Monday 15 November 2010

HARD TIMES? It is the middle of NaNoWriMo

Image from The Victorian Web
HARD TIMES


Chapter I
The One Thing Needful 

“NOW, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them. This is the principle on which I bring up my own children, and this is the principle on which I bring up these children. Stick to Facts, sir!” 



Charles Dickens is a master of dramatic irony. He says one thing and we know the other.


I spend more time researching factual details than is truly necessary (DI). That way, if anyone ever asks me to explain the origins of a name, concept or species I've included in my writing I can show it is embedded in the firmest - most realistic - bedrock I could (mine) find.


So, it is Day 15 - half way through NaNo time!!


I'm two-thirds of the way through my MG - minor crisis is leading to major event and a few truths - but I have no idea of the ending... oops. It will come to me, I'm sure. 


How about you? Is the research you did before the start of November holding up? Are you way off your beaten track? Somewhere left-field of where you thought you were going?


I feel like an early explorer. My north star, inexplicably, went out. 
(You know that sounds like just what I need for my missing ending! VI)




12 comments:

  1. Sounds like you're doing really great with NaNo.
    I'm not doing it, but I'm in awe of everyone who is. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. No NaNo for me either but it's interesting to read about those who are. Half-way there, go you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Jennifer
    I'm running alongside the NaNo really - 30,000 words is the top I'm aiming for. Chances of finishing the MG and working on the other too are slim to non-existent.

    Hi Ivy
    All the best with your writing. I hope NaNo or not, you feel it is going well.
    I wish every true NaNo writer the very best of luck with the mid-month hump ;)
    I feel like there is downhill racing about to happen. I have to put the breaks on and take care so I only have to write it once. Edit and revision fair enough but I don't want to feel that an entire re-write is necessary.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's awesome that you've written so much. Just keep writing, the editing will come later.

    ReplyDelete
  5. How great to be right on track for NaNoWriMo. I'm not participating...but I am writing a MG novel. I'm just giving myself a little longer to finish.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Elaine - Oh yeah, I love to write. I'm knee-deep in rewrites and I'm having fun with it. Thanks.

    You're about half-way to your goal. That's super fantastic. Go you. Go you. Go you. Doing a little Go You wiggle dance to show my support.

    Enjoy and Happy Writing :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Patti
    I love writing. But I can't not edit while I'm going. I have my favourite piece of writing advice pinned at eye-level just above my screen: Raise the stakes: internal and external. Turn up the conflict. Wind the tension higher take it to breaking point and then break it.
    I start ever day trying to find something to wind up ;)

    Hi Tess
    Yeah! Go us MG writers! Good luck with your writing. I don't know what it is about November: the darker evenings and the number of rainy days? I always get lots done in November.

    Hi Ivy
    Thank you for your kind words. I love a little suffering: going through the word finder set on "was" is a special kind of misery. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Blimey - you're doing well! I confess that I've fallen way behind. I didn't manage to write anything either side of the conference (including today when I have no excuse at all). Must do better!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi MC
    Good luch getting back into the swing of the writing.
    I hit the paper and pen approach if I can't settle to work on the computer. It means I can write in the adverts - Monday is a big TV day for me.
    The writing is going well only because it is pretty sharp writing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm plowing through, even though I don't know a lot of stuff. I now know, for instance, that I have to do a TON of research on sailing. BUT, for now, I'm muddling through.

    ReplyDelete
  11. ...striving onward is the key, and by the sounds of it, you're hammering through nicely. Wish I could've participated, but editing demands and the dayjob have thwarted the cause...oh well, next year:)

    Thanks for your comments on my blog, and good luck with NaNo!
    El

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Ali
    Happy Mid-NaNo to you! ;) Keep climbing the word count. Sailing? That is a challenge. It's such a specialist sport - all different classes of boats and all.

    Hi El
    You are welcome! Comment-wise. :)
    Nothing worse than the day job being over-demanding.
    I'm aiming for 2,000 words a day and settle for half of it.

    ReplyDelete