I'm proud of myself for sticking to my goal of posting every day. I've worked through a lot of the things that have been on my mind this month, and it's felt good to get my thoughts written down. It's helped. I'm still a long way from "feeling better," but it has helped me come to accept what has happened. Most importantly, I've been able to share Lauren and her story with so many people, and that's wonderful. It's the best thing that I could do - for myself and for her.
November is almost here, and soon, I'll be working on that 50,000 word goal. To make things a little easier for myself, I'm going to cut back on my blog posting. I'm aiming for 2-3 posts a week. I don't know if what I write for Nanowrimo will ever end up on this blog. For one thing, I'm taking a creative non-fiction approach and thus it will be more story-like than loosely-organized-journal-entry-like. I won't be editing it until after November (and considering how busy I'll be in December, I probably won't get around to editing before the new year), and I certainly don't want to publicly display any of it until I've edited it. So, the blog is going to have to take a backseat to the 1667 words I need to get out each day in November. I don't know when (or if) I'll start posting daily again. As I said, I'll be busy in December, and there might be some periods of time when internet access isn't even a concern for me. But I'll still be writing about Lauren, and I'll still be trying to post some of it.
Also, a brief hiatus will be starting as of the end of this post. Today, we're flying back to Florida, and I'm going to take a few days to recover from jetlag and see some of my family for the first time in almost two years. Also, I'm going to be meeting my in-laws, which I'm very excited about. I want to spend a couple days just grounding myself within my very loving family and sharing Lauren personally with them. I intend to be posting regularly again by next Friday. I don't want to leave this blog in the dark for too long.
So, have a good weekend, all! I'll be back again in no time.
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
just a quote (II)
Today was a long day. It was mostly a good day, but it was a long one.
We went up to Gotemba to the Premium Outlet mall to see if we could find a new suitcase and met with mild success. Not sure if it'll work for our needs, but it might. It wasn't the easiest of tasks because of the "family-friendly" atmosphere, but we managed to get through the day. And then we rewarded ourselves with a delicious French dinner at a hotel in the area. A good start to our last week in Japan. It's hard to believe that we'll be flying away on Sunday.
Because it's been such a busy day, I haven't had time to work on a blog post. Also, a lot of my extra time lately has gone to preparing for Nanowrimo - plotting and gathering notes and such. Even writing a memoir takes preparation, and I have a lot of ideas to get down, so organization is important. My posting schedule will probably change some for November. For now, I'll leave you with another quote, this one by C. S. Lewis, who has long been a favorite author of mine, not just for the Chronicles of Narnia (some of which are still some of my favorite stories) but also for his other works. Here is a quote about love and loss and the importance of leaving ourselves open to love - and therefore open also to the possibility of losing what we love. Enjoy.
"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell."
- C. S. Lewis, "The Four Loves"
We went up to Gotemba to the Premium Outlet mall to see if we could find a new suitcase and met with mild success. Not sure if it'll work for our needs, but it might. It wasn't the easiest of tasks because of the "family-friendly" atmosphere, but we managed to get through the day. And then we rewarded ourselves with a delicious French dinner at a hotel in the area. A good start to our last week in Japan. It's hard to believe that we'll be flying away on Sunday.
Because it's been such a busy day, I haven't had time to work on a blog post. Also, a lot of my extra time lately has gone to preparing for Nanowrimo - plotting and gathering notes and such. Even writing a memoir takes preparation, and I have a lot of ideas to get down, so organization is important. My posting schedule will probably change some for November. For now, I'll leave you with another quote, this one by C. S. Lewis, who has long been a favorite author of mine, not just for the Chronicles of Narnia (some of which are still some of my favorite stories) but also for his other works. Here is a quote about love and loss and the importance of leaving ourselves open to love - and therefore open also to the possibility of losing what we love. Enjoy.
"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell."
- C. S. Lewis, "The Four Loves"
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
just a quote (I)
We're going off to Tokyo today, so I haven't much time to dedicate to a long post, though I have plenty circulating in my brain. But to make sure that I stick to my goal of posting every day, I present to you one of my favorite quotes. It's from a short story by Ray Bradbury, from probably my favorite short story by him. I've liked Bradbury's novels, but for me, his short stories are often like little masterpieces. So, here you go.
"I'll make a voice that is like an empty bed beside you all night long and like an empty house when you open the door, and like trees in autumn with no leaves. A sound like the birds flying south, crying, and a sound like November wind and the sea on the hard, cold shore. I'll make a sound that's so alone that no one can miss it, that whoever hears it will weep in their souls, and hearths will seem warmer, and being inside will seem better to all who hear it in the distant towns. I'll make me a sound and an apparatus and they'll call it a Fog Horn and whoever hears it will know the sadness of eternity and the briefness of life."
≫ Ray Bradbury, "The Fog Horn"
"I'll make a voice that is like an empty bed beside you all night long and like an empty house when you open the door, and like trees in autumn with no leaves. A sound like the birds flying south, crying, and a sound like November wind and the sea on the hard, cold shore. I'll make a sound that's so alone that no one can miss it, that whoever hears it will weep in their souls, and hearths will seem warmer, and being inside will seem better to all who hear it in the distant towns. I'll make me a sound and an apparatus and they'll call it a Fog Horn and whoever hears it will know the sadness of eternity and the briefness of life."
≫ Ray Bradbury, "The Fog Horn"
Monday, October 17, 2011
nine years of Nanowrimo
I remember well the first year I participated in National Novel Writing Month. I even remember the fellow English major who introduced me to it. I signed up on October 24th, 2003; that gave me one week to prepare for the start of Nanowrimo. The goal for that November (and every November following) was to write 50,000 words on one story. Theoretically, all you have to do is write 1667 words per day. It sounds easy enough when you think about it, but putting it into practice is where the challenge comes in.
That first Nano, I wrote about 15,000 words. Nowhere near the goal amount, but it was an accomplishment for me. I'd never written that many words on one original story (I'd written that many for a Star Wars fanfic, but I didn't count that then, and if you ask me about it now, I'll deny its entire existence). It was a terrible story but I've always liked the idea of it - a sci-fi piece about a matriarchal/matrilineal society that was slowly falling apart. The next year, I worked on an urban fantasy and made it to 26,000 words. Since then I've written a historical novel, a couple straight-up fantasy stories, a light comedic fantasy, and a historical steampunk mystery. And there are two years that I really don't remember what I wrote at all. Success did not come quickly; it was 2007 when I finally reached that 50,000 word goal before the end of November. I had a three-year winning streak that ended last year because I ended up hating everything about the story I was writing. It happens.
This year, I am a Nano Rebel. The whole point of Nanowrimo is to write a novel - it's right there in the name. This year, though, I'm taking the creative nonfiction route and writing a memoir of my experience of carrying, losing, and mourning Lauren. It would be impossible for me to write about anything else right now. Lauren is my focus; she eventually nudges out all other thoughts in my head, just as she did all during the pregnancy. Since February, nothing else has been foremost on my mind. I can't simply forget her or let her pass away into nothingness. Neither can I sit and dwell on what we've lost, reliving memories and going over "should haves" and mourning "should bes." I must be productive, and since I have always been better with written words, I shall write.
I meant to be writing all this year. It was a simple task that I gave to myself, and I failed miserably at it. On one hand, I wish I devoted more time and attention to the pregnancy, appreciated it for all the special moments it gave me. On the other, I'm glad I didn't, because perhaps the pain would be even greater for having appreciated every moment. And had I written everything down, one manner of catharsis might have been lost to me. So, now I'll write down everything that should have been written down before, and it will be all the more cherished for what it is now: a memorial to Lauren, her story and our story entertwined, just as she herself enveloped us and took over every aspect of our lives.
And perhaps, as I write, others will be comforted, whether they knew Lauren or not. I know I shall find some comfort, just as I know that the experience will be a painful one. I've already shed tears while writing on this blog; I can only imagine the flood that will come as I write Lauren's birth story and the memories of my pregnancy. But it's something I must do.
So, this year, Nanowrimo is more than just a writing exercise, more than just a kick-start to get me going. In years past, I participated in Nanowrimo because I wanted to - this year, I must. It's not just myself I'm writing for, it's for Lauren and Geordie and family and friends who wanted to share in the story of our lives. I cannot share my daughter in a physical sense, but I can do it in spirit.
This year, Nanowrimo is for Lauren.
That first Nano, I wrote about 15,000 words. Nowhere near the goal amount, but it was an accomplishment for me. I'd never written that many words on one original story (I'd written that many for a Star Wars fanfic, but I didn't count that then, and if you ask me about it now, I'll deny its entire existence). It was a terrible story but I've always liked the idea of it - a sci-fi piece about a matriarchal/matrilineal society that was slowly falling apart. The next year, I worked on an urban fantasy and made it to 26,000 words. Since then I've written a historical novel, a couple straight-up fantasy stories, a light comedic fantasy, and a historical steampunk mystery. And there are two years that I really don't remember what I wrote at all. Success did not come quickly; it was 2007 when I finally reached that 50,000 word goal before the end of November. I had a three-year winning streak that ended last year because I ended up hating everything about the story I was writing. It happens.
This year, I am a Nano Rebel. The whole point of Nanowrimo is to write a novel - it's right there in the name. This year, though, I'm taking the creative nonfiction route and writing a memoir of my experience of carrying, losing, and mourning Lauren. It would be impossible for me to write about anything else right now. Lauren is my focus; she eventually nudges out all other thoughts in my head, just as she did all during the pregnancy. Since February, nothing else has been foremost on my mind. I can't simply forget her or let her pass away into nothingness. Neither can I sit and dwell on what we've lost, reliving memories and going over "should haves" and mourning "should bes." I must be productive, and since I have always been better with written words, I shall write.
I meant to be writing all this year. It was a simple task that I gave to myself, and I failed miserably at it. On one hand, I wish I devoted more time and attention to the pregnancy, appreciated it for all the special moments it gave me. On the other, I'm glad I didn't, because perhaps the pain would be even greater for having appreciated every moment. And had I written everything down, one manner of catharsis might have been lost to me. So, now I'll write down everything that should have been written down before, and it will be all the more cherished for what it is now: a memorial to Lauren, her story and our story entertwined, just as she herself enveloped us and took over every aspect of our lives.
And perhaps, as I write, others will be comforted, whether they knew Lauren or not. I know I shall find some comfort, just as I know that the experience will be a painful one. I've already shed tears while writing on this blog; I can only imagine the flood that will come as I write Lauren's birth story and the memories of my pregnancy. But it's something I must do.
So, this year, Nanowrimo is more than just a writing exercise, more than just a kick-start to get me going. In years past, I participated in Nanowrimo because I wanted to - this year, I must. It's not just myself I'm writing for, it's for Lauren and Geordie and family and friends who wanted to share in the story of our lives. I cannot share my daughter in a physical sense, but I can do it in spirit.
This year, Nanowrimo is for Lauren.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
blog changes
Every three years or so, I change blogs. I've used Livejournal, MySpace, and now Blogger. I might be changing again soon.
All I've done so far is give this blog a facelift. I'll probably keep tweaking it over the next couple of days/weeks before deciding how I like it or if I'm going to move it or if I'll just start fresh elsewhere. No worries, because I'll keep this space updated with whateve decisions I end up making. Everything should be settled by the beginning of November, because I want to be ready to go for National Novel Writing Month. This blog (or whatever blog) will play a big part of my writing experience next month, so I want it to be all shiny and ready for that 50,000 word goal.
All I've done so far is give this blog a facelift. I'll probably keep tweaking it over the next couple of days/weeks before deciding how I like it or if I'm going to move it or if I'll just start fresh elsewhere. No worries, because I'll keep this space updated with whateve decisions I end up making. Everything should be settled by the beginning of November, because I want to be ready to go for National Novel Writing Month. This blog (or whatever blog) will play a big part of my writing experience next month, so I want it to be all shiny and ready for that 50,000 word goal.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
"on the road again"
Leaving for my vacation tomorrow! Will spend two nights at a hostel near Mt. Hakone, followed by one night at a very nice and expensive hotel near Mt. Fuji. Then, on Sunday, I'm heading into Tokyo for the St. Patrick's Day Parade. So totally looking forward to this. Should have plenty of pictures when I get back.
Also, I will be moving. It hasn't been made fully official yet, but I am being transferred to the school in Moriya, in Ibaraki prefecture. I'm told that it's one of GEOS newer schools and that it's one of the company's fastest growing schools. My boss informed me that they need a teacher who is "strong and independent." This sounds like praise and recognition, doesn't it? I think it means that this may be a challenging position. And that may just mean that I'm a terrible cynic. Either way, challenges are okay with me. The majority of my students will be adults, and that's all I ask for.
Though I will be working in Moriya, I will be living in Matsudo, which is in Chiba prefecture and very close to Tokyo. One of my students also informed me that it's close to Disneyland, which she should know well enough because she is a frequent visitor to said theme park. That's fantastic (and that's sarcastic), but it's not like I'll be living IN Disneyland, so there. I will have to commute to work by train, so there's that to consider.
This news has been disappointing to my students, though. Even some of them who are cancelling were a little upset - as Naofumi-san pointed out, I could still hang out with my old students if I stayed in Gunma-ken. Rio-chan's mother even said I should come and visit them, and in all seriousness offered to have me as a guest. (Have I mentioned that I love my students? I love my students. They are awesome incarnate.) I'm not sure how many of my classes will transfer to Ito Yokado now, because some of them are already asking about transfering to other GEOS schools.
Which raises other concerns for me. I had an interview today, and despite the move and the changing of teachers, the prospective student decided to sign a contract. This gives my adult interviews a 100% success rate. I do not understand this. It always strikes me as odd when people seem to like me. I've never thought of myself as particularly personable. My greatest concern, however, is how these newer students (there are 3 of them whose contracts start this month) will fare at Ito Yokado. Renewals have not been encouraged, a sub teacher will be put in charge of the adult classes, and Hitomi-san has been told not to open any new classes. I find all this a little distressing, but there's nothing I can do about it, which just irritates me.
Finally, I would like to take this time to affirm my distaste for adverbs. The Sprint 8X lesson this week was all about adverbs, and it was painful. Even Naofumi-san thought it was a little disconcerting. The conversation caused me great emotional trauma from the overuse of its adverbs. I also took offense to the book's suggestion that writers use adverbs to help "describe their characters and their motivations." As a writer myself, I believe that using adverbs is akin to cheating and should not be encouraged. Adverbs should be used only when necessary and not whenever the writer doesn't know how to express herself in detail.
Take, for example, the adverb "clumsily." You can write, "The ballerina danced clumsily." Okay, fine. That'll get the job done. But, suppose you write, "The ballerina tripped over her feet and staggered forward, bumping into male lead and knocking them both off balance." No, it's not perfect, but you get more detail and a better visual idea of what's happening. Creative writing is about forging a mental image of a scene, and that requires details. Adverbs only offer outlines, vague shadows of what is happening.
Yes, I've edited a few things over the years. I've written some crap over the years too. I also read fan-fiction for a while before I decided to give it up for the sake of my sanity. If not used with great care, adverbs can ruin your prose.
In closing, Tom Swifties should be outlawed. That is all.
for more information on the abomination that is a Tom Swifty: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swifties
(adverbs and puns combined! the horror . . .)
Also, I will be moving. It hasn't been made fully official yet, but I am being transferred to the school in Moriya, in Ibaraki prefecture. I'm told that it's one of GEOS newer schools and that it's one of the company's fastest growing schools. My boss informed me that they need a teacher who is "strong and independent." This sounds like praise and recognition, doesn't it? I think it means that this may be a challenging position. And that may just mean that I'm a terrible cynic. Either way, challenges are okay with me. The majority of my students will be adults, and that's all I ask for.
Though I will be working in Moriya, I will be living in Matsudo, which is in Chiba prefecture and very close to Tokyo. One of my students also informed me that it's close to Disneyland, which she should know well enough because she is a frequent visitor to said theme park. That's fantastic (and that's sarcastic), but it's not like I'll be living IN Disneyland, so there. I will have to commute to work by train, so there's that to consider.
This news has been disappointing to my students, though. Even some of them who are cancelling were a little upset - as Naofumi-san pointed out, I could still hang out with my old students if I stayed in Gunma-ken. Rio-chan's mother even said I should come and visit them, and in all seriousness offered to have me as a guest. (Have I mentioned that I love my students? I love my students. They are awesome incarnate.) I'm not sure how many of my classes will transfer to Ito Yokado now, because some of them are already asking about transfering to other GEOS schools.
Which raises other concerns for me. I had an interview today, and despite the move and the changing of teachers, the prospective student decided to sign a contract. This gives my adult interviews a 100% success rate. I do not understand this. It always strikes me as odd when people seem to like me. I've never thought of myself as particularly personable. My greatest concern, however, is how these newer students (there are 3 of them whose contracts start this month) will fare at Ito Yokado. Renewals have not been encouraged, a sub teacher will be put in charge of the adult classes, and Hitomi-san has been told not to open any new classes. I find all this a little distressing, but there's nothing I can do about it, which just irritates me.
Finally, I would like to take this time to affirm my distaste for adverbs. The Sprint 8X lesson this week was all about adverbs, and it was painful. Even Naofumi-san thought it was a little disconcerting. The conversation caused me great emotional trauma from the overuse of its adverbs. I also took offense to the book's suggestion that writers use adverbs to help "describe their characters and their motivations." As a writer myself, I believe that using adverbs is akin to cheating and should not be encouraged. Adverbs should be used only when necessary and not whenever the writer doesn't know how to express herself in detail.
Take, for example, the adverb "clumsily." You can write, "The ballerina danced clumsily." Okay, fine. That'll get the job done. But, suppose you write, "The ballerina tripped over her feet and staggered forward, bumping into male lead and knocking them both off balance." No, it's not perfect, but you get more detail and a better visual idea of what's happening. Creative writing is about forging a mental image of a scene, and that requires details. Adverbs only offer outlines, vague shadows of what is happening.
Yes, I've edited a few things over the years. I've written some crap over the years too. I also read fan-fiction for a while before I decided to give it up for the sake of my sanity. If not used with great care, adverbs can ruin your prose.
In closing, Tom Swifties should be outlawed. That is all.
for more information on the abomination that is a Tom Swifty: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swifties
(adverbs and puns combined! the horror . . .)
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Nanowrimo: 50,000 words FTW!
Drum roll, please . . .
Unsurprisingly, the novel is not finished. But, that's okay, because I have most of the major scenes already written or outlined (except for the jailbreak scene, but I don't count that because it came into being quite suddenly last week when one of my characters decided to get herself arrested, and that was NOT part of my original plan). Most of what's left is filling in the gaps and finishing/polishing off important scenes.
I'm very happy with the story so far. I'd intended it to be all about how Dark Man forced the girls to compete to be his bride, but that turned out to be only the first half of the story. The second half (and the major plot, as it turns out, because by the end of the third chapter, Del and Sha'as are talking about this) is about how the girls escape from Dark Man and their attempts to get as far away from him as possible. Characters got shuffled a little bit (the salamanders have a small but still pivotal role), and a few popped up when I hadn't even known they were there (hello, Wollton Symphony Orchestra!). It's been hard work, but it's been a lot of fun to write and discover where the story is trying to go. And pretty much everybody ends up happy.
Even though the story's not finished, I'm proud of myself. It's not easy for me to stick with a story idea long enough to get 50000 on it, much less to have a plan for how I'm going to finish it. Even last years Nano novel fell to the wayside after November - but that was actually due to real-life issues than anything else.
My next goal is to get the rest of the novel outlined by the end of December, if not entirely finished. I've got a busy month coming up, what with at least two parties to attend and a trip to Kamakura planned, but if I keep up with my writing in the evenings, it's entirely possible that I can get at least another 25,000 words written by the end of the year.
And then comes New Year's and a whole week of vacation for which I have nothing planned. I see much editing in my future.
Yes, for the second year in a row, I managed to beat my computer keyboard to death until I got a total of 50077 words onto the screen. Astonishingly enough, most of it makes sense.
Unsurprisingly, the novel is not finished. But, that's okay, because I have most of the major scenes already written or outlined (except for the jailbreak scene, but I don't count that because it came into being quite suddenly last week when one of my characters decided to get herself arrested, and that was NOT part of my original plan). Most of what's left is filling in the gaps and finishing/polishing off important scenes.
I'm very happy with the story so far. I'd intended it to be all about how Dark Man forced the girls to compete to be his bride, but that turned out to be only the first half of the story. The second half (and the major plot, as it turns out, because by the end of the third chapter, Del and Sha'as are talking about this) is about how the girls escape from Dark Man and their attempts to get as far away from him as possible. Characters got shuffled a little bit (the salamanders have a small but still pivotal role), and a few popped up when I hadn't even known they were there (hello, Wollton Symphony Orchestra!). It's been hard work, but it's been a lot of fun to write and discover where the story is trying to go. And pretty much everybody ends up happy.
Even though the story's not finished, I'm proud of myself. It's not easy for me to stick with a story idea long enough to get 50000 on it, much less to have a plan for how I'm going to finish it. Even last years Nano novel fell to the wayside after November - but that was actually due to real-life issues than anything else.
My next goal is to get the rest of the novel outlined by the end of December, if not entirely finished. I've got a busy month coming up, what with at least two parties to attend and a trip to Kamakura planned, but if I keep up with my writing in the evenings, it's entirely possible that I can get at least another 25,000 words written by the end of the year.
And then comes New Year's and a whole week of vacation for which I have nothing planned. I see much editing in my future.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Nanowrimo: 25,000 words
November is halfway over, which means that I should have 25.000 words written so far for National Novel Writing Month. As of right now, I have 25,006 words. And I'm not even done writing for the evening.
Woot!
Unless some unforeseen horrible thing happens to me before the end of the month, I am so totally hitting that 50,000 word target by the 30th. Of the seven years that I have been participating in Nanowrimo, this will be the second time that I've reached the goal.
I was actually a little worried about this year, considering I'm in Japan and doing the whole teaching thing and therefore being completely out of my element. Now that I'm deep into Nanowrimo, I'm thinking that moving to Japan and getting this job is the best thing that could have happened to my writing at this time. For the first time in years, I have a regular writing schedule that I'm sticking to, and I'm easily churning out 1600-2000 words a day, most of it type-written.
This success has mostly to do with my schedule. I've always felt like my most productive hours are the late-night hours. Midnight is truly the magic hour for my creativity. But for the past couple of years, I've been getting up at 6 or 7am, so I was going to bed around midnight and thus not writing at my most productive hours.
Now, however, my hours fit my desired sleep cycle much better. I get up at 9am and usually leave the apartment around 10, either to go to the grocery story to get food for lunch and dinner (both of which I often eat at the school - I mostly do my cooking on the weekends) or to just wonder around for a little bit and get some fresh air and exercise. This gets me to work really early (by 11 most days), but it does give me a little time to check my email before Hitomi-san gets in. Once I get internet up at my apartment, I probably won't leave as early and just check my email at home instead. I usually get back to my apartment between 9-10:30pm, and I generally mess around until 11pm, at which point I sit down to my computer and write until 2am, aka bedtime. That's three hours of writing (with breaks to brush my teeth and do some ab work), but most of it is writing. So, productivity is not a problem right now, and it feels pretty awesome to be able to devote such a large chunk of time to something I've always been passionate about but never seemed to have enough time for.
No guarantees that what I'm writing is worth reading though. Editing will have to come later. For now, I'm just happy to get it out of my head and into the computer.
Woot!
Unless some unforeseen horrible thing happens to me before the end of the month, I am so totally hitting that 50,000 word target by the 30th. Of the seven years that I have been participating in Nanowrimo, this will be the second time that I've reached the goal.
I was actually a little worried about this year, considering I'm in Japan and doing the whole teaching thing and therefore being completely out of my element. Now that I'm deep into Nanowrimo, I'm thinking that moving to Japan and getting this job is the best thing that could have happened to my writing at this time. For the first time in years, I have a regular writing schedule that I'm sticking to, and I'm easily churning out 1600-2000 words a day, most of it type-written.
This success has mostly to do with my schedule. I've always felt like my most productive hours are the late-night hours. Midnight is truly the magic hour for my creativity. But for the past couple of years, I've been getting up at 6 or 7am, so I was going to bed around midnight and thus not writing at my most productive hours.
Now, however, my hours fit my desired sleep cycle much better. I get up at 9am and usually leave the apartment around 10, either to go to the grocery story to get food for lunch and dinner (both of which I often eat at the school - I mostly do my cooking on the weekends) or to just wonder around for a little bit and get some fresh air and exercise. This gets me to work really early (by 11 most days), but it does give me a little time to check my email before Hitomi-san gets in. Once I get internet up at my apartment, I probably won't leave as early and just check my email at home instead. I usually get back to my apartment between 9-10:30pm, and I generally mess around until 11pm, at which point I sit down to my computer and write until 2am, aka bedtime. That's three hours of writing (with breaks to brush my teeth and do some ab work), but most of it is writing. So, productivity is not a problem right now, and it feels pretty awesome to be able to devote such a large chunk of time to something I've always been passionate about but never seemed to have enough time for.
No guarantees that what I'm writing is worth reading though. Editing will have to come later. For now, I'm just happy to get it out of my head and into the computer.
Friday, October 31, 2008
more insanity
In a few hours, it will be November, and thus will begin NaNoWriMo.
What is NaNoWriMo? It's National Novel Writing Month, where thousands of writers (some actually published! but most not) attempt to write 50,000 words in one month. Why, do you ask? Well, because writing takes focused effort and concentrated practice, and the only way to become a better writer is to write! Setting a specific goal during a specific time is an excellent method for staying on task and reaching the goal.
Also, we're all probably a little insane (but we're also writers, so that goes without saying).
If you've been reading my blogs for a while, you know that I like to write. I like to write so much that I minored in Creative Writing in college, and I'd still like to get my Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in the future. In short, I love to write.
I have been participating in NaNoWriMo since 2003, and last year was the first year that I met the 50,000 word goal. It was not easy, but it was one of the most fulfilling things I've done in my life. The novel (still uncompleted) was set in Jacksonville during WWII, and I still work on it every once in a while. For NaNoWriMo, however, one must start fresh, with a mere idea and 0 words.
This year, I am stepping away from historical fiction and moving back into the fantasy realm. I got the idea from a Jonathon Coulton song called "Skullcrusher Mountain." The plot: a powerful sorcerer decides that he wishes to marry, so he kidnaps several girls and brings them to his castle and forces them to compete for the right to marry him. Except, none of them want to marry him. It's a fantasy version of a reality show! Maybe it's a little loopy, but I'm enjoying it. My cast of characters includes the wife-hunting sorcerer, his house steward (who is equally powerful but only uses his magic to clean house), a mute female main character who is the heroine of the story, a cannibal, a vice-laden holy man, and two gigantic salamanders who breathe fire (except one of them doesn't because he thinks it's bad for his health).
Anyway, the next month should be an exceptionally crazy journey, what with taking on NaNoWriMo and keeping up with my teaching responsibilities as well. But that's what makes NaNoWriMo so wonderful! Writing 50,000 words while still managing to have something resembling a life!
So, at the stroke of midnight, I will be planted at my desk in my little apartment, ready and willing to make this the BEST NaNoWriMo ever! It IS NaNoWriMo's 10th anniversary, after all - time to pull out all the stops!
for more information on NaNoWriMo: http://www.nanowrimo.org
What is NaNoWriMo? It's National Novel Writing Month, where thousands of writers (some actually published! but most not) attempt to write 50,000 words in one month. Why, do you ask? Well, because writing takes focused effort and concentrated practice, and the only way to become a better writer is to write! Setting a specific goal during a specific time is an excellent method for staying on task and reaching the goal.
Also, we're all probably a little insane (but we're also writers, so that goes without saying).
If you've been reading my blogs for a while, you know that I like to write. I like to write so much that I minored in Creative Writing in college, and I'd still like to get my Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in the future. In short, I love to write.
I have been participating in NaNoWriMo since 2003, and last year was the first year that I met the 50,000 word goal. It was not easy, but it was one of the most fulfilling things I've done in my life. The novel (still uncompleted) was set in Jacksonville during WWII, and I still work on it every once in a while. For NaNoWriMo, however, one must start fresh, with a mere idea and 0 words.
This year, I am stepping away from historical fiction and moving back into the fantasy realm. I got the idea from a Jonathon Coulton song called "Skullcrusher Mountain." The plot: a powerful sorcerer decides that he wishes to marry, so he kidnaps several girls and brings them to his castle and forces them to compete for the right to marry him. Except, none of them want to marry him. It's a fantasy version of a reality show! Maybe it's a little loopy, but I'm enjoying it. My cast of characters includes the wife-hunting sorcerer, his house steward (who is equally powerful but only uses his magic to clean house), a mute female main character who is the heroine of the story, a cannibal, a vice-laden holy man, and two gigantic salamanders who breathe fire (except one of them doesn't because he thinks it's bad for his health).
Anyway, the next month should be an exceptionally crazy journey, what with taking on NaNoWriMo and keeping up with my teaching responsibilities as well. But that's what makes NaNoWriMo so wonderful! Writing 50,000 words while still managing to have something resembling a life!
So, at the stroke of midnight, I will be planted at my desk in my little apartment, ready and willing to make this the BEST NaNoWriMo ever! It IS NaNoWriMo's 10th anniversary, after all - time to pull out all the stops!
for more information on NaNoWriMo: http://www.nanowrimo.org
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