Archive for October 2010 | Monthly archive page
In less than 24 hours, it’ll officially be Nov. 1 — and you know what that means: The kickoff of NaNoWriMo.
A frenzied month of writing. A full 50,000 words in 30 days.
Sounds daunting, right? Feeling a need for speed?
Hold on a minute. Put it into perspective: It’s just 1,667 words a day. When I think of it that way, it doesn’t sound so bad. 😉
I’m ready. I’ve been eager to start Kenny and Kristi’s story for weeks now. Finally, in less than 24 hours, I get to do it.
Bring on the coffee and sandwiches! And if anyone wants to send a Starbucks gift card my way, I wouldn’t complain …
I took a short break from editing Golden Heart entries today to let Bethany and Cody out to play.
Their conversation took a turn (for the better or worse?) to that age-old question that has plagued the males of our species since the debut of “Gilligan’s Island”: Ginger or Mary Ann?
Cody, being the kind of guy he is, says he’d rather have a wholesome girl like Mary Ann. Then he proceeds to tell Beth she’s the best of both — wholesome looking like Mary Ann but with Ginger’s sensual nature (though he thinks to himself he’d get a lot more rest if Beth were less Ginger-esque).
My question for you (should you choose to answer): Would your hero pick Ginger or Mary Ann?
I registered for the Golden Heart the other day … with two manuscripts.
Yes, I think I might be nuts — or at least I’ll be driving myself nuts soon as I to finish editing two GH entries before the NaNoWriMo starts on Nov. 1.
All that and I have my RWA chapter’s newsletter to produce. See me with my hands pressed to my cheeks, mouth open wide in a silent scream? 😉
It won’t be easy. But hey — no one ever said the stuff in life worth having is easy, right? Besides, I’ve already decided I work better when I have a deadline.
Time for me to get crackin’!
One of my heroines boasts to the hero, “I’m good at multitasking.” Of course, it turns out she’s not.
Neither am I. I think that’s the reason I haven’t gotten much accomplished lately.
Earlier in the year, I had focus: I wanted to finish “Beauty and the Ballplayer.” I had to send out queries on “Blind Date Bride.” I focused on expanding and rewriting Cassie & Dustin and Bree & Mike’s stories, bringing them to full category length.
Now, I’m in a sort of free-fall.
I have two Golden Heart entries I’m trying to revise, but I’m at a loss about exactly what needs improving. (I’ve gotten some great feedback from one of my NARWA sisters on Beauty and the Ballplayer, so that revision has been going like gangbusters for the last few days.)
I have about 30K written on Beth & Cody’s story, which puts them exactly where I hate to be: The sagging middle.
I’ve pulled out a couple of old (really old), unfinished stories and am falling in love with those characters — but not the work involved in bringing the MSs up to snuff.
And then there’s the NaNo. I’m champing at the bit to start in on Kenny & Kristi’s tale, but refuse to let myself start early. I’ll need that forward momentum to carry me through my subpar writing days in November.
With all the projects dancing around my cluttered mind, I can’t seem to settle on any one. Last week, I got just 1,500 new words written on Beth & Cody’s story.
It’s time to redirect my focus. First, finish the update on Meg & Matt. Then, a week for Kari & Damien. By the time that’s done, it’ll be NaNo time.