Monday Madness: Are You a Winner?

Hello, fellow NaNo-ers!

How's the writing going? I know some of you are super motivated and have already surpassed the 50,000 word goal. Others (like me, ahem) are still flagging. I regret to say that I probably won't "win" NaNoWriMo this year. I've only got about 40,000 words and though I MIGHT be able to write 10,000 words in the next two days, I doubt it. I'm, frankly, exhausted. And my imagination is beginning to resembled a shriveled raisin. Sad? Yes it is. The story is also picking a fight with me, trying to take me a direction I don't want to go, so that's making writing more difficult. Because I feel like everything I've wrote lately is crap. (Yes, writing crap is better than not writing, but I'm just too frustrated to deal with it now.) I'm going to write some more today. I can't guarantee it will be 5,000 words or even 500, but I'll keep writing until Dec. 1. Then I'm going to take a well-deserved break.

Normally, the daunting idea that I might not reach a goal would have my stomach in knots. I'm a perfectionist and I'm ambitious. I like to succeed. I like to reach my goals. Normally, I would be frantically pounding away at the keyboard (even if it was to repeat curse words over and over) in the hope that I would make it. But, you know what? I'm not stressing. Mainly because I have too many other goals that I am achieving that letting one slip is okay by me.

In my mind, just knowing that I wrote 40,000 words in one month is amazing. I've never written so many words in such a short amount of time! So, that makes me a winner in my own mind.

But how are you faring? Did you "win" this year or are you going to make your own blue ribbon out of glue and glitter?

Please share!

Monday Madness: The Invisible Post

That's right. It's invisible. Too bad. It's chock full of useful information that would probably land you an agent faster than you can snap your fingers. And it has a handy dandy spell that turns poorly written novels to solid gold (get cash for gold now!).

And, yes, I'm totally lying.

The truth is, I'm so far behind on NaNoWriMo, I can't think of anything useful or clever to share with you. So here is my not-so-cleverness. If you'd like, feel free to rub my face in your own NaNoWriMo success. I have 7,000 words to write.

Toodles!

Sharing the Inspiration

I thought I would share some of the things that have inspired me on my NaNoWriMo journey with The Morgue Tree. Enjoy!


"Shadows" by RED

My character sketch of Morgan the MC

"Whispers in the Dark" by Skillet

The Dark Tree by x horizon (DeviantArt)

"Breath" by Breaking Benjamin


What are some of your inspirations?

Monday Madness: Tips for Tackling NaNoWriMo

So, fellow NaNo-ers, how's it coming? Are you staying on top of your goals? Flagging behind? Have you suddenly sprouted extra fingers and are simultaneously banging out two separate scenes in your novel? (If so, can I borrow a pair?)

I'll admit, I'm behind. Because, well, I'm not the best at sitting in front a computer on the weekends so, yeah...

BUT, I will catch up. All I have to do is write 5,000 words and I'll be good. Think I can't do it? Think again!

I have some secrets up my sleeve. Okay, not secrets, but some nifty tools that help me out. And, because I'm feeling generous today (and riding a sugar high brought on by a powdered donut), here are some of the things I use to keep me on track.

Write or Die. I'm usually pressed for time and always easily distracted, so Write or Die by Dr. Wicked is a great tool to keep me on track. I usually write about 1,000 words at a time (to keep it down to manageable chunks) but you can set it for as many as you want (I think up to 50,000).

Pandora. I like to use music to get me in the mood to write, and nothing is better for that than a personalized radio station. If I have a certain theme in mind for a story, then I can enter a similar music style and create a station. For The Morgue Tree, I'm going with a lot of Breaking Benjamin, Fireflight and Paramore. Yep, it's emo.

Revising. This might sound a little counterproductive, but it helps me narrow the focus of the story. While using Write or Die, the things I write can be either raw genius or pure garbage. I do a lot of pruning and polishing, and, by doing this, usually have a stronger hold on the story. I usually add words, too. And, since I'm a perfectionist, I can feel more comfortable about moving on with the story, knowing that it's not a lot of crap just taking up space.

How about you? Have any tips that keep you on track? And are you on track?

I've Never Done This Before

So, I've officially joined NaNoWriMo. (My username is Brandi_Fey, if you want to friend me!) I've never done NaNo before because, honestly, I'm more of a muse writer. When the muse hits me, I write. It could be 50 words. It could be 5,000. Just depends. So, this is a bit intimidating for me. I'm not one of those writers who usually has a word goal. (Which is probably why I've only finished two novels so far.)

But I've decided to use this NaNo to finish my YA fantasy "The Morgue Tree" (see sidebar for excerpt). I've only written 3,000 words and then stopped because I couldn't figure out where it was going. But in anticipation of NaNo, I've been brainstorming and coming up with some pretty intriguing ideas. If they work, however, is another thing.

What I'm going for in Morgue Tree is an Alice In Wonderland feel (but without the acid), because the Tree is part of Morgan's (the MC) subconscious. But it has another twist and another influence (a very evil one).

The world that I'm creating here is part of, and yet separate from, ours. The residents of Mirror Lake actually call the world we occupy the Other Side. I've been playing with this and exploring some fairy legends and I like where they're taking me. But I doubt I'll make Morgan and her friends actual fairies, but they will be Fae in a way, with weird powers and abilities. Not quite human. But not too special/powerful.

Lots of ideas brewing, which is a good thing. Also, did I mention that I'm doing this sort of like Shiver? From the viewpoints of two different people, in first person. I'm having fun with it at the moment (and it keeps me from being bored) but I'm not sure if it's going to work in the end. We'll see.

So what about you? What kind of ideas do you have brewing for NaNo?