Saturday, November 8, 2008

week one

Well, I’ve been doing NaNoWriMo for exactly one week now. My word count hovers at just over 16,000 words.

I vacillate between loving my novel and hating it. One minute I think it’s great, and the next minute, I want to chuck it in the trash and start over with new, more interesting characters.

But I’m persevering.

And learning a bit about myself too.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

--I’m very competitive. I hate it when my “writing buddies” get too far ahead of me on the their word count, which compels me to write more. (Keep writing, Musing Mom! You’re a huge motivator for me.)

--I love chocolate. Having NaNoWriMo right after Halloween just seems cruel. Or wonderful. It all depends on how you look at it!

--I write more when I’m busy. On days when I only have an hour-and-a-half to write, I have no problem whipping out the word count. Give me three, and I’ll struggle. (Word Challenge is of the devil.)

--My husband is amazing. Seriously. His willingness to sacrifice his own time for me to do something I’ve always wanted to do makes me fall in love with him all over again.

That’s all for now. Back to Megan, my fifteen-year-old unreliable narrator who has gotten herself into quite a pickle. Oooh. Pickles sound good. Or maybe a twix bar. (Anyone want to join weight watchers with me in December?)

7 comments:

Mandy said...

Keep on trucking, Llama Momma! I think it's great that you can do this.

hellolittlepeepers said...

I will be doing psuedo weight watchers, I believe, in January.

I write much better under time constraints too...well not better, but words actually come out instead of just staring at the computer screen.

Anonymous said...

i'm with emily. pseudo weight watchers. as i stuff leftover halloween candy down my throat.
you go on the book! we're cheering for you!. I came over here just to reciprocate the blog comment pottymouthing...but i am laughing too hard to properly swear. i'll come back when i am in a pissier mood.
and for your darling helpful husband, its the bastard brother PC (piece o crap?) that is dying its slow painful death. if the soldering gun doesn't work, well....then i'll use a hammer.
it should help get some frustration out.
my word verifier is "palinga" i like that. i think i will repeat it as a chant when i am in labor. Palinnnnnnggggggaaaaaaa
it just sounds relaxing.
ok i am going now.

Marmot Mom said...

"I write more when I’m busy."
So, like what IS the deal what that? I mean, why is it so TRUE?!
My theory is that if I ever got to my Dream Writing Scenario, (for me it's spending an Autumn in a cabin next to a lake in Vermont, doing nothing but sipping tea and writing,) I would crank out absolutely NOTHING. But, if I got a second job, I would probably write a book series between the hours of 3 and 5 in the morning!!! Keep writing LM!

Llama Momma said...

Thanks for the encouragement, Mandy!

Peepers -- Pseudo weight watchers works for me. I hope.

T-Shizzle -- You crack me up. Seriously.

Marmot Mom -- I know. It defies logic, doesn't it? I also dream of a little cabin in the woods, or by a lake, and know that I would probably not get crap done if I moved there. So there you go. 4:30 in the morning is a fine time to write. Nice and quiet...

Lynn said...

Ooooh, an unreliable narrator who's gotten herself in quite a pickle -- do tell! I want to hear more :) Good luck on your book progress. Remember, a page a day is a book a year. Alternate mantra: a sentence a day is a book a decade. That works, too.

Tanya said...

This is a funny post. I'm so like that!! When I have a million things to do around the house and with the kids, that's when I feel most inspired to write. When my husband "gives" me a day, all I want to do is play. And snack on everything I shouldn't be eating! :) Hope your month goes well.