Day 30 and Say It With Me: The End

It has been a long road since I sat down almost 29 days ago and started with my first sentence, "She was here". There have been plenty of ups and a few downs, some challenges and at least one or two days of writer's block. Yet as I look back over this month all I can think is AMAZING!!

Last year was great but this year was fantastic. Not only did I get into my novel like never before but I made new friends and was able to go to more NaNo St. Louis events. I drank more soda and tea then last year and I saw way to many 2am nights but I also wrote more than I have ever written before. That is such an accomplishment that I will probably say it way to many times in the next week or so.

Final Word count to date: 115,088

Final Cups of Soda/Tea: More than I should ever drink again

Final Level of Tired: Wake me in January :)

As much as I would like to sleep until January I do know that isn't going to happen. I have a lot of new and exciting things that I want to work on in the next month and a lot more contacts that I want to make before January rolls around. Plus there is that small little holiday that everyone becomes obsessed with toward the end. I think they call it Christmas :). So my month is pretty packed but I do plan to continue this novel (since I still didn't reach the end).

So for my final NaNo November post I would like to share what I learned this year during my 30 days of writing.

When you put your mind to something not only can you accomplish it and if you offend any one doing it then it might be time to re-evalutate your relationships. There were a few that although they said they were excited and mentioned wanting to read what I have written at the beginning seemed to change their tune toward the middle. When you stop being as accessible to others sometimes you find out how important you are to people or how unimportant. Either way that shouldn't change your goals or your dreams. Keep going and those that really are there for the right reasons will still be there.

This isn't to say that you should get so wrapped up in what you are writing or working toward that you can't stop and just have a little fun. Unless you are working toward the end of a novel in thirty days. When you are under that kind of deadline then you just have to do what you have to do :).

Day Fourteen and Birthday Lunch and Movie Dreams

Alright so it's my birthday and originally I was going to write today but instead I decided to take the day and just enjoy it. I read some and watched some movies and had a great lunch with my dad. All and all it was a great day.

I am going to start trying to add pictures from the book and my writing and writing tools to my blog post so that it will have more fun going into the rest of the year. This one is the city of Crested Butte which is where the story is set at nighttime. I love the color and the great star above the mountain.

I also decided that I am done competing about word counts. I know that I want to get to 100K for the month but more than that I want to have a completed first draft of my novel. I'm already at 50K so I have won the NaNoWriMo. Why am I still worried about word count. Now is the time to power through the novel and get it done. To take my time and not worry about getting 5000 or 6000 for the day but getting chapter's done and story arc's completed. I need to be making sure that I have something finished to edit come December or January.

So I am going to work on seeing those famous last words "The End". See ya at the finish line.

Day Thirteen and Back At It

Last year I took the whole weekend of my birthday off and didn't do any of my NaNo Novel and I spent the rest of the month trying to get back into it. So this year I decided that I would write some today and maybe some tomorrow and see how I do. It also helped that Kstyle and I had some word wars going on over at Twitter. Which left me with a decent count for the day.

Word count to date: 54,132

Cups of Soda/Tea: 1

Levels of Tired: Ready to go

I think I did pretty good and I got some TV in too. Way to go me!

Day Twelve and She Rested

Since I reached 50K last night by the hair of my chinny chin-chin I am taking today for some much needed relaxation and a little birthday celebration. See you on Saturday.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!!

Day Eleven and Challenge Accepted

I don't know if anybody other than me watches "How I Met Your Mother" but I love Barney on that show. I especially love how every time someone says something he thinks of as a challenge is response is "Challenged Accepted" and he sets forth to do it. So I am dedicating this day to Kstyle from the North County write-ins for throwing down the gauntlet. Allow me to explain.

Today started as most days. I woke up thinking I needed to watch a few of the shows that my DVR has been feverishly recording as I write my novel but I was interrupted by a call that one of my friends needed me to ride out across town to bring them their keys because their car key was lost. Doing such cut into my writing time and still I did it. After lunch there was only so much time before our write-in and I still needed to find my party outfit for tomorrow so I went looking. I showed up at the library ready to at least add a few thousand words to my count and then finish up my 50k tomorrow during the day. That was until Mz. Kstyle walked in.

Most of you might not know this but I am a fairly competitive person and when Mz. Kstyle walked in telling me that she reached her 50K the night before I was blown away. I had secretly been competing with her in my head and she had just stomped me. I hadn't written a singe word for the day and she was already at goal. I won't lie, it hurt but like Barney I looked at her total and thought "Challenge Accepted".

The bad part was we preceded to talk for about an hour before we started writing. Still I left with another 2,000 added to the word count. I came home ready to watch the Laker/Nuggets basketball game and get my writing done and let my fingers go. By the middle of the third quarter I was getting distracted by the TV so I put in on mute and the Lakers started to lose. I had to put the TV back on so that I could support my team (although I love them both so I wasn't concerned with who won) and write sporadically until the end.

At 12:30 I was still almost a five hundred words away and twittered it to decide if I should call it a day. That was when Kstyle came back and reminded me why I was doing it with a simple "You can't stop now". She was right. I had accepted the challenge. So I went back to writing and banged out the word count I needed.

Word count to date: 50,079

Cups of Tea/Soda: 1 (Still rocking the peach)

Levels of Tired: Too excited to be tired.

I had wanted to beat her word count but as I was scared of what I had written I decided to let it go. Now all I have to do is get in another 11K by Monday as her goal was 10 and I will be back on top. Challenge Accepted.

Ps. I forgot to wish all the Veteran's a Happy Veteran's Day. We wouldn't be able to enjoy the freedoms with have without you unwavering sacrifices. And to their families thank you for allowing them the freedom to defend ours. My deep gratitude and prayers for your continued safety both at home and abroad.

Day Ten and Almost On Track

Alright it is day ten and my goal has been to hit 50K by tomorrow or early Friday at the latest. That way I will have made in before my birthday and if I recall correctly before last year. But looking at the total today and thinking about what I have to do tomorrow I'm not sure if that is going to work out.

Word count to date: 44,117

Cups of Soda/Tea: 2 (Really into the iced peach tea)

Levels of Tired: So-So

As you can see, if I am going to do 50K by tomorrow then I am going to have to write almost 6,000 words in one day. Normally I do around 4K maybe 5K but it's a rare day that I do 6. I did 6 the first day of last year and the second but then I had one day that I did less then 1,000. I think it more or less all averages out.

So wish me words as I set out to hopefully get my write on!

Day Nine and No Clue

Alright so I took some time after writing and for the life me I can't remember where my word count ended today. I think I was around 40,000 because that was my goal and I was so close to hitting it all the other days but I can't be sure. Either way I know that I did what needed to be done to hit 50K by Friday.

So that is pretty much all I have for today. See ya soon.

Day Eight and Can't Go On

Don't worry I don't mean that I am quiting NaNo just that I am quiting for the night. My eyes are hurting they are so tired and I could slide right off this chair and sleep on the floor without a blanket or anything. With that in mind I am calling it a night. I hate that I am 1500K from the goal I wanted to reach today but I think if I tried to write anything it wouldn't be worth it in the morning so I'm out. Here is my totals for the day.

Word count to date: 33,501

Cups of Soda/Tea: 1(cold tea today)

Levels of Tired: Fall out your chair tired

Alright, now I am logging off and I am going to grab a cupcake, some milk and crawl into bed with my DVR. Now if after the sugar hits me I get a rush and my mind starts working again I am not apposed to coming back and knocking that 1500 out. So stay close I will keep you posted.

First Excerpt....Loving It

I decided to go ahead and post an excerpt here since I posted it on my NaNo page. I hope you like it and I can't wait to hear what you think.

The door opened and Shane walked in followed closely by Bianca. Next came Bryce and behind her was a smiling Baldric with his arm around the shoulders of a woman he had never seen before. She looked up and as soon as her eyes met his all his anxiety faded away. His breath caught in his throat as his heart began to pound out of his chest. The moisture that he had felt on his palms a day ago returned in full force and his whole body relaxed into her eyes. He didn’t think there were words for the beauty that was written over her face. She was exquisite. Like a rare jewel or an expensive crystal she shown for everyone to see. He wanted to rush to her side and never leave.

She was what he had been missing. He knew it as surely as he knew his name. She was the reason he had turned around and she was the reason that he couldn’t speak. She was the reason he was still here walking this earth and if tomorrow the world ended she would be the reason that he could die in peace. She had captured him with a simple look and he had no desire to break free. She was his every reason and he didn’t even know her name. How could he not know her name? He wanted, no, he needed to know her name. He needed to be near her and he needed to have her near him. The desire to hold her was quickly over powering all his other senses.

The practical part of Dalton knew that this had to be a mistake. He didn’t know this angel before him and even if he did he wasn’t the sort that this happened to. Things like this happened to Shane who had spent his whole life or at least this whole life looking for his mate. Who had always known that there was someone waiting for him; who had fallen in love before even seeing Bianca’s face. But he wasn’t the love at first sight type. He was jaded and he was a loner. He was leaving to figure out his life. His decision had been made and now this woman who he didn’t know and yet he did was making him reverse that decision. She was taking away his choices and she had not spoken a word. This was not him. He didn’t need anyone and he wouldn’t be ruled by a mystical pull to another. He had lived his entire live belong to himself, taking care of himself and he wouldn’t change who he was just because someone with a face that men wrote sonnets for walked into his home.

Day Seven and Thinking of Sex....

I know that is the weirdest title to date but there you go. Allow me to explain (note: this post will have two word counts). First I wanted to reach 30K today and almost quit 200 words away but decided to push on after getting a cup of tea which lead to this word count for the day:

Word count to date: 30,325

Cups of Soda/Tea: 2 respectively

Level of Tired: Getting there

Then I went to post my word count on NaNo and started reading through the form post and under the shout out titles there was a post 'First Sex Scene'. I started reading it and the author was saying that if you are stuck for words then just start writing about sex. That seemed like the funniest advice so I gave myself an extra half an hour to test it. I put on my jazz and took to my keyboard. I didn't get the word count that the others boosted and I stopped in the middle of the beginning (I know bad place to stop) because it wasn't coming (no pun intended) together like I had thought. It did however boost my word count which now sits at:

Word count to date: 31,234

Almost a 1,000 extra words in 30 minutes (26 if we want to be technical). I'm not really sure that I have ever written that fast before. I might have to time my non-sex related typing tomorrow. I will let you know but for now I am going to bed and who knows what I will dream about but if it's good then my word count might skyrocket tomorrow. Sweet dreams.

Day Six and Almost Back On Track

Coming to you live either early Sunday mornin' or late Saturday night. Daylight savings always throws me. Either way I am coming to you dog tired. Today has not quite been the catch up day that I had hoped but it has been a good day.


I got to share a little pre-birthday celebration with some friends and finish a project that I had started a few weeks ago. I also got to think about Christmas a little and realized that I might be changing my gift plans. Then I came home and the plan was to get to writing but I only really got in a good hour and then time seemed to fly by. Still I have a great part down and I think I have an excerpt to post soon.


So as per usual:

Word count to date: 23,214

Cups of Soda/Tea: 0

Levels of Tired: Did you miss the dog tired comment?

Even though I didn't hit my goal for the day I am off to bed. I was trying to hit 25K but I was at the point I was just typing to type and that never looks good in the morning. That said I am off. Don't forget to set your clocks back and get that extra hour.

Day Five and I Missed You

Well, if you have been following this everyday then you already know that I missed yesterday. I was supposed to be updating everyday but yesterday I fell asleep. I was going to back post an update from yesterday but at the last minute decided not to especially seeing as it is 2:30 in the morning on Saturday and my word count hasn't changed from Thursday night. I know, I know but it hasn't.

Word count to date: 18,850

Cups of Soda/Tea: 1 1/2 (That's counting both days)

Level of Tiredness: Good for now

Allow me to explain. I was going to get up and write this morning but I got a late start. Then I had to go help my aunt with a computer issue. After that it was off to the grocery store because I needed to make cupcakes for a meeting I have tomorrow. Then I came home and made cupcakes for two hours. With not being on my computer all day I got caught up checking emails, Facebook, and Twitter (obsession during NaNo) and then it was time for Supernanny which lead into What Would You Do. By then my cousin was here and we started watching more TV and now it is almost 3 in the morning and I haven't written anything in twenty-four hours. For shame :(.

Plus I'm not entirely sure how much I am going to get done tomorrow (or today for those that are sticklers for dates). I have a meeting from 1-5 and my father is taking back the laptop to head out of town with it for at least three days. That will mean that I will end up writing in our basement and I have a crazy issue with basements so I am hoping that I will be able to get some serious writing done but I'm not sure.

So that's all folks. It's silly that I feel behind when I know that I'm on track (ahead really) for 50K by the 30Th but I really wanted to be at 30K by Saturday or at the latest Sunday. Still two days away but time is pushing me this year. I guess with that I should get off here and see if maybe I can get at least ten words written so that I can have something done. Talk tomorrow (or today if you want to be picky).

Too Edit or Not To Edit

I know that as National Novel Month Writers we are not supposed to edit anything until after the month has passed and we have had time to recover from all the writing that we did during the month. We are supposed to wait until our fingers are healed and your minds have returned for the "fire bad; tree pretty" land. That is what we are supposed to do.

However, sometimes you write something that just screams "EDIT ME" and other times you start thinking and you realize that you can fluff up a part and make it deeper. Get more into the character and you are screaming "LET ME EDIT".

That is were I am right now. I love how my novel is going but at the same time I think I can really work the first chapter and pull more out of my beginning. I think I can let the reader into more of the mind of one of the main characters and grab them just a touch more.

So that is the question. Do I edit what I have and add to my word count and my story or do I stick with the guidelines and wait until December, maybe even January and run the risk of losing what I have in my mind right now? I think I say to heck with the rules. After all they were made to be broken and do what is best for the novel.

That said I am off to edit; I think.

Day Three and Pulling Teeth

Wow, today has been the writing day from who knows where. This has been crazy. First my update.

Word Count to Date: 14,018

Cups of Soda/Tea: 1

Levels of Tired: Not really sure

Okay so here is how my day went. Wake up early with words flowing in my head, write 1,000 in an hour, do some computer work, get a headache, write 300 more words, lose all concentration, watch TV, download music, think about calling it a day, dance around to new music, go to bathroom, inspiration hit, write until 3 am. What is that?

That has been how my first three days have seemed to go. Just craziness. I was so sure that I wasn't going to get anywhere near my word goal for the day and then bam. I banged out four thousand words between midnight and three. Didn't see that coming. However, now I am approaching the unknown of tired and I really need to go to bed. Talk tomorrow.

Headache To Start Day 2

Another day; another word total. Today has been a hard one for me. I wanted to write way more than I ended up getting done.

First I went to vote which ended up taking longer than I planned because I went with my father and he had another errand to run and then we went to lunch. By the time I got back I was exhausted. So I decided that I would take a small nap and then get up and write. That didn't work out that well considering when I woke up I had the worlds biggest headache.

I laid around and tried to let my mind relax and about 9 or so tonight I finally had a little energy. I started writing and made myself a cup of tea but something was in my teapot because when I poured it there was all these little flecks of something floating around. So I washed out my cup and tried again but it still didn't taste right and every since I have felt like I have paper or something like that stuck in my throat. I have had water and juice and I can't get ride of it so I am taking it as a sign that I should go to bed.

Word count to date: 8799

Cups of Soda/Tea: 2

Level of Tiredness: Over the top

Talk to everyone in the AM.

Day One Comes To An End

As much as I wanted to get to 10,000 my mind has stopped for the evening. Granted it is 12:30 in the morning so I guess I am almost into day two but I'm still counting this as day one since I haven't been to bed.

Word count for the day: 5834

Cups of Soda/Tea: 1

Level of Tired: Extreme

That is going to be my format for every night when I post my word totals for the day. Hope you like.

Alright I am off to bed. See ya in the AM after I go Rock the Vote :).

Ps. I forgot to mention that I also learned that I can write with someone singing in the background. Very interesting. Don't know how much of it I will try to do but it's nice to know.

Day One and So Tired

All I can say is the 3:00 am bedtime is kicking my butt.

I so want to get to at least 5,000 words but all I want is to sleep right now. I went back through all I had written last night and I know that we aren't supposed to edit but I couldn't help it. It was only a couple thousand words. However, when I got through I had added another thousand and I think filled out my main female character, LaRissa. So now I am happier with her.

Right now it is almost 6 and I am going to take a nap. I figure I got a slow start this morning but if I don't get do 10,000 today then I could push myself and do it tomorrow. That way I can write all day and not feel like I am going to fall out every few minutes.

Okay so nap, Dancing with the Stars, Castle, and then back to writing for a few hours and then sleep for a few hours. Be back later to let you know where I ended up.

Getting My Write On....

Okay, well it is almost 2:30 am and the first two hours of NaNoWriMo are in the bag.

I started around 12:02 am after I talked to my dad for a few minutes and then updated my status on Facebook and Twitter. I had my iPod ready and my word doc already open to a blank page ready to write. I had four different openings that I had been debating for the last couple of days but when I started writing it seemed to just work it's self out. Then around 1:20 my brain started to go and shortly after my iPod battery died. Still I pushed on because I wanted to make sure that I wrote until at least 2 or I reached 2,000 words since my goal was to do 5,000 the first day.

I made it but I am a little scared of what I might have written that last half hour :). I reached 2 am and I topped out at 2458 words for my two hours. I then went to update my NaNo word count, Facebook and Twitter and even though I should have been powering off my computer I scrolled down to read others word counts. I saw that jsights said last year she did 10,000 the first day. Being that she was my mentor last year I now think I should work to get the same number or higher.

With that I am upping my goal for the day. 10,000/12,000 I think I can do it but not if I don't get any sleep. And with that I am off to bed. Talk to you later today.