3000-ish words in 4 days and the Bittersweet Not-Quite-End

For some reason, this week has been an incredible blur, and I have collapsed, fast asleep, with my computer more than once.  I could tell you the reason, but it would bore you.  Really!

When I started this little fun project, I set a goal of 70,000 words for a first draft.  That is in clear sight, but I am nowhere NEAR finished.  So, it's exciting, but not.

Words written since Sunday: 2940
Total Words: 68493
Listening To: The Benjy Davis Project
Obsessed with: Harry Potter

It Takes a Village to Write a Novel

This morning was as crazy a Shabbat morning as they come.  By 7:15 AM I had retrieved all the children from their beds and schlepped them back to the Big Bed, changed three diapers andthree little bottoms were clamoring for the same space in the crook of my arm.  At 7:30 my phone chirped that it had a text message for me.  I rolled my eyes and wondered who was trying to communicate with me at this ungodly hour.  A few minutes later, the ringtone reserved for my sister answered the question. 
"Good morning, Auntie Al," I slurred, ducking away from a chocolate donut the baby was trying to shove into my mouth. 
"I have a massage appointment today, but I'd rather sit home and cuddle with the dog.  And I have to go to Wal-Mart.  You can take it if you want." 
"Let me think about it," I said, watching the melee unfold before me. 
Two hours later, I had to start getting dressed if I was going to make it to the appointment.  "Should I go?"
"Yeah, hon, go."  My husband's face was calm amidst a storm of flying toys and screaming children that would unsettle most adults.  I raised an eyebrow at him.   "No, seriously, go.  I'm fine." 

An hour later, I was undressed and sandwhiched between two giant electric blankets on a massage table.  Renee told me she was going to do a lot of stretching and deep-tissue massage, and instructed me to let her know if she was massaging too hard.
"I don't think that'll be a problem." I informed her. "Just...could you dim the lights?  And do you mind if I listen to this audiobook?"
I spent the next hour being blissfully man(woman?)handled and listening to Shiver in the warm darkness.  It is hard to say who I love most today: my sister, my husband, Maggie, or Renee.  They all conspired to make me relax and they WON.

I spent the rest of the day ducking flying toys and random foodstuffs and  the serving as the choicest seat in the house once again.  After the massage, though, I had a much better attitude about it all.  I even managed to tap out something substantial while juggling the little gremlins sweeties. (See?)

Words Written Today: 678
Total Words: 65,553
Listening to: "Change" by Taylor Swift
Obsessed with: Fruit candied popcorn from the mall.  The green ones.

Getting Back in the Game - Did You Know Moving is Hard?

Hello, friends.  (Is anyone out there?  Doesn't matter. :))

I half-moved two weeks ago.  From Kansas to Ohio (yay!) but still an hour west of my final destination while we wait for our house to open up.   So we're staying with my parents (sort of boo!) for the meantime.  My husband is staying in our city of destination (BOO!) which means I am even more completely responsible for the three rugrats than I normally am.  I've also been trying to scout out some gainful employment in our new-old town, and that's been taking up a lot of time and even more psychic energy.

I'm sorry to say that I have failed the Project 365 for writing, but only for a couple of days.  For my own sake, I'm going to pretend that they didn't happen.  I'm exhaustedly typing a few words here and there on my phone, and that's fine.

Today I wrote 79 words.  And that's kind of a lot these days.

The next few weeks are looking clearer (knock wood) and I'm hoping to get back to this on a daily basis.  If you're still out there, thanks for reading.

2770 Words in 2 Days, and Avoidance

We are moving this week.  Movers are coming to our house on Wednesday, and they will pack all our things and put them in boxes and drive them somewhere where they will sit on a truck until May when our house is available.  We will pack all the stuff we need until then, our three children, and ourselves, into a car and drive from Kansas to Ohio.

To say the least, I have a lot to do.  So, naturally, I spent today writing almost 2000 words.  And playing around on wordle.net.

Words Written: 2770
total Words: 61,919
Listening to: "Change" by Taylor Swift
Obsessed with: My local library and its audiobook selection.  Incredible

Writing Scenes for the next in the Series

Oh, yeah.  I'm still here.  I've still been writing every day, though I won't lie - sometimes it was a pretty sketchy sentence via Evernote on my phone . I kid you not, one day it was three words.

We are moving house a week from today.  We found out my husband got a job offer in Ohio, back home, so we're going.  Things are insane.  I am beyond exhausted.  We are so excited.

In trying to flesh out these characters, I'm thinking more and more about their growth curve, and what their next steps will be.  I've written a pretty powerful scene, full of indecision mixed in with contentment mixed in with fear, but I'm pretty sure it belongs in the next book in the series. 

I know, I need to finish the first draft of the first book first.  Then edit it, tear it apart, turn it inside out, give it to twelve beta readers, then edit it five more times before I even think about showing it to anyone else.  But what could I say?  I couldn't help it, so it's tucked safely away for book #2.  If that ever comes.

Total Words: 59573
Obsessed with: Chipotle.  Yes, again.

I'll Bet You Thought I Was a Goner

You know how when things in your life are completely insane (maybe even in a good way) and you tell people "Things here have just been crazy." and they nod enthusiastically and say, "Oh, yeah, things are crazy by us too," and you smile and nod and try not to get really angry at them just because they have no concept of what "crazy" means, at least not compared to your life right now?

Yeah.

We just found out a week ago that we are moving to Ohio.  In two weeks.  The pros are that it's home, and we used to live there, so we know things about the neighborhood we want to live in, where to send the kids to school, where to do our grocery shopping.  The cons are that moving is still one of those situations where you throw all your cards up in the air and hope to God that they all fall into place, and you know they will eventually, but it still makes you really uneasy while those cards are dangling above your head and looking at you, saying things like "homeless."
On a related note, does house-hunting make anyone else totally crazed, and then for a few good minutes consider moving to Mongolia and living in a yurt like that lovely family in "Babies," because hey, they looked pretty happy?

Anyway.  I'll bet you thought I dropped off the face of the Earth and abandoned my sweet little novel, but in fact, I didn't!  I've been writing on it every day, even if that means pecking out a six-word sentence with one hand and wiping snot with the other, then falling face-first onto the keyboard, asleep.  (That has happened at least once, no joke.)  So I have a nine-day word count to share now which would normally be the same as a one-day, but the point of writing is to make progress, and sometimes we can make more progress than others.

Words written: 1789
Total Words: 57,410
Listening to:  My husband's alarm.  He has this terrible habit of never turning it off (NEVER) because he is so tired, so the damn thing just goes off constantly from 5-6 AM every day.  The main reason I'm hurrying to finish this post, actually.
Obsessed with:  "The United States of Tara."  Seriously, this show is INCREDIBLE!

If you're still around, thanks for sticking with me.  It's going to be a bumpy few weeks with possibly only intermittent updates, but I'm still committed to this project.

517 Words and Faling Behind

I'm falling behind!  Its really okay.  I'll explain why later.

Words: 517
Total Words: 56138

sosoSO tired.

255 Words, (a Rough Day,) and Plotting for the First Time Ever

Today was a super-rough day.  I had a phone call today that didn't go the way I had hoped, not even remotely so.  It was one of those, "hey, you should probably examine your self-worth, if you have any left.  Because you totally suck." kinds of calls.  Not in so many words, but at least that's what I took away from it.
So I spent a couple of hours crying.  Then my head hurt and my eyes were all burny and exhausted - you know the feeling.

And- I still hadn't done any writing, because I had been so stressed about the call before it happened! 
I had, however, done my very first bit of outlining for the book EVER!!!  I'm normally a "pantser" (plot/character as I go,) but for this subplot of the book I found that there were so many little pieces and details to get right that I had to sketch it out.  Hopefully I can start writing those bits in in the next few days.  When my eyes aren't so tired.

For a happy post instead of my Debbie-Downerisms, head over here to read the contributions to the  "Just Kiss Already" Event.  Squeeeeeeeeee!!!! You know I love the kissing scenes.

Words written: 255
Total Words: 55621
Listening to: You don't want to know.
Obsessed with: Ohio

775 Words and Homestretch wordle.

Now within 15,000 words of my goal, I've declaring this WIP in the Homestretch!  I did a wordle to celebrate:




It's a good thing that the MC's name is the biggest one - right?

Words Written: 775
Total Words: 55366
Listening to:  "How to Train Your Dragon"  Over and over and over again.
Obsessed with: Ohio.

392 Words and Lost in Action

So I know my antagonist's motivation, and know how my MC stands in the way  of her achieving her goal, but I'm really having trouble writing the steps in between and the action to fill it in.

Any tips for me?

Words Written: 392
*Exhausted*

1272 Words and I'm so spoiled.

I wrote 1272 words today.  It doesn't seem like that big of a deal until you consider that my 10-month-old is sprouting some huuuuge new teeth, and so most of my day was filled with dealing with this, and the piercing sounds that go with it:


On the upside, I am completely and totally spoiled.  Yesterday, I got two incredible presents from two different, awesome, people.  I've been pretty bummed in general lately, Elle knew, and hooked me up with the most incredible tangible and non-human thing about Columbus-Ohio.  Read about it here, you guys.  Incredible, emotional, and fattening.  Perfect.

Also, my husband hooked me up with an early Valentine's Day present.  It is a netbook so I can continue writing long after exhaustion has taken me to a permanently horizontal position each evening, and first thing in the morning for my semi-conscious ramblings.  He shrugs and says, "It's a glorified typewriter."  Which is incredible because that's exactly what I need.   I have never actually uttered the imbecilic words, "Hey honey, I'm writing a novel," but he knows everything about me.  Even the parts I would rather he didn't.  He is like the Jewish, handsome Sherlock Holmes of our relationship.  Yeah.  He even put Scrivener on the thing for me.  Love him.

Words written today: 1272
Total Words: 53022
Listening to: Some basketball game or another.  Not my favorite but he's earned it.
Obsessed with: Salty Caramel.  <3 you, Elle.

1097 Words and Characters Growing Into Themselves

I've been really struggling to develop characters that feel really organic.   Today I was writing a scene where two boys who are interested in my MC in different ways come together to collaborate to save the day (!) when one of my characters began to show an interesting quality - he gets really excited by dangerous situations.  His chest puffs up, and he gets an infusion of energy.  It's actually really annoying to the MC, because all she's really trying to do is save his ass.  This was something I totally didn't think was going to be a quality of his.  I think that it makes him more vulnerable in a way, but also stronger.  I love him more for it.  (In case this draft ever becomes a manuscript, and that manuscript ever makes it into any of your hands, you should know - I'm on his "team."  You heard it here first.)

It's days like these that I'm so, so, SO glad to be a "pantser."

Also, I have to just say "hi" and "OMIGOD I LOVE YOU" to Gina, who doesn't think that I'm dowdy.  I only know her via the blogosphere, but she made me feel good yesterday.  Thanks, Gina.

I also want to give a shoutout to Abbey, who said she'd read my first draft as soon as it is done, it all its frustrating POS glory.  Even though she has no idea what she's getting herself into.  Thanks, dear.

Now, the report.

Words written today: 1097
Total Words: 51750
Listening to: "Ache" by James Carrington (does anyone have the CD?  Because I can't find this on Amazon mp3s and I have to keep going over to Grooveshark to listen.)
Obsessed with: Mr. Darcy. And Ohio.  Ohio a little more.

642 Words, Writing about Dreams, and Oops.

Today I struggled to capture in words that state of super-deep sleep where you are having a dream that you L-O-V-E, and you know it is a dream, but it is so awesome that you kind of hope that it's real, and so you fight to stay in it, and you are totally in denial, but you are so happy to be there.  <--- So, I'd like to say all that without sounding like a rambling idiot.

Also, I ran across this series of xtranormal videos on Youtube, and all I have to say is: Oops.  Oh, and also?  I'm not sorry.



Words written today: 642
Total Words: 50653
Listening to: "Just Say Yes" by Snow Patrol (*sigh*)
Obsessed with: Excedrin Migraine, which is allowing me to hold my head up today.

1487 Words and Looking Forward to Editing

Yes, indeed.  Just glanced back over a page I wrote in a creative frenzy last night and noticed this gem of a sentence beginning:

"Without thinking, she concentrated with all her might......"

Yeah.

I haven't discussed it here yet, but I'm what they call in the writing world a "pantser."  As in, I fly by the seat of my pants.  I got an idea for story, thought up a few names, and got to it.  From those of you who know me from other universes (Professional, Frugal blogosphere, mom stuff,) that is SO not how I usually roll.  I am fighting every natural urge in my body to edit as I go, but I know that would only stress me out.

So...I'm totally looking to finishing this bad boy up so I can start editing it.

Word-count wise, I am totally fist-punching the air.  Can I get a HUGE CHEER from ALL THREE OF YOU READING THIS for passing 50,000 words?!!?!?  If it was November, and in the space of 30 days, I would totally be a winner right now!!!  Really, it's been just under two months.  I am congratulating myself, which isn't something I do often.  Or at all, really.

This novel is for me only, and whomever wants to read it, although not that many people that I've actually met even know about it (hiiii Abbey!).  Still, I have goals, because I'd like to have an acceptable, finished book in front of me when I'm done.  I'm in love with my story and my characters and some small part of me wants other people to be, too.  Oh, yeah - I'm TOTALLY uploading this on the Kindle platform, probably for free, or super-cheap.  Just to see if anyone bites, not to get too invested or base my self-worth on it or anything.  I reserve that for other pursuits.

Words Written Today:  1487
Total Words: 50,011!!!!!
Listening To: "Such Great Heights" by Iron and Wine AND the Postal Service
Obsessed with: Orange Marmalade.  Again.  We were on a break, but now we're back together.  (If anyone would like to address my obvious psychological issues that manifest as referring to my food as a romantic partner, be my guest.  You'd probably save me a trip or ten to the shrink.)

1424 Words and Liking Action More than I thought

I wrote a cool scene this evening that involves my MC totally panicking, plus some action.  I didn't think I would like writing action scenes, but I felt really pulled through the writing of it, and it's actually kind of snappy.  I think. The best thing is that I don't really feel so mired in the middle anymore.

The kids' dinner dishes are still sitting on the table, and the house is a wreck, but I'm proud of what I squeezed in today.  Let's hope for a good week full of long naps. :)

Words written: 1424
Total Words: 48524
Listening to: "How to Train Your Dragon," staving off bedtime for my boys.
Obsessed with: Chipotle.  Mmmmmm

2111 Words and Declaring War on Preschoolers - a Parable

For reasons I'm not going to go into, it's been a rollercoaster of a week. Like any lady, I have my own personal arsenal of coping mechanisms, including but not limited to ice cream, sauna-like showers, extra-strenuous cardio workouts, and perhaps most effective, Jane Austen adaptation movies.

Friday morning I was up at 4:15 with the baby.  I finally got her back down an hour later, which happens to be my workout time.  I stumbled downstairs and, half-blind from weary eyes, managed to get myself a cup of coffee.  If I had to do cardio at this hour in my frigid basement, I wanted Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters to keep me company.
 I got on hands and knees to sort through our disaster of a DVD cabinet.  I slung Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Diego, Shalom Sesame, and Superhero Squad to the side, along with Mansfield Park, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility.  In other words, every other Jane Austen adaptation I own.  But no Pride and Prejudice.  I looked under couch cushions, behind furniture, in toyboxes.  You guys, Pride and Prejudice was NOWHERE.  A memory flashed into my head of my middle kid slinging DVDs over his shoulders and cackling madly.  (A dramatized memory, but still.)  I knew I had seen the movie there sometime in the last three weeks.
Somehow, my children had known I wanted to watch that movie. And they had snatched and stashed it in anticipation.
I clutched Mansfield Park with white knuckles and roused my computer.  I went to Amazon, ordered a new copy, paid through the nose for next-day shipping, and tweeted this:


Then I vowed to charge each of the boys two trips out for ice cream each, and went downstairs to do my cardio, stewing all the while.
This morning, I headed back to Amazon to track shipment of my DVD.  It was then that I saw on the order page, plain as day, that when I ordered the DVD I also bought the right to stream the movie for 30 days afterward.  See where it says "Buy this DVD and watch it instantly?"  In big letters?  Plain as day?  Yeah.

Had I known that, I would have skipped the cardio and spent the hour at my desk grinning like a fool and watching Lizzie and Mr. Darcy screaming at each other in the rain.  (Oh, young love!)

Instead, because I was blinded by my own rage, I had to wait till after shul today to sit and watch.  The good news is that Naptime lasted for three glorious hours and it was just me, Scrivener, and the movie.


And, because I know you were wondering, I watched the second-to-last scene two three four times.  I'm not ashamed.


("Surely you must know, it was all for you."
I know, Mr. Darcy.  I know.

"You have bewitched me, body and soul."
Oh, Mr. Darcy, you have no idea.

Whew!  Is it hot in here?)

Anyway.  Here's the report.

Words Written Today: 2111
Total Words: 47060
Listening to:  Dario Marianelli and Kiera Knightly.  Decadent.
Obsessed with: "In Ohio on Some Steps".  Still homesick.  (Thanks, Elle.)

891 Words and Stream-of-Unconsciousness Writing

Thanks to Gina and her encouragement, plus just being a little kinder to myself, I'm not feeling quite so mired in the middle of the story anymore.  Even though I"m not totally down in the dumps, I'm finding that words aren't pouring out onto the page as they have been known to do.

I had the most vivid dream last night.  It wasn't about my characters, but it was about a woman watching another woman and a man in conversation and feeling intensely jealous.  (I was the woman watching, but I wasn't me, it was like I was playing another character....I didn't know who the other people were either....whatever.)  Anyway, the whole emotion I felt was so specific and so strong that I couldn't go back to sleep, so I tried my best to describe it by typing the notes into Evernote on my phone.  I think I'll be able to transform it into a scene in the book, and it's going to be good.

Words Written: 891
Total Words: 44727
Listening to: "She's Mine" by Brett Dennen
Obsessed with:  Ohio.  Feeling homesick this Shabbat.

1486 Words and Too Much Silliness and Kissing?

So, my book is about a kid in high school who's growing up, trying to figure out who she is, and in the process deals with some pretty stressful sci-fi tinged stuff and falling in love.  Lots of serious stuff, but I'm trying to add some lighthearted moments. I put a scene where two of the characters dance the Lindy Hop today and it made me smile.  But now I realize I have one other scene where my MC is giggling with a girlfriend and another where she laughs so hard she almost cries with another friend.  So is there too much silliness?

Oh, I also wrote some more mushy-gushiness today.  It just makes me happy.  The Authoress' recent Valentine's Day First Kiss Extravaganza (thirty first kisses to read about!  Wheeee!) is only egging me on.

Words Written Today: 1486
Total Words Written: 44085
Listening to: The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - bc my characters are SWING DANCING! :)
Obsessed with: Mr. Darcy.  (I know, who's not?)  More on that later.

Three Days Gone, Still Writing Lovey Stuff

Can I just ask- is there something wrong with me?  Because seriously all I want to write is love scenes.

Here's the thing.  The whole book is about love, okay?  And about whether we choose it, or whether it is predestined for us, and what to do if we find love but it's not at all like we thought it would be, or the crazy shit that love can make us do, whether it's hurting someone we love or breaking the rules we thought were unbreakable.

But then again, I think pretty much every great story is about love.

I'm actually not outwardly a really sentimental person.  But man, you should hear my favorite playlist.

Words over the last three days: 1421 (could be worse)
Total words: 42572
Listening To: "Signal Fire" by Snow Patrol
Obsessed With: my 50mm camera lens.  Put it back on my camera for the first time since my daughter was born, and I don't think it's ever coming off.

923 Words and a Cheese-tastic Scene

My characters are accidental spies of sorts, and I just wrote a scene where they find themselves in a coat closet. To escape notice from some menacing pursuers, they pretend to be making out when the bad guys throw open the closet door.  I told you I was a sucker for those things.  I like to watch them on TV shows and read about them in books.  And apparently write about them too.

No kissing yet. This is YA, folks!

Words Written: 923
Total Words: 41151
Listening to: "On a Night Like This" by Dave Barnes.  Yessss
Obsessed with: Ohio