#ROW80 Check-in 11/8/15 – Nanoing

Yep, here we are again!

I am still working on Ever Touched for NanoWriMo, and I’m just shy of 10k now. It’s been a bit rough. I think time away from this particular world has diluted it in my head, and also the characters. It hasn’t been that long, but long enough for me to notice subtle things.

Usually until I hit 10k I am floundering (except with Fey Touched — that book was the exception to the rule) and since I’m pantsing it, doubly so. I have a general idea of what I’m heading for, but no details as to how, and I feel a bit panicky about it. I think it may be because it will be intended for publication, and it’s the third book in a series, and I’ve never written a third book in a series ever. So more often than not I have had to force myself to write, which isn’t as fun, but that’s my only option.

NanoWriMo for many years has been absolute magic for me. But for the first time, I’m feeling a bit strange. Like I’m not doing this right. It can’t be the 30k goal, because I’ve done that many times. I’m not sure if it’s just nerves, or working on this book in particular, but there it is. But I am sticking with it until the end, and I may feel differently later. Perhaps.

Stats:

Words written: 9,180
Words remaining: 20,820
Word wars: 6
Word wars with myself: 2
Chapters written: 1
What’s happening: An uncomfortable conversation
What’s next: Hell if I know
Feeling: Strange

I have also been rereading a book of mine I began waaaaaaay back in 2005 (!) that I want to submit to a publisher early next year. I’ve rewritten it 4 times already over the past 10 years (scary, huh?) and I set it aside in 2011 to write Fey Touched. (I was getting absolutely nowhere and was ready to hang it up completely when some writer friends suggested I do this). So I’ve been terrified to even look at it again. But it’s one of my best stories, with two of my favorite characters and one of the scariest villains I’ve ever written (or so I’ve been told) and I refuse to let it go. So I thought, I’m NOT rewriting it again, but a comprehensive revision would be okay. I still have the original notecards and betas’ notes, and maybe it would be a good thing to stretch myself a bit and see what I can do. There is a deadline involved, and even if by some chance I don’t make that deadline, I’m still working on it and not letting it sit longer. It’s on my priority list for revisions anyway, so why the heck not? So I started the reread last night and….it’s not as horrible as I thought it was. It has its moments and definite places that need fixing (particularly with the heroine and hero) but damn. It’s actually quite good. So, maybe there’s hope yet!

(Just a bit of trivia for you. I began this book, called Pirouette, on Nov 1st for Nano in 2005. I finished the first draft on December 27, 2006 — yes, I remember it! — and the draft came in at 399,915 words. (!!!!!!) The first draft was more of an exploratory draft and bears little resemblance to what it is now, but it laid the groundwork for what followed. Draft 2 is where I made some major changes, all to the good, and that one came in at 192k. And….so on. Now it’s down to 128k.)

Yeah, so a big project I wasn’t planning on taking on this soon but there’s an opportunity there I don’t want to miss.

So that’s what’s going on.

Oh, yeah, on physical activity, I’ve done 15 mins  twice this week.

Chocolate consumption: Not a lot. Been trying to stay within the confines of my diet. (And I can’t believe I am saying that!)

How are you doing?

#ROW80 Check-n 10/28/15 – Settling

Things have been a bit tough over here. If you didn’t read my post from Sunday, I lost a dear friend and co-worker last week and was grieving. I still am, actually. I’m just now starting to ease into normal life again.

He was like a grandfather to me and losing him so suddenly was not only a shock but a huge blow. I’d just spoken with him the week before. And while he was in poor health, he seemed to be doing okay. Certainly not near death. So it was a tough time, and I’ve been reflecting and collecting memories. His desk at work has been vacated for over a year. But he was in the world somewhere, you know? Now he’s just gone. And I’ve been sad. Too sad to even contemplate writing.

Until today! I finally wrote!

Here’s the proper rundown:

Physical activity – 3 times, 15 minutes
Covenant – 969 words today! Just hovering under 13k!
Fireborn – 398 words; 19k now
Ever Touched: Outlined! Set up on the Nano site and ready to roll.
Test roll: No, because grieving.

Chocolate consumption: A fair amount. Rollos, WW caramel thingies, WW Sundaes. Trying not to overeat with this awful hunger. It’s been a challenge. I’m hovering around the same weight, so at least I haven’t gained anything. Yay?

How’d you do?

#ROW80 Check-in 9/16/15

I’m still here, and I’ve been copyediting. I finished freelance project #2 on Monday and turned it in and have started back up on Burning Bright, KD Sarge’s awesome fantasy novel.

I did write about 600 words on Covenant recently.

And that is really it. I’ve been thinking about future projects, and I’m considering starting Survivor for NanoWriMo (unless I have an editing job or two, then it’s a no) because while I’ve done enough prep work and thinking, I realize that I’ll need to just jump in and do it. I haven’t really had an opportunity on a Sunday lately. But a solid 30k would be fantastic (I can no longer do 50k due to my wrists, but 30k is doable).

Rewrites are a bit tricky for me and my muse. We’re afraid to screw it up, so the beginning feels momentous. With an older project, Pirouette, which I rewrote a total of 4 times, each rewrite had accumulated more weight — this one was going to be The One. No, this one. Or this one. I can’t screw this up… I remember the fourth time  — I wasn’t even ready yet, but it was weighing on me so one day I wrote 200 words. And then I felt a bit better, because I’d started the damn thing. And then I added a few hundred more. The more I wrote, the better I felt. I still feel #4 is my strongest yet. I am planning another rewrite, but I wonder if maybe all it needs is an intense revision. It’s been 5 years since I set it aside. I was too close to it and I was losing the love. I’m considering making it a 2016 project, depending on how Survivor goes.

Sooooo this beginning to Survivor is huge, but I have to remember: sometimes it’s not the words, because they can be changed, but the physical act of beginning again that counts. We shall see.

Annd that’s really about it for me.

Chocolate consumption: Not as much as I’d like! I just had a WW sundae so that helps. 🙂

#ROW80 Check-in 8/19/15

ROW80, here we are again!

I have to admit, I’ve made almost no progress on any writing so far this week. Real Life is conspiring against me!

Today I managed 526 words of Changeling 3, which I am proud of! It’s finally moving again! I’m hoping to get the rough draft done before freelance editing job #2 lands in my inbox. I started it in the middle, then moved to the beginning. Next it’ll be finishing the middle and adding the ending. I usually don’t work that way, but for some reason I had a mental block about where to start, and I did know the middle, so I went with it. I wonder if that would work for novels, When the Stars Fall in particular (it’s still trying to become fanfic. I don’t know).

I’m still having vertigo which is not good, and a bit scary. I had one last night in the shower. My mom had one of those railings put in when she had the bathroom renovated and thank God for that! I hate being unsteady, but having the rail there is helpful and I feel safer. (Hard to imagine not feeling safe in the shower…)

As for everything else…not much happening. I just hasn’t gotten back into the groove, and I hope to soon!

Maybe working on several projects isn’t working. I’m not sure. For now, I’ll keep with it, make a decision later.

Chocolate consumption: Some. Last night I had a few mini Kit Kats (I LOVE those!) and today I had a WW Sundae.One goal for next round will be an actual plan for dieting. I really, really need to lose get some weight off and I’ve been tap-dancing around actually dieting and well…it’s overdue. Why can’t the good stuff have NO calories? It’s crazy.

Some eye pain due to a storm front. I did take a loopy pill this time. But I haven’t taken one since vacation, so I call it good. Hopefully tomorrow the front will be gone and I’ll feel better.

I feel like this is a bit of a downer post, so I apologize. Usually I’m bursting with things to say! Today I’m a bit quiet, and I think it’s okay. Sometimes we need quiet, you know?

How did you do?

#ROW80 Check-in 7/8/15

Today is my mother-in-law’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom-in-Law!

I’m finally making some good progress, and I’m happy about that. 😀

Here’s the rundown:

Fireborn – 1,042 new words, 17k total in draft (8k more to go!).
Survivor – Skipped Sunday’s session due to feeling crappy from surgery.
Covenant – 896 new words, 6k in draft (4k more to go!)

With the 35mm camera repair, I’ve found a place that does it and will be dropping it off on Saturday.

I am participating in Camp, a bit unofficially, but I am keeping track of my wordcount on the site. I’m almost to 2k, and my goal is 10k.

Chocolate consumption: Wow, not a whole lot! A chocolate cupcake for 2 days in a row + tonight (left over from 4th of July), and a WW Sundae. That’s it!!!! (Hopefully, this’ll be an improvement on the scale — she says hopefully)…

How are you all doing?