Rejection and Opportunity

I had my first official rejection letter today. It was a short story I sent to Woman's Weekly, but I felt special because the address was hand written. I can only imagine the cramp the poor person gets, and how bored they must be to do nothing but write addresses on letters all day. I wasn't overly bothered, so my skin must be getting thicker. A few years behind a bar taking crap from drunk people must be having an effect at long last. It does mean I need to be submitting  more suitable stories to magazines, but that's a step at a time.

Opportunity wise, I feel a little more confident as someone has emailed me back about an internship, so fingers crossed it will be a good opportunity. I need to shake my life up again, I'm getting too settled into an easy life. Anything will be better than living above a pub!! 

Novel wise, my novel from Nanowrimo has slowed down a lot, but the ideas are still jumping out at me, I think I need to start carrying a tape recorder around so I don't forget my ideas! It's rather appealing to be saying: 'note to self' when inspired.

Why a cut finger is a good excuse not to write

Well, it's not really a good excuse, and not a very impressive war wound to show my friends. I'm just taking it because trying to type is painful. See the cut is just in the wrong place where I tend to touch the keyboard, and everything else beside. I've been changing beds with gloves on and and gritting my teeth and waving my finger in the air as if I'm at the stock exchange and a really really cool offer has come up.

This week has been proof of life and duty getting in the way. A comment someone made to me last night has opened my eyes too. They said I was more my own person now than I was a year ago. And it's true, I feel more comfortable in my skin, when I look in the mirror, I think, yes, that's me. I was putting the feelings down to rebellion, which they are, but at the age of 23, I'm tired of paying my dues to the family business. So much of my life is wrapped up in the stupid dramas of a pub. I'm feeling ready to let all of this go now. It's a matter of putting my writing first for a change and finding a job related to that.

End of NaNoWrimo!

I am a winner!!

Seriously, it feels good. I've crossed the 50,000 word line somewhat intact, but hell do I feel great. This is the most I've written in a very long time. It was nice to have yesterday off, lots of drama from the pub, needed  a little down time. I've been rewarded with my efforts with a lovely cold that may or may not leave me fighting for my life. Gotta love the cold weather.

My brother has decided to launch his own version of NaNoWriMo for December in his own words ' solitary novel writing non-calander month (SolNoWroNoCalMo).' This did seriously make mr laugh, and snort. Which isn't very attractive of me, but shows my brother has a sense of humour.

Far as my novel goes, I think I have another 15,000 words to go before I'm happy with a first draft. I found a novel competition for the end of January, so I think I'm going to aim for that. I should keep up with the 1600 or so words a day, not a huge amount to write, but in the long term, a great way to knock a novel out in a couple months.

NaNoWriMo #28- 5k to go

My post yesterday was a bit negative, but it turned out to be a good, positive day writing wise. I'm not someone who can claim to sit at a computer for 8 hours straight and write 10,000 words (although I should give it a try sometime...) I got to my target of 2500 words yesterday afternoon before I went to Ikea to meet my brother for tea -and to browse at the cheap furniture). I got back late evening and managed to write the rest. I've ended missing a day, and doing a major catch up the day after. Whereas before I'd have balked at the thought of writing 1667 words, that seems a warm up amount. Writing 5000 words in a day, once broken down is achievable, and enjoyable. You strangely don't fee like you've written that amount, but the handy word count lets you know all the while what you've done.

Two days left to go. See you all at the finish line.

NaNoWriMo #27-Nearing the end

My word count is shamefully behind. Again I have work to blame, it's been a busy few days, which leaves me rather frustrated when the only down time I manage to get I need to sleep (working ten-twelve hour days with a couple hours for a break isn't the best for writing). Yes it is my sort of fault when I have taken on a part time job on top of my full time hours, but you gotta do what you gotta do. But I can't beat myself up over this too much, sometimes life has to take front seat. Writing is also priority, but paying the bills has to come first, and that means working. I do work for my family and I can't slack at that. I've still achieved 40,000 words in less than a month. I have found that in missing a couple days, I suddenly can't be bothered, though I am still bothered about falling behind. I do really want to get this month finished and say for my first NaNoWriMo I am very capable of writing a novel in a month. I am going to cross the finish line, even if I am going to be a little tired and cranky because of it.

NaNoWriMo #22

35,000 words to my name so far, in three weeks no less. There have been some days where I have lagged behind but managed to catch up the next day. This has made me realise a key factor which is good and bad about me:

I need deadlines.

The thought of falling behind a day, or missing that deadline has had me achieving the minimum word count at least. (some days have been better, in the region of 1800 words.) I haven't steamed ahead by many more, but I have been doing enough to keep my head above the water. Again what does that say about me? I shan't head too deeply in those waters, after all this is about writing, not my messed up psyche.

It's been a sense of elation and sometimes frustration that I have to write the 1667 words a day to achieve it. I know I am capable of writing more in a day, and some days when I've struggled I've written utter tosh (which doesn't bother me, editing is for that!). Life gets in the way, but NaNoWriMo has given me permission to tell it to bugger off and get on with my writing. It's felt great to get a novel out in such a short time, and it's again more practice for me. I haven't had time to wonder and ponder over things, just to get the characters and the story down on paper.

It's been a fantastic journey.

NaNoWriMo-Halfway there

I can't quite believe it is already half way through the month. I am nearing my target of 25,000 for tonight, less that 1300 words to go so I think I will make it.

Last few days have been draining and a tad dramatic. I learnt the hard way yesterday not to drink too much caffeine when you're over tired. Resulted in lots of shaking and a fair bit of crying. That aside I feel better and got some time today to tap out some words. I am starting to jump about with scenes but I will come back and fill the gaps in later, that is a way I tend to work. At least I know how this story is meant to end, and I can work on from there.