Whew, I finally got some time to fix up the website a little. I updated my “Currently Reading” at the trusty right-hand side, and updated my reading list a little. But, unfortunately, I lost a lot of my emails from before December 1st. So if you emailed me and haven’t received a reply, please email me again!

OK, now that’s out of the way, I promised in the last entry that I would write more about my Nanowrimo experience, because I really do believe that this time I think I learned more about myself and my writing than ever before — which is one thing I love about Nanowrimo, and one thing that keeps me doing it, year after year. Every time I learn something new about myself. So what did I learn this year? Don’t worry, I’ll tell you.

One, sometimes you have to kill your darlings. I know, I know, this is a lesson every writer should know, but it’s one you have to keep teaching yourself because it’s annoying every time. Only recently, for “Morgan”, I finally had to admit that I’m going to have to cut out a character that I really like. In fact, in “Morgan” I had to cut out a lot of things I liked because I moved the whole story 200 years forward in the timeline! Suddenly, the whole world I was setting the story in changed, and because of that, there was no room for my character, Jace, in this new world. Don’t worry, Jace, I thought, I’ll get you in the next one… The same happened to me in “Tayce” (the working title of my Nanowrimo novel). I had this really cool scene I had planned out involving a zombie named Rachel. I had written the scene, liked it, moved on, and about 20,000 words later I realized that the scene was superfluous. I hadn’t mentioned Rachel again! So, when Nanowrimo was done (like I’d cut it out and loose 5,000+ words during Nanowrimo!) I had to delete the whole, entire thing (which means I copy and pasted it into my “Junk” folder where all the stuff that doesn’t fit and is waiting for a new home goes).

Two, if you keep yourself open to the muse, she’ll do magical things. It’s true! I’ve heard these stories of authors saying, “I’ll just be writing along and all of a sudden, BOOM!, something’ll happen that I totally didn’t expect.” That really hadn’t happened to me. Everything in my story that happened — even the surprises — had been at least semi-expected by me, but this Nanowrimo, I do believe I let myself completely go. I finally relinquished control! *gasp*, which is the lesson, let the control go! Nanowrimo is wonderful for that, you’re so busy trying to make word count goals, you don’t really notice the writing and suddenly magical things slip in direct from the Muse. So, finally, I can say that my Muse really surprised me this time around. For example, my Muse introduced a whole new character to me — Agent Henry. And an organization I had not planned to put in my world — the Department of Supernatural and Magical Beings. Which, while not being the most original concept, proved to create some interesting tension in my world. It also wrote some interesting scenes, ones I didn’t even realize I’d write until I’d put it down. I didn’t agonize, “What happens next?” and for once, the only writer’s block I had was when I was so stressed out from school that I couldn’t devote enough time to get comfortable enough to write. But it wasn’t because I didn’t know what was going to happen next (because, for once, that didn’t matter)!

Three, it’s a first draft, don’t worry how it looks. My Nanowrimo was a freaking mess, and for once I didn’t care! In the beginning, I killed off a character named Fredericka, but three chapters later I realized that Fredericka still had an important part to play in the story. So suddenly, Fredericka was alive again! I didn’t even go back and edit (scandalous!) because I wanted to save the word count. I just kept on chugging. And then, three chapters after Fredericka was brought back to life…I killed her off again! My Nanowrimo has many inconsistencies and things I’m going to have to go back and edit, but I realized I had to get it down on paper first because I wasn’t sure how things progressed (I had a general idea, a very loose outline in my head, but I wasn’t exactly sure how things were going to get from Point A to Point B all the time). Get it down, fix it later. There’s going to be a lot of red on my edits, and a lot of arrows.

Four, always, always, ALWAYS back up my work. Ohmigod, I suffered because I forgot to back up and I lost my USB key. I had 14,000 words I had written on “Tayce,” my second edit on the first chapter of “Morgan,” two mini-chapters in a novella I had begun, and my final edit of “The Corpse” (a short story) and…I lost all of it! Not to mention a bunch of homework, notes, and stuff in my Junk folder. While I can rewrite everything…who knows what kind of inspiration has really been lost? *sigh* To say the cliche: You never worry — until it happens to you! Bah. I even have a spare hard drive from an old laptop I salvaged. I just gotta get off my butt and find an enclosure for it.

Anywho, nothing in the above list probably seems like a huge epiphany, but they were for me. And I’ve noticed that recently my writing has been much less stressful and pushed out, it’s been more natural (whether that’s because of the end of Nanowrimo, who knows?).

If you’ve done Nanowrimo, did you learn anything about your writing self, your Muse, or your writing style?

4:22 pm | Category: Nanowrimo | | 2 Comments

On Friday, November 30th, I wrote 14,000 words in one day — all the word count that had been lacking due to Thanksgiving or school. It was a grueling experience and I finally stumbled across the finish line at about 10:30pm. My arms ached by then.

On Wednesday or Thursday I’m going to write more fully about my experience, including some very important lessons I learned during this NANOWRIMO, which I think was my best yet. I’ve been doing this since 2004 and I still love doing it because every year I find out something about myself and what I can do, and I also learn a little more about what it would be like to do it full time, and ways to make my writing better.

Unfortunately, disaster struck a few days later when my USB key device broke off my keychain and is now lost — probably forever. So, remember everyone, back up your information obsessive-compulsively, because I didn’t and now I’m up a creek without a paddle and about 16,000 words, on varying projects, to rewrite. I’ve read about authors who backup to such an extent that they print out their work weekly and file it away, just in case. *sigh* I’ve been quite angry at myself for loosing the USB key and forgetting to backup last week.

9:25 am | Category: Nanowrimo | | 3 Comments

Only five days left, today included, and I’m suddenly five days behind and nearly 10,000 words below today’s goal. That last week was one busy one, with lots of Thanksgiving mayhem, and I didn’t get any time to write while I was with family. Unfortunately, this week has some major assignments due for school, so it may be a few late nights if I intend to win — and I do intend to win.

Bring on the coffee!

9:32 am | Category: Nanowrimo | | 2 Comments

I know I haven’t been replying to comments, but I have been reading and enjoying them. Once Nanowrimo is done, I need to work on some php code and fix my ability to reply to comments on Wynderlon.com — it’s kind of neurotic. But thanks for the encouraging words, guys! I have taken a few breaks; last Thursday I went to bed at 8pm, I was that tired. But, since then, I’ve been sleeping. And this week, the one before Thanksgiving, isn’t going to be very difficult. I only have 3 days of classes and then a 4-day weekend! Although, at least 2 of those days will be with family, so I doubt I’ll have time to work on my word count.

I’ve gotten behind twice due to schoolwork and just not enough hours in the day, but I’ve managed to make up the word count — and get a little ahead! My goal is to get ahead enough so that I won’t have to write on Thanksgiving. I’ve really been enjoying this novel. It’s my first urban fantasy and although I’ve read quite a few of them, and a quite a few stories with vampires, werewolves, fairies, etc., I don’t think I’ve ever written a novel with those creatures in it. Not only that, but I’ve created a few fantasy creatures of my own, like the Luguse. They lived in an area that would now be in the middle east and they lived next to a river that became the foundation of their religion and culture. The river had magical properties which eventually changed their genetic makeup and now the Luguse can technically live forever (the only way to kill them is to destroy their brain); they can regenerate any body part, even if they are just a head. The whole story revolves around the Luguse, their past, and the fact that people have begun to make drugs out of their blood (it’s illegal, but when did that stop anyone?) because in humans Luguse blood creates a feeling of euphoria and calm.

Heh, listen to me gush about my plot. It’s a good sign, it means I like it. And I know that I’m probably not going to finish the story in 50,000 words — probably more like 70,000. It’s also just going to be the first book in an ongoing series. Anyway, here’s a little excerpt. Remember that this is very rough stuff, I haven’t done any editing and I think I wrote this particular part somewhere around midnight, so there may be a few grammar issues that I should have caught, but didn’t:

(more…)

12:41 pm | Category: Nanowrimo | | No Comments

So it’s day 8 and I’m somewhere in the 11k region (I’ll update the counter later today). I’ve been writing every minute I’ve had free time, and even when I technically haven’t (boring classes are a good time to get a few notes jotted down in one’s notebook). Of course this was in the middle of all the other stuff I had to do — this week was yet another brutal one, I’m praying next week will be better — and I’m pretty sure my brain is becoming unhinged. Three nights I’ve gone to sleep after 2am!

So is it surprising that when I got to class this morning and was signing in (I hate attendance — especially in college). Suddenly, I realized that I hadn’t written down my name, I’d written down my character’s name! I laughed at myself (and got a few looks because of it) and quickly crossed the name out and wrote my own. So, basically, I’ve got NANOWRIMO on the subconscious and the conscious.

4:23 pm | Category: Nanowrimo | | 3 Comments

Since the NANOWRIMO word counter seems to be on the fritz, I figure I’ll update here too. I’m at 6,612 words. I know, a little below day 4 minimum but I was having difficulties with the plot and spent most of the day free-plotting* in a notebook. Then, in frustration, I whimpered to John and he asked like 2 questions: “Whose the main character? What’s the setting?” and popped out an idea that got me back to the free-plotting and eureka, I had it. My conflict.

I gaped at him and he shrugged and said, “I have hundreds of ideas and chronic writer’s block.” I think being uninvolved in the insanity that is NANOWRIMO helps, too. I mean, how much can you write and think before your brain goes mushy? But, he’s being a dear, even asking me everyday how it’s going, and of course helping with the ideas when I’m stuck and not sure I can even write my own name anymore.

Anyway, I’m tired. Whew! This week is going to be insane. I have 2 huge tests, 3 works to critique, a job interview (and interview clothes to buy), and a lesson plan to write up. And I need to be at 15k by this weekend, too. Youch.

*Free-plotting is basically like free-writing, only it’s a little more structured and plot related. I put something I’m stuck about on the top of a notebook page. In this circumstance, “Who is the bad guy?” and then just begin listing possibilities: “virus, assassin, monster, government agency” anything. Then I web each option I like, putting the possible who, what, when, and whys down. I don’t restrict myself. It could be: “virus -> spread by ____? -> government experiment?” and just keep going with short phrases, ideas, possibilities, so on and so forth. Whatever I like, I choose and roll with it. Maybe I’ll upload my notebook page here later, if I’m feeling in a show-and-tell mood.

9:21 pm | Category: Nanowrimo | | No Comments

Well, NANO begun and it was a lot of fun going to the kick-off party. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays (although the commercialization is not appreciated. I remember when I could buy a costume for $20 tops, now as an adult I’m expected to dish out $100 for a nice-looking costume? Doesn’t seem right) and going to the kick-off party was like celebrating it. John doesn’t celebrate Halloween, so it’s usually just me figuring out what to do. The only bummer is that I didn’t do my usual Halloween tradition: see a scary movie. But then, Halloween on a weekday is always a bummer.

The kick-off party ended for me around 1am. Between 12am and 1am, I started off strong, getting about 1850 words on my novel-in-progress. Unfortunately, I have already hit one snag: I don’t know who “the bad guy” is, right now I’m just flying blind, laying down the groundworks. As usual, my story ideas always start with a character: I got the idea when imagining my main character and the other main [secondary?] character. Now I just need to figure out what The Problem will be…

Here we go! Hello November!

9:18 am | Category: Nanowrimo | | No Comments

I know I’ve been AWOL in October. The last post on wynderlon.com was on the first! But I have a perfectly good reason: October was one huge, long headache of test after test and then assignment after assignment. But now most of it’s over and the best thing is in less than a week NANOWRIMO begins! So, to begin getting into the NANOWRIMO spirit, here’s my list of stuff I’ve gotta do before NANOWRIMO begins:

  1. Clean up my desk, which right now looks like the hurricane from Twister went over it.

  2. Finish the chores that have been piling up during midterms (I’d really like to think I’ll get these done…)

  3. Make up some music lists for different types of scenes: fight scenes, romantic scenes, dramatic scenes, normal scenes, etc.

  4. Get my tea stash in order. I think I’m out of orange spice and I’d love to find an herbal tea with mango in it.

  5. Finish the last revisions of the short short story And We All Fall Down.

  6. Figure out if I’m going to the All Soul’s Procession or not (this mostly depends on if I can find a costume I like).

  7. Finish my outline for the first chapter of the story I plan to write for NANOWRIMO.

I even made a spreadsheet on Excel for it, with graphs and stuff! Yay, graphs!

Once NANOWRIMO begins, I’ll definitely be blogging about it. It’s kind of turned into a tradition now.

Update Nov. 1st: Well, close enough. I’m kinda bummed I didn’t get around to cleaning my desk, though. That’s going to be a job for this weekend.

9:04 pm | Category: Nanowrimo | | No Comments