Signed up for NaNoWriMo, 2013

Yup! I'm doing NaNo this year. I've decided just yesterday, signed up and dugged through my documents for an old outline for support. (Is having a 7-8 K words outline cheating? I hope not)

In February I signed up for NaHaiWriMo to learn discipline by writing a themed haiku daily. Done, and continued that process for two more months. 

This summer I've written 3 outlines (complete outlines - worlds, characters, timeline) which was a big step for me. Now it's time to extend one of them to a book.

I've already practiced my writing during September, finishing two novella lenght 1st drafts that may not ever see shelves (real or virtual). Well, in the present state, they're not awful, but there's much work to be done. Maybe in December I'll start editing one of them, we'll see.

So, in November I'll try to write a full lenght novel. Quite a challenge. But, after the progress this year, I'm confident I'll finish the challenge with a 1st draft novel. 

My story, Secrets And Lies (work title), is a YA fantasy about a young faerie on the run from her kind, caught in too much intrigue, hidden in the human world. She can't stay out of trouble, or hidden for that matter, which leads her to a world of lies, secrets and scheems, which she hates. And her help comes in unexpected ways, confusing her even more.

But she's not going to give up.  

And neither am I. Wish us good luck.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group September 2013

Today it's the two year anniversary of a wonderful project, The Insecure Writer's Support Group, started by Alex J. Cavanaugh, a group designed for writers to support and encourage each other.

In today's post, Alex had surprised everybody, announcing the creation of The Insecure Writer's Support Group website. Looking forward to seeing the result, Alex!

My insecurities this month concern my ability to accomplish everything on my To Do List for September, which is very long. In August I've written 3 outlines beginning to end, worlds, characters, everything that goes in the story is already established. Crazy, I know, right? I've been struggling with this, and suddely in August I've done it. Not once, not twice, but three times!

And that made me bold. So, for September I've designed a crazy writing schedule that will be amazingly difficult to follow. I've figured since I know everything in the story, I could write about 5000 words a day, every day. Yup, 5000 words. 

For now, I'm faithful to my Spartan schedule, doing 5000+ words. But I can't write that much on a single story daily - outlining has removed the joy, the excitement, in discovering what happens next so, I lose interest after about 3000 words. So, I alternate between 2 stories.

It seems to be working, for now and I hope by the end of the month to have the 150 K I wanted. But I fear I'll lose interest because of outlining. 

I see the pros of this technique, I actually worked on a story for a week without giving up the project, but knowing what happens next makes the writing less... exciting. But if I get the work done, I'll keep up this way. I just hope outlining won't turn my writing flat. 

One of the projects still gives me the spark of excitement, so I'm confident about it, but the other one is slower, less attractive, but I'm not giving up. By the end of the month I'll have 150 K words done and raedy for re-writing.

As usual, no names yet for my projects. 

I hope everybody has a great, productive September.

Six Word Saturday

Enjoying my coffee under August sun

I'm one of those persons who can't start the day without coffee - it's more than a ritual, it's my first great moment of the day. 

And since today I'm not working on my usual stuff, but to the outline that I started yesterday (3.5 K in one day - yay!) though I was planning to take a break this weekend, I'll need at least a double dose of coffee to finish what I started. I think it will go around 8-9 K. I'm exited about it - it has vampires, action and shy love and big mouths - I was smiling the entire time I was writing (I think that's a good sign). 

I've figured the world, the characters, (still thinking about the setting), the timeline (one of my least favorite things) and I've also figured out why I can't finish what I start - that damn voice. All these were brewing inside my mind during the last week or so, and now I caved in and put everything on paper (yeah, paper and pen for outlining). So this new thing is an experiment till now, but works better than what I usually do, so I have high hopes (not that you couldn't tell by all this babbling).

And though I'm not usually sharing what I'm working on, since I'm so so crazy happy with this, I'll share a two line exchange  between the main characters.

"I wish you'd do what I asked you to."

"Well, it's not the magical time of Christmas when wishes come true. And I'm not a genie. I don't do wishes."

 
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Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. I love seeing what everyone does with their entries.

Have a great Saturday!

Celebrate The Small Things

Celebrate The Small Things is a fun weekly meme hosted by Viklit @ Scribblings of an Aspiring Author. Stop by and visit the other entries.

Here's what I'm celebrating this Friday:

* * * 8012 words this week already but I think I won't have the time to add more during the weekend.

* * * changing the aspect of my my blog and updating some of the social updates.

* * * adding 5% at the already 10% ready of a sideways project that I'll start talking about soon. I'm still trying to decide if I should start a new blog for it.

* * * This week I've had the pleasant surprise to talk to and reconnect with a close friend who's been  in Spain for almost 4 years now.

This is what I'll be celebrating today. I don't think I'll be able to do much writing this weekend, but I hope I'll come back Monday with fresh ideas and enthusiasm. 

I've also decided that from Tuesay13th till Thursday 15th my haiku chapbook 17 Syllables: Of Love And Life goes free on Amazon.

Have a nice weekened, all!