jonowrimo

Writing of a Different Kind

/ Tracy Abell / 12 Comments

I haven’t been good about updating my progress on my JoNoWriMo goals.  For the record, I am writing.

However, not all writing has been fiction.

Last week I joined other volunteers at Democrats Work in sending out postcards to new voters, urging them to get out and vote.  My hand cramped up and my shoulders got tight, and I quit at 33.  Today, though, I wrote 55 postcards! 

A couple weeks ago I felt guilty for not canvassing but now I’m happy I can be part of the effort without my blood pressure skyrocketing.  Plus, the competitive me enjoys the fact I can get through a list of 30 names faster than the other volunteers. 

It’s the little stuff that keeps me going.

           

JoNoWriMo+1.5: FINISHED!!!

/ Tracy Abell / 54 Comments

I’m pleased to announce the completion of draft #2 on a middle-grade novel (working title FRAMED).  The first draft was written and completed during last year’s JoNoWriMo+1.5.  That draft was pretty stinky.  This one has a bit of an odor to it, also, but nothing a little airing out won’t fix.  I mean, we’re not talking rotting cabbage or anything.  I hope.  We shall see in a couple months when I pull it out and read start to finish. 

Thank you, thank you to

[info]jbknowles

 for spearheading this community effort again.  And thanks to my LJ friends who cheered me on along the way.  It’s really so wonderful taking this journey with all of you.

I wish each of you happy writing as you forge ahead with your projects and deadlines.

                   

Mad Dash for THE END

/ Tracy Abell / 23 Comments

I’ve finished writing the draft of my MG for JoNoWriMo+1.5 and am currently plugging holes in the ms (I use BLANK in the text and then go back later to fill in the character’s last name, or the food item someone was eating, or whatever I hadn’t yet figured out at the time I was writing) before making my official announcement that I finished.

But I wanted to share what I discovered about those 3000 words I cranked out last week in one sitting.  Those words were in the last big scene of the book which I knew pretty well since I’d written lots of notes and could visualize it.   Today as I moved around the document plugging holes, I realized that the last big scene slipped from past tense into present.  It read like an announcer at a horse track calling out the  race.  You know, that neck-in-neck kind of stuff.

Anyway, it made me laugh.

                                    

Waste-Not Wednesday tip

/ Tracy Abell / 8 Comments
A MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE.

That’s what I wanted to post late this afternoon.  It was the only thing I could handle posting because although I had all sorts of ideas for today’s environmental tip, I couldn’t wrangle the words.  I just could not wrangle words into a coherent paragraph.  I felt like the world’s worst writer.

Then I forced myself to leave my family for the evening and head to the library with my laptop.

Guess what?  I wrote about 3k words and am now past my JoNoWriMo+1.5 goal of a 38k-words middle grade novel.  Don’t worry, I realize that exceeding my word count goal is about as meaningful as still having checks in my checkbook when there ain’t no money in the account.  But I’m a helluva lot closer.

I understand I’ve got to keep writing until The End.  I’m just grateful I didn’t waste this Wednesday.

                            

Beating its wings in my face

/ Tracy Abell / 8 Comments

I’m still working on my JoNoWriMo+1.5 project.  Despite being ahead of schedule, I’m experiencing almost daily bouts of Help, my book has fallen and it can’t get up!

Last night I felt the need to take a break from children’s literature so I started reading Edith Wharton’s THE GLIMPSES OF THE MOON.  The Nick Lansing character is writing his first novel, and Wharton begins her seventh chapter with this:

 Of some new ferment at work in him Nick Lansing himself was equally aware.  He was a better judge of the book he was trying to write than either Susy or Strefford; he knew its weaknesses, its treacheries, its tendency to slip through his fingers just as he thought his grasp tightest; but he knew also that at the very moment when it seemed to have failed him it would suddenly be back, beating its loud wings in his face.


Ain’t that the truth.

 

                     

/ Tracy Abell / 33 Comments

I’ve fallen WAY behind on updating my word count but am so pleased with my progress that I just had to share:

Zokutou word meterZokutou word meter
28,014 / 38,000
(73.7%)

I think I’ve definitely established a writing habit. I set a goal of 400 words per day but usually write a few more EVERY SINGLE DAY! (Well, I didn’t write one day this week but I did story mapping so I was working. Really. Truly).

How’s everyone else doing with their goals?

Days Fifteen – Nineteen: JoNoWriMo+1.5

/ Tracy Abell / 34 Comments

It’s been crazy around my household this past week. In spite of the various ups and downs, I kept to my word goal although I won’t vouch for the quality of anything written. This might possibly be the suckiest draft in the history of the world but I’m forging ahead. At this point I’m writing scenes out of order. I never do this. Maybe once or twice in other books I wrote one scene out of order but not the way I’m doing now which is to basically fend off that icky brain-creep paralysis by writing whatever it takes to get me to my word count. So while it might all be dreck, I’m at least establishing a habit by writing each and every day. That part does feel good.

But man oh man, this writing gig can really take it out of a person. Yesterday I realized it’s already October which means I’m nearing the end of yet another year in which I didn’t sell a book and then I think about January 1st and how I’ll soon be staring down that whole hopes and dreams and goals routine for the new year wherein I continue to flail about wondering if I’m incapable of producing anything anyone wants to read, and the whole situation makes me want to curl up in a ball and disappear.

May I just say “Shit on a stick!” and “Crap on a cracker!”? (And feel free to share any of your favorite expressions so I don’t feel too juvenile.)

Anyway, I’m posting my stats here so I can at least remember that I’m honoring my word count goal while I battle the demons in my head:

Day 15: 321 words
Day 16: 511 words
Day 17: 516 words
Day 18: 440 words
Day 19: 739 words

Zokutou word meterZokutou word meter
20,733 / 38,000
(54.6%)

Days Thirteen and Fourteen: JoNoWriMo+1.5

/ Tracy Abell / 3 Comments

Day Thirteen I eked out 360 words while at the Rockies baseball game. I wasn’t all that surprised to read them today and discover that all but maybe 34 of those words stink. But hey, I was trying to keep with the program.

Day Fourteen went much better and although I was practically in tears at one point, declaring that I hated my book, I kept writing and exceeded my goal. Who knows how many of those are keepers, though. At this point, I don’t care. I stopped at a good point so I’ll have momentum tomorrow and I can only hope that momentum doesn’t steer me right into a slag heap. Or the literary equivalent.

Zokutou word meterZokutou word meter
18,206 / 38,000
(47.9%)