A small blurb about what I'm going to do on Wednesdays in October

So, this is just a short little post. I have NaNoWriMo coming up, and I plan on diving in as I usually do. I think I've even picked out the story I want to write. So I'm going to be posting bits and pieces of world building and character building on the blog on Wednesdays just to show you a small glimpse into the mind of a very weird writer. That will take care of the rest of October. There will be something new in November, though I'm not sure what that is right now. So, see you on Friday for another Friday Fiction!

NaNo is over

So, NaNoWriMo is officially over. My goal was to get as close to 100 K as I could and I exceeded that goal by a few thousand words. Not sure what the final count will be because I'm not quite finished with the story yet. I'm looking at probably around 110 to 115 K.

So I'm almost finished with my first draft. What am I going to do now? Well the first thing I'm going to do is finish it, of course. But after? This puppy is going to hibernate in its own little folder on my hard drive for a while. At least a month, if not more. It's always a good idea to let your stories rest for a while.

As soon as I finish the first draft of Hackers, I'm going to beta read the third installment in my friend Joelle's serial. Once I do that, I'm at a crossroads. I can either edit Marked, which it most certainly needs since it's just a first draft. Or I can try to write some short stories and get more of them out into the big wide world in the hopes that someone will love them.

The first has merit, as does the second one. My problem with the second one is I'm not good at short stories. I always start out to write to a small word count. Then I get writing and the next thing you know, I have a novella or sometimes the start of a novel. I just don't write short stories well.

I also haven't really practiced short stories. I have a few that people have liked, that unfortunately I can't send out because they've been somewhere online for free and editors don't want those. So I'm not entirely sure what I should do.

Any suggestions? Should I devote some time to developing my short story talent (or lack thereof)? Or should I edit Marked?

Yet another post about NaNoWriMo

Unless you've been living in a state of blissful forgetfulness, I'm sure you're all aware that it's almost time for NaNoWriMo. You can find out more about it here. 50K in 30 days. It sound scary but it really isn't. It's a good way to kickstart that novel you've been kicking around in your head. Or you can be a NaNo Rebel and finish an already started manuscript. You can't use anything you've previously written in your word count of course, but it's still possible. (Yes I know I did a post on NaNo on the 3^rd. Bear with me for the repeat.)

Now, I've been doing this since 2003. I haven't won every year. I've lost five times due to various circumstances. A couple of them, life jumped up and bit me on the ass. The others I didn't like what I was working on and lost interest in it. I tried to write a different story, counting the words on the original idea I had as part of my word count (which I could get away with since I wrote it in November). It didn't help. I floundered and just couldn't get into it.

I've read some fantastic posts regarding NaNo over the month. Liana Brooks has been doing NaNo boot camps on her blog every Tuesday and Thursday. One of my favorite blogs, done by Kristen Lamb, has a few good posts on it as well for NaNo. And just for general information about writing. Both of these ladies are awesome.

What am I doing to prepare for NaNo? Good question. I'm working out character backgrounds, setting descriptions, and who the antagonist is since I still don't know who my main characters are fighting against. I had an idea, but I didn't like it so now I'm scrambling to figure something else out. But all of this is as much of a plan I'm doing. I'm a pantser, not a plotter.

What about you? Are you doing NaNoWriMo? What's your story going to be about? Are you planning or pantsing?

Talking NaNo

It's October. October 3^rd to be precise. October is a good month. We're finally getting into our fall weather here. Pumpkin spice everything is coming out. I've got a month to prep for NaNoWriMo. And I got married on Halloween twelve years ago.

I'm not going into my anniversary post yet. That's being saved for the end of the month. What I mostly want to talk about now is NaNoWriMo. This year I'm doing something different than I normally do. I'm taking time to make notes about the world, the environment, and the characters. Furthermore, it's not in my comfortable realm of fantasy. It's not in the world I've taken years of painstaking effort to create. It's going to be science fiction.

I've given it the designation of dystopian cyberpunk. Because that's kind of what it is. The world is covered by mega cities now and life takes place online as well as in the real world. In fact, if you can afford it, being online is a lot better than being offline. I'm not going to give too much away, though I'm tempted to do character sketches at some point this month just to help me cement the idea of the characters in my mind.

This one is going to be tricky because there are three main characters. I'm either going to have to write it 3^rd omniscient so I can head hop as needed. Or I'm going to have to split chapters between the three of them. I haven't decided yet. I've been using 3^rd limited for most of my stories for years. So far, there's only been one story I wrote in first person. I can't seem to find it now. It was a rather interesting short story. But I don't use other POVs. Which means I'm going to be trying something new as well as writing a story out of my regular comfort zone. This should be fun.

Are you doing NaNoWriMo? Do any of my followers not know what that is? If you don't, go here and take a look. For those of you who are doing this with me this year, what genre are you writing? Are you going to totally pants it or are you planning a little ahead of time?

Miscellany

Today is going to be random thoughts that I come up with while writing. It's a good exercise for modified stream of consciousness. I'm not going to write everything I think because some of them are not fit for public consumption.

I am a crazy cat lady in training. I only have Reidar, but I want more. Not too many because even I would have a problem with taking care of more than three cats all the time. But I'd like to be a foster home for injured or abandoned cats that shelters are trying to rehome. Or are too young to stay at the shelter because they need around the clock care. That way I could get my kitten fix without bringing them all home to stay. Himself isn't too sure about that idea though. :-)

I've taken to writing with my music with lyrics because I find it easier to ignore. When I take a break I can listen to my favorite songs and even make them repeat a few times. Then I get back to work and tune out the music. I find it fairly simple to do that.

I finished the first draft of Marked. It's definitely shit but it's done. I can adjust it as I feel like. I'm still thinking of taking a part of the book and writing a second one. I'm not sure where the second one would go since I originally planned on Marked to be a standalone. At least two of my books are standalones. Though one of them is loosely connected to a part of the stories I write later in the timeline. I'm not sure how I'm going to work it all out yet.

I still need to figure out what I'm going to work on for NaNoWriMo this year. I'm not sure what I want. I'm trying to figure it out early enough that I can work out character backgrounds and personalities in a method far better than just completely pantsing it again. I sort of did that with Marked, even though I deviated from them in certain places, which I will probably have to go back and fix. But I'm debating writing Marked's sequel or the book that takes place chronologically after it. Or not even work on fantasy but on one of my many other sci fi stories.

I will be glad when fall gets here. We're still having hot temperatures. It was in the 90s last week and according to the weather report we're going to stay in the upper 80s and low 90s for a little while longer. I know we're a desert but you'd think we'd get a break from the heat by now. I'm watching the weather websites with great trepidation as I wait for the consistently cooler temperaters. We had four days where we were in the low to mid 70s, which was perfect for this time of year.

National Novel Writing Month - October prep time

Me showing off my new swag :-D

This year, as I have every year since 2003, I am diving into the wonderful world of the National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo as it is typically known. Now, I haven't won every year. In fact, 2003 I didn't make it past the first week. I've had a few spectacular failures in the last 10 years. I've also cheated a couple times, and I've been a rebel at least twice that I can remember (either finishing up a story I'd already started or writing a series of short stories to hit my 50k).

The goal of NaNoWriMo is to get to 50k words in 30 days. This is usually attempted in November, though they do have Camp NaNo as well, this year in April and July. I attempted both camps too and while I succeeded in July, I failed miserably in April. I just didn't have my heart into it in April.

November has its own problems, namely Thanksgiving and family gatherings for the holiday. That can derail your progress if you're not careful. Now, you can do what I do which is write and bank a lot of extra words at the beginning of the month to make up for taking time off for the holiday. You can do what a friend of mine does, and let your family know that you'll make up for this in December but November is off limits for family gatherings. Or you can take your laptop/notebook/ipad/whatever with you to your family's house and write while everyone else is talking. Hey, at least you're there even if you're not being overly communicative, right?

This year I'm trying something a little different for NaNoWriMo. Normally I'm a pantser. I come up with a vague plot bunny in October and come November I start writing on it without any planning. This year, I'm doing up an outline, character sheets, maps, etc. before November 1st. I intend on having a plan for November instead of winging it like I usually do. We'll see how well that goes.

One of the things I've been able to do this year, which I haven't been able to do before, is support NaNoWriMo financially. I bought two t-shirts and a hoodie this year. The profit from the store as well as donations goes to keeping NaNoWriMo going. I'm proud to be able to help support this awesome organization. They have a Young Writers' Program to encourage kids to write. It's just an amazing program all around and I love participating in it each year.

You can find more information here on NaNoWriMo if you haven't heard of it before. Go, check it out, and join the madness.

WIP Blog Hop: Burning Dreams

Well, the wonderful KD Sarge tagged me for a blog hop, and like any good friend I accepted her invitation. You're supposed to answer ten questions about your current work in progress. Then you tag five other writers/bloggers and link to them. So I'm going to give it a shot.


1) What is the working title of your book?

I call it "Burning Dreams" because Raghnall is a fire elementalist and because it's not a happy book.

2) Where did the idea come from for the book?

Raghnall showed up about 5 incarnations of this world ago as a minor character and worked his way into becoming a major character. His story has changed drastically over those 5 incarnations to what it is today. Where today's specific idea came from was a brainstorming session with Himself because I wasn't happy with how happy/fluffy/cheerful my stories were.

3) What genre does your book fall under?

High fantasy

4) Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I really don't know who could play Raghnall and Elan. It would have to be a pair of young actors and I'm afraid my knowledge of the younger crowd is sadly lacking. Both would have to be incredibly fit. The one for Raghnall ideally would have to be a martial artist because Raghnall is a fighting monk as well as a mage.

5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Raghnall must learn to control his powers as he watches the world burn in the fires of war.

6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I haven't decided yet.

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I'm writing it right now. It's my NaNo project so I hope to have the bulk of it written this November and to finish it by January.

8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

That's a tough question. I would say the Last Herald Mage books by Mercedes Lackey have some elements of this story. Possibly her  Brightly Burning story as well. Also Soulforge and Brothers At Arms by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weiss.

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Some of what happens to Raghnall mirrors the abuse I suffered as a child. Most of it, though, came out of a desire to tell a story that was completely different from what I'd done before.

10) What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

A demon has possessed the Emperor and is orchestrating the destruction of Lytharia to fuel its power, and the chosen servant of the God of Balance is on the run for his life. A dragon guards a spell so powerful it can utterly destroy all magic in the area it is cast in, to the point where magic can never be cast there again.

And now who to tag...

Miriam
Murphy's Lawyer
Angela
Heather

I'm going to have to change one of my goals...weather is getting too cold for walks

This week has been an interesting one. I had to emergency babysit for a friend and ended up not taking an actual walk, though I did borrow her staircase (since I was alone there for 2 hours before the kids showed up) to do 20 minutes of stair stepping. My allergies decided to remind me it's fall so my head is stuffed and my eyes are bugging me. And my writing has taken some leaps and bounds. But all in all it hasn't been a bad week.

Just found a quote that made me think and I thought I'd share.

"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." ~Stephen Hawking

On to the full update:

WRITING: This has been a very productive week for writing. I've finished Aran and Taereah's stories. I took a break from writing for a couple days because of the intense writing binge but I plan on starting Jaelon's story next week. I also have the outline for Raghnall's story (my NaNo novel AND the first book in my series) finished, which is new for me because traditionally I'm a pantser.

JOB: Haven't done much on the job front this week. I've got the appointment with voc rehab on the 15th and I'm holding off on searching for a job until I meet with my counselor there. I'm polishing my resume and making things shine for job hunting. I'm also going to talk to my regular counsel more this coming week on CBT plans to get me ready for going back to work in 3 weeks.

PERSONAL: I'm changing one of my personal goals. Instead of walking for 15 minutes it's going to be exercise for 15 minutes. It's getting too bloody cold for me to be walking, since the cold affects my hip very badly. So I'm going to do some kind of exercise every other day for 15 minutes. I've been able to keep up with this amended goal very well this week with stair climbing on Thursday and some stretches on Saturday. My eyes hurt really bad yesterday because of my allergies so I wasn't on the computer very much. I did get some reading done but again, with my eyes hurting, it was very hard. Mostly I spent yesterday dozing on and off until it was time for us to go over to a friend's house. They made us pizza and cupcakes to celebrate our 10th anniversary (it's on Halloween, but they wanted to feed us earlier in the month) and we played Munchkin. We came home, I couldn't manage the computer, so I went to bed really early last night after taking allergy meds. In regards to my regular meds, I'm spot on this past week. Not a single missed dose. My counselor was on vacation so I won't be seeing her until this upcoming Friday. From there, we'll see how that goes.

That's my exciting week in a nutshell. A lot of reading and writing, some exercise, and allergies. Hope this next week continues to go well for me and for everyone else doing ROW 80.

Writing Wednesday - NaNoWriMo

Yes, it's that time of year again.  Once again I'm embarking on that crazy journey that is NaNoWriMo.  If you're unfamiliar with it, you can always check it out here.  I'm there under the name of annikkawoods as well, so as soon as the writing buddies are up and functional (which they're still working on, as far as I know), feel free to add me & drop me a line.  I'm always happy to add folks back.

So November is going to be full of my wails and my triumphs, my failures and my cheers.  At least it will so long as my world doesn't come crashing down around my ears again.  If that happens, NaNoWriMo is going to be the farthest thing from my mind.

Sunday 'fess up...Anni has a soapbox and isn't afraid to use it this week

Hey all!

Sorry about the blog absence last week, but I was in the hospital and didn't have access to my laptop.  I spent 9 days in the hospital, and now I'm on a month long hiatus from my day job until I get some therapy out of the way.  My doctor practically ordered me to keep writing though, so that's what I'm going to do.

Himself is still working for Kirby but he's looking for something with a steadier income so we can get out of Twitchy's house sooner.  He's got a couple interviews lined up for next week, so send good thoughts his way.  One is almost the same hourly wage as I get ($11/hr), so we'd have a lot more to work with and that would be lovely.  Instead of living from my paycheck to my next paycheck.

Writing is going well.  I've put in almost 15k on the novel this week since I got home, and hope to finish it by the end of the month.  I've got some other projects that need to be finished, and I've got some side stories I want to write because the side characters interest me as much as the main characters.  The side stories probably won't ever see publication but they're going to be fun to write.  I may save them until November, when I do NaNoWriMo again though.

I'm going to deviate from my usual SFU for a moment.  I want to talk to you about a subject that is both serious and very important to me: mental illnesses.  I myself am bipolar.  I suffer from depression, mania, and anxiety - mostly depression and anxiety.  My mental illness was part of what got me hospitalized.  It, along with unattended health issues, knocked me off my feet.

NAMI has a great definition for mental illness.  My favorite part of the definition is: "Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing."  It also mentions that it's treatable, which it is through therapy, counseling, and medication.  Coping skills can be taught and medication can help stabilize moods.


There's even an institute to deal with mental health issues (NIMH).  Now, aside from the terrifying portrayal of them in "The Secret of NIMH", the National Institute for Mental Health has a lot of good information available to those who either suffer from mental illnesses or the families of those who have to live with those who suffer from mental illnesses.


One thing I've seen which breaks my heart is a lack of support from friends and family members.  Friends abandon individuals with mental health issues.  Family members go after them to "get their head on straight" and to "get over it".  You can't get over it.  It's treatable but not curable.


If you know someone with a mental illness, don't turn away from them.  Offer them love and support even if it seems like they don't want it.  Mental illness can make people do strange things, and one of them is isolate themselves to avoid any further pain.  Don't let them.  Isolation and a feeling of being alone is often what leads to suicide among those with mental illnesses.  Let them know you're always there for them no matter how often they tell you they don't need help.


Now, for a lighter note...this week we're going to have some Simon's Cat videos instead of my usual music videos.

My thoughts on NaNoWriMo...or "Why I Torture Myself Every Year"

NaNoWriMo is pure torture.  Think about it.  You set a word goal, you type like mad, and you hope to high heaven that you can finish.  It's the annual hell many writers put themselves through.  Why do we do it?

I can't answer for anyone else, but for me it's simple.  No, it's not because I'm a masochist (or a sadist either, though my husband's accused me of enjoying making HIM suffer in November with my NaNo nonsense).  It's because every now and then I need a kick in the pants when it comes to my writing.

Every year I've done it I've done variations on the same MS.  This year I'm branching out.  Instead of working on my fantasy stuff, I'm delving into the world of science fiction and my "Psionics" story.  I've been kicking this particular storyline around for a few years now but I've never put any time into writing it. I know the characters.  I've known them for almost five years now.  I know the setting.  I know how it begins, and where it ends.  But I don't know anything about the journey from beginning to end.

This is what NaNoWriMo is for me.  It's a chance to take a trip with the characters and see them for what they're worth.  It gives me a chance to see where they're going, who they're going with, and how they plan on getting there.  Who knows?  They may change the end on me.  It wouldn't be the first time my characters have run off with my plot and left me gasping for breath.

I'm also upping the ante on the word count goal this year.  I did the same thing last year, pushing for 75k instead of 50k.  This year I'm feeling confident I can make 100k in 30 days instead of 75k.  I've also got a private wager going on with my husband, who I've finally managed to convince to do NaNoWriMo this year.  We've got a bet going that I'll out-write him.  It's all about who's got the biggest word count at the end of November.  If I win, I get a kick ass massage.  If he wins, I've got to let him go on a shopping spree with $300 and no questions asked or protests made.  *shudder*  I need to win this.  (No really, I need to win this.  LOL)

Whether or not I win, whether or not I beat my husband, it's all a moot point if I don't have fun while doing it too.  So bring on the November Torture.  I'm ready, willing, and able to deal with it.*






*I just have to lay in my store of chocolate and Mountain Dew first.



Disclaimer: All commentary in this post is subject to change at the drop of a hat because I may change my mind about the word count, genre, and/or the wager with my husband at any moment.  Probably not, but you never know.