We Interrupt This Regularly Scheduled Blog…
Hello. Since I am going to be out for the next few days with a dental procedure (trust me, you don’t want to know), I thought I’d give you fabulously lucky people a sneak peek at a guest blog I did for the Kiwi Writers. (These are the tremendously talented people who sponsor SocNoc.) It was scheduled to go up today, but I was told it’s actually not going to be posted until June 30th. They said it was a good post to end the month with.
I’ll take that as a compliment.
Writing Challenges—Who, Me?
As a participant from the Northern Hemisphere, I have to admit to not only never accepting the National Novel Writing Month challenge (NaNoWriMo for short, or NaNo for a shorter short), but also never wanting to. November is a time of holidays and decorating and eating and taking walks with your sweetie in the brisk weather. Why dedicate yourself to 1667 words a day during such a fabulous month? So I gave up the idea of a writing challenge, but then two things happened.
Number one, a few members from my writing group (Will Write for Wine) were getting ready to SocNoc and they offered the invitation for us to come and play, too. With such a friendly and gracious invitation, how could I say no?
Number two, and possibly the more important event, was a small realization I had on my way to June 1st. When thinking about my goals for SocNoc, I realized that I didn’t have to write 50,000 words this month. I know some would say this totally goes against SocNoc (or NaNo or any other similar challenges), but I say it doesn’t.
Once I realized I was released of the daunting task of writing almost 7 pages a day for 30 days, my head was free to explore what I did want out of SocNoc, what would help me most as a writer. I found I wanted the accountability of a solid writing pace, along with the support of fellow writers, of knowing that others were going through the same march I was. Did I want to finish the book I was already 40,000 words into? Absolutely. Did it have to be in June? Not if it didn’t work for me.
So now with less than one week to go, I can see that I’m not going to reach the word count goal I set for myself, but I’ve achieved something better. I tried. I pulled on my boots and I got on the horse. By participating in SocNoc I’ve learned a lot about myself as a writer, things I thought I knew, but didn’t. I’ve also gained a support system that’s going to last me long past June 30th and those people are going to help me more than crunching out 50,000 words ever would have.
So for those of you who have felt apprehensive or depressed or icky about participating in a writer’s challenge because the goal seemed too daunting, I say set a new goal. I stand here as living proof that the Challenge Police don’t come to your door and make you finish those last 31,667 words you promised you’d write. The next time SocNoc or NaNo comes around, take a deep breath and ask yourself what you want out of it. Then do it.
Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.
Ketchup
Yes, I am still alive. I know those of you wonderful, patient, divine people who are still checking back in hopes that some words, any words, be posted here are happy to hear that. And I am happy to say it.
I did have my first brain leakage on Tuesday night. (I’m such a wuss.) Only 10 days into SocNoc and I start stumbling like Tonya Harding kneecapped me. Obviously I’m more of a distance writer than a sprinter. I am still writing, still aiming high, and am tickled I’m taking part in this writing challenge. You see, I’ve always wondered about doing NaNo, especially after the Wiffers had such a strong showing this year, but had rationalized it away with “getting ready for the holidays and all.” June had no holidays (or at least any I had to get ready for) so it was a great time to try a 30 day writing sprint (or as I referenced it to Caryn, 30 Days of Write. I thought it was funny.)
Am I going to finish my book in June? Not without enough Red Bull to power Chicago and a carefree abandonment of Montana, my job and sanity. But that’s okay, finishing the book was never my goal, I just wanted the accountability and support to get on a good writing pace, and I’ve found that. Woot for me! I know I’ve totally slacked off (forsaken is such an ugly word) on blogging and visiting other blogs, and I’ll pick that up again—I promise!—but the book is always going to come first. (Protect the writing, as the venerable Jenny Crusie would say.) I hope to return the gift of patience and support to all of you when you’re writing like fiends and my brains have returned to solid form.
So on other, lighter thoughts, in addition to writing a bunch, I’ve had a tremendous week with other areas of writing. I got to see Laurell K. Hamilton (and have her sign 2 books) and am thrilled and delighted to say that she’s very charismatic! I even got my picture taken with her for posterity—of course since I’m 5’8” she only comes up to my shoulder and I look like a freak of nature by comparison, but guess who she’s gonna call when she needs the cookies on the top shelf? Not me, that’s who.
Then, two days later, got to hear Lee Child, who I’ve not read, but Montana really likes. I learn something at every author event I go to and since Montana braved Susan Elizabeth Philips with me a few years ago and got targeted by her for the man’s view when it came to some questions, I certainly owed him. Yes, it was fabulous and I learned something. Dang, I love these events!
Some really fun news is I’ve purchased/ordered/claimed a website and played with it last weekend. As I’ve promised before, when it’s up, I’m posting it here first, so be on the lookout in the next few weeks. And the great thing is, it’s really fun! I giggled most of last weekend on a residual high from playing in my spot in cyberspace. (And now I can get my business cards—that’ll be goal #2 I can accomplish before Nationals.)
I think that’s it. I hope you’re having a great month. I certainly am. And, since my usual zinger of an ending is so obviously missing, I think I’ll end with a cartoon. After all, distraction is the highest form of flattery.
Crazy Good
Hello and welcome! It’s Day Three of SocNoc and I’m doing okay. No, I really mean that. Last week I kept alternating between hysterical giggles and periods of intense despair, but once Sunday hit, I took a tortoise-type view of it (instead of some of those crazy people who are doing it from the hare’s perspective), and things are going well. I do happen to think this period of wellness is more of a universal sense than just SocNoc, so my Tuesday Ten today is about the Crazy Good things that have been happening lately. Let’s rock on, shall we?
1. The writing is going well, not only with SocNoc, but in general. I’m past the second turning point, and yesterday the girls sent up several wonderful scenes, all around a central occurrence. They escalate the tension, create more conflict (both external and internal), and throw the ticking clock into sharp relief. After those scenes comes a sequence I’ve got more or less figured out, then some gray areas, then the Big Black Moment and downhill ride, all planned out in my head. (And on paper—I know better than to trust my head.) Whee!
2. I got my order from Amazon yesterday, which includes my copy of Jess Riley’s Driving Sideways, and the first three graphic novels of The Astonishing X-Men, as written by Joss Whedon. I am in print heaven!
(This next one you have to promise not to make fun of me before you read.)
3. Earlier this year, I finally listened to the thousands of romance readers and writers who have raved about Loretta Chase’s book, Lord of Scoundrels, and picked up a copy. They were all right—this book is fabulous, wonderful, amazing and will make you cry in realizing most of us mere mortals will never be able to wield a pen (or keyboard) this way. So enchanted was I, an immediate trip to the bookstore to pick up Lord Perfect was necessitated. Could lightning strike twice? Oh yes, it did. I was gasping before I left page one. Being a bona-fide fan, I finally did what any other fan would do—I checked out her webpage. Your Scandalous Ways came out last week? Rapture! But here’s the really good news—Loretta (I can call her that since we’re such close and personal friends) does a group blog with Mary Jo Putney, Jo Beverly, Edith Layton, Patricia Rice, Sarah Gabriel, and Susan Holloway Scott. How could I not have known about this wonderful, lush, incredible collection of writers before?
4. I’m one step away from ordering my webpage. All I have to do is decide which template I want to start with and then press the button. I’ve got some pretty good choices, all that will make me happy to have my name on and I’m getting itchy to order it and start diving in to the customizing. My goal of having a basic webpage set up before Nationals is coming closer to being checked off. And as soon as it’s ready, it’ll be unveiled here first.
5. Between SocNoc and Will Write for Wine and blogging and The Cherries, I’m building a fabulous network full of amazing friends, readers and writers. I feel blessed beyond chocolate and thank each and every one of you. Mwah!
6. Saturday morning, the girls gifted me with a very fleshed-out idea for a YA book. We’re talking hook, theme and arc, characters, plot directions, turning points—it was all there in one form or another. Now, you may be asking yourself, “But Pam, I don’t remember you ever talking about YA except for a few books you recommended. I didn’t know you wanted to write it.” And you’re right! I’ve got enough not only planned between the para-lite-rom-com and my tortured historicals, but with my other “stuff on the horizon” that I was assured of projects for years and years to come. But this sounds like a fun book, one that really weaves together a lot of what makes me go “ooh!” and then wraps it with a big brocade bow. It’s playing in deep in the dirt for now, so we’ll see what happens, but if my brains do start leaking out of my ears, you’ll know why.
Well, I’m sorry to say the Tuesday Ten has turned into the Tuesday Six. Nothing else is jumping to mind and rather than force four more entries, I’m going to do the merciful thing and stop the list. This is just for today and falls under the SocNoc rules of The Blog’s Going to be a Little Thin This Month. I’ll make it up to you, I promise. Here, let me distract you with something cute (and Australian, in honor of SocNoc):
There, don’t you feel better now?
