Writing Update - October

Melissa:

Let me share a little story... I started off getting up early to walk on the treadmill. This worked wondrously for about...four or five weeks. I had a whole routine down. I'd read while walking for 30 minutes. I was feeling great and reading. But, then, there were mornings that the kiddo was running late, or I was waking up later and there wasn't 30 minutes to be on treadmill before I had to be there to tell kiddo bye as he left for the bus. Yes, I need to do that and it won't matter what age he is. Then it got to the point that kiddo had things he just had to talk about in the morning. You know, football stuff and class stuff. And soon I wasn't making it to the treadmill at all for my 30 minutes of torturous bliss. So, I started sitting in front of the computer, checking emails. Starting October, and knowing November - NaNoWriMo month - was right around the corner, I started worrying I wasn't ready. Well, worry isn't right. Panicking. Because I WASN'T ready. So what better way to spend this time, 30 minutes, each morning? I started re-reading my April Camp NaNoWriMo project. It's a novella. It's a romance. It's something I have an idea to continue with a second novella for NaNo. So I have to get it to somewhere to go on with it. And that's what I've been doing.

Each morning, okay, most mornings I read a short section and add, delete, or adjust to it as I go. Anything that is a bigger section of redoing, I note and go back to over the weekend when I have more time to focus on it.

I've managed to add 7,402 words to the story in October. This is adding, deleting, and adjusting. Not bad. I still have a whole scene to write and the ending 2,000 words needs re-done completely. But only doing a half hour each morning, or most mornings, really made a huge difference.

Now, it's November and onward to the next story and a whole month full of words. I'm shaky this year. I know, it's normal. But I don't know if I want to write this story. I don't know if I can. I've had last minute thoughts about racing back to fantasy, although I don't know what that would be as I don't have a story idea for a fantasy book. It's tempting. But I don't know what to write if I change it. So I'll stick to this romance and see what comes to pass.

I might start with re-writing the ending completely and starting into the new story. The story is only going to be about 30k. That way when I re-write it I can bump it to 40k. I even have a second novella in mind to start when this is done. Heck, that novella could potentially turn into a full novel if I keep adding to the world. ;)

So, off to tackle November. Here's wishing all you NaNoWriMo-ers out there the best in words!

Writing Update - September

Melissa:

First, I have to thank NaNoWriMo for mentioning my post on their dashboard with a link.  Thank you.  And everything in July's Update is true, and now that I have my NaNo loss under my belt, on I go.  (I'm sorry, I'm late in sending thanks with all that's been going on.)

And...It's October 1st. *sigh* I've gotten no where. None. Nothing. It's bad. I have been working on getting through some projects here that will *hopefully* open up for free time in November for me to do my desire...NaNoWriMo.

Oh! I did get 300 words out in a short story I am going to submit to Start Publishing. It's going to be trimmed down to 250 words, (thanks to help Skyla Dawn Cameron who is helping me with my terrible run-on sentences).

I do have a new goal I want to work on. I'm going to start simple. If it takes three sentences to tell one thing, it takes three. I'll combine it later. But what I have a terrible time of, I like putting three happenings in one sentence. So, I want to start simple, this way I know what I'm trying to convey and can combine later.

So I guess I did get a small bit out of me. But nothing what I want. I have a long list for October. On it is re-writing my novella I started in April. I want to iron it out and add a scene. After that I can start noting ideas for the second novella I'm looking to do for NaNoWriMo.

I need to put my head down and to the grind to get it all done. It's possible, but I need to focus and keep my eye on the finish line.

August Update

Melissa:

So I went back to last years Nano, and after being away from all works due to family stuff and Camp NaNoWriMo on another idea, I've decided to start back at the beginning of the story.  I'm fine tuning some sentences, blending them together, and refreshing my memory to move forward.

I did get a few words added to NaNo from last year.  A total of 2,455 words.  *shake head* At this rate, I *might* get the stupid thing finished before I pass away. *sigh*

Then life took over again.  *sigh*  I'm really tired of life getting in the way of my fun.  I did take some time off of blogging and such to try to get through some life stuff.  Nothing bad, just stuff that needs to be done with my dad.

But, I did start working up a synopsis for the second book in a novella series I'm thinking about.  Now I need to get back to the first novella to work it up and finish the main idea to a zero draft so I can move on.  I think I can work on this new Novella and another Novella story for NaNoWriMo in November.  But, you know what happens to best laid plans...so we'll see what happens between now and November.

Once again, the new month ahead of me looks promising.  I think I can get a few beta things done and get into my own writing again.  We'll see.  But I think life *might* be getting back to a normal pattern of things, I just need to figure out what that is and get myself on schedule with it.

Writing Update - July

Melissa:

So I've been thinking about this post since the middle of July. *sigh* I started off the month with great high hopes.  I was gaming and ready to roll.  Then the month dropped into the real world.  Being massively behind from the lack of time to do anything book wise in June along with the stress I still was feeling, I just didn't realize how tough July would be.  Then things happen too.  Anniversaries, family stuff that I still had to get to, and just life.  So, I didn't get far with Camp NaNoWriMo, which I was hoping for.

I can say I failed.  In a way, I did.  I didn't hit the 10k I set as a goal.  But, any number of words is better than what I had before.  I clocked in at Camp NaNoWriMo at 1,570 words, but didn't verify them.  I actually did better than that.  See, I was trying to work on revisions for a Novella story and hoped to start the second Novella story to the series.  Well, life had other plans.  By my record of word counts I actually added 3,368 words at the beginning of the month.

I'm not going to let this get me down.  Not at all.  It's done, life sucks at times, and we move on.

I do have a few ideas that keep circulating through my mind.  Percolating, if you will.  The worlds are growing and I'm trying to think what the underlining plot thread is in addition to minor little threads.  But those are just notes on paper for now.

What's the goal now?  I have no clue.  I want to get one of these two stories and actually get one completed.  Not necessarily "publish" finish, but a complete thought and story to work from.  I need to pull all this stuff out and see what mood I'm in.  I'd like to take the next few months and work on Jayda's story.  Get the first book up to a zero draft form so I can head on to book two for NaNoWriMo in November.  Although, I think the current Novella story would be enjoyed by a few of my friends who kinda sound like they want to read it.  Maybe I can sneak it in from time to time.

I guess I was bound for a failed NaNoWriMo at some point.  My record had been going far to well. ;)  Everyone has to have a bad NaNo.  But now that it's out of my system, I'm totally kicking it's arse in November....if I can get through this first six-below-draft to be ready to do book two. *sigh*

Now, it's time to crack down and get serious.  I've got lots to read, lots to write, and lots of help to offer others with their books.  The table is heaping and I'm bound and determined to get through it all. *nod*

What is Dark?

There are books that we call Dark.  There are ideas we call Dark.

What is Dark to readers?

Are we sitting in a room trying to read with no lights on.  No, although ereaders do help with this dark issue these days. ;P

What makes a read Dark to you?

I've used the term when writing a few reviews as well.  The author has gone deep into emotions -- emotions that are sparked from not so pleasant happenings.  Not always does there have to be death, but it's a very good indicator too.  The world of the story can have a dark feel.  Now, I almost wanted to put negative in the place of dark.  The world is usually not a happy place, bad things are at work and that adds to the dark feel for me.  The characters can be dark.  This might be where some of the death comes in.  And unpleasant things are done to other characters, or maybe already done to the ones you have.

I'm thinking you need some light in this to counter the dreariness created.  Some sort of hope to balance out the down of the dark.  Or even a small spark of hope that things can change.  Something needs a spark to shine through, show there could be something good that comes from all the dreariness that pulls down.

Or, is dark simply a scary feeling you get when reading?  I've heard that reference a few times.

Words...are there words associated with the dark feeling of a story you read?

Where have you found dark books at?  Fantasy, Urban Fantasy?  What about with Romance?  A blend of a dreary dark tale and a spark of a romance that could make it through the doomed world around them?



Just a thought to maybe spark some thoughts...

Writing Update - June

Melissa:

Jackie's been buried under school work and I've been buried under family stuff.

It's been a rough month of June around here.  Not much writing is getting done.  June was to be a big month for me.  I had HUGE plans for my stories - research and re-writing to prepare for July.  Ha!  Life always has different ideas for us.  Although, I know my mind keeps wondering back to the stories I have here and want to get working on to get to a ground zero draft.  Even to the thanks of Danielle (a great friend on Twitter) I've come up with more LOADS MORE! ideas in one world I've been working.  And maybe even different stand-alone novella stories.  :) We'll see what happens, if I ever get to experiment with them.

But with the month of hellballs I've not got to make any actual words.  Lots of family issues to get through and I haven't even got to do around my own house yet.  As of the weekend, I was digging a long ditch in the rain and mud.  So, July is off to a slow start.

But, talking about July.  You know I can't refuse a challenge.  Not that it's a challenge, but I'm totally addicted to NaNoWriMo.  Gives me a reason to sit my arse in the chair and work.  Well, Camp NaNoWriMo is running for July as well.  I had to sign up.  Yes, it was a last minute thing, but I'm doing it.

My goal...only a simple 10k words.  I know, that was my goal in April and I not only met it I surpassed it by 20k.  I'm not planning on that this round.  This round I'm going to re-write and write new.  They both will be in the same world, just different characters in the next novella book.  The story will continue.  That is my goal, and I will stick to it.  (It's hard for me, but I want to do it and have my mind set on it.)

So, if you see me struggling on Twitter during July, give me a shove to keep going.  Now, into July we go...

Have a great month!

Writing Update - May

Melissa:

And this is waaaaay late in posting.  Sorry.  I had an unexpected family emergency and it's taken a week to try to get to a breathing point.  And it seems it's going to shoot June in the kester before it even starts.

So...seven days into the month and I hadn't wrote much of anything.  I was exhausted.  Beyond exhausted, thanks to allergies.  I even found myself napping at lunch hour.  Yeah, not me.  I didn't get much reading in either.

I seem to be at a lack for words this past month, with being so exhausted I can't seem to focus.  But the brain wasn't completely idle...started dreaming up new worlds.

But, on the 4th - Saturday during my down time starring at the television like a blob on the couch - I was watching the H2 channel.  A History channel, I have no idea who had it one but it was on when I turned tv on.  Anyway, there was a show about the oceans.  Icebergs melting, whirlpools, images under water with the mountain ranges and so on and so on.  A new world idea started to hit me.  One I started noting and forming in my mind's eye.  I wrote 334 hasty words of a short happening in this world.  There is lots of worldly myth that needs to be laid out and created here as I think I like the idea of this world and people.  BUT!  Yes, this is a big but.  I don't have a story for the world yet.  So, I continue to create the world, hoping something will spark for a story line.  I think one might be forming...we'll see as I create the world. ;)

I did manage to get a few words squeaked out.  Okay, so I'm a slacker, the total I got... 637.  *sigh* I know disgraceful.  I left May with HIGH hopes for June.  I have lots I want to get done.  After Balticon, I had the feel for creativity.  Had the first day all planned out, I'd finish cleaning, read the remaining forty pages of a current read, then dive into my novella story.  I didn't even get the cleaning done before I got that call we all dread.  So June is seeming to be a bust for words as well.  *sigh* We'll see, but I'm thinking not much will come.


Jackie is swamped with school.  Sorry, she wasn't able to post this time around.