Don’t worry – I plan on being back before you know it!

I’ve been moping for far too long. I need a change. Something different to get me out of this writing funk because I fear I have become much too complacent when it comes to writing and that behavior simply will not do.

So!

I’m giving myself a writing challenge for the upcoming month (a retry of NaNoWriMo since I had to drop out in November) – a minimum of 50k (well, ideally, 70k) in February. For the rest of January, I’m going to be plotting while I try to reorganize some things outside of my writing realm.

 If anyone wants to join me on this jolly jaunt, I’m always a fan of company

Here’s hoping next month will be far kinder than this one!

I’ll be updating this blog a couple times a month when I have something particular I want to share (basically, while I still plan to talk about random what nots and have yous (and link to randomness because, well, why the hell not)), my posts are going to be a tad more focused on my writer’s journey). Make sure to subscribe to my blog feeds (*points to Subscription Options*) to receive notice of my updates.

I’ve decided to hold off on my more serious works – contemporary Women’s Fiction - for the time being (let’s see how long this promise holds) and concentrate on my light, fluffy slipstream fiction and humorous (at least to me) space operas (flashbacks to NaNoWriMo 2005 – aahh!). I have so many ideasa and I cannot wait to start working on these projects!

Random Link: Arthur’s New Year. Let me tell you, that is one cool aardvark. I have to watch more PBS

Arthur’s New Year on Youtube

I’m not going to lie – I spent the last few days moping as I’ve done the last few years (as one college friend put it, birthdays tend to go downhill once after your 21st) . I just think of all the stuff I should have accomplished in life because anyone who is my age should’ve done so by now. Yesterday was no different, I skulked around and melted into nothingness as I watched the boob tube.

Then a thought came to me –
It’s a new year, a new me. I don’t have to wait until January 1st to do something different and new with my life. I can start today and use the New Year to reconsider the goals I’ve already set and put into motion.
So, that’s the plan – I’m going to spend a portion of the day listing out things I want to achieve by the end of December 2009 and even, possibly, 2010.

Off the top of my head, I already know I want to:
• -Get into shape (haha, is this ever not on anyone’s New Me list?)

• -Do what’s important for my future career aspirations (and in that vein, stay somewhat organized – lots of goal, not so much time…)

• -Ignore those who are petty and just stay positive (happy minds, happy bodies, happy everything – one of my many mantras (those of you who know me may be groaning right about now, don’t think I don’t know that;). Life’s short enough as it is and I think it’s so much better when you can stay optimistic.

• -Stop sweating the little stuff if I can help it. I decided to step back from NaNo (not completely; I’m still going to write as much fiction as I can, but due to outside events a couple weeks ago, 100k is out of my scope). I decided to forego entering the Golden Heart (after thinking about it, I decided it really wasn’t for me, at least not right now…maybe that’ll change in the future, who knows)

• -I do know I want to keep reading novels for fun. I barely read for fun the last four years and, well, it sucked. I carved out time this year to read more and I realize I’m a happier person because of it. It’s important to keep stuff that makes you happy and keeps you sane. 

So, yeah, I’m looking at new beginnings and to be honest, I’m kinda stoked about it.

How about you? What are some things you’re looking forward to changing or doing or even keeping the same for 2010 or your next birthday?

I know I owe a ‘real post’ …it’s coming

Happy Monday, everyone!

And as a general reminder, due to NaNoWriMo, classes, projects, etc that are due in the month of November, this blog will be going on a semi hiatus.  Why semi? Because, knowing me, I will still find some time to goof off online and update this blog.  A good thing or bad thing? I’m going with a good thing! You know you love me  ;)

“Our cultural bias of overvaluing emotional control and undervaluing emotional flow can block us from healing fully from feelings of rage and broken heartedness attached to injustices in the world. This effort to suppress and deny our deepest sorrows ends up blocking our deepest joys and passions and connections to other human beings. During “Touch Someone” please relax and remain open to all of the feelings the activity brings up for you. So let yourself be inspired, let yourself be moved, let yourself be open to the courage, the perseverance, and the love that human beings demonstrate in the face of unfathomable challenges.

Procedures:

Decide ahead of time how many people at a time you want to bring into the middle to do the touching and how many statements you want to read for each round based on the size of your group and how much time you have.

Have participants start the activity by sitting in the circle with their eyes closed. The only exception to this is that participants need to have their eyes open when being selected as a “toucher” for the next round of “Touch Someone”. [...] During each round, those seated in the circle (i.e., “receivers”) are asked to keep their eyes closed, refrain from making sounds, and notice what it feels like to be touched.

Then read off a statement saying: “Touch someone who…” and fill in the statement (ie:“is a good role model”). See the attached list of example statements. Allow time for people in the middle to touch a number of people then move to the next statement. After the round has been completed, ask those participants who just provided the touching to return to their seats and close their eyes. Repeat.

Example statements

❖ Makes a difference

❖ Is a good role model

❖ Has effected your life

❖ Makes you feel special

❖ You really admire

❖ You believe in

❖ Has a good personality

❖ Cares about people

❖ You trust

❖ Is kind hearted

❖ You will never forget

❖ Is love in action”

So, I’m sitting on my couch watching Drop Dead Diva, thinking about NaNoWriMo whilst pretending to write since I’ve already given up on doing any homework tonight.

I’m trying to finish two novels by hitting 100k (what a way to get me back into the swing of things, right?) during NaNo and I realize my usual pantser/organic ways isn’t going to work this time round. I need to plot things out and I need to plot it well. Originally, I thought I’d just write out an outline, do a couple character sheets, and just write. It worked all the years I participated in NaNo in the past. This year, however, is the first time I’m doubling up on word count. I’ll be bringing out the big guns for this – outlines, character sheets, world building documents, diagrams, and more. Here’s a list of resources I’ll be looking into using during the remainder of October to plot out a few novels:

Flash drive and email account: Just in case the Unthinkable happens and my laptop crashes, I want to make sure I have my WIPs backed up somewhere.

Paperback Writer: NaNoWriMo Ten

NaNoFiMo:

NaNoWriMo: I can’t forget the site itself, now can I? From articles to the very active forums, it has it all.

If you’re curious, frustrated, or just unsure what to do in a situation like this, take a look below. I can’t say all, or any, of these procedures will work, but it seems some people will swear upon these methods.

You can use a plunger, an auger, or a bucket of hot water in order to dislodge the clog.

Remember, like the woman in the video said, “you’ve been very brave” – just don’t forget to disinfect afterwards!

I haven’t fully participated in NaNo since my high school days.

It’s hard and terrifying and can kind of make you nauseous, yet thousands of people from around the world participate.

Why?

Because, at least to me, it’s fun. When I first head of NaNo, I thought people were pretty much crazy. Moving on, I said, clicking away. But then I clicked back and went through the forums. Yep, I said, y’all are loco and I left. Less than ten minutes (because I can be obsessive like that), I clicked back on and read up on NaNo history. I’d leave and come back, leave and come back, pretty much all of October. In the middle of the first week of November, I finally decided what the hell, just do it.

So I wrote.

And I wrote.

Then I wrote some more.

I also didn’t tell anyone what I was doing. Friends and family suddenly saw me carrying notebooks around, ignoring pleas to get off the computer, and muttering about how Character C couldn’t get with Character A because that would somehow destroy the space continuum (I am still so very proud of my first NaNo which I titled Moon Rocks, Pizzas, and Crazy Dancing Elves. One day, I’ll find where I hid it. One day).

When I actually clocked 50,000 words, I thought my eyes would fall out of my head – I couldn’t believe it! I did it. I actually did it! Printing out that NaNoWriMo certificate was one of the happiest moments I had that month. And every year since I found NaNoWriMo, I dragged other people with me on the quest to write 50,000 words of a novel in the month of Novemeber (shoot, even when I wasn’t participating, I still tried to convince others to give it a shot).

I put aside NaNo (and writing stories) throughout college. Now, I’ve rekindled my love for the written word. And, with that love came people, other writers who ask “Hey, have you heard of this thing called NaNoWriMo?”

Um….

So, I’m doing it again. After a rather long hiatus, I’ve signed up in the NaNo forums, buddied up with other novelists in various stages of their writing career, and will be writing to my heart’s content.

The only difference – this year I’m aiming for 100,000 words.

Even if I don’t end up on the moon, I’ll land amongst the stars, right? Right?

It’ll be hard and terrifying and thinking about 100k kinda makes me nauseous. But I’m also amazingly excited.

Why?

Because come November, it’ll officially be National Novel Writing Month. And during NaNo, well, anything can happen.

*smile and cue dancing elves and pizza slices for everyone*

How about you? Will you be participating in NaNo?