</p> <p>He's dead. Now I can up my word count with grieving and the funeral. It's just how life goes. How many words could you get out of a dead dog?</p> <p>NEVER kill the dog...<br> There's no mention of a dead dog in the prophecy.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/11/25-217-day-11-half-way-target-met-4-days-early-5020784/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/11/25-217-day-11-half-way-target-met-4-days-early-5020784/Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:50:31 +0100 <p>I'm going to kill him.<br> Someone's got to die, and it isn't going to be the dog.</p> <p>NEVER kill the dog... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/11/an-apt-event-for-chapter-5020456/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/11/an-apt-event-for-chapter-5020456/Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:36:42 +0100 <p>I am now over 6,000 words ahead of my word goal! Yay!</p> <p>I think I will need this buffer in week 2. This is when it gets hard to see where the plot will go next. I have a myriad of characters, so I'm just hoping that they will work it out for me. I'll just go with the flow.</p> <p>I do have a rough idea of where the novel will end up, and I've even had an idea for a sequel.</p> <p>I know I said that I wanted to hit 25,000 today if I wasn't working, and I wasn't working, but I did have a lot of other things to do. I did write nearly 2,000 words in an hour though, so hopefully I will hit 25k tomorrow. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/11/22-782-day-10-6115-ahead-of-schedule-5016033/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/11/22-782-day-10-6115-ahead-of-schedule-5016033/Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:03:58 +0100 <p>I can't believe I gave my novel the worst working title in history.<br> I'm not going to tell you what it is here. You'll have to check out my author page on the NaNoWriMo site <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/263199">here</a>.</p> <p>P.S. If you don't get it, don't ask. <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"> You're better off not knowing why it's so awful. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/10/the-most-awful-reader-groaning-title-in-the-world-5012969/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/10/the-most-awful-reader-groaning-title-in-the-world-5012969/Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:52:31 +0100 <p>Now I have hit the 20k milestone I feel that 50k is really possible. Not that I thought I couldn't do it, but it now seems more reachable.</p> <p>If I'm not working tomorrow I would like to hit the half way mile stone by tomorrow evening. It would be great to hit it so early. If I am working tomorrow, I would like to hit 25k by Tuesday evening (still 4 days early). How crazy am I?</p> <p>I plan to put some repetitive dreams in now, so I should be able to rack up the word-count pretty quickly. Cross fingers <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/09/20-358-day-9-another-milestone-hit-5010286/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/09/20-358-day-9-another-milestone-hit-5010286/Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:58:14 +0100 <p>Now I have completed a planned part of the story I don't know what will happen next.<br> I'm just going to see what the characters do next. Hopefully they will work it out for me.</p> <p>I'll read the inspirational pep talks from the book and the ones from Philip Pullman and Chris. That should help too.</p> <p>It's the dreaded, dragging second week, and my computer is running like a Corsa (bloody slow!) </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/09/17-672-day-5006243/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/09/17-672-day-5006243/Sun, 09 Nov 2008 03:33:12 +0100 <p>I'm working late again, but it has worked and I've produced another couple of thousand words.<br> This bit was something I had planned to include, so was relatively easy to write. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/08/16-621-day-5001845/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/08/16-621-day-5001845/Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:23:53 +0100 <p>Another thousand words done today.</p> <p>This part of the novel seems to be dragging. I think most of it will be cut in the second draft.<br> The next bit should be a bit more interesting though. A bit of action, suspense and magic... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/07/14-085-day-4996878/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/07/14-085-day-4996878/Fri, 07 Nov 2008 01:04:19 +0100 <p>My goal now is to inspire those NaNoWriMos that are finding it hard to meet the daily word goals. Come on everybody!</p> <p>My word goal for Day five was 8,333 and I've just hit 13,048.<br> Tomorrow's goal is 10,000, so I'm well ahead.</p> <p>Hopefully this will make up for when my imagination dries up in week two... Cross fingers that it won't. I've just had some more inspiration, and written some notes for including in the next couple of chapters.</p> <p>Here we go... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/06/13048-day-5-word-goal-beaten-by-miles-4991599/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/06/13048-day-5-word-goal-beaten-by-miles-4991599/Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:09:08 +0100 <p>All I can say is hooray!<br> I'm just over 1/5 of the way there.</p> <p>Skittles all round!<br> Mmm... Red and purple ones. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/05/10-856-day-4-and-the-10k-mark-is-reahed-4985494/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/05/10-856-day-4-and-the-10k-mark-is-reahed-4985494/Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:42:47 +0100 <p>I am now 3663 words ahead of my goal. I am happy.<br> My new writing totem is my cowboy hat. It adds focus when I'm writing, because I know I have my writing hat on.</p> <p>I am still writing with the screen turned off. I find this is really helpful in curbing my inner-editor, which is currently being looked after in a kennel by the kind people at NaNoWriMo. I am sure it is happy with all the other inner-editors that have been boarded there.</p> <p>I have found that the best time to write for me is the evening or night time/wee hours. Not so good for when I'm working during the week, but I think I can accommodate my late writing bursts at the weekends.</p> <p>Off to bed now. The cowboy hat is off. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/04/8663-day-3-word-goal-smashed-4979583/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/04/8663-day-3-word-goal-smashed-4979583/Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:18:19 +0100 <p>Oh So Powerful Dark Gods Of Writing,</p> <p>I offer up the contents of my writing desk, that I have just excavated.</p> <p>I have found: an old cereal bar (contains nuts), a half chewed pencil, the lid of a long-lost Biro pen (red), three CD-Rs (used), a pad of multi-coloured post-it notes (I'm sure you'll like those), and a small tribal civilization, (which I think evolved from some long-lost uneaten food).</p> <p>In return for these treasures, all I ask of you is the resolution to sit down and hit my daily/weekly word goals (even if they are a little excessive).</p> <p>My greatest thanks and prostrations in advance,<br> tekiegirl </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/03/my-offering-to-the-dark-gods-of-writing-4976599/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/03/my-offering-to-the-dark-gods-of-writing-4976599/Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:56:08 +0100 <p>I am so glad that I have made the effort to keep ahead of my word goal. Tomorrow I may not have time to write much, so knowing that I have already<strong> exceeded my word goal for tomorrow</strong> takes the pressure off a bit.</p> <p>I have found that turning the screen off and just typing is very helpful. It means that someone as nit-picky at me can't correct every spelling error as I go. That increases my speed somewhat.</p> <p>I've also been working out my average words per minute about every 15 minutes, and trying to beat my previous wpm each time. Excellent.</p> <p>My other incentive is that for every 100 words I write I give myself one sweet. The last half hour of writing brought the reward of 9 sweets. Yum!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/02/5429-more-than-three-days-words-done-in-just-two-days-4972644/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/02/5429-more-than-three-days-words-done-in-just-two-days-4972644/Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:46:25 +0100 <p>1743, and I needed to write 1667.<br> I plan to push it up to 5000 tomorrow. Let's see if that will happen <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/02/day-1-wordcount-exceeded-4968571/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/02/day-1-wordcount-exceeded-4968571/Sun, 02 Nov 2008 03:43:17 +0100 <p>As I was up I decided to make a start.<br> 1183 in the early hours of 1st Nov. I'll definitely meet my word count of 1667 today!</p> <p>More later. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/01/1183-done-49817-to-go-4964551/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/11/01/1183-done-49817-to-go-4964551/Sat, 01 Nov 2008 04:28:32 +0100 <p>It's getting scary now.</p> <p>As as first time NaNoWriMo I don't really know how I will cope with the high word count and fitting in writing around work, dancing and my cooking course. We'll just have to see.<br> I'm sure my typing speed will have improved by the end of November!</p> <p>I have a sketchy outline and an idea of what is going to happen in the prologue (yes, I have one of those). I know some things about my main character and some other charters, but those details are still sketchy as well. I'm just going to see how it turns out. I know roughly where I want the story to end up, but it might all change!</p> <p>I'll keep you updated. You can keep an eye on my word count on the widgets on the right --></p> <p>Jac </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/10/31/i-can-start-writing-in-less-than-12-hours-4961468/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/10/31/i-can-start-writing-in-less-than-12-hours-4961468/Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:47:45 +0100 <p>Time to start this blog, with <strong>only four days left</strong> until the start of NaNoWriMo 2008. That's National Novel Writing Month for all those who haven't a clue what I'm going on about.</p> <p>I hope to update this blog as often as possible throughout November but, with a 50,000 word goal for the measely 30 days Novemebr has to offer, I may not be able to update as often as I like.<br> I will try to update with my wordcount and add any insight I gain into writing 50k in 30 days; any tips and tricks I might discover or pick up from someone else.</p> <p>If you want to get involved then visit the official website: <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">http://www.nanowrimo.org/</a></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/10/28/only-4-days-to-go-4944574/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://NaNoWriMo.blog.co.uk/2008/10/28/only-4-days-to-go-4944574/Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:33:59 +0100