Day: 30
Time: 10:37 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 50,000
Current Word Count: 50,086
Typing or writing "THE END" just feels good, doesn't it?
I've really missed reading books, and so I think I'm going to go indulge in that for just a little while today.
I hope you feel like you've made a significant effort this month, and feel the feeling of accomplishment that you deserve. I know I do.
~Mrs. W.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
A Good Day, Ended
Day: 28
Time: 9:50 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 46,667
Current Word Count: 45,037
Two more days to go! And I had a 5,000 word day today. It was good timing. I'm nearly through Chapter 22, and the Megari have Duncan, and Thane has abducted Beata, Mia, and Dominic in order to trade them for Bodie Wallace and to be left alone by the Megari.
Well, I've run out of words for today except these:
Go get 'em, Wildcats!
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:50 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 46,667
Current Word Count: 45,037
Two more days to go! And I had a 5,000 word day today. It was good timing. I'm nearly through Chapter 22, and the Megari have Duncan, and Thane has abducted Beata, Mia, and Dominic in order to trade them for Bodie Wallace and to be left alone by the Megari.
Well, I've run out of words for today except these:
Go get 'em, Wildcats!
~Mrs. W.
My Favorite Line Written Today...
"Beata's panic was beginning to creep up the back of her throat, and she strongly suspected that if she didn't get some answers soon, the doctor would be wearing her fear all over his shoes."
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Nineteen
In case of attack, hide immediately, wherever you are. Do NOT go running out in the open. This makes you the fish in the barrel that the Megari aircraft will be shooting at.(Dr. Oettel's Rules for Encampment Survival)
The ground shook beneath her feet, and she lurched towards the wall of the ramp to steady herself before running towards the reception area. Before she could get to the doors, though, the man with the shotgun snagged her by the arm, using her momentum to wheel her around and hustle her into the security office, down on the ground behind the desk. Two more explosions rocked the air, sounding closer this time.
Beata wasn't sure which direction the first bursts had come from, but these two had surely landed somewhere to the East of the building, between here and the library she'd come from. It was only a few blocks. What about the kids? Mia and Dom were underground, but that courtyard room that Dom was in had a glass wall, any one of the concussions from the explosion could have turned that wall into a million pieces of shrapnel. And Duncan, she wasn't even sure where he was right now. He'd said he was headed out to help Bodie check the solar panels for the Encampment's electricity. He could be anywhere on campus or in town.
She tried to take a few deep breaths to calm herself and think logically. The two youngest were surrounded by responsible adults who would make sure they were safe. Duncan was very smart and Bodie knew his way around, so he was probably just pinned down like she was right now.
Another explosion, this time to the West. As this one happened, the reception area guy, a forty-something dumpy guy who looked like he'd be more at home holding a remote control than a shotgun, actually released his held breath.
"They missed us."
"Missed us? What are you talking about? They're freaking BOMBING us right now!" Beata's panic began to rise as his was apparently ebbing.
"No, it's okay, see...they've already passed over. They usually just take one pass over the city then move on to the next city. They come up from an air base down in Florida, make strafe runs on all the non-Megari held cities as far North as Milwaukee, then head back. They'll hit Bloomington next, then Peoria, then swing up to Chicago. Listen, you can hear them moving away even now."
Beata listened. Sure enough, the sky-splitting roar of a phalanx of fighter jets was getting fainter by the second. She wrapped her arms around her knees, and lay her head down on top of her arms. It sounded like this happened frequently enough that he wasn't too worried. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to find bombs and explosions "normal". This is just the beginning of what freedom was going to cost from now on, she thought. I'd better suck it up and find some courage.
"When can we go back out? I want to check on my kids." Beata's voice was brusque with fright.
"That's right. You're the lady with the kids. We have to wait an hour. If they're going to send in follow-up vehicles, it will probably happen by then." He picked up his romance novel with his free hand, closed it, and placed it face-down on the floor as if he was embarassed to be reading a bodice-ripper in front of a woman.
"Follow-up vehicles?" Beata asked.
"Yeah, every great once in a while, usually during the summer, though, they'll send in a bunch of Army trucks with Protectors in them to do a building search. We usually have one every couple of months. We're just about due, but since it's snowing, it's pretty unlikely."
"So, an hour. We have to wait an hour?" Beata clarified.
"Yeah, so get comfortable. I've got some books back here if you want to read..." he offered.
"Can I go back downstairs to the kitchens to help out there instead of waiting here?" she wondered.
"I guess so. Just so long as you don't leave the building." he shrugged.
So, for the next hour, Beata helped the kitchen staff clean up the spills caused by the bombing and get lunch ready rather than gnawing off her fingernails with worry over her kids. She kept an eye on the clock, though, and the very second the hour was up, she waved good-bye to Jessie and the rest of the kitchen staff and sprinted out of the building to get back to the library a few blocks away.
The snow was still coming down lightly, covering the ground more thoroughly now, but not enough to cover up the smoking ruins of a building she passed on the way back. She paused long enough at the rubble to see if anyone was hurt or needed help. There, under the plasterboard and brick detritus of an East-facing outer room, she saw what looked like the sleeve of someone's blue coat. She began to stumble and pick her way over to the spot, digging with her mitten-clad hands until she reached the source of the clothing. Pulling it out, she saw the brass buttons and distinctive coloring and shape of a marching band uniform. Looking around her, she recognized a few twisted bits of brass and steel that might have been instruments once. There was nothing here for her to save. She needed to get back to her kids.
She brushed off her mittens and jogged, slipping in the newly fallen snow from time to time, all the way back to the library. She arrived just as someone else was leaving and took the stairs down two at a time. As she arrived back at their room, she could see Dr. Oettel, Mia, and a few other people gathered inside. She could hear the frightened, high-pitched screaming that meant that Dominic was panicking. What was wrong? Was Dominic hurt?
She pushed through the crowd, shouldering her way through the silent crowd of adults. Dorothy was holding the screaming boy, her body blocking their view of him while Mia blocked them both from their stern-faced library neighbors. As she spilled through the front of the group, Mia immediately grabbed Beata around the waist and clung to her, her own tears spilling over.
"Mama! Don't let them take Dominic!" Mia's voice was reaching towards panic as well. Beata looked around, confused. Was someone hurt? Were the Megari in the building? Nothing was making sense. She checked over Mia, who wasn't bleeding anywhere and didn't seem to be hurt, but was crying so hard that she was barely breathing. Between that and Dominic's screams, Beata could barely put two thoughts together.
"Baby, baby! It's okay! The planes are gone! They're not taking anyone away. Is everybody okay? Has anyone seen Duncan yet?" She turned around to take the still screeching Dominic from Dorothy and as the older woman turned with him in her arms, Beata suddenly understood the strange scene unfolding in front of her.
Dominic's one-piece pajama's were dangling around his waist, and he had a small amount of blood smeared across his back from the slits where two tiny, down-covered wings were now protruding.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Flying Fingers and Tiny Wings
Day: 27
Time: 10:47 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 45,000
Current Word Count: 40,294
So, I had a good word count day. WOOT! I needed one. : ) I've three days to pound this out, and I think I'm even going to make it without cheating by adding song lyrics and poetry recitations by the characters. I must remember to wear my glasses, though, since I'm getting some wicked eye fatigue from staring at the words and screen for too long. Glasses, must remember glasses.
I'll be honest, I was feeling a little low about the storyline before I started writing today, but then I suddenly got caught up in the intrigue available to my characters, and surprised myself.
There was a surprise attack on the city by Megari forces (at least it was a surprise to Beata - apparently these happen frequently enough that the rest of the encampment's residents take them pretty much in stride.) But it wasn't the Megari who were the biggest danger at the end of Chapter Nineteen that I just finished - it was their human neighbors.
Apparently, in the stress, chaos, and panic that the bombs caused, little Dominic Lorio showed his first Megari power - or, rather, it showed itself. The chapter ended with Dominic having sprouted a perfect pair of little wings. This is not going down well with the other residents of the Encampment, all of whom are 100% human (allegedly).
Here's to fingers that fly with the pen or the keyboard and little boys with wings!
~Mrs. W.
Time: 10:47 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 45,000
Current Word Count: 40,294
So, I had a good word count day. WOOT! I needed one. : ) I've three days to pound this out, and I think I'm even going to make it without cheating by adding song lyrics and poetry recitations by the characters. I must remember to wear my glasses, though, since I'm getting some wicked eye fatigue from staring at the words and screen for too long. Glasses, must remember glasses.
I'll be honest, I was feeling a little low about the storyline before I started writing today, but then I suddenly got caught up in the intrigue available to my characters, and surprised myself.
There was a surprise attack on the city by Megari forces (at least it was a surprise to Beata - apparently these happen frequently enough that the rest of the encampment's residents take them pretty much in stride.) But it wasn't the Megari who were the biggest danger at the end of Chapter Nineteen that I just finished - it was their human neighbors.
Apparently, in the stress, chaos, and panic that the bombs caused, little Dominic Lorio showed his first Megari power - or, rather, it showed itself. The chapter ended with Dominic having sprouted a perfect pair of little wings. This is not going down well with the other residents of the Encampment, all of whom are 100% human (allegedly).
Here's to fingers that fly with the pen or the keyboard and little boys with wings!
~Mrs. W.
Friday, November 26, 2010
The Underground Undergrad
Day: 26
Time: 10:40 p.m.
Current Word Count: 36,847
A good word count today. Started and finished chapter seventeen. It helped that I enjoyed and understood both the place I was writing about and what is going to happen while they are there.
The Lorio family has now joined an encampment of nomadic survivors who mainly winter in the Undergraduate Library of the University of Illinois in Champaign. It's a fascinating place, built underground to both accomodate the symmetry of the campus (it needed a wide open space in order to work with what the University's board and architects wanted) AND - this is my favorite reason - it was also built underground so that it wouldn't cast shade on The Morrow Plots - North America's oldest agricultural testing ground.
Yes, that's right. They built an entire multi-level structure underground so that they wouldn't kill a field of corn. Only in Central Illinois. That's ingenuity.
There, they've met Thane McInerney, Bodie Wallace, and now Dr. Julius Oettel. Two of these men will be heroes to the Lorios, and one will betray them to the Megari Authority - but which one?
It's time to do a bit of a fast-forward in the story. The Loader will have to make another appearance, and so will the Death Angel, Michael. All of that coming up in chapters 18-20.
It also helped my writing today to walk away from it for a while to do something else fun, talk to a friend, go shopping, and then come back to the story refreshed. I'm planning a marathon writing session tomorrow night.
Here's to the last few days of NaNoWriMo! May your wordcounts be large and your frustration small.
~Mrs. W.
Time: 10:40 p.m.
Current Word Count: 36,847
A good word count today. Started and finished chapter seventeen. It helped that I enjoyed and understood both the place I was writing about and what is going to happen while they are there.
The Lorio family has now joined an encampment of nomadic survivors who mainly winter in the Undergraduate Library of the University of Illinois in Champaign. It's a fascinating place, built underground to both accomodate the symmetry of the campus (it needed a wide open space in order to work with what the University's board and architects wanted) AND - this is my favorite reason - it was also built underground so that it wouldn't cast shade on The Morrow Plots - North America's oldest agricultural testing ground.
Yes, that's right. They built an entire multi-level structure underground so that they wouldn't kill a field of corn. Only in Central Illinois. That's ingenuity.
There, they've met Thane McInerney, Bodie Wallace, and now Dr. Julius Oettel. Two of these men will be heroes to the Lorios, and one will betray them to the Megari Authority - but which one?
It's time to do a bit of a fast-forward in the story. The Loader will have to make another appearance, and so will the Death Angel, Michael. All of that coming up in chapters 18-20.
It also helped my writing today to walk away from it for a while to do something else fun, talk to a friend, go shopping, and then come back to the story refreshed. I'm planning a marathon writing session tomorrow night.
Here's to the last few days of NaNoWriMo! May your wordcounts be large and your frustration small.
~Mrs. W.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
The End of the Road?
Day: 25
Time: 10:52
Current Word Count: 34,201
So, the Lorios have arrived in Champaign where they've met a new suspected good guy, Thane, and his sidekick, Bodie as they pulled up to the security checkpoint outside the encamped city. He may very well become a romantic interest for Beata, he's certainly charming enough - and Irish to boot. Of course you know what they say about those charming Irish fellas...they've got the gift of Blarney. Time will have to tell, won't it. They haven't run into the loader or any other "bad guys" this chapter, but they were warned by Kate not to tell the people they encounter anything about the kids. She's made it clear that they needed to more actively cover up their special skills and talents. I've also alluded to the fact that Dominic, the three year old, is very close to sprouting a pair of wings on his back, which will make hiding their ancestry impossible once it happens.
I feel like I should be fretting about my word count right now, but I find I'm not bothered much by being behind. This, in many ways, has been a more difficult story to right from the very beginning. The characters haven't spoken to me as clearly as the characters from MoJo Fingers (last year's book). I'm thinking that I'll be glad when this project is over so that I can get back to the other projects screaming at me to write them right now. It's gotten so bad that I've actually had to stop taking a shower long enough to clarify a point of knowledge that a character in an unrelated project needed to make a piece of dialogue work.
Well, it's late, and I'm travelling tomorrow - so I'll be back to the grind in the afternoon as I'm watching my best friend put up her Christmas tree!
Don't forget that the page is it at YOUR mercy, not the other way around!
~Mrs. W.
Time: 10:52
Current Word Count: 34,201
So, the Lorios have arrived in Champaign where they've met a new suspected good guy, Thane, and his sidekick, Bodie as they pulled up to the security checkpoint outside the encamped city. He may very well become a romantic interest for Beata, he's certainly charming enough - and Irish to boot. Of course you know what they say about those charming Irish fellas...they've got the gift of Blarney. Time will have to tell, won't it. They haven't run into the loader or any other "bad guys" this chapter, but they were warned by Kate not to tell the people they encounter anything about the kids. She's made it clear that they needed to more actively cover up their special skills and talents. I've also alluded to the fact that Dominic, the three year old, is very close to sprouting a pair of wings on his back, which will make hiding their ancestry impossible once it happens.
I feel like I should be fretting about my word count right now, but I find I'm not bothered much by being behind. This, in many ways, has been a more difficult story to right from the very beginning. The characters haven't spoken to me as clearly as the characters from MoJo Fingers (last year's book). I'm thinking that I'll be glad when this project is over so that I can get back to the other projects screaming at me to write them right now. It's gotten so bad that I've actually had to stop taking a shower long enough to clarify a point of knowledge that a character in an unrelated project needed to make a piece of dialogue work.
Well, it's late, and I'm travelling tomorrow - so I'll be back to the grind in the afternoon as I'm watching my best friend put up her Christmas tree!
Don't forget that the page is it at YOUR mercy, not the other way around!
~Mrs. W.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
You're Not in Heaven, You're in Champaign, Illinois
Day: 24
Time: 9:45 pm
Expected Word Count: 40,000
Current Word Count: 32,497
Well, the Lorios dealt with a roadside bandit, although it was their guide, Kate, who did the actual dirty work. The Lorios have been able to escape so far without any blood on their hands. Kate, however, is something of a dangerous commodity. Now that they are in Champaign, Illinois, they'll be staying in the winter encampment of nomadic human survivors. They've formed a loose "government" there. I'm planning for them to see both the light and the dark side of the people who've gathered there to survive.
I'm looking forward to working hard tomorrow, since I'm lucky enough to not have to do any of the cooking. I'll be spending the morning at home, working on the novel and doing some easy tasks around the house. After dinner with the family, it's back to the grindstone! I've got a lot of word count to make up, and I'm confident that I'll get a good chunk of it out of the way tomorrow.
By the way, there's a great pep talk from Lemony Snicket on the NaNoWriMo Website under the "Fun Things" tab. Give it a read. Sounds just like his "Series of Unfortunate Events Novels", plus there is some terrifically descriptive phrasing in there, guaranteed to make your mouth water.
Happy Thanksgiving my Authors!!
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:45 pm
Expected Word Count: 40,000
Current Word Count: 32,497
Well, the Lorios dealt with a roadside bandit, although it was their guide, Kate, who did the actual dirty work. The Lorios have been able to escape so far without any blood on their hands. Kate, however, is something of a dangerous commodity. Now that they are in Champaign, Illinois, they'll be staying in the winter encampment of nomadic human survivors. They've formed a loose "government" there. I'm planning for them to see both the light and the dark side of the people who've gathered there to survive.
I'm looking forward to working hard tomorrow, since I'm lucky enough to not have to do any of the cooking. I'll be spending the morning at home, working on the novel and doing some easy tasks around the house. After dinner with the family, it's back to the grindstone! I've got a lot of word count to make up, and I'm confident that I'll get a good chunk of it out of the way tomorrow.
By the way, there's a great pep talk from Lemony Snicket on the NaNoWriMo Website under the "Fun Things" tab. Give it a read. Sounds just like his "Series of Unfortunate Events Novels", plus there is some terrifically descriptive phrasing in there, guaranteed to make your mouth water.
Happy Thanksgiving my Authors!!
~Mrs. W.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Real Life Creeping Into the Storyline...
Day: 22
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 36,674
Current Word Count: 30,825
It occurs to me, that two themes have recurred in my chapters for the last week: sleeping and travel. I'm only now noticing that because I had to have there be a time skip during travel, so I had Beata Lorio falling asleep while their driver/guardian/host on the Underground Highway, Kate Burroughs, takes them to the Encampment in Champaign, Illinois (they don't know that's where they're going yet.) I noticed that the characters had been doing lots of sleeping and travelling over the last few chapters and I wondered if it was because they are two themes that are prevalent in my own life the last few weeks. Sleep, because it seems I'm running short of that lately, and travel because I'm doing a bit of that with more coming up this weekend.
So, real life has a funny way of sneaking into the writing, doesn't it? Are you finding that happens with your writing?
Just to update you, they've left Ollie in Denver, and The Loader disappeared, but not before revealing himself as "superhuman" in some ways (ie. Mia can't read his mind and he can run super-fast). I still haven't decided for sure if he's going to end up a villain or a hero in this piece. I'm leaning towards "hero with a villain's reputation" right now.
An update on some U.S. cities in my NaNo world:
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 36,674
Current Word Count: 30,825
It occurs to me, that two themes have recurred in my chapters for the last week: sleeping and travel. I'm only now noticing that because I had to have there be a time skip during travel, so I had Beata Lorio falling asleep while their driver/guardian/host on the Underground Highway, Kate Burroughs, takes them to the Encampment in Champaign, Illinois (they don't know that's where they're going yet.) I noticed that the characters had been doing lots of sleeping and travelling over the last few chapters and I wondered if it was because they are two themes that are prevalent in my own life the last few weeks. Sleep, because it seems I'm running short of that lately, and travel because I'm doing a bit of that with more coming up this weekend.
So, real life has a funny way of sneaking into the writing, doesn't it? Are you finding that happens with your writing?
Just to update you, they've left Ollie in Denver, and The Loader disappeared, but not before revealing himself as "superhuman" in some ways (ie. Mia can't read his mind and he can run super-fast). I still haven't decided for sure if he's going to end up a villain or a hero in this piece. I'm leaning towards "hero with a villain's reputation" right now.
An update on some U.S. cities in my NaNo world:
- Major cities in Southern California were destroyed by the humans who evacuated them in order to leave nothing standing for the invading Megari.
- Chicago is knee-deep in anarchy (suggestions have been made that most large cities in the midwest have succumbed to the forces of human chaos). Gangs of folks have taken over high rise buildings, and the most enterprising of criminal bands has taken over the El train system, running it for loot.
- Many smaller towns and cities, if they have survivors, are rife with bandits who lie in wait for any travelling humans in case they have non-perishable supplies.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Doubt Demons...
Day: 20
Time: 9:25
Expected Word Count: 33,340
Current Word Count: About the same as yesterday.
Today, I'm dealing with my own personal writing demon: Doubt. Everyone goes through it. Intellectually, I know that I'm a good writer, but on days like this, when I feel so far behind where I want to be with my writing, I wonder if I am fooling myself.
Can you tell I'm tired?
I know that we all go through those moments. Moments when we can't get past the blockage in our brains that whispers, "You don't know where this is going. You'll never finish. You're fooling yourself that you're really an author."
And then...well - I wallow for just a bit in my own hot tub of self-pity and doubt, then I remember that I have read some really terrible books in my time. Books that made me wonder, "Who thought this was a good idea?" and books that made me warn others away from them because I could have predicted the ending from the very first chapter. Books that made me hate the characters. Books that made me want to fall asleep in self-defense. Books that made me roll my eyes. Books that made me want to do better.
So, yeah, I've read a lot of really EXCELLENT books in addition to the awful ones, and while I aspire to be like the authors of those books, that doesn't make my doubt demons go away. What makes my doubt demons go away is all those books I've read that convinced me I could do better, and that I should put up or shut up.
So...back to putting up, with a little dose of shutting up - shutting up those demons, that is.
All Words Are Progress
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:25
Expected Word Count: 33,340
Current Word Count: About the same as yesterday.
Today, I'm dealing with my own personal writing demon: Doubt. Everyone goes through it. Intellectually, I know that I'm a good writer, but on days like this, when I feel so far behind where I want to be with my writing, I wonder if I am fooling myself.
Can you tell I'm tired?
I know that we all go through those moments. Moments when we can't get past the blockage in our brains that whispers, "You don't know where this is going. You'll never finish. You're fooling yourself that you're really an author."
And then...well - I wallow for just a bit in my own hot tub of self-pity and doubt, then I remember that I have read some really terrible books in my time. Books that made me wonder, "Who thought this was a good idea?" and books that made me warn others away from them because I could have predicted the ending from the very first chapter. Books that made me hate the characters. Books that made me want to fall asleep in self-defense. Books that made me roll my eyes. Books that made me want to do better.
So, yeah, I've read a lot of really EXCELLENT books in addition to the awful ones, and while I aspire to be like the authors of those books, that doesn't make my doubt demons go away. What makes my doubt demons go away is all those books I've read that convinced me I could do better, and that I should put up or shut up.
So...back to putting up, with a little dose of shutting up - shutting up those demons, that is.
All Words Are Progress
~Mrs. W.
Friday, November 19, 2010
The Work of These Hands...
Day: 19
Time: 9:49 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 31,000
Current Word Count: 28,120
They are on their way to Champaign, Illinois, but they've stopped the truck at an old campground about 25 miles outside Denver, Colorado. The Lorio children are experiencing snow for the very first time, and we've discovered that The Loader can't have his mind read by the telepathic Mia Lorio - which is disturbing both her and her mother, Beata.
From here, I'm planning a bit of a run-in between The Loader and Beata, the exit of the old Special Ops guy Ollie, and the next stage of their trip to Champaign.
Once in Champaign, The Loader will have to either disappear or become the driving force for the next leg of their trip (to Egg Harbor, Wisconsin).
The fall play I wrote opened this weekend, and I've been spending lots of time at school getting that taken care of, and trying to find even a moment to sit down and write. I'm looking forward to T-giving weekend just for the sheer hours of writing time stretching ahead of me. : )
Here's to keeping at it and taking risks with the story this week!
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:49 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 31,000
Current Word Count: 28,120
They are on their way to Champaign, Illinois, but they've stopped the truck at an old campground about 25 miles outside Denver, Colorado. The Lorio children are experiencing snow for the very first time, and we've discovered that The Loader can't have his mind read by the telepathic Mia Lorio - which is disturbing both her and her mother, Beata.
From here, I'm planning a bit of a run-in between The Loader and Beata, the exit of the old Special Ops guy Ollie, and the next stage of their trip to Champaign.
Once in Champaign, The Loader will have to either disappear or become the driving force for the next leg of their trip (to Egg Harbor, Wisconsin).
The fall play I wrote opened this weekend, and I've been spending lots of time at school getting that taken care of, and trying to find even a moment to sit down and write. I'm looking forward to T-giving weekend just for the sheer hours of writing time stretching ahead of me. : )
Here's to keeping at it and taking risks with the story this week!
~Mrs. W.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Getting the Clutter Out of the Way...
Day: 17
Time: 9:38 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 28,334
Current Word Count: 27,238
So, we've left the traitor behind, and no one has told Beata what happened to him, they are now out Phoenix and trying to throw the Megari off their track. They've begun a different route that will take them to their next rendezvous point. There, they'll have to decide whether to continue to travel with the loader (who hasn't given his name yet) or continue on their own. For sure, Chapter 13 will have them ending up in Champaign, Illinois.
While I didn't hit my word count today, I still wrote enough to have done so. I actually had an idea for a one-act play that's been building itself in my head for the last two weeks or so. Finally, this morning, after my shower, I had the opening and the right path for the characters to take - so I had to at least outline it. Being so deep in a long narrative arc like NaNoWriMo, it's easy to lose sight of the end of things. Outlining this play gave me a chance to work out the whole picture/vision for a story in just a couple of hours. I'm really excited about it. It wasn't NaNoWriMo writing, but I'm anticipating having some time to write the next few days to make up for it.
It's important to "de-clutter" ideas before settling in to write on a long-term project. That's why I keep idea files. I can always go back to them and add or subtract before writing the piece, and I don't forget anything.
Write. Write like the wind.
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:38 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 28,334
Current Word Count: 27,238
So, we've left the traitor behind, and no one has told Beata what happened to him, they are now out Phoenix and trying to throw the Megari off their track. They've begun a different route that will take them to their next rendezvous point. There, they'll have to decide whether to continue to travel with the loader (who hasn't given his name yet) or continue on their own. For sure, Chapter 13 will have them ending up in Champaign, Illinois.
While I didn't hit my word count today, I still wrote enough to have done so. I actually had an idea for a one-act play that's been building itself in my head for the last two weeks or so. Finally, this morning, after my shower, I had the opening and the right path for the characters to take - so I had to at least outline it. Being so deep in a long narrative arc like NaNoWriMo, it's easy to lose sight of the end of things. Outlining this play gave me a chance to work out the whole picture/vision for a story in just a couple of hours. I'm really excited about it. It wasn't NaNoWriMo writing, but I'm anticipating having some time to write the next few days to make up for it.
It's important to "de-clutter" ideas before settling in to write on a long-term project. That's why I keep idea files. I can always go back to them and add or subtract before writing the piece, and I don't forget anything.
Write. Write like the wind.
~Mrs. W.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Revising My Own Goal for Sanity's Sake...
Day: 16
Time: 9:40 p.m.
Expected Word Count:29,333 26,667
Current Word Count: 26,221
So, in the interest of my sanity, I've decided the experts are right - 50,000 words in a month is about right for amateur novelists with, you know, lives.
I was shooting for 55,000 this month, but have come to the conclusion, the further I get behind, that it will not be possible this year. So, I've revised my goal back to the NaNoWriMo's traditional 50,000. It doesn't seem like a big difference,over the space of a month, but that's nearly three days worth of writing in that extra 5K words.
I'm disappointed that I'm not going to hit my original goal, but relieved that I'm still going to be able to hit a respectable number this year. I think it's important to set rigorous goals, but it's also a virtue to know when to revise those goals to be reachable.
Chapter Eleven ended with the new folks, and Chapter Twelve is taking the Lorios, Ollie, the loader, and the traitor over the district border. Mia has just discovered that traitor is bugged by picking up on his thoughts. Now, they are faced with what to do with the traitor. What do you think they should do?
ALL WORDS ARE GOOD WORDS IN NOVEMBER!
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:40 p.m.
Expected Word Count:
Current Word Count: 26,221
So, in the interest of my sanity, I've decided the experts are right - 50,000 words in a month is about right for amateur novelists with, you know, lives.
I was shooting for 55,000 this month, but have come to the conclusion, the further I get behind, that it will not be possible this year. So, I've revised my goal back to the NaNoWriMo's traditional 50,000. It doesn't seem like a big difference,over the space of a month, but that's nearly three days worth of writing in that extra 5K words.
I'm disappointed that I'm not going to hit my original goal, but relieved that I'm still going to be able to hit a respectable number this year. I think it's important to set rigorous goals, but it's also a virtue to know when to revise those goals to be reachable.
Chapter Eleven ended with the new folks, and Chapter Twelve is taking the Lorios, Ollie, the loader, and the traitor over the district border. Mia has just discovered that traitor is bugged by picking up on his thoughts. Now, they are faced with what to do with the traitor. What do you think they should do?
ALL WORDS ARE GOOD WORDS IN NOVEMBER!
~Mrs. W.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Halfway There, Can't Quit Now...
Day: 15
Time: 9:45 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 27,300
Current Word Count: 24,386
Yep, I skipped a day on Sunday. Does that make me a bad person? No. This is the fun of NaNoWriMo...struggling a little to reach that goal. Am I ready to give up? To be honest, I had a moment yesterday where I consciously thought to myself, "I need to put this away for now or I'm going to start hating it." Sure enough, I did, and I was able to tackle it with renewed vigor today. If it were easy, everybody could do it. We are The Chosen! We will NOT give up! We will strive through to that very last day, challenging ourselves to do a little more every day. To push past our sticking points and take risks, make thrilling decisions that will force your characters into unfamiliar territory for us, as their authors.
So, a 3K day for word count is great and I'm celebrating that.
Chapter Eleven is shaping up to be the exciting chapter. We've had the reoccurrence of a previously "wanted by the law" character and two new people as travelling companions for the Lorios as they try to sneak out of Phoenix in a refrigerated truck with dairy products in it.
Yes, they are travelling with cheese. I've decided that one of the three travelling companions will turn out to be a traitor, forcing the Lorios to act to save their escape from the traitor.
ALL WORDS ARE GOOD WORDS!!! KEEP WRITING!!
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:45 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 27,300
Current Word Count: 24,386
Yep, I skipped a day on Sunday. Does that make me a bad person? No. This is the fun of NaNoWriMo...struggling a little to reach that goal. Am I ready to give up? To be honest, I had a moment yesterday where I consciously thought to myself, "I need to put this away for now or I'm going to start hating it." Sure enough, I did, and I was able to tackle it with renewed vigor today. If it were easy, everybody could do it. We are The Chosen! We will NOT give up! We will strive through to that very last day, challenging ourselves to do a little more every day. To push past our sticking points and take risks, make thrilling decisions that will force your characters into unfamiliar territory for us, as their authors.
So, a 3K day for word count is great and I'm celebrating that.
Chapter Eleven is shaping up to be the exciting chapter. We've had the reoccurrence of a previously "wanted by the law" character and two new people as travelling companions for the Lorios as they try to sneak out of Phoenix in a refrigerated truck with dairy products in it.
Yes, they are travelling with cheese. I've decided that one of the three travelling companions will turn out to be a traitor, forcing the Lorios to act to save their escape from the traitor.
ALL WORDS ARE GOOD WORDS!!! KEEP WRITING!!
~Mrs. W.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
A Different Set of Four Walls...
Day: 13
Time: 9:43 pm
Expected Word Count: 23,833
Current Word Count: 21,810
So, tomorrow will have to be an at-home work day. I've not tried working at home yet this year. It usually doesn't go well, but I have things to do at home that put me in the position of getting some serious word count done there. Ah well. The girls at S'bucks were probably getting tired of me anyway.
So, this week is Tech Week for the Fall Play and will make for interesting storymaking. Stress always seems to bring out the most prolific writing in me. The Lorios are still in Phoenix, split up for now, but on their way to their rendezvous point.
I got the opportunity to work on a different writing project today that needed my attention, and it refreshed me a little to get back to Escape from Grace. I'm looking forward to kick-starting this week's word count tomorrow!
All words are good words in November.
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:43 pm
Expected Word Count: 23,833
Current Word Count: 21,810
So, tomorrow will have to be an at-home work day. I've not tried working at home yet this year. It usually doesn't go well, but I have things to do at home that put me in the position of getting some serious word count done there. Ah well. The girls at S'bucks were probably getting tired of me anyway.
So, this week is Tech Week for the Fall Play and will make for interesting storymaking. Stress always seems to bring out the most prolific writing in me. The Lorios are still in Phoenix, split up for now, but on their way to their rendezvous point.
I got the opportunity to work on a different writing project today that needed my attention, and it refreshed me a little to get back to Escape from Grace. I'm looking forward to kick-starting this week's word count tomorrow!
All words are good words in November.
~Mrs. W.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Part Two: The Escape
Day: 12
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 22,000
Current Word Count: 21,074
It was exciting to begin the escape chapters tonight. Duncan and the underground have set fires and little explosions in the empty houses in the neighborhood in order to cover their exodus. (Thanks to my friend Jon Williams for the great idea!) The ensuing smoke and chaos are good cover from the street cameras of the Megari, and the rescue workers on scene would have no choice but to evacuate the neighborhood to prevent the spread of the fires in a place as dry as Phoenix.
So, Duncan and Mia are somewhere on their own, planning to rendezvous with Beata and Duncan at another point in the city before the next stage of their plan goes into action.
I found a creative way to add word count which feels a little bit like a cheat, but is actually a legitimate use of quoting to set the tone of my sections. I've added the lyrics to two songs, one at the beginning of each "Part" of the book, so far. For Part One - The Appointment, I used the lyrics to "Kyrie" by Mr. Mister, since it is mentioned in that section. For Part Two - The Escape, I used the lyrics to an old Bob Dylan/Carl Perkins tune called Champaign, Illinois.
It added a little to the word count (not significantly, comparatively, but enough to make me feel like I'd pulled one over on the Word Count Demons that sometimes plague us this month.
Take it easy, Take it as it comes, Take it to the Next Level, or just Take it to the Limit.
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 22,000
Current Word Count: 21,074
It was exciting to begin the escape chapters tonight. Duncan and the underground have set fires and little explosions in the empty houses in the neighborhood in order to cover their exodus. (Thanks to my friend Jon Williams for the great idea!) The ensuing smoke and chaos are good cover from the street cameras of the Megari, and the rescue workers on scene would have no choice but to evacuate the neighborhood to prevent the spread of the fires in a place as dry as Phoenix.
So, Duncan and Mia are somewhere on their own, planning to rendezvous with Beata and Duncan at another point in the city before the next stage of their plan goes into action.
I found a creative way to add word count which feels a little bit like a cheat, but is actually a legitimate use of quoting to set the tone of my sections. I've added the lyrics to two songs, one at the beginning of each "Part" of the book, so far. For Part One - The Appointment, I used the lyrics to "Kyrie" by Mr. Mister, since it is mentioned in that section. For Part Two - The Escape, I used the lyrics to an old Bob Dylan/Carl Perkins tune called Champaign, Illinois.
It added a little to the word count (not significantly, comparatively, but enough to make me feel like I'd pulled one over on the Word Count Demons that sometimes plague us this month.
Take it easy, Take it as it comes, Take it to the Next Level, or just Take it to the Limit.
~Mrs. W.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Good Stopping Point
Day: 11
Time: 9:40 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 20,163
Current Word Count: 19,245
Okay, my "get up early in the morning on your day off and write" plan didn't work out so well. I'm a night owl - I know this about myself. It's important to know your peak inspiration times, and night is definitely mine.
I'm getting closer to my goal of being caught up. I'm guessing that with a little extra work this weekend, I can be all caught up by Monday.
I stopped because I just finished Chapter Eight, where Beata and Mia encounter one of the Megari Authority's special Interrogators, the Death Angels. His name is Michael, and I see him as the face of the antagonist for the next stretch of the book.
Next chapter, the Lorio family will finally make their escape from Phoenix - or will they? Only time and tired typing fingers will tell.
All Words Are Good Words
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:40 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 20,163
Current Word Count: 19,245
Okay, my "get up early in the morning on your day off and write" plan didn't work out so well. I'm a night owl - I know this about myself. It's important to know your peak inspiration times, and night is definitely mine.
I'm getting closer to my goal of being caught up. I'm guessing that with a little extra work this weekend, I can be all caught up by Monday.
I stopped because I just finished Chapter Eight, where Beata and Mia encounter one of the Megari Authority's special Interrogators, the Death Angels. His name is Michael, and I see him as the face of the antagonist for the next stretch of the book.
Next chapter, the Lorio family will finally make their escape from Phoenix - or will they? Only time and tired typing fingers will tell.
All Words Are Good Words
~Mrs. W.
Chapter Two of "Escape from Grace"
While I'm grinding away on Chapter Eight and Nine tonight, I thought I'd submit this for your reading pleasure (or not - it's all relative considering the pace we're writing at this month).
Chapter Two
Citizen-Servants shall be punctual at all times for officially scheduled appointments and activities. Time is a valuable commodity, not to be wasted. (Rule Two, The Megari Way)
As predicted, the girls were waiting for them outside their school. Duncan unbuckled his seat belt and popped open his door to help the girls get buckled in. Beata held her breath, hoping that their teacher, Mrs. Connelly wouldn’t give her more than a disapproving look today. While her thin smile was polite as she escorted the girls to the car, her eyes were disapproving. She swept her gaze around the interior of the mini-van, looking for evidence of poor caretaking, Beata was sure. The old bat probably would like nothing better than to find Beata in violation of caretaking protocol for something more serious than chronic tardiness. Beata wished the kids would hurry and get set so she could take off before Mrs. Connelly got up the jigglies to actually say something to Beata.
Teachers were almost always jealous of the caretakers, because they had 20 – 40 hybrid kids at a time, and they all had varying levels of discovery about their powers. Plus, the teachers all lived at the school and weren’t assigned homes since they weren’t allowed family units. In another fifteen years, Beata would be sending Dominic off into the world on his own, and then her caretaking duties would be done. It was rumored that old Caretakers would be recycled as Teachers every few years. The training processes had already begun for some of the first hybrid caretakers, the ones who went through their indoctrination in the Megari Way almost immediately. The ones from cities conquered sooner than Phoenix, like New York, D.C., and Chicago. Cities that were now completely abandoned, patrolled only by Megari aircraft with orders to shoot to kill any living thing that far north.
Too late, Connelly was mincing in her teetery teacher heels around the car, her brows drawn sharply together, intent in her pinched brown eyes. Not wanting to make a bad situation worse, Beata rolled down the window with a friendly smile. Maybe she could sweeten Connelly’s sour mood with some extra kindness.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Connelly! I’m so glad to see you today! How are you?” Beata’s voice was bright and cheery, personable, but the annoyed teacher was having none of it.
“Ms. Lorio, it is currently three-thirty in the afternoon.” Mrs. Connelly began.
“Yes, Mrs. Connelly, about that. I’m so sorry! It’s just been a- .”
“You are aware that the children must be picked up by three-fifteen at the very latest, yes? I know we’ve been over this a number of times, Ms. Lorio.”
“I know that, Mrs. Connelly. Once again, I’m sorry that I had to- .”
“These are not my rules, Mrs. Connelly. The Megari Hybrid Educational Authority is very strict about these requirements, and your lack of punctuality is affecting more than just you and your wards, Ms. Lorio. If affects us all.”
Beata had had enough of this self-righteous prig getting upset over a few minutes. “Now wait just a minute, Mrs. Connelly. Other than a very minor inconvenience to your time, how is this affecting you?” Beata was just warming up, two days worth of worry, hurry, and exhaustion coming out in her voice.
“You live at the school. I can’t always get her on time because it’s tough to get the kids picked up and shuffled from their activities on time every day. Children sometimes take a little extra time. Since you don’t see them outside these hallowed halls, maybe you’ve forgotten that!” Mrs. Connelly’s face blanched at this last bit. Her teeth gritted together, and her pinched little eyes were welling up with tears as she looked away from Beata to stare off in the distance, breathing deeply to control her emotions.
Beata’s anger sank into guilt as she realized that this woman probably knew exactly what it was like to live with children. She had probably had her own children at some point. She’d probably had a whole family. The Caretakers had been specifically chosen to act as parent-figures because they’d had no children of their own. They’d be easier to train in the Megari Way than parents with previous experience. Plus, so many human children had been exterminated in the Day of Reckoning, that any Caretaker who had lost their own human child and then been assigned a hybrid child might have resented the child and harmed it. The Megari wouldn’t stand for that. As a Teacher, though, Mrs. Connelly wasn’t subject to the same rule. She may have been the only survivor from her own family. Of course now, everything was different, and Teachers weren’t allowed a family unit. She’d be going back inside the school tonight to sleep with no children of her own to cuddle.
“I- I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it came out…” Beata stammered out her apology, knowing it was too late. Her thoughtless angry words had just burned a bridge and stirred up the pain of this woman who was only trying to do her job.
Mrs. Connelly took a final deep breath, closing her eyes and Beata could almost hear her counting silently to ten in her head. Moments later, Mrs. Connelly had herself under control finally, and turned back to face Beata with a chilly smile.
“I’m sure we all have our burdens to bear and our stories to tell, Ms. Lorio. Perhaps you’ll find it in your heart to be punctual for the sake of Imogen and Hermia, who suffer the embarrassment of having to wait out here with me every day, rather than going home at the same time as our other students. If that can’t be arranged, perhaps you can arrange with the MHA to pick them up on time instead. I’m sure they’d be happy to accommodate your very important schedule.” With that, she spun on her teetery heels and marched back into the school, waving to the girls in the backseat, who both waved back with sympathetic and slightly embarrassed looks.
She turned to find Duncan giving her the “Way to go, Mom” stare. The girls, normally vibrant and bouncy from school, were quiet and subdued. Beata had blown it again. Speaking without thinking was going to get her killed someday if she wasn’t careful. Not to mention, what a great example of human compassion she’d just demonstrated to the kids.
Beata had the strange thought that in the past, this day would have gone so much better if she’d just been able to get a cup of coffee. And a greeting card to send to Mrs. Connelly to apologize for her heinous conduct. No more greeting cards either. Maybe she could write a note. Or not. Who knows what the MHA might use as evidence against her someday. A note to a teacher admitting guilt for something as simple as misspoken words or tardiness could well end your life if they brought you to the Court of Reckoning for Judgment. Well, too late to fix it now. Best just to move forward with you time on this earth.
“Everybody buckled in? Good. Mia, can you pick up Dominic’s apple juice? He dropped it a while back and he needs to keep drinking fluids today. How was school today, Imogen?” Beata heaved a sigh of relief as she pulled the van back out into the street to get to their next stop, the Food Distribution Facility. Imogen’s reddish-blonde curls fell in a tangle over her bright blue eyes, as she narrated her day in her piping voice.
“I told Miss Thompson that I wasn’t coming back tomorrow, and she said she’d miss me and we had peaches for lunch and she let me teach my good-bye song to all the other kids…” Beata knew if she let her, Imogen would continue with all the minutiae of her day if not interrupted. Duncan turned around and tickled Imogen’s knee to get her attention.
Imogen giggled and answered Duncan’s photopathic question, “Ye-essss Duncaaannnn. I showed them the dance we made up too. Jose said it was stupid, and Miss Thompson made him sit in time-out, but everybody else thought it was super-fun!” Duncan smiled at his little sister as she trailed off, looking out at the sunshine filled sandy streets. Automatically, she began to hum a jaunty little tune. They’d long ago stopped asking her not to hum. It was her very nature to do so. She didn’t even know she was doing it most of the time. She’d been known to imitate the voices she heard in her dreams during her sleep, and sometimes Beata or Duncan would stop by her door to listen, fascinated by the dream conversations peeking out of her nighttime mind.
Mia, on the other hand, ever the serious child, picked up Dominic’s apple juice cup for the third time and stated emphatically, “If you throw it down again, Dom, I’m not picking it up. You’re just going to be thirsty.” She turned back around in her seat, cracked open her current novel, and without turning around or looking, pointed her finger directly at Dom.
“Don’t do it.”
Dom, giggled and put his apple juice cup back in his mouth rather than dropping it like he had intended. Mia could read minds, so Dominic liked to play little games with her where she’d “catch him” – the telepathic equivalent of a game of peekaboo. Mia tickled Dom’s knee with her pointing finger and then settled into her book. It was another of the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Beata had loved those as a child, and was able to pass her set down to Mia, along with many of her other favorite childhood novels. Public libraries and bookstores were not really available to the human servants much, unless you filled out a metric ton of paperwork for each book you wished to read.
Their Megari overlords fully approved of learning, but found fiction confusing and dishonest. They didn’t ban it, but they did carefully oversee how much fiction you were consuming, and cut off your supply if you were “overindulging”. Mia was at the age where they were just the right food for her fertile imagination, adventurous, but not so wildly ridiculous that they were silly. Mia and Beata both had appreciated the sincerity and earnest joy of the frontier family. Mia had begun asking if they could go fishing sometime, like Laura did in the books, and Beata wasn’t quite sure what to tell her. She didn’t think it was allowed.
Luckily, they had left most people’s personal libraries alone, the same with CD’s and DVDs. You couldn’t get new movies or music, really, and fictional television programs were a thing of the past. The television airways were now filled with informational and instructional messages from the Megari about The Megari Way. Radio had gone the way of the dodo, and the internet was now severely restricted as well, or at least their ability to access the internet and the content being generated by human citizen-servants was.
Right after she’d graduated college and decided to move to Phoenix to work at the Children’s Hospital there, her parents had come to visit and bring her all the boxes of stuff she’d managed to avoid hauling to Arizona so far. Beata recalled her mother’s gentle laughter in her kitchen as they’d shared pizza while dad and her younger brother, Marc, had hauled in box after box of her childhood memorabilia and stacked them in the living room of her tiny apartment.
Later, as she and her mom were going through the boxes together, she was astounded to find her mom’s eyes tearing up over one of the several boxes of childhood books they’d brought. Beata had hugged her normally vivacious and laughing mother in concern, but her mother just waved away her emotional response, saying, “I just remember how many rainy days you spent on your bedroom floor, reading these stories so intensely. You wanted to BE that little frontier girl. That’s all you could talk about. I remember you even dressed as Laura Ingalls Wilder for Halloween that year.”
They’d giggled together over the memories that night, and it was the first time she’d ever felt like her mom was more than just her mother. She felt like a valued friend, one who knew your whole history, so you didn’t have to explain the whys about what you were doing now. She just knew.
Glancing at her brood in the rearview mirror, Beata wondered if she’d ever have the chance to form those kinds of relationships with them. Would they even be allowed to come back to see her once the MHA took over their education full-time at seventeen years old? Would they be allowed to see each other? Would they be allowed to have families of their own someday? Fall in love, have children, bring them to her so that she could meet them?
The MHA wasn’t big on letting its citizen-slaves in on information until it was too late to do anything about it. Who was she kidding? There was nothing she could do about it anyway. But for those wonderful, kind, loving faces who trusted her to do the right thing for them and keep them safe, she would surely try.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Getting to the Good Parts...
Day: 10
Time: 9:51 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 18,334
Current Word Count: 17, 079
I didn't get as far as I wanted to today on making up my missed word count, but I'm counting on a kick-butt word count tomorrow. (I've determined I need to haul my kiester out of bed early in the morning and get it done sooner, rather than later.)
Too much waiting has been happening in my book. I'm on chapter eight, and she's just now begun to prepare for their trek. They're not even sure yet where they're going, except North.
They've accessed the Underground Resistance, and now they're in the "packing phase". I'm anticipating one more major run-in with the Megari in Phoenix before they escape.
I'd better go, they're closing the place down. Time to go home and watch my taped copy of "Glee". It'll be the first television I've watched in a week.
Keep Writing!
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:51 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 18,334
Current Word Count: 17, 079
I didn't get as far as I wanted to today on making up my missed word count, but I'm counting on a kick-butt word count tomorrow. (I've determined I need to haul my kiester out of bed early in the morning and get it done sooner, rather than later.)
Too much waiting has been happening in my book. I'm on chapter eight, and she's just now begun to prepare for their trek. They're not even sure yet where they're going, except North.
They've accessed the Underground Resistance, and now they're in the "packing phase". I'm anticipating one more major run-in with the Megari in Phoenix before they escape.
I'd better go, they're closing the place down. Time to go home and watch my taped copy of "Glee". It'll be the first television I've watched in a week.
Keep Writing!
~Mrs. W.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Slowly Gaining Ground...
Day: Nine
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 16,500
Current Word Count: 15,441
I'm slowly making up for my lazy Saturday. Okay, I get the point. I need to NOT take another lazy Saturday away from the keyboard completely until...say...December.
Today, I added a section clarifying what the Olun Megari look like physically and specifying their known skills and weaknesses in the prologue. I feel like being able to go back and add that section in, freed me up to not have to explain that background info in the story itself. What a relief!
So, today's chapter(s) had Beata going in for her bi-weekly "treatment" appointment with her Megari Authority counselor, Veddito. She is forced to fill out a questionnaire, and decides to test her theory about lying to the Megari in a silent but powerful breakthrough bit of rebellion for her.
The next chapter is shaping up to be where contact is made between the Lorio family and the underground rebel remnants of free humans. Mrs. Connelly, the prim and proper principal, will play a pivotal part in popping open a powerful conspiracy. (WHAT FIGURE OF SPEECH DID I JUST USE IN THAT SENTENCE?)
Mia, the 9 year old telepath, is going to be pulled into the conspiracy by virtue of a very low-tech, centuries-old method of secret communication involving milk. Yep. I said milk.
Anyway, I'm off like a pair of stinky gym shoes. (WHAT FIGURE OF SPEECH DID I JUST USE THERE?)
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 16,500
Current Word Count: 15,441
I'm slowly making up for my lazy Saturday. Okay, I get the point. I need to NOT take another lazy Saturday away from the keyboard completely until...say...December.
Today, I added a section clarifying what the Olun Megari look like physically and specifying their known skills and weaknesses in the prologue. I feel like being able to go back and add that section in, freed me up to not have to explain that background info in the story itself. What a relief!
So, today's chapter(s) had Beata going in for her bi-weekly "treatment" appointment with her Megari Authority counselor, Veddito. She is forced to fill out a questionnaire, and decides to test her theory about lying to the Megari in a silent but powerful breakthrough bit of rebellion for her.
The next chapter is shaping up to be where contact is made between the Lorio family and the underground rebel remnants of free humans. Mrs. Connelly, the prim and proper principal, will play a pivotal part in popping open a powerful conspiracy. (WHAT FIGURE OF SPEECH DID I JUST USE IN THAT SENTENCE?)
Mia, the 9 year old telepath, is going to be pulled into the conspiracy by virtue of a very low-tech, centuries-old method of secret communication involving milk. Yep. I said milk.
Anyway, I'm off like a pair of stinky gym shoes. (WHAT FIGURE OF SPEECH DID I JUST USE THERE?)
~Mrs. W.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Frog Accomplished!
Day: 8
Time: 9:40 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 14,667
Current Word Count: 13,210
I made the frog dream work. It was part of a larger, darker chapter - darker than I had thought it would be. I need to jump-start the action in my story. It feels like Imogen's death has put the characters in a bit of a holding pattern.
I'm trying to come up with the perfect inciting incident that will convince them that they can try running. I'm thinking it's going to come from a combination of sources: Hermia, the principal, and the load guy from the food depot.
Well, I'm proud of myself that I've made up a little over 400 words that I missed over the weekend, and I plan to keep my nose to the grindstone the next few days to make up my words by Friday.
All Words Are Good Words
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:40 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 14,667
Current Word Count: 13,210
I made the frog dream work. It was part of a larger, darker chapter - darker than I had thought it would be. I need to jump-start the action in my story. It feels like Imogen's death has put the characters in a bit of a holding pattern.
I'm trying to come up with the perfect inciting incident that will convince them that they can try running. I'm thinking it's going to come from a combination of sources: Hermia, the principal, and the load guy from the food depot.
Well, I'm proud of myself that I've made up a little over 400 words that I missed over the weekend, and I plan to keep my nose to the grindstone the next few days to make up my words by Friday.
All Words Are Good Words
~Mrs. W.
The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown...
Day: 8
Time: 8:22
Expected Word Count: 14,667
Current Word Count: 11,032
Two of my students, Donna and Emma, have challenged me (and I have challenged them as well) to write a nightmare about being attacked by frogs into our novels. I think I can actually go back in and write it into the beginning of Chapter 5, when Beata is first waking up from the knockout that the Megari scientist dealt her at the evaluations facility.
I wonder if I can make it work as a part of the whole "Plagues of Egypt" thing.
Oooh! I just got a great idea of how to make that work, although, I'm a little horrified at how dark this book is becoming.
Meh, if it's too dark and ominous, I can always go back and change it in revisions. For now:
ALL WORDS ARE GOOD WORDS!!
Time: 8:22
Expected Word Count: 14,667
Current Word Count: 11,032
Two of my students, Donna and Emma, have challenged me (and I have challenged them as well) to write a nightmare about being attacked by frogs into our novels. I think I can actually go back in and write it into the beginning of Chapter 5, when Beata is first waking up from the knockout that the Megari scientist dealt her at the evaluations facility.
I wonder if I can make it work as a part of the whole "Plagues of Egypt" thing.
Oooh! I just got a great idea of how to make that work, although, I'm a little horrified at how dark this book is becoming.
Meh, if it's too dark and ominous, I can always go back and change it in revisions. For now:
ALL WORDS ARE GOOD WORDS!!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
End of Night Update...
Day: 7
Time: 9:50 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 12,834
Current Word Count: 11,032
Okay, so I didn't make up my skipped day completely yet, but I did get a day's worth, plus a little extra in. I'm feeling good about it. I'm looking forward to the momentum I can get with the story tomorrow!
Good Night!
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:50 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 12,834
Current Word Count: 11,032
Okay, so I didn't make up my skipped day completely yet, but I did get a day's worth, plus a little extra in. I'm feeling good about it. I'm looking forward to the momentum I can get with the story tomorrow!
Good Night!
~Mrs. W.
No Magic Formula Today...
Day: 7
Time: 7:58 p.m. (Standard Time)
Expected Word Count: 12,833
Current Word Count: 9,578
Yeah, I'm a day behind. Yesterday, I wanted to read too badly. I felt like I hadn't indulged in a good Reading Day for weeks. Apparently I'm becoming too connected to my Nook. : ) So, instead of watching TV or getting other things done, I read. And read. And read. So, I skipped a NaNoWriMo Day. Can I make it up?
Yep. Got to! No choice about it. I've made this goal for myself, setting it higher than last years to give myself a little extra challenge, and I'm writing a totally new genre of book than last year's. And, doggone it, I'm going to make it! I can do it!
I've figured out that there's no magic formula to getting your word count done. No special coffee drink, musical play list, or time of day that will make the words flow from my fingertips. All of those things do help, but sometimes it's just making yourself sit down and get that first page, first paragraph, first sentence, shoot - the first WORD out of the way so that the blank page doesn't beat you that day.
So, I'm picking up with Chapter Five. Beata and the kids are now having to face the loss of Imogen, and the next two chapters will take us up to the decision that Beata makes to try running North to what she only hopes will be safety and humanity.
The words haven't flowed like I've wanted them to yet tonight, but I'm determined that they will. I'm back at S'bucks, and wouldn't you know it? There's another teacher here (not from JJL), and (even cooler) another NaNoWriMo'er. We were both sitting at our laptops, hooked up to our Ipods, sipping our beverages, and tip-tapping away at our keyboards, when he noticed the "NaNoWriMo All-Star" sticker on my laptop, and caught my gaze, then pointed at his own laptop and mouthed "NaNoWriMo".
So, that's kind of cool, knowing that I'm in the presence of my NaNoWriMo brethren, even in the wilds of the Romeoville Starbucks.
I must say, though, I look forward to our daily write-ins at school. There's something about the being in the presence of other writers, that makes me feel more at ease. Perhaps that's why I almost never write at home. I need to feel some sort of connection to the world at large. That, and the cats like to sleep on my keyboard.
Well, time to get to work. I'll update my word count later tonight. Time to get back to beating the blank out of the page.
~Mrs. W.
Time: 7:58 p.m. (Standard Time)
Expected Word Count: 12,833
Current Word Count: 9,578
Yeah, I'm a day behind. Yesterday, I wanted to read too badly. I felt like I hadn't indulged in a good Reading Day for weeks. Apparently I'm becoming too connected to my Nook. : ) So, instead of watching TV or getting other things done, I read. And read. And read. So, I skipped a NaNoWriMo Day. Can I make it up?
Yep. Got to! No choice about it. I've made this goal for myself, setting it higher than last years to give myself a little extra challenge, and I'm writing a totally new genre of book than last year's. And, doggone it, I'm going to make it! I can do it!
I've figured out that there's no magic formula to getting your word count done. No special coffee drink, musical play list, or time of day that will make the words flow from my fingertips. All of those things do help, but sometimes it's just making yourself sit down and get that first page, first paragraph, first sentence, shoot - the first WORD out of the way so that the blank page doesn't beat you that day.
So, I'm picking up with Chapter Five. Beata and the kids are now having to face the loss of Imogen, and the next two chapters will take us up to the decision that Beata makes to try running North to what she only hopes will be safety and humanity.
The words haven't flowed like I've wanted them to yet tonight, but I'm determined that they will. I'm back at S'bucks, and wouldn't you know it? There's another teacher here (not from JJL), and (even cooler) another NaNoWriMo'er. We were both sitting at our laptops, hooked up to our Ipods, sipping our beverages, and tip-tapping away at our keyboards, when he noticed the "NaNoWriMo All-Star" sticker on my laptop, and caught my gaze, then pointed at his own laptop and mouthed "NaNoWriMo".
So, that's kind of cool, knowing that I'm in the presence of my NaNoWriMo brethren, even in the wilds of the Romeoville Starbucks.
I must say, though, I look forward to our daily write-ins at school. There's something about the being in the presence of other writers, that makes me feel more at ease. Perhaps that's why I almost never write at home. I need to feel some sort of connection to the world at large. That, and the cats like to sleep on my keyboard.
Well, time to get to work. I'll update my word count later tonight. Time to get back to beating the blank out of the page.
~Mrs. W.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Satisfied, but Sad About Imogen
Day: Five
Time: 9:50 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 9, 167
Current Word Count: 9,150
That was a tough scene to write. You don't see or hear anything going on with Imogen, but I wanted readers to see how her telepathic sister, Hermia (Mia) and her photopathic brother, Duncan, reacted as well as Beata, their Mom.
I also had Beata experience first-hand just one of the powers the Megari have used to control humans, The Megari Calm, a sort of paralysis that they can project onto the human target.
Well, I was seventeen words short today of my goal, but I feel good about how I ended that chapter. Tomorrow, hopefully, I'll have some time to actually get ahead on my word count.
~Mrs. W.
Time: 9:50 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 9, 167
Current Word Count: 9,150
That was a tough scene to write. You don't see or hear anything going on with Imogen, but I wanted readers to see how her telepathic sister, Hermia (Mia) and her photopathic brother, Duncan, reacted as well as Beata, their Mom.
I also had Beata experience first-hand just one of the powers the Megari have used to control humans, The Megari Calm, a sort of paralysis that they can project onto the human target.
Well, I was seventeen words short today of my goal, but I feel good about how I ended that chapter. Tomorrow, hopefully, I'll have some time to actually get ahead on my word count.
~Mrs. W.
Getting up the gumption to write...
Day: Five
Time: 8:10 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 9,167
Current Word Count: 7,634
I'll admit it. I didn't even get a chance to open up my NaNoWriMo project today until now. I spent some time helping out in other classes, working with students on their NaNo projects, and grading assessments today. Geez O'Pete! This whole "work" thing really does interfere with my writing time!
I must say, I'm pretty inspired by all the young writers in my classes and NaNoWriMo Club today. Some of them have really sophisticated storylines, dialogue that just jumps off the page, and scintillatingly descriptive scenes that make me want to read more.
NaNoWriMo Quote of the Day: "You're not a scientist! Clearly PANCAKES are better!!!"
What is also so wonderful is watching and listening as my fellow authors are so supportive and creative when others bring their work to the table. They give such great ideas to each other, and affirm each others' talent, encourage each other so well, that I'm sometimes so touched that I can't speak. (I KNOW! That NEVER happens!)
Well, I'm writing a pretty tough scene right now. It's the scene where the Megari Authority has to tell Beata and her brood of hybrid children that their darling Imogen won't be coming back from behind those doors marked, "Evaluations". I'm struggling with what should happen in that scene and even thinking about the depth of pain this would really cause someone makes it kind of tough to write. But, as a famous writer once said, "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader."
I'm done procrastinating for the moment. Time to get back to boosting my word count!
~Mrs. W.
Time: 8:10 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 9,167
Current Word Count: 7,634
I'll admit it. I didn't even get a chance to open up my NaNoWriMo project today until now. I spent some time helping out in other classes, working with students on their NaNo projects, and grading assessments today. Geez O'Pete! This whole "work" thing really does interfere with my writing time!
I must say, I'm pretty inspired by all the young writers in my classes and NaNoWriMo Club today. Some of them have really sophisticated storylines, dialogue that just jumps off the page, and scintillatingly descriptive scenes that make me want to read more.
NaNoWriMo Quote of the Day: "You're not a scientist! Clearly PANCAKES are better!!!"
What is also so wonderful is watching and listening as my fellow authors are so supportive and creative when others bring their work to the table. They give such great ideas to each other, and affirm each others' talent, encourage each other so well, that I'm sometimes so touched that I can't speak. (I KNOW! That NEVER happens!)
Well, I'm writing a pretty tough scene right now. It's the scene where the Megari Authority has to tell Beata and her brood of hybrid children that their darling Imogen won't be coming back from behind those doors marked, "Evaluations". I'm struggling with what should happen in that scene and even thinking about the depth of pain this would really cause someone makes it kind of tough to write. But, as a famous writer once said, "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader."
I'm done procrastinating for the moment. Time to get back to boosting my word count!
~Mrs. W.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Victory is Mine - Brief, but MINE! Mwahahahahaha
Day: Four
Time: 9:43 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 7,334
Current Word Count: 7,399
Yep, that's right! I'm 60 words AHEAD after tonight's marathon run. I must admit, the story's really developing well, and my main character Beata had some interesting flashbacks today based around her mother and books she used to read.
I added some foreboding foreshadowing at the Food Supply Facility, where she was handed a note by a silent truck-loader that she hasn't read yet. While there, Beata also received a pitying look from a clerk with no explanation, and a bag of goods provided through the sacrifice of a kind stranger when Beata was mysteriously denied the extra ingredients she'd requested to bake Imogen a cake to celebrate her six year evaluation.
They've made it to the evaluation facility, barely, on time with just fumes in the gas tank, and a very excited and nervous Imogen has accompanied a scientist through the ominous door to the evaluations offices.
This was a tough goal to meet today. About 3,000 words written today. Whew! I was having trouble focusing earlier, and switched out my music a few times to no avail. Turns out, I just needed to let my Ipod go to "shuffle" mode so that I wasn't anticipating any particular song or artist, and I was finally able to tune out the tunes and tune back into my Writing Zone.
Well, S'bucks is getting ready to close up for the night. Time to go! I'll see all you Nanowrimo-ing fanatics tomorrow!!!
Time: 9:43 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 7,334
Current Word Count: 7,399
Yep, that's right! I'm 60 words AHEAD after tonight's marathon run. I must admit, the story's really developing well, and my main character Beata had some interesting flashbacks today based around her mother and books she used to read.
I added some foreboding foreshadowing at the Food Supply Facility, where she was handed a note by a silent truck-loader that she hasn't read yet. While there, Beata also received a pitying look from a clerk with no explanation, and a bag of goods provided through the sacrifice of a kind stranger when Beata was mysteriously denied the extra ingredients she'd requested to bake Imogen a cake to celebrate her six year evaluation.
They've made it to the evaluation facility, barely, on time with just fumes in the gas tank, and a very excited and nervous Imogen has accompanied a scientist through the ominous door to the evaluations offices.
This was a tough goal to meet today. About 3,000 words written today. Whew! I was having trouble focusing earlier, and switched out my music a few times to no avail. Turns out, I just needed to let my Ipod go to "shuffle" mode so that I wasn't anticipating any particular song or artist, and I was finally able to tune out the tunes and tune back into my Writing Zone.
Well, S'bucks is getting ready to close up for the night. Time to go! I'll see all you Nanowrimo-ing fanatics tomorrow!!!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
So Many Successful Writers Today!
Day: Three
Time: 2:45 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 5500
Current Word Count: 4512
I was thrilled to see that so many of my students (many of whom you don't expect) are really pounding out the word counts over the last few days, loving the challenge.
Me? I'm hacking away today too, during Nanowrimo Writing Time in class today. Have I hit my daily goal yet? Mmmm...not so much. I'm getting closer. But I have great hope for tomorrow and the next day and the next.
I've introduced the two young girl characters and an unexpected tertiary character showed up today, Mrs. Connelly, the girls' school principal. I think I've got some interesting plans for this seemingly prim and proper educator. What if she ended up to be a rebel contact that helps smuggle Beata and the kids out of Phoenix?
They're currently on the way to little Imogen's "Evaluation Appointment" where something tragic is going to befall the little family. The alien Megari are so focused on every creature being useful and productive that they have no use for people they judge to be "surplus".
Well, after Drama Club is over, I'm headed to the theater tonight with the husband. Meanwhile, I'll be plotting in my head. Too bad I don't type well in a car...
Time: 2:45 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 5500
Current Word Count: 4512
I was thrilled to see that so many of my students (many of whom you don't expect) are really pounding out the word counts over the last few days, loving the challenge.
Me? I'm hacking away today too, during Nanowrimo Writing Time in class today. Have I hit my daily goal yet? Mmmm...not so much. I'm getting closer. But I have great hope for tomorrow and the next day and the next.
I've introduced the two young girl characters and an unexpected tertiary character showed up today, Mrs. Connelly, the girls' school principal. I think I've got some interesting plans for this seemingly prim and proper educator. What if she ended up to be a rebel contact that helps smuggle Beata and the kids out of Phoenix?
They're currently on the way to little Imogen's "Evaluation Appointment" where something tragic is going to befall the little family. The alien Megari are so focused on every creature being useful and productive that they have no use for people they judge to be "surplus".
Fun Quotes and Questions from Students during Nanowrimo Writing Time Today:
11/03
How long is the flight from Denver to Poland?
Is blackberry one word, or two?
Well, after Drama Club is over, I'm headed to the theater tonight with the husband. Meanwhile, I'll be plotting in my head. Too bad I don't type well in a car...
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
A Success, Although Not a Blowout
Day Two
Time: 9:11 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 3,667
Current Word Count: 2,829
Well, I stuck to the plan and headed out to S'bucks again after dinner. (They're going to be SO sick of me by the end of November!) I put on the old Ipod, cracked open the laptop, got some herbal tea (can't have the caffeine this late anymore) and starting cranking on my word count.
I'll admit to a certain amount of piddle-farting around on the internet (hey, it's election night, right?), but I still got to 75% of my goal. If I do as well tomorrow (fingers crossed), I'll be all caught up. The prologue and chapter one are complete. We've met our main character, Beata Lorio, and one of the alien hybrid children she is raising for the invaders, Duncan. We've set up the other three children (Hermia, Imogen, and Sebastien), some with special powers, some with mysterious things ahead, but all as sympathetic support characters. I decided to go with Shakespearean names for the kids, figuring it would be one of Beata's ways to silently, safely rebel against the Olun Megari (the aliens).
Speaking of which, I have drama after school, then a show at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago after that. Hmmmm...I might be getting lots of writing done very early, at lunch, and very late! Wish me a 3,000 word day!
~Mrs. Wisniewski
Time: 9:11 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 3,667
Current Word Count: 2,829
Well, I stuck to the plan and headed out to S'bucks again after dinner. (They're going to be SO sick of me by the end of November!) I put on the old Ipod, cracked open the laptop, got some herbal tea (can't have the caffeine this late anymore) and starting cranking on my word count.
I'll admit to a certain amount of piddle-farting around on the internet (hey, it's election night, right?), but I still got to 75% of my goal. If I do as well tomorrow (fingers crossed), I'll be all caught up. The prologue and chapter one are complete. We've met our main character, Beata Lorio, and one of the alien hybrid children she is raising for the invaders, Duncan. We've set up the other three children (Hermia, Imogen, and Sebastien), some with special powers, some with mysterious things ahead, but all as sympathetic support characters. I decided to go with Shakespearean names for the kids, figuring it would be one of Beata's ways to silently, safely rebel against the Olun Megari (the aliens).
Speaking of which, I have drama after school, then a show at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago after that. Hmmmm...I might be getting lots of writing done very early, at lunch, and very late! Wish me a 3,000 word day!
~Mrs. Wisniewski
Day Two: Sometimes You're the Windshield and Sometimes You're the Fly
Day: Two
Time: 1:49 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 3,667
Current Word Count: 667
I'll admit it. I'm the fly today. Parent-Teacher Conferences went very well, and I was grateful for the opportunity to speak to so many parents and brag about my amazing students. But, a good word count is not in the works yesterday or today.
I'm currently stationed at Starbucks (yay! Free Wi-Fi!), and need to head home soon to make dinner plans with Mr. Wisniewski. I've managed to squirrel away two hours of writing time doing "research" for my prologue about Mayan prophecies for the year 2012, correcting and re-posting the quarter two gradebooks (Yikes!), eating lunch, and creating this blog. Sooooooo....yeah. Not getting any closer to my word count goal, am I?
I'm watching the clock frown at my sluggish word count. Stupid prologue. Feels like writing non-fiction. *pout* My word count would surely soar if I skipped straight to writing Chapter One, right? *sigh* Back to slogging. Only one more section to go!
I can do this! Here's the plan. Write like a madwoman for 30 minutes. Go home. Clear head. Have dinner with Mr. Wisniewski.
Come BACK to Starbucks after 6:00 p.m. and have a marathon writing session to hit my goal. Catch up with me later to see if I do it!!!
Time: 1:49 p.m.
Expected Word Count: 3,667
Current Word Count: 667
I'll admit it. I'm the fly today. Parent-Teacher Conferences went very well, and I was grateful for the opportunity to speak to so many parents and brag about my amazing students. But, a good word count is not in the works yesterday or today.
I'm currently stationed at Starbucks (yay! Free Wi-Fi!), and need to head home soon to make dinner plans with Mr. Wisniewski. I've managed to squirrel away two hours of writing time doing "research" for my prologue about Mayan prophecies for the year 2012, correcting and re-posting the quarter two gradebooks (Yikes!), eating lunch, and creating this blog. Sooooooo....yeah. Not getting any closer to my word count goal, am I?
I'm watching the clock frown at my sluggish word count. Stupid prologue. Feels like writing non-fiction. *pout* My word count would surely soar if I skipped straight to writing Chapter One, right? *sigh* Back to slogging. Only one more section to go!
I can do this! Here's the plan. Write like a madwoman for 30 minutes. Go home. Clear head. Have dinner with Mr. Wisniewski.
Come BACK to Starbucks after 6:00 p.m. and have a marathon writing session to hit my goal. Catch up with me later to see if I do it!!!
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