NaNoWriMo

Saturday, November 27, 2004

Novel Update (writing day 8)

Today I did a little writing warm-up before my writing out session. I headed over to The Coffee Table for about 90 minutes of writing before heading up to Vromans:

time..running tally..words…words/minute
12:15…..35,750…...575…..38.33
12:30…..36,285…...535…..35.67
12:45…..36,867…...582…..38.80
13:00…..37,387…...520…..34.67
13:15…..37,986…...599…..39.93
13:30…..38,205…...219…..14.60

I had a cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant. I didn’t really want the croissant. I wasn’t hungry. I had a nice breakfast of leftover baked yam with some spiced brown sugar butter.

Then at Vroman’s we sat as some sort of display of novel writing activity - like the people who pull taffy in the front window at the boardwalk or the donuts at Krispy Kreme. This is how novels are made:

time..running tally..words…words/minute
14:30…..38,486…...281…..18.73
14:45…..38,700…...214…..14.27
15:00…..39,275…...575…..38.33
15:15…..39,552…...277…..18.47
15:30…..39,841…...289…..19.27
15:45…..40,287…...446…..29.73
16:00…..40,556…...269…..17.93
16:15…..41,158…...602…..40.13
16:45…..41,456…...298…..19.87
17:00…..42,108…...652…..43.47

I had a cup of bad gunpowder green tea. And I also brought along a little baggie of chocolate which included some mixed milk and dark Wilbur buds and some organic chocolate that my sister-in-law brought for Thanksgiving.

The total for the day was 6,933. I should have gone for a squared off 7K, but I figured I got to 42,000 and it was raining and I only paid for four hours on the meter, so I headed home.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 8:16 pm     NaNoWriMo

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Novel Update (writing day 7)

Today, instead of writing in one of those places made for drinking coffee, I went and wrote in one of those places designed to hold books (not a bookshelf). Fellow wrimo (and yinzer), Ron, set up a write-out at the Valley Plaza branch of the LA Public Library. It’s a brand spankin’ new building with a swell little meeting room where they let us have coffee (home-made).

I got about 4K in for the day, so I’m in a pretty good position. You can check the full status spreadsheet on the left if you’re really curious. I need 15K more and my calculations say that I need about 10 more hours of work in order to achieve that. I figure I’ll do about 3 or 4 hours on Saturday in Pasadena and then maybe sneak out on Sunday to write out by myself for a bit (not a public event) so I can knock back 5-8K. Then it’ll be a matter of tying up the story with a neat bow on Monday or Tuesday. My saving grace is that I don’t have class on Tuesday night.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
5:00…..31,451…....290…..19.33
5:15…..31,970…....519…..34.60
5:45…..32,428…....458…..30.53
6:15…..32,689…....261…..17.40
6:30…..33,383…....694…..46.27
6:45…..33,680…....297…..19.80
7:00…..34,340…....660…..44.00
7:15…..34,581…....241…..16.07
7:30…..35,055…....474…..31.60
7:45…..35,175…....120…...8.00

POSTED BY Cybele AT 9:44 pm     NaNoWriMo

Sunday, November 21, 2004

This Day in History

There’s no point in me racing other people. Because this is a personal challenge.

So, here’s how I was doing in the past:

November 21
2003 - 31,733
2002 - 33,239
2001 - 25,076

For the record, I’m at 31,161.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 7:59 pm     NaNoWriMo

Novel Update (writing day 6)

This morning was Downtown Day. We met up at Philippe’s down on Alameda and Ord.

If you live in LA (hell, even if you just visit here) you should probably go there at least once. I got a turkey dip, some apple pie and a nine cent cup of coffee. All good things. I didn’t each much of the sandwich, but my problem yesterday was that I didn’t have anything to eat all day, not until I got to Pasadena, and I do believe that Chris Baty is right to stress in his book that breakfast is a writer’s most important meal.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
12:00…..26,854…..739…..49.27
12:15…..27,069…..215…..14.33
12:45…..27,366…..297…..19.80
13:00…..27,885…..519…..34.60
13:15…..28,138…..253…..16.87
13:30…..28,587…..449…..29.93
13:45…..28,753…..166…..11.07
14:00…..28,963…..210…..14.00
14:15…..29,708…..745…..49.67
14:30…..30,356…..648…..43.20
14:45…..30,596…..240…..16.00
15:00…..31,161…..565…..37.67

It’s another 5K so I’m that much closer to the goal. Of course I still need another 19K and the trick is to figure out how to do that in the next nine days. I think I can do 5K on each day next weekend - so that leaves 9K left unattributed to any particular session. I’m planning to write on Wednesday afternoon/night. Then a couple of days of family goodness (menu to come). I suppose the rest will have to be done in the evenings as best I can manage. I hope I can figure how to bring my story to a close. I actually hadn’t really consider that before this moment.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 4:34 pm     NaNoWriMo

Saturday, November 20, 2004

Novel Update (writing day 5)

Today was another day in the car - though I didn’t travel as far as the Antelope Valley, I went to two different valleys.

I started with a drive to Canoga Park to the Borders there to meet up with some other far-flung wrimos. When I arrived at ten, the parking lot was nearly empty. I walked around, a little worried that I didn’t see anyone in the place and no big comfy chairs placed anywhere (as some Borders do have, or maybe I’m getting them confused with Barnes & Noble). I went upstairs and found the cafe. I ended up asking another fellow toting a laptop if he was a wrimo and realized quickly when he said “a what?” that he wasn’t.

I got a cup of drip coffee (from a guy who I don’t think has ever sold a cup of coffee before) and walked around for another ten minutes or so and then settled down at a table next to an outlet. Soon my intended wrimo prey joined me and we talked for a while and then I settled in for some wordage.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
11:30…..21,540…..454…..30.27
11:45…..21,907…..367…..24.47
12:00…..22,451…..544…..36.27
12:15…..22,817…..366…..24.40
12:30…..22,898…...81…...5.40
12:45…..23,166…..268…..17.87

Then I packed up my things, and took off to Pasadena, stopping to get gas first as I knew I had another twenty or so miles to go and my gas tank gauge was flashing “add fuel” all week.

Up in Pasadena I found the Vroman’s gang already in full swing with their write-out and the Vroman’s staff absolutely wonderful in checking up on us. The set up was the table used for in-store events - so there are a series of chair set up as an audience for us. Several patrons actually sat there, probably just to rest or chat for a moment, but it made the noveling feel like a spectator sport. I wish we could have gotten them to do the wave.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
2:30…..23,363…..197…..13.13
2:45…..23,631…..268…..17.87
3:00…..23,774…..143…...9.53
3:15…..23,827…...53…...3.53
3:30…..24,260…..433…..28.87
3:45…..24,285…...25…..,1.67
4:00…..24,826…..541…..36.07
4:15…..24,963…..137…..9.13
4:30…..25,239…..276…..18.40
4:45…..25,815…..576…..38.40
5:00…..26,115…..300…..20.00

It was a huge group, so there was lots of chatting, but I got my 5K for the day, so I was pretty pleased with that. I had to leave in a timely fashion, as I had dinner plans later.

The other cool thing is that I’m over the mid-way hump. I’m telling a story, though the plot leaves a little to be desired.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 6:06 pm     NaNoWriMo

Sunday, November 14, 2004

This Day in History

I’ll probably start this subject as a thread on the NaNoWriMo boards. One of the advantages of keeping such copious notes about my writing habits in November, is that I have a historical record of them.

So here it is, this weeks report of this day in history:

2001 -  9,371
2002 - 16,705
2003 - 14,316
2004 - 21,086

POSTED BY Cybele AT 7:00 pm     NaNoWriMo

Novel Update (writing day 4)

Today I passed through three area codes to write. (323, 818 & 661)

I went up to Palmdale to the Starbucks there. You say, Palmdale? Why Palmdale. Ah, this Starbucks has a drive-thru.

Really, I went up there for a write-out with the surprisingly vibrant wrimo group.

They had some great tables (with powerstrips mounted in the center) and I hunkered down for a long winter’s write. What I lacked in hourly rate, I made up for with keeping my ass in the chair until I got some wordcount.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
1:15…...16,967…...112…....7.47
1:30…...17,287…...320…...21.33
1:45…...17,521…...234…...15.60
2:00…...18,133…...612…...40.80
2:45…...18,691…...558…...37.20
3:00…...19,081…...390…...26.00
3:15…...19,397…...316…...21.07
3:30…...19,818…...421…...28.07
3:45…...20,158…...340…...22.67
4:00…...20,783…...625…...41.67
4:15…...21,086…...303…...20.20

My total for the day? 4,231. Not the 5K I wanted, but after yesterday’s poor showing by my uncooperative body, I should be grateful that I got up and about today.

I actually enjoyed the drive. It gave me time to think. I listened to music, sang along. And the views were amazing as I passed by Vasquez Rocks.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 6:46 pm     NaNoWriMo

Saturday, November 13, 2004

Novel Update (writing day 3)

Off to Priscilla’s in Burbank bright and early. I got a late start, actually, and traffic on the 5 was oddly congested, so I was a little late. I didn’t really get started until 10 AM. But I had a good latte at my side and a small but very good pecan bar.

The table was wobbly and my abdomen has been hurting pretty bad lately, so I was very uncomfortable most of the time I was there.
time..running tally..words…words/minute
10:15…..12,471…..609…..40.60
10:30…..13,041…..570…..38.00
10:45…..13,587…..546…..36.40
11:00…..14,060…..473…..31.53
11:15…..14,616…..556…..37.07
11:30…..15,090…..474…..31.60
12:00…..15,433…..343…..22.87
12:15…..16,143…..710…..47.33
12:30…..16,855…..712…..47.47

And here’s some fun, I ran Word’s auto summarize feature. So instead of bothering with that messy 17,000 word PDF over there, here’s what’s going on:

The name Rachel Watson did that. If at all. ìWhatís your name??(r)

ìIím agent Kolotigian.?(r)

ìAgent Kolotigian.” Agent Kolotigian smiled. “Iím changing my name. To Rachel Watson.?(r)

ìRachel Watson? Your name is fine.” ìIíve changed my name. Iíve changed my name to Rachel Watson.?(r)

ìRachel Watson. Name one horrible Gross. ìHeather Gross. ìMaddie Fairfax.?(r)

ìMaddie.?(r) ìFairfax.?(r) Denise Gross nodded. They never spelled Maddie Fairfaxís name wrong.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 1:52 pm     NaNoWriMo

Thursday, November 11, 2004

Novel update (writing day 2)

Tonight I went over to CyberJava to meet with other wrimos. I don’t count on a lot of wordcount on the evening writeouts. Nightwriting is not really my thing after a day at work. I can do it on weekends, but weekdays are just too taxing. So excuse the pitiful count and the text that just treaded water in the plot.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
7:30…..10,602…..526…..35.07
7:45…..10,885…..283…..18.87
8:00…..11,174…..289…..19.27
8:15…..11,546…..372…..24.80
8:30…..11,797…..251…..16.73
8:45…..11,862…...65…...4.33

It was rather cold too. Spent the first hour outside, then as we got more folks and I couldn’t stand it any longer, we moved inside where the music was more annoying.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 11:20 pm     NaNoWriMo

Monday, November 08, 2004

How Much Better is This Year?

Technically I’m behind, but I need to remind myself that I’m always behind in NaNoWriMo. There’s no pressure without behind.

But here’s a little taste of history, here’s where I was each of the other years (you can go back and read the archives too, if you’re really curious).

November 7th Wordcount

2001 .....7,699
2002 .....7,988
2003 .....4,009

Oh yeah, I might be behind this year, but I’ve come back from far worse.

Of course in 2003 we were blessed with 10 weekend days. This year we have only eight. And I already squandered one of them (the sixth). But I figured all I need is four more like yesterday and I’m sitting pretty. Of course a plot would help, too.

I’ll try to post a PDF of the sucker later on tonight and fill out my status sheet, which is kind of boring when you look at only six days that actual writing gets done.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 9:36 am     NaNoWriMo

Sunday, November 07, 2004

Novel Update (call it writing day 1)

Yes, I know, everyone else has already started and I haven’t. But I went out bright and early (okay, drizzly and kind of midmorning) and got some writing done.

As usual, I found out that I am a freaking writing machine. I’m averaging about 2,500 words per hour. No, really.

CyberJava
I had a large cafe au lait. I sat on the front patio, in the drizzle with my fingerless gloves. I had my iPod but the battery crapped out on my about an hour and a half in. No matter, iTunes on the ‘puter got me through the rest of the session:

time..running tally..words…words/minute
10:45…..0,442…...442…...29.47
11:00…..1,088…...646…...43.07
11:15…..1,719…...631…...42.07
11:30…..2,342…...623…...41.53
11:45…..2,906…...564…...37.60
12:00…..3,525…...619…...41.27
12:15…..4,129…...604…...40.27
12:30…..4,477…...348…...23.20
12:45…..4,999…...522…...34.80

Then I packed up, cuz I’d made my 5K and I was cold and I headed over to Espresso Mi Cultura on Hollywood, just a piece down the pike. There I got warmed up with some Mexican mocha. I found a roomy table in the back and dug in for some major typetivity:

time..running tally..words…words/minute
13:15…..5,025…...026…...01.73
13:30…..5,428…...403…...26.87
13:45…..6,097…...669…...44.60
14:00…..6,547…...450…...30.00
14:15…..7,181…...634…...42.27
14:30…..7,855…...674…...44.93
14:45…..8,486…...631…...42.07
15:00…..9,047…...561…...37.40
15:15…..9,726…...679…...45.27
15:30….10,076…...350…...23.33

Of course I haven’t a clue what I’m doing. I’ve got a character now and a situation and she’s just kind of talking. I’m 20% into the thing, so I think I’ve ended this session on a pretty good note, with my main character flipping out.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 3:57 pm     NaNoWriMo

Monday, November 01, 2004

Novel Update?

Are you here to see how my novel is going?

Well, I’ve decided I’m going to be an asshole and hang out in coffee houses and make fun of the little conformists that do their wordcount in 1667 word incremements every day and then write all of mine in the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Um, no, wait, that’s not what I’m going to do.

I’m not planning on starting my novel until I’ve finished a draft of a new play. Supposedly I was going to do that last month, but I’ve stalled a little bit on it. But The Man laid down an edict that I not write another novel until I finish a play, so here I am, in the midst of National Novel Writing Month trying to squeeze a draft of a play out.

Of course my standards for plays are vastly different than my standards for novels (thank God!). I want to write a good and coherent play. So, I’ll get that done, probably on Saturday morning and then be able to start the Novel in earnest. It’s not like I don’t already procrastinate. At least this time I’m doing it to good purpose.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 4:54 pm     NaNoWriMo

Sunday, October 24, 2004

The Novel

As it stands right now, this is what I’ve got:

Title: An Alphabetical Order

Genre: Literary Fiction (Light Humor?)

Story: Main character finds that her lack of success in life is caused by her unfortunate name. It’s not a bad name, it’s just always left her in a bad position. So she researches how some successful people were helped by their name (the letters they begin with, not too uncommon, not too ordinary, not too ethnic, but not too whitebread). She changes her name and changes her life. Or maybe it doesn’t change her life at all.

As you can see, I haven’t even picked out a name for her yet. I’ve got a long way to go.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 10:36 am     NaNoWriMo

Sunday, November 30, 2003

The Formality of Finishing

imageI suppose after doing this twice I have a certain sense of confidence, one that almost replaces the actual act. I know I can write a novel in a month because I have written a novel in a month, so why do I have to write a novel in a month?

But I started a novel. So, I have to finish a novel. And so I did. I killed them all. Well, not everyone. Damon lives (mostly because he’s doing the killing) but Dympna, Brother Gerebran, Raina and the Minstrel are murdered.

I went over to The Coffee Table and sat in the back and had a little split pea soup and green tea with ginger and just wrote the ending.

time…..tally…...words…words/minute
6:30…..47,452…..122…..08.13
6:45…..47,871…..419…..27.93
7:00…..48,214…..343…..22.87
7:15…..48,650…..436…..29.07
7:30…..49,175…..525…..35.00
7:45…..49,830…..655…..43.67
8:00…..50,172…..342…..22.80
8:15…..50,455…..283…..18.87

The manuscript itself is a horrible mess. I abandoned using chapter headings back at chapter three, and I’m not sure I even marked breaks. I wrote the fairy tale piece as one long chapter, but it’s really supposed to be interspersed in alternating chapters. But if I don’t have chapters, how am I supposed to alternate. I suppose I only have four chapters ... I never did any spell check. I know there are several large gaps and other continuity errors.

But such is the way with NaNovels. For now I am going to go to bed with a gentle sense of self-confidence. Not only did I write a novel in a month, but my tally shows that I spent a scant 32 hours actually at the keyboard working on it. So how much can anyone expect?

POSTED BY Cybele AT 11:37 pm     NaNoWriMo

Saturday, November 29, 2003

The Nine Thousand Words

imageYou’d expect a binge on Thanksgiving day. I mean, it is the eating holiday. But I don’t suppose there’s a binge expected on the Saturday after.

I slept in. An essential prequel to a binge, if you ask me. And you should, since I’m an expert of the easy binge. I showered and did my emails and such and then I headed over to Espresso Mi Cultura in Hollywood. I found a spot on my second loop around the block, which is good because I really, really wanted a Mexican mocha with a double shot of espresso. I’m really not much for sugary drinks (I like my sugar in my candy, thank you very much), but a Mexican mocha is a very, very nice way to start a binge.

time…..tally…...words…words/minute
12:30….38,289…..042…..02.80
12:45….38,555…..266…..17.73
01:00….38,954…..399…..26.60
01:15….39,370…..416…..27.73
01:30….39,864…..494…..32.93
01:45….40,396…..532…..35.47
02:00….40,856…..460…..30.67
02:15….41,101…..245…..16.33
02:30….41,655…..554…..36.93
02:45….42,219…..564…..37.60
03:00….42,399…..180…..12.00
03:15….43,005…..606…..40.40
03:30….43,451…..446…..29.73
03:45….43,980…..529…..35.27
04:00….44,534…..554…..36.93
04:15….44,909…..375…..25.00
04:30….45,551…..642…..42.80
04:45….46,005…..454…..30.27
05:00….46,371…..366…..24.40
05:15….46,977…..606…..40.40
05:30….47,330…..353…..23.53

That leaves me less than 3,000 words to wrap up the story. Unfortunately it’s not that easy. I’ve only accounted for two miracles, but I figure I can just skip over the third, because I find no mention of it in the listings of her life story anyway. It’s a novel, not a petition to the Pope for beatification, after all. I’ve gotten them to Gheel. Now I just have to have the spies find Dymphna and have Damon come after her.

I’ll try to post later with the latest version. Right now the one that’s up is 12,000 words shy of where I am now. I’m sure you’re all following along with the home game, right?

POSTED BY Cybele AT 9:09 pm     NaNoWriMo

Friday, November 28, 2003

Whee! Lots o’ Words!

imageAh, the holidays. I didn’t figure on writing on Friday, but then again, I did think that I could get some words down on Wednesday, so it was only catch-up.

We went down to Crystal Cove in Orange County to the beach for the afternoon. I got some cool photos ...

Then home and off to The Coffee Table in Silverlake for some words before dessert.

time…..tally…..words….words/minute
7:00…..34,965…..453…..30.20
7:15…..35,260…..295…..19.67
7:30…..35,732…..472…..31.47
7:45…..36,310…..578…..38.53
8:00…..36,700…..390…..26.00
8:15…..37,049…..349…..23.27
8:30…..37,625…..576…..38.40
8:45…..38,012…..387…..25.80
8:50…..38,247…..235…..15.67

I wrote a horrible scene (in the sense that it was emotional) where Damon kills his horse when it comes up with a broken leg after a tumble in a stream bed while chasing Dymphna. But it’ll give me a good spot to start from tomorrow.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 10:09 pm     NaNoWriMo

Monday, November 24, 2003

Well, if You’ve Got Nothing to Look Forward To, Look Back

imageYes, in an effort to assuage the sense of doom I’m getting over the bad, bad novel I’m writing (see, I wanted to write a decent story ...) I’ve gone back and dug out my first novel.

I’ve not looked at it since I finished it way back in November of 2001. I might have glanced through it when I exchanged novels with some other wrimos back in the early days of the nascient 21st century, but other than that it’s been sitting on my hard drive.

Well, I don’t recognize it. I opened the file in order to make a PDF, and I really didn’t recongize it. I didn’t even realize that the main character’s name was Alicia. That doesn’t sound like a name I would give a character. Well, I must have. I don’t think someone found the file on my computer and did a global find & replace. But maybe our firewall isn’t as good as I thought ...

Anyway, it’s up now. Have a great time reading it!

To bring you up to date, I did not write this weekend. I did a brief session over at Silverlake Coffee Company, but the blaring music, bad service and incessant smoking caused me to leave halfway through my three hour session. So I only got about 2,500 words for the weekend. I’m planning to write LOTS AND LOTS later this week. Maybe a session on Wednesday and then doubling down on Saturday and into Sunday. Whee, a last minute wordcram!

POSTED BY Cybele AT 5:24 pm     NaNoWriMo

Sunday, November 23, 2003

What I’d Really Rather Do

imageYes, it’s Sunday and I haven’t done my 10K for the weekend. Yet what I’d really rather do is paint. Paint in the kitchen and make my house pretty. I can make my house pretty (or prettier ... it’s pretty much a mess) and everyone will look at it and praise me.

Or I can keep writing a novel that gets shittier by the day and feel only the satisfaction of completing the task because I really won’t have anything of value to show for it.

Maybe I can paint a little now and write a little and then paint a little.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 11:52 am     NaNoWriMo

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Lurching Around Looking for a Plot Groove

imageI’m planning on writing out again this evening and probably tomorrow, too.

Things are going along okay with the novel. The pacing, again, is off. I feel like I haven’t gotten the story going very well, but I think I feel that way every year around the 30K mark. Someday I’m gonna write a novel that is just crammed full of plot and when I run out of plot I’ll just cram some more in there. But that’ll be another year.

This year I’ve got a plot and involves a girl running away from home in order to keep her father from forcing her to marry him. And he’s just now announced that he intends to marry his daughter. I’m at 27,000 words and he’s just now mentioned this?

I know, I know. Just write it and worry about it later. I will. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it, I will. I’m just talkin’, you know? Because I hadn’t updated my blog and I wanted to let you know that I hadn’t forgotten about it.

I also spent a little time fixing my excel status spreadsheet. It was misbehaving because I wasn’t writing every day. So I just took out the days I wasn’t writing, so it won’t have 30 rows like it’s supposed to have. It’ll probably only have about 14 rows. Let me know if it’s still not working properly.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 5:46 pm     NaNoWriMo

Sunday, November 16, 2003

A Little Extra Time - A Few Extra Words

imageA flexible schedule is key, I guess. I got about 3K under my belt by just letting a few loads of laundry slide. I just figured I should try if I can. So I did. And it’s done. I’m over the half-way hump. I’m not at the 30,000 mark, which is where I’d like to be, but I’ll take what I can get at the moment.

So, since it was late in the evening, I went local, to the Silverlake Coffee Company. Unfortunately it was the busiest I’d ever seen it, so I had to settle for a seat outside. I’m a whiner and I’m gonna tell you it was just a smidge too cold for the manual dexterity needed to operate a keyboard.

I had a lemon bar and a large cup of gen mai cha. They really have the best tea there. I don’t know if it’s because it’s loose tea or because they’re very generous with it.

The first twenty minutes were a bust as I moved tables twice, but you get the idea here:

time…...tally…..words….words/minute
4:30…..24,340…..386…..25.73
4:45…..24,803…..463…..30.87
5:00…..25,380…..577…..38.47
5:15…..25,837…..457…..30.47
5:30…..26,488…..651…..43.40
5:45…..26,896…..408…..27.20
6:00…..27,099…..203…..13.53

So, the goal is to go out on Wednesday night and perhaps get another five thousand words under my belt. Maybe they’ll even be good words.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 7:42 pm     NaNoWriMo

Thursday, November 13, 2003

Defenders of the Faith

imageI like to think of myself as a sidelines person, mostly because I know I’m a control freak and would probably try to dominate anything that I get involved with. But here it is, the middle of November and I am again Municipal Liaison for Los Angeles for National Novel Writing Month.

Perhaps I’ve embraced the ideals of NaNoWriMo a little too whole-heartedly or perhaps I’ve just appointed myself a vehment disciple or knighted myself, or perhaps I’m just angling for a fight.

What am I talking about? Rules. The rules for the damn challenge.

I think I’m a purist at heart. In all things. I don’t like hybridized things (well, except my new car, but that’s another story). If you’re going to bake a cake, make it a real cake with sugar and flour and all that, because making something out of soy and apple peels is not the same thing, it’s a valid thing, but I don’t consider it a cake.

I think NaNoWriMo should be preserved in all its purity. Write a novel of at least 50,000 words in one month. Period. A pure work from your own mind within the month of November. Sure, your idea comes from somewhere, something that may have happened to you, or an idea sparked by a painting or a cartoon, but it should be something you create.

I’ve taken it upon myself to spread this message on the NaNoWriMo Forums. Not in an evangelistic way - I don’t go inserting myself into every conversation saying that folks are not following the rules. I just hang out in a little poorly traveled corner and hope to answer questions.

Sure, I probably come off sounding like a have some sort of exclusionist view or superior attitude. But they asked, didn’t they? Who did they think would answer.

Anyway, my rules for writing a novel in a month. The novel must be started and finished within the month of November. No pre-writing (I had character names and a map of Ireland from the middle ages as reference). No picking up an unfinished work. No stopping at 50,000 words. That’s right, the story must come to some sort of conclusion - no matter how hastily and awkwardly tacked on, it will end.

Now is that so hard?

POSTED BY Cybele AT 5:32 pm     NaNoWriMo

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Neither Rain nor Cold nor Dark of Night

imageNo sleet, but it was rather chilly this evening and we had an actual thunderstorm here in Los Angeles. I don’t have much time lately with work and this short film thing (I’ll explain that some other time) and the municipal liaison thing and then the kitchen and all that rot.

I went over to The Coffee Table and sat on the back patio in the waning rain and the kerosene heaters and popped my earbuds in with my celtic/new age mix.

I had:
1 pot of Rooibos Tea
A side of Garlic Mashed Potatoes

time…..tally….words…words/minute
8:00…..11,993…..457…..30.47
8:15…..12,432…..439…..29.27
8:30…..13,055…..623…..41.53
8:45…..13,529…..474…..31.60
9:00…..14,069…..540…..36.00

As I posted on my excerpt at the NaNoWriMo site, I have nothing much to say about the actual thing. I don’t recommend reading it, especially at this juncture. I’m working on the interwoven story, but I haven’t done that yet, so it just sits there like a turd in the wrong spot (I’m not sure the right spot for a turd, maybe a kitty litter box or a toilet, but I digress). So, I can only beg your forgiveness or at the very least caution you not to give a looksee until maybe December fifth or so. If even then.

But here it is in a nutshell, this is how Word AutoSummarized the thing:
Dymphna shook her head. Dymphna shook her head. Dymphna shook her head. Dymphna nodded. Dymphna said.
ìIím Dymphna.?(r) Dymphna yelled. Dymphna asked.
Dymphna nodded.
Dymphna shook her head. Dymphna said slowly. Dymphna nodded. Dymphna nodded.
Dymphna said. Dymphna nodded. Dymphna interrupted. Dymphna asked.
Dymphna pulled back. Dymphna nodded. Dymphna nodded.

So, that about brings you up to date. I’ve got a character named Dymphna and she has some sort of trouble with her neck.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 10:19 pm     NaNoWriMo

Sunday, November 09, 2003

Worst Place Ever - Best Tally So Far

imageSo, as I posted in the Los Angeles Forum I went out to Pasadena to write out with other wrimos at Zeli’s which is located inside Vroman’s bookstore on Colorado Blvd. I got there a little after two and realized immediately that this was the worst possible place to write. The coffee house was cute enough, with some sort of revival gothic theme with pointed arches and iron light fixtures. And wrought iron furniture.

The tables were low or high, small or huge. But as far as I could tell, there was no way to match a level surface to a comfortable chair in order to type. So, I pulled a small side table up to a little couch that had a cushion on it of the same level as the table and I set up my laptop and just hunched over it and typed. I got about 1,000 words in before the first wrimo showed up. Overall, the day netted 4,505 words. I’m still behind where I should be at this date, but I know that I will be able to write one evening this week (I didn’t last week) and I’ll catch up.

I ordered:
1 medium non-fat latte
then later I took a break from 4:00 to 4:15 and ordered:
1 medium gen mai cha (loose leaf - yummy)
1 slice of pumpkin cheesecake

time…..tally….words…words/minute
2:30…..07,386…..355…..23.67
2:45…..07,656…..270…..18.00
3:00…..07,992…..336…..22.40
3:15…..08,464…..472…..31.47
3:30…..08,675…..211…..14.07
3:45…..09,057…..382…..25.47
4:00…..09,057…..000…..00.00
4:15…..09,458…..401…..26.73
4:30…..09,946…..488…..32.53
4:45…..10,267…..321…..21.40
5:00…..10,569…..302…..20.13
5:15…..11,247…..678…..45.20
5:30…..11,536…..289…..19.27

It’s a great bookstore, and the coffee house would be great to hang out in under other circumstances, but for a novelling location, I found it a little off. But who am I to argue with 4.5K?

POSTED BY Cybele AT 7:45 pm     NaNoWriMo

Saturday, November 08, 2003

Uneven Evening

imageI went out this evening, having decided that it was too cloudly to watch the eclipse with the intention of making 10K (that’s 6K in one sitting for those following along at home).

Well, best laid plans and all that rot. I got to the Silverlake Coffee Company. It’s blissfully deserted. Just me and the guy who works there. The music is loud, he’s playing Blur, I think. But I drop my laptop on the table closest to the door and order:

1 large cup of Gen Mai Cha (green tea with toasted rice)
1 pecan bar - heated

I settle in and when the fellow behind the coffee bar disappears (he sits out back and smokes), I went and found him and asked if he was going to sit outside if he could turn the music down. Which he did obligingly.

And I got to writing. A few more people came in and a few left. Then a fellow started moving tables around. Then he brought in a couple of guitars and a small amp. Oh, there’s live music on Saturdays. I’m the only one there, except for a kid at one of the computer terminals, I think he’s the owners son. The guitarist introduces himself, to me, because I’m the only one there. Steven. He usually has a vocalist, but she’s sick right now. So, he played for me. Ordinarily I wouldn’t mind a little instrumental (maybe not right next to me) but he was exceptionally chatty. So, I didn’t get quite as much done as I hoped. But I did get 3K in, and at this moment, that’s something to be pleased with.

time…..tally….words…words/minute
5:45…..4,009…..733…..48.87
6:00…..4,288…..279…..18.60
6:15…..4,899…..611…..40.73
6:30…..5,091…..192…..12.80
6:45…..5,477…..386…..25.73
7:00…..5,730…..253…..16.87
7:15…..6,120…..390…..26.00
7:30…..6,406…..286…..19.07
7:45…..6,632…..226…..15.07
8:00…..6,878…..246…..16.40
8:10…..7,031…..153…..10.20

I’ll probably go back next week, but probably a little earlier.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 9:17 pm     NaNoWriMo

On this day in History ...

imageOkay, maybe I’m feeling a little cocky. I said to myself that I’d been behind before. In fact, I’ve been behind every year.

Well, I did a little looking. Last year, on this day I had 10,271 words. In 2001, when I was sick and had to pick my mother up at the airport for her week-long visit I had 7,699.

Of course the day’s not over yet.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 12:29 pm     NaNoWriMo

Eureka!

imageI found it! There’s this quote I’ve been looking for, and apparently I was looking for it once before and I found it and I put it in my drafts folder of my email. Well, I was looking for something else and there it was.

And here it is:

A poet’?s object is not to tell what actually happened but what could or would happen either probably or inevitably…. For this reason poetry is something more scientific and serious than history, because poetry tends to give general truths while history gives particular facts.
Aristotle (Poetics)

Basically, it’s what I tell people who are writing autobiographies or historical novels. The fiction writer’s job is to correct history. To put things in the proper order and mode so that they make sense, so that perhaps we learn from them. I know somewhere along the way someone else said something to the effect of “A playwrights job is to correct history.” But I can’t find that so the venerable Aristotle will have to do.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 10:51 am     NaNoWriMo

Wednesday, November 05, 2003

J is for Jinx

imageI went over to The Coffee Table this evening after work.

I had:
1 Bowl of Potato Leek Soup & Grilled Bread
1 Pot of Rooibos Tea

The good part was that I started like gangbusters.

Start Time: 7:30
time…..tally….words…words/minute
7:45…..3868…..580…..38.67
8:00…..4009…..141…..09.40

The bad part is that somewhere in the second fifteen minutes I got a single drop of tea on my keyboard. The J key, to be specific. And this little spot of tea got under the key and shorted something out. I pulled the keys off and dried it out, but it seemed to make little difference. The J wanted to be insert itself everywhere. Even when I hit the delete key it seemed to come up Js.

So, I packed it in. I pried the keys up and I stuck them in my pocket and I headed home. Not an hour had passed since I left and I came home fully defeated.

I used the last breath of pressurized air to blow out the last bits of moisture and things seem to be working fine now, but I was sure as hell annoyed earlier.

It just wasn’t supposed to be my night.

I’ll get more done tomorrow maybe. Or Saturday.

Wordcount for the evening ... 733.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 9:45 pm     NaNoWriMo

There Is No Starting Over

imageI’m horribly distressed. I’m a little bit disheartened by the tone of my story at the moment and not looking forward to working on the more depressing aspects of it. But I’m really surprised at the lack of support I’m getting from everyone.

Yeah, it’s not my best effort. I know what it is in my head, and sure the beginning isn’t great, but that’s really my problem. Sorry, I’m not really looking for a critique now because NaNoWriMo is about plowing ahead. I’ve had this iead of putting these two stories together for years and I don’t think it’s a bad impulse.

And whatever I pick as the topic for my novel is really only my business and I should learn to keep my fool mouth shut. At first I thought I wasn’t describing it properly but it turns out that everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) thinks it’s a bad idea. Maybe I’m just bad at telling what the novel is about and I’ll get it right when I write it?

It’s supposed to be a catharsis, not just the novel itself, but the process. Maybe it’s too personal. So, from now on, the blog will only talk about antiseptic word counts and what I ate and drank and where I type and how I feel about it. No content whatsoever. If you want to read the novel, it’s over there and you can have a look. But that’s for you to look at, for you to see that I’m doing it. I’m not looking for any work-in-progress feedback, because I don’t think I can handle another opinion right now.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 11:24 am     NaNoWriMo

Monday, November 03, 2003

How to Balance a Plan with a Reality

imageYes, I know I only mentioned it briefly in yesterday’s post, but I started over. I was only 850 words in and I decided that I packed too much into those words and that I had to loosen up the story a bit, or else I’d run out of plot before 50,000 words.

I’m still on track, but I don’t expect to write today or tomorrow. Maybe Wednesday after work I can get a few thousand words in.

The big trouble is that the story is very sad. I know, I know, it opens with a funeral, what did I expect? But it just seems dismal at the moment and I can’t figure how I’m going to get it out of that mood smoothly. Hell, I guess for NaNoWriMo it doesn’t have to be smooth.

The other nagging question is brining in the other storyline that I was going to alternate. Should I just start a new chapter and go for it? Should I try to introduce it into the current story, like make the Jester/Minstrel tell it to the travelers?

I suppose I have a few days to think about it. Then again, I may get the house put back together tonight and maybe I’ll be able to write for an hour or so.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 1:19 pm     NaNoWriMo

Sunday, November 02, 2003

Inspirational Analysis

imageI went out to do some errands this morning and then headed out to write. I figured I’d stop at Espresso Mi Cultura but after two passes, I couldn’t find a spot. And my motto is, “If there are no parking spaces, there are no tables.” So I moved on, heading up Franklin to Psychobabble. I pulled into the parking lot behind it and there were no spots to be had. I turned around and continued down Franklin to Silverlake and didn’t even slow down for The Coffee Table - I could see the line out the door all the way from Hyperion.

Ah, but The Silverlake Coffee Company, they were just right. I pulled into their large lot and had my choice of nearly a dozen spaces. Nice roomy spaces that meant that I wouldn’t have any trouble getting out.

I ordered:
1 Large Non-Fat Latte with a Double Shot
1 Pecan Bar - heated
1 Vegetarian Sandwich (cheddar & Swiss on wheat with cucumbers, lettuce, red onions and avocado).

I picked a set of tables - one wobbled, so I sat in the outside seat facing the door (because ya never want yer back to the door!) and unpacked my laptop. I had a full battery so I didn’t plug in. By the time my sandwich came I was booted and had my playlist going and my earbuds in.

Playlist - a mixture of Enya, The Cranberries, Afro-Celt Sound System, Deep Forest, something called Celtic Air, and The Prayer Cycle by Jonathan Elias. I’m thinking of also picking up some Enigma. I’m not that fond of them in general, but it might help with the mood. Heck, maybe some of that Gregorian Chant stuff, too.

And then to writing. I didn’t even bother to open yesterday’s file. I just started over with a fresh, blank slate.

I’ll post my status spreadsheet and work so far later on this evening, but here’s how the afternoon went (yes, I log my wordcount in fifteen minute increments).

Start Time: 12:30
time…..tally….words….words/minute
12:45…...301…..301…..20.07
1:00…....711…..410…..27.33
1:15…..1,213…..502…..33.47
1:30…..1,589…..376…..25.07
1:45…..1,833…..244…..16.27
2:00…..2,167…..334…..22.27
2:15…..2,492…..325…..21.67
2:30…..2,810…..318…..21.20
2:45…..3,050…..240…..16.00
3:00…..3,276…..226…..15.07

Somewhere around 2:00 I got a refill of coffee.

Are you wondering if I’m going to keep this tally going for the whole month? Are you wondering why I’d do such a thing in the first place? And then share it with you?

I’m trying to find the perfect writing moment - the moment where the words just pour out. Maybe by noting the conditions in which I do my writing and analyzing them I can somehow figure it out. Like it looks like somewhere between one and two I was really blazing away. I had finished my sandwich and was into new territory and the music was pretty good.

I guess I’m going to go back to The Silverlake Coffee Company. It’s worth a shot.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 6:55 pm     NaNoWriMo

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During November it's all about me writing a novel. Sometimes it's about whalewatching. You know, and then there's other stuff.