50,000 words in 30 days. That's the challenge of National Novel Writing Month and I FAILED. Not just failed by a little. We could call this one an epic fail.
I started out with a story that I thought would excite me and evolve into something amazing. I challenged myself to do something different from my usual genre and it didn't end up working out.
I'm glad I failed because it was a nice lesson. Deadlines are not encouragement for me. Deadlines are stress and more stress in my life is debilitating to my writing process.
Since giving up on NaNo I've written 3,000 words of a project I had been telling myself I needed to get back to. I spent dinner a few nights ago explaining the entire plot to my husband which totally proved to me that I had a beginning, middle and end (and even hubby thinks it's a good story!).
I'm not going to give myself a deadline for this project. I'm just going to tell myself that I can get it done. I can write a little (or a lot) every day until it is complete.
NaNoWriMo is clearly not for me but that doesn't mean it wasn't a good challenge and a good lesson learned.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Top Ten Tuesday : Thanksgiving
It's been a while since I had a T.T.T. on here! With Thanksgiving just a few days away I thought it would be a great time to list a few things I'm thankful for this season.
10. My Day Job : Some of you may not know that I spend the majority of my days making a living as a hairdresser. I have a great group of amazing clients and I truly enjoy the creativity that hair styling allows me. I'm thankful for the fact that I enjoy my job, the people I see every day and that I have been able to be successful.
9. Fellow Authors : Facebook and Twitter have helped me 'meet' some incredible fellow authors who are supportive and helpful with tips. I have a few authors I call 'friend' and those relationships are even more treasured. I am thankful for Britni Hill, Julie Young, Christine Johnson, Adam L. Garcia, Caitlyn Duffy, Katie Andrews Potter, all the Rebels and tons more!
8. 2012 : This year has been so full of amazing opportunities and exciting endeavors. I'm thankful that in a year that is supposedly ending on December 21st I've been able to make sure I beat the clock on achieving a few of my dreams.
7. Readers : It's sometimes still hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that people are reading my book! From getting emails, reviews and requests for more novels I am beyond thankful for readers of The Low Notes.
6. Words : I'm thankful for words. Simple as that. Words are my life and without them I would have a lot less joy.
5. My Friends : I have an astounding group of friends. They are some of the most fun, strong, hilarious and supportive people I know. I am thankful for relationships that feel like family created by fate.
4. My Family : Two siblings, three sister-in-laws, one brother-in-law, three nieces (and one on the way), one nephew, mom and dad, the in-laws and everyone beyond that--you are all amazing and I would be so much less without you.
3. Sampson : My first (and for right now, only) baby! He puts up with me typing away and he sits by me for long hours while I drink my coffee and work. Thankful for my furry child.
2. My Husband : Unending support, unconditional love and unpredictable fun! Adam makes me a better person and he has treated me to an amazing marriage for five years. I am so thankful to have found and married my best friend.
1. My Health : Without this I would be nothing. I am thankful I can stand on my feet all day and do hair. I am thankful my fingers work tirelessly writing novels. I am thankful my mind is clear and full of ideas. I am thankful to see the beauty in the world, smell the fragrances of the seasons, hear and be inspired by music, feel the keys beneath my fingertips and eat, sleep and breathe love, life and passion.
This holiday season, no matter how you celebrate, take a moment to ponder your own top ten list of thankfulness. Bonus : I am thankful for anyone who takes the time to read my blog, so thank you :) Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
10. My Day Job : Some of you may not know that I spend the majority of my days making a living as a hairdresser. I have a great group of amazing clients and I truly enjoy the creativity that hair styling allows me. I'm thankful for the fact that I enjoy my job, the people I see every day and that I have been able to be successful.
9. Fellow Authors : Facebook and Twitter have helped me 'meet' some incredible fellow authors who are supportive and helpful with tips. I have a few authors I call 'friend' and those relationships are even more treasured. I am thankful for Britni Hill, Julie Young, Christine Johnson, Adam L. Garcia, Caitlyn Duffy, Katie Andrews Potter, all the Rebels and tons more!
8. 2012 : This year has been so full of amazing opportunities and exciting endeavors. I'm thankful that in a year that is supposedly ending on December 21st I've been able to make sure I beat the clock on achieving a few of my dreams.
7. Readers : It's sometimes still hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that people are reading my book! From getting emails, reviews and requests for more novels I am beyond thankful for readers of The Low Notes.
6. Words : I'm thankful for words. Simple as that. Words are my life and without them I would have a lot less joy.
5. My Friends : I have an astounding group of friends. They are some of the most fun, strong, hilarious and supportive people I know. I am thankful for relationships that feel like family created by fate.
4. My Family : Two siblings, three sister-in-laws, one brother-in-law, three nieces (and one on the way), one nephew, mom and dad, the in-laws and everyone beyond that--you are all amazing and I would be so much less without you.
3. Sampson : My first (and for right now, only) baby! He puts up with me typing away and he sits by me for long hours while I drink my coffee and work. Thankful for my furry child.
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| Photo of Sam courtesy of Eliza Marie Photography |
2. My Husband : Unending support, unconditional love and unpredictable fun! Adam makes me a better person and he has treated me to an amazing marriage for five years. I am so thankful to have found and married my best friend.
1. My Health : Without this I would be nothing. I am thankful I can stand on my feet all day and do hair. I am thankful my fingers work tirelessly writing novels. I am thankful my mind is clear and full of ideas. I am thankful to see the beauty in the world, smell the fragrances of the seasons, hear and be inspired by music, feel the keys beneath my fingertips and eat, sleep and breathe love, life and passion.
This holiday season, no matter how you celebrate, take a moment to ponder your own top ten list of thankfulness. Bonus : I am thankful for anyone who takes the time to read my blog, so thank you :) Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
Friday, November 9, 2012
NaNoWriMo Day #9
Nine days in and I have to say I feel like I'm losing a bit of my momentum. As of last night I was just 15 words over where I should be which I know I should be happy about but starting out I was a good 1,000 words ahead. That was a nice buffer to have!
I like my story. I like a handful of my characters. Others I could probably do without and some, quite honestly I feel like I don't know at all. It's a very different type of story for me and though I like writing about something a little darker and with a little more meat to it I still find myself getting the most excited when I'm developing the love triangle. DUH.
I'll check back in at the halfway mark and hopefully I'll have a better handle on things. But even if I don't I still believe this is a positive experience, a great challenge and I think it spark me to keep writing quickly and consistently through the end of the year. You never know, there may be another book out by The Low Notes' one year anniversary!!
I like my story. I like a handful of my characters. Others I could probably do without and some, quite honestly I feel like I don't know at all. It's a very different type of story for me and though I like writing about something a little darker and with a little more meat to it I still find myself getting the most excited when I'm developing the love triangle. DUH.
I'll check back in at the halfway mark and hopefully I'll have a better handle on things. But even if I don't I still believe this is a positive experience, a great challenge and I think it spark me to keep writing quickly and consistently through the end of the year. You never know, there may be another book out by The Low Notes' one year anniversary!!
NaNoWriMo word count as of 8:50am 11/9/2012 : 13,345
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