Guess what I did, today, book fanatics? I started a whole new Nano story and set that other one aside to let it percolate a bit -- actually removed it from the word counter and replaced it. The more I pondered, the more I didn't want to write Story #1 quickly and felt it wasn't the right story to hammer out in 30 days. So, now I have 20 days to hammer out Story #2. Wish me luck. It's completely different. I went from a contemporary story about what might happen if life imitated art, with a religious bent, to a futuristic story that starts with the heroine taking a jump off a tower. But, it's okay. She's got these really cool wings, you see . . .I know it's insane to start all over again, but I still want to write and I figured there was no point continuing to torment myself with the wrong story. If I don't crank out 50,000 words by the end of the month, it won't kill me. I did, however, whip out the little calculator accessory and did some division. Tick, tick, tick . . . 50,000 words divided by . . . uh, 20 days? I think it's 20. I came up with 2500 words per day. Of course, that means I'll have to either get cracking or type through Thanksgiving; but, trust me, everyone's used to seeing my back at holiday time. No biggie. So, I managed 2700 words before midnight in some other time zone (it's still 11:13 here) and I'm currently at 3010. Every muscle in my body is locked up, which means it's quitting time.
Here's my story art:
Because every now and then you have to stop typing or the fingers do weird jamming-up things, when you get old. I'm getting old, you know. Rising Flames is the working title. I made that little collage using a photo of the sun on top of a bit of light painting with autumn trees (which pretty much doesn't show up, except for some very faint lines in the background) and some handprints I found via Google images, source unknown (but the word "free" was in there, somewhere).Well, what do you think? Can Bookfool succeed? Was all your cheerleading for naught? Do you like the flame-orange handprints?
In other news:
I quickly read another book by Margaret Peterson Haddix, today, because I wanted to gobble up something short: Among the Hidden. It was good. I liked Found better, but I have a boxed set of four of this particular series (next up is Among the Imposters) and they're dystopian, so . . . you know. Nice brain break material.I am missing the blog-hopping thing
, so I hope I can zoom far enough ahead to do some visiting, tomorrow. If I don't, it's not for lack of desire to hang out with my book buddies.I hope you're all having a marvelous week, so far.
Bookfool, feeling the butt-spread from a 3,000-word afternoon
Can Bookfool succeed? Well, of course she can! Bookfool and Bonnie, both slogging it out at the rate of 2500 words per day. Yep, you started over, and I started late. So we can pace each other. And yes, I do love your flame-orange handprints. I have an idea for the cover of my book, but I don't have a program for playing around with images. Wish I did.
ReplyDeleteThe word I thought of was "brave", not "insane". Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteI like your story art! Very intriguing. The story sounds promising. Nothing like a heroine with cool wings! Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteGood for you! Shelving a story that doesn't feel right for the time span, revisiting your creative center, and finding another story to develop strikes me as admirable. You will continue getting writing experience while allowing the first story to percolate at its own pace. NaNo should be elastic enough to fit you and your goals, and this way it becomes more than just achieving a specific number of words.
ReplyDeleteOf course you can succeed! Just don't change stories again. LOL
ReplyDeleteI've thrown out a story and started over midway through nano, so I think you can do it. I have faith!
ReplyDeleteBonnie,
ReplyDeleteOh, good. I didn't realize you'd actually started late. I thought you were just holding back on loading your document to get it counted. Cool. We'll cheerlead each other. :)
I just used Picasa to make that little story image -- it's free photo software -- and you can fetch some free graphics off the net.
Nymeth,
Well, that's a very nice way to put it. :) Thanks!
Les,
Thanks. If I were reviewing the book, I'd say it was "not your thing", but I'm having fun with it. The wings are definitely cool. I'd love to get a pair, myself. I don't know about climbing up on that tower to jump off, though. ;)
Jenclair,
That's a great way to put it, "revisiting your creative center". :) I do hope I can get that other story to work, eventually. Honestly, as long as you keep writing, you learn from every attempt. So, I never consider even a ditched story a total loss. I'm glad I gave it up, though. It was a bit like pulling teeth. Today was the first time I actually felt like getting up to write. Wahoo!
Kathy,
Oh, that wouldn't work! LOL I definitely won't change, again. There's only so much time in a month. I like the time pressure, though. It forces me to use my brain and actually take the time to write. Thanks for the encouragement. :)
I, too, began with the wrong story, but, instead of starting all over, I've just been morphing the story I began with into the story I should have been writing. The new story has zombies. I hadn't planned for zombies, but they're making things a whole lot more fun for me. :) Now I just have to decide if the nice romantic couple from the "story as it was" will survive the grisly horrors of the "story as it has become."
ReplyDeleteSerena,
ReplyDeleteThis isn't the first time I've tossed out a story and begun all over, again, but I've never done so beyond Day 5. So, there's a tiny bit more time pressure -- not a whole lot. Thanks for the faith! :)
Library Girl,
My sister-in-law suggested that I do something like that, but my stories were far too different. For a short time, I tacked a sci-fi onto a contemporary religious book to ease my way into the idea, but then I separated them at about 2,000 words.
Zombies!!! Coolness. I'm having a great deal of fun with mine. There's a Level 1 Alert on the valley side of my settlement. They didn't even know anyone else was alive. It's rather chaotic, at the moment. I'm having fun, too. :)
I hope your couple survives. I like a little romance thrown into just about everything, myself.
There's no rule that says you can't switch direction halfway through. You might not keep the first story in the next draft but the words you wrote for it still count in NaNoWriMo.
ReplyDeleteLove the orange flamer fingers, and absolutely know BookFool can do it!
ReplyDelete[insert enthusiastic mob chant here] Go Bookfool! Go Bookfool! Go Bookfool!
Caitlin,
ReplyDeleteI'm fine with starting over from zero. Having to scramble just gives me an extra push. But, if I was dying to have a little Nano winner badge to put on my blog, I wouldn't be past considering combining the two. I've won twice, so I don't feel like I'll curl up and die if I don't make it. :)
Daniella,
Thank you and thank you!! I loved that chant! LOL
Good for you oh insane woman :D Though I like the way Nymeth put it slightly better...Brave is much better ;) I LOVE LOVE LOVE the sound of your new story, though of course I loved your old story too. I just love everything you write Nancy! I could sit here and just read your blog posts all day! Someone should just publish your blog in book format :p
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm in love with your cover art! I think it's fantastic. Your creativity always astonishes me. I couldn't do anything like that :/
I absolutely loved Among the Hidden, by the way. Still haven't read Among the Imposters, but I have it waiting for me here. I have the sequel to Found waiting for me too! I agree with you...I think Found was better. Sent sounds really good too though. Hope you're getting some good writing done :)
Chris,
ReplyDeleteBrave does sound a bit nicer than insane; I'll give you that. :)
I'm having so much more fun with this story than the last one, so I'm really, really glad I set the other one aside.
Thanks. You are too sweet. I don't quite know what to say to that comment that someone ought to publish my blog in book format. LOL Umm. Uhh. Speechless. Wow, how often does that happen?
Oh, piffle. You could make a little cover art thingy. It's easy. I'll show you the next time you're in Vicksburg. When is that going to happen?
I really enjoyed Found, but Among the Hidden was good because it really makes you think. What would it be like to be a person who was totally unable to be seen by anyone, to go out in public, to even go outside? Would it be worth living? I loved the character Jen because she was so spunky about the whole thing. I'm envious that you have Sent. I like Found enough that I want to keep it and I hate mixing hardbacks and paperbacks (although I've done so, quite a bit) so I have to wait. It's a good thing I'm patient. :)
It's doable. My first and for now last NaNo I spent lounging around until the 15th and then had to get the 50 K in the last half of the month. I never did anything in college [lousy teaching techniques] so I was pretty much able to.
ReplyDeleteuhh OHH! change in story, 20 days ... 2500 words everyday.. already 3000+.. ummm.. YOU CAN DO IT!
ReplyDeletednt change the story LOL!! I like my heroine with WINGS ;)
Wow, you're brave! I don't know that I'd dare switch books this far into the month. And I'm sure you're going to make it to 50,000. I'm a firm believer in the theory that enthusiasm can compensate for a lack of minor things like any idea of what happens next.
ReplyDeleteHarry,
ReplyDeleteReally? You started on the 15th? Well, that's inspiring!! If I've done my division right, I think I'm fine. It's just a matter of having enough story to my story. It's kind of evolving on its own. So far, I'm happy. We'll see. Thanks for the inspiration!
Veens,
Thanks!! I'm happy with what I've done, so far, and feeling pretty good about it. I always appreciate you cheering me on!!
The wings are removeable. Does that ruin it? She's basically been hang-gliding, but in my future they have suits with foldable wings. My mental image of the whole thing is pretty cool. Hopefully, it won't make anyone gag. :)
CoversGirl,
I've restarted as late as 5 days and managed to finish, so I'm not too freaked out. But, it's a little late in the game. Enthusiasm makes a huge difference. I was not thrilled with my other story (and it needed slower crafting, in my opinion) so it's nice to be excited about writing, again. It does go faster, even if you're not quite sure what you're doing, when you're having a good time writing.
I miss the blog hopping, too. I'm deplorable at it lately, and I never want to offend any of my book blogging buddies! I hope everything's okay with you and your son(s). Mine has rather simmered down, thank goodness! Still, report cards come in December.
ReplyDeleteBellezza,
ReplyDeleteI doubt you're offending anyone. It's hard keeping up with everyday life, much less reading a whole bunch of blogs and commenting on them. If you're like me, I'm sure you have to work at not kicking yourself when you don't visit people, though. I think we've always had that trouble in common. My son is doing okay, thanks. He's got a fairly light course load, this year, since he really only has one required class left, so his grades are pretty good (although I can't say he's a dedicated student). He's quite anxious to get high school over with and move on to college. Can't say I blame him. Thanks for asking. I'm glad things are improving with your son. :)
You will manage. I have a sense you will and you apparently have passed through past years.
ReplyDeleteIt's not so inspirational trust me. :) I am doing far better with this new one I am doing. At a steady pace I am almost near the 20 000 mark.
Harry,
ReplyDeleteYep, having done this before, I'm really not too worried. Today, I haven't been able to sit still -- I had to take the cat to the vet and the kiddo to the doctor; the rest of the time, I just can't focus. But, I'm not sitting around worrying about it. I'll catch up tomorrow. Like I said, if I don't hit 50,000 words by the end of the month, it won't kill me. I'm just having fun. :)
Yay! You're doing great! Are we buddies at Nano?
I am having fun too. I hope to reach the end of my first draft around December. No, we are not buddies, since I am doing the 30K Indie WriMo run, but how about next year, when I plan on writing my YA idea that is forming rather nicely.
ReplyDeleteHarry,
ReplyDeleteI'm such an airhead that I'd already forgotten yu're doing the IndieWriMo thing, instead. Yes, that would be great. We must be buddies, next time around. I love Nano, so I'll definitely be there. :)
I mean't "you're", of course. I hate typos.
ReplyDelete