Yesterday

I wrote 1831 words yesterday on 'The Haunted House', which impresses me at least. It's the most I've written in one day for a long time. December last year was probably the last time I wrote that much in one day.

I did struggle towards the end. I was having trouble with what to write and some things ended up more as a summary than prose. I need to learn to rewrite this parts to make them better to read and if I get time today, that's what I will try to do.

I didn't do anything on the outline for NaNoWriMo. I really ought to do five to ten minutes a day. I'll be finished well in time for October even at that rate. I know that when I start I tend to write for much longer than I intended to. I get sucked into the story and forget about time and the real world for a while.

It's the starting that's hard.

A miracle

This weekend I wrote something. I actually added to the scenes for NaNoWriMo. I only added three more scenes, but I also dealt a little with the timeline. I had just been going from one day to the next without worrying about how many days there are in a week.

For most people the week in split into five work days and two weekend days, I felt that I should keep to this. The book is set in a school, so this does make perfect sense. Having a break for the weekend, will also help the story move on despite there being no real action during this time.

Then the second half of the story begins. I'm not entirely sure how this will turn out or in fact which ending will work best, but over the next few weeks I hope to find out. I get the feeling it's going to be a bit in between the extremes - the MC either going fully bad or staying fully good.

Still I wonder if he'll make the right choice...

Bad news

I received some bad news yesterday, which threw me off a bit. There's been rumors and gossip for a week or two and now the news has been confirmed. Nothing is actually decided yet, but the advice is now known. This means I might not have a job soon.

So I haven't thought about writing, never mind actually written anything for a couple of days. I am hoping to change that this weekend, by at least producing some more scene scenarios for NaNoWriMo. I might write a bit more on other things, but that's not so likely to happen.

My desktop is dead and has gone back to HP to see if they can fix it. I won't know the verdict for another week or two. Unfortunately all my writing was on the hard drive. At least I have a back up of most of it as I also use my netbook for writing too. But anything I did in the last two weeks is on the one I can't access.

HP should put a copy of the disk onto a secure webpage for me, so that I can download the contents again. I wonder if this will work or not...

So there won't be any real loss. Just some annoyance because I don't have my desktop. And the expense, if I have to get a new one. Theoretically they have to either fix it or replace it, but I have a nasty feeling I'm not going to like the replacement. They don't have the one I bought any more and I have rather specific requirements.

I'm just thinking that everything will go wrong at the moment. I'm sure not everything will, but still...

The weekend

I've written a little bit more, but not as much as I would've liked. I had a very busy weekend and I didn't get a chance to stop and think. It spilt over into this week, which means I didn't do anything last night either.

I am writing now, which is an improvement. I am starting to write more slowly. By that I mean writing on more days and not just writing 5000 words in one sitting and then nothing for a week or two.

OK, so I'm not writing a huge amount in each session, but it's starting to become more consistent. Today I'm hoping to write up a scene that came to me yesterday. It's either the start of a story or a turning point in one. This may sound a little weird, but it tends to be how I start of a story at least.

I start with a scene. That suggests a set up or a set of characters or a place that becomes a large part of a longer story. The scene won't necessarily make it past the first draft, but it is the inspiration for the story. Seems to work for me.

more scenes

Since my last post, I've written some more scene description for NaNoWriMo 2012. I have extended the idea and add a new dimension to the story. It should be interesting. Plus, of course, it gives me a whole load more scenes to write. The more the merrier.

Well the more scenes, the more likely I will be to reach 50 000 words. No 5000 word scenes describing the MC making a sandwich (that was from year 1).

I've also done a bit of unrelated writing too. The start of a new story with a working title of The Haunted House, which strangely enough is not actually a ghost story. I don't have an outline or even a defined plot for this one. It's just a write what comes into my mind story.

I haven't written one of those for a long time. They don't normally work out that well as I sort of write myself into knots that are impossible to undo. Still it's a fun way to write.

Yesterday

I didn't write a thing yesterday evening. I intended to, but my desktop computer failed. So instead I spent the evening trying to work out why and then finding the original receipt. It's only 9 months old so it's still under warranty.

This means I wasted an evening. I still have to look up the return/fix procedure for the company, but there's nothing I can do until next week. I still have my netbook, so I can still write. It's just annoying that I wasted so much time on the other computer.

The netbook is quite limited in it's capacity, so I'll have to try to use my work laptop to replace the desktop for the time being. I just hope it's not completely dead. Trouble is, I fear it might be.

Now, I'm annoyed, upset and tired. And not necessarily in that order.

NaNoWriMo outline

I've actually started the outline. Mostly in broad strokes, but some details when they occurred to me. This is the earliest I've ever started planning and probably the furthest I've ever got.

Last year I did some outlining too, but sort of go side tracked half way through, so I never finished. This time I've almost finished. I know how the story ends and I know how to add in more scenes.

I need a few more 'complications', but I have a long list I can use. Sometimes I find myself unable to come up with one plausible sub-plot. This time I can add in or not as I need. I do have to make sure that they don't obscure the real plot...

...though having said that, maybe I should allow it to be somewhat obscured. Might make things more interesting. Of course it could go horribly wrong, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

So far this is all hand written. I'll try to get it put across into yWriter and set up so that I can just open the chapter or scene, see the summary and start writing. Famous last words...

Still at least I know what I'm going to write and I have some writing exercises I can do between NaNoWriMo and now. Maybe I'll even keep this up-to-date.

Long time, no write

On here at least. I did do some writing, but not much.

However, I do have this year's NaNoWriMo plot. It came to me a couple of days ago. It's not something that I normally would write, but I think I need to try something different. It's still a murder mystery. No change there. It's the point of view and how the narrator relates to the rest of the cast that will be very different from anything else I've written.

The plot came to me as I was just starting a writing exercise, which had to be written in first person. I never write in first as I generally hate prose written that way, with one or two notable exceptions. It's one of these that is partly responsible for the point of view choice.

The plot could work in two particular situations. One of these would make it young adult. I've never written nor considered writing something other than fiction for adults. So I'm in two minds, should I try young adult instead? I think I might. Sometimes it's good to do something totally different.

I've already got the storyline. I'm going to start plotting it out in more detail. How much detail will depend on how much time I have and what I can think of. Sometimes I do better when I don't detail too much. Other times I have no idea what to write and that can kill a NaNoWriMo.

The short story

I did finally get round to reading my short story and I didn't like. I didn't hate it either, but I felt it was lacking something. I wonder if I have an earlier or later version that is better than this one. I remember the story being different from the one I read.

There were some parts that I thought didn't make sense, but I do remember that the original had a larger cast, and inconsistencies may be due to this reduction in characters. I can think of a way to even this parts out a bit, so it's not a lost cause.

However something just doesn't sit right. I think I need to see if I still have the earlier version, and see if I have a later one too. But all of this still means I need to rewrite more of the story than I had thought. I guess most of that is due to my bad memory or time making the story seem better than it ever actually was.

One plus point was that I actually noticed some typing and grammar errors. I normally read straight past that sort of thing, so I was actually happy about that. To clarify, I read through the piece twice. Once for the story and the second time for the english.

The second reading surprised me. I hadn't expected to see quite as much as I did.

Busy and tired

Both are unfortunately true. I'm waking up a little earlier each day, currently it's 4:45am. The weekend was frantic with something booked  on both days. I'm exhausted and I need a weekend to recover from it all. However I have to work...

I have so much to do, but that's just an excuse. And not a very good one either. Time to head to the NaNoWriMo boards and see if I can find some motivation or inspiration. I might try to find a writing buddy - someone who will gently encourage me to write. (OK, so it'll be more like giving me a hard, swift kick to the backside, but still.)

I need someone to encourage me. I'm the only one I know who writes, or tries to. Sometimes it gets lonely. Not to mention how easy it is to get distracted. Everyone else wants to do something else, so I go happily along, thinking I can do the writing a bit later. Of course later, like tomorrow, never comes.

Well I've made a list of things to do this evening. There are a total of five items on the list. Writing is one of them. Two of the items I have to do this evening, one may be postponed until Wednesday (I'm home earlier on Wednesday so have more time then) and the fourth is a five-minute job. So there is a slight chance that I'll get round to it. But it isn't guaranteed.

A new post

I haven't even thought about writing since the last post I put up here. Sounds terrible, but it's true. I've been busy, which is no excuse, but it is the truth.

I really need to get round to editing the short story and sending it off. It won't take that long to do. In a week, I should have it ready to go. Then submitting it can be as easy or as hard as I want it to be. Several of the magazines have on-line submission pages, which means the whole process can be done quickly.

One or two have paper/snail mail submissions only. They would take a little longer as I have to print every thing out correctly, then find an envelope etc.

Both methods have something in common - neither is difficult or something I have never done before. But until I actually edit the story, I can't do either.

I have actually edited this story before. It was a couple of years ago when I first thought about actually getting it published, but I chickened out before pressing the submit button. This time I'm simply not getting round to rereading  the story.

Excuses, excuses.

Well on to another busy week. Hopefully it will get quieter, but who knows.

Nothing

After all that activity, I have done nothing else on getting my short story published. I have printed it out, using courier, 12pt, double spacing, but nothing else. I haven't got round to reading it. This will change in the next couple of days.

I do have a busy week, but there's still time in there to do this. During the last week I was on holiday for several days, so I was busy with that. The days I did work, were incredibly busy. I didn't get to stop at all. Comparing this week to last, this one is very quiet.

Of course it's all comparative. My normal week is much quieter than this week and last week was the busiest I've been in a long time. Hopefully things will slow down and I'll get more time for me. Trouble is I always find that something new comes up to replace the old.

Here's to editing my short story - the next stage in getting it published.

The story

Last night I printed out my short story, in 12 point, Courier, double spaced. All of this helps when proof-reading. Now all I have to do is proof-read it and edit. Sounds so simple doesn't it.

Another step closer to being in print.

Spreadsheet

So my spreadsheet is ready and I have information from all on how to submit stories. Now all I have to do is go over the story one more time...

I'm nervous just thinking about it. I haven't read it in a while and I'm worried I'm going to think it sucks. Maybe it does. Still nothing ventured nothing gained.

I had changed my mind about The New Yorker, but having read comments from people who had submitted to them, I'm going to try there first. I know I will have to wait months for a reply, but that a good excuse for not doing anything.

I'll wait three months, then submit to other publications. Most of these have much shorter waiting times. I did notice that there are still quite a few that take only paper submission via snail mail. I didn't realise that there were so many who still did this.

They still use the old layouts too - no italics and use of double-dash etc. I'm so used to most wanting a .doc or .rtf this came as a bit of a shock.

I've also started two new short stories. Not sure if both will work out, but they are turning into some interesting anyway. I was struggling to start, but I found that using a 'first sentence' generator helped. In fact my current short story started off the same way.

I didn't keep the original short story, but it helped to start of the process. I get the feeling the two new ones will go the same way. I guess I suffer from empty page syndrome. I can't begin, but with a beginning I can do almost anything.

Something remarkable

I actually did something about writing. I looked up markets for my short story. There are five front runners and about five not so front runners. These are all paying markets. I haven't looked at the others yet, so I have more to fall back on.

I want to re-read my short story before I send it to the first one on the list. Then I just have to wait for a reply. I'm going to try and do that tonight. Meanwhile I'm going to make up a spreadsheet with the markets. I'll note there when I actually send out the story and when I get the rejection...

So miracles really do exist.

One thing

I haven't written anything in weeks. I do feel guilty, but I don't feel bad about it. I need to change stuff in my life. I'm just not getting round to it. The status quo is so much easier...

I plan to do one thing on writing this week. I'm not sure what, I still want to look up markets for my short story or I might actually write something. I haven't decided yet.

All I have to do is one thing. That's it.

No writing

Now there's a surprise...not. I went to the Spring Fair on Saturday instead and had a great time. Not to mention that Sunday was Mother's day, so I got to sit around doing nothing for at least some of the day. Of course that shouldn't have stopped me, but I'm in excuse mode right now.

And any excuse is good enough to stop me from writing. Pathetic I know and I know that I'm doing it. I just can't seem to stop. I finished reading An Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, which contains some of the best writing advice available - 'Sit down and write'.

I really like the book, but in all honesty I thought his first book, The Shadow of the Wind, was better. I found An Angel's Game a bit slow getting started. I wasn't reading in the perfect situation, my international train was delayed, so I missed my connection and I had to find another way to reach my destination, so perhaps that affected my judgement. I will re-read it in a month or two and see if I still feel the same way.

Nightmare trip...

...where I didn't even take any writing with me. I have to admit I thought I would have Internet access so I could do some research whilst away. However due to a missing wireless adaptor on my new laptop this never happened and I only realised shortly before leaving. There wasn't enough time to take corrective action, like getting a USB/wireless adaptor or uploading writing files to the laptop.

So I went away and did nothing the whole time. A complete waste. I think that there maybe time this weekend, as I don't think there are any family commitments. And next week is a three-day week followed by a four-day weekend, which should allow for a little more me time.

Time to start getting serious and find solutions instead of problems.

This week

I did absolutely nothing about joining the writing course. I should have done, but I just didn't. I was very busy doing other stuff with my family, but that's no real excuse. I seem to have frozen and I don't mean I have writer's block.

I'm scared to open up the files and start writing again. I'm worried that what I have already written is bad. Sounds stupid, but it's true. I never used to worry about it, but now I decided to get more serious I'm really having problems with my confidence. That's not something I expected.

I have a very busy day coming up tomorrow, which means I can't do anything on or about writing. In fact I won't even get round to doing my usual housework. I'll have to play catchup on Sunday. However I'm going to try to do something on writing on Sunday too. It doesn't have to be much. I think I'll try looking for paying markets for my short story. Bookmark those I'm interested in.

I'll see if I can print it out and re-read it too, for one last edit. I'll qualify that statement by saying that I don't have a printer attached to my computer so I have to transfer the files to the laptop first. Doesn't sound like much work and it isn't, but for some reason it always seems like a big thing.

It's funny how small obstacles can seem so large.

Writing

So what am I doing about actually getting round to writing? Well not much. I am considering doing an on-line/remote course. I do find that these help me get writing again and maybe it's the push I need.

The one I was considering is this one http://newyorkwritersworkshop.com/newest-nyww-online-course-beginnings2, which was recommended by a certain marine animal's blog. Of course she uses her real name nowadays, but, in general, her advice shouldn't be ignored.

I can't do the Skype version (well I could but I wouldn't get much sleep), but they do have the recorded version. I'm in 2 minds at the moment as it's still a lot of money. Time to weigh the benefits versus costs. I'm too tired to make the decision straight away. I might make the right one, but it's better to wait until I'm fully conscious so I judge things a little better.

I just re-read that last statement and am wondering how true it really is...

Still I have a few days off work next week and an opportunity to buy some shoes. I've had a strong desire to buy shoes for a few weeks now and have resisted. But I think it's time my resolve crumbled and I experience that fleeting moment of ecstasy, before the pain of having to actually walk in the shoes cuts in.

None of this has anything to do with writing. Time to take a nap.