Thursday, November 16, 2006

Lessons from Nano

I think I lost a week while Nano has been kicking my butt. About 8000 words short of where I’d like to be, and I don’t think I’ll hit 50,000 words, but still I’m making progress. I’ve been doing some brainstorming . . . and I’m quite happy with some ideas I want to go back and layer in after I’ve finished this crappy rough draft. So that is inspiring me to push on.

It’s been interesting doing this project while I’m in the middle of the book. The middles are the hardest for me, where I want to most give up, where I think none of this is ever going to come together, where I threaten to kill off my main characters because they’ve grown independent of me, gotten an attitude and aren’t doing what I tell them to do. So forcing myself to push on without giving much thought to character arcs, plot threads, etc. has been freeing. I’ve come up with some good stuff, probably a lot of crappy stuff, but overall it’s been a good experience. It also doesn’t hurt that I’m still ahead of everyone on my buddy list . . .

On two other nonwriting related notes. . . the back yard is done, all but for some stucco painting. So when that’s done, I’ll post the final pictures. Sorry, Chris, the ferris wheels didn’t make the final cut.

And my son did this one day. That was the salt shaker. I thought it was an interesting statement. Feel free to analyze in the comments.

8 comments:

  1. Calvin is the Froot Loop of the earth.

    Have fun killing some characters today, Jenster.

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  2. I'm behind on my writing for NaNo, too. But it is a great motivator, isn't it?

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  3. See how she pushes in the knife ever so gently?

    She's speaking to my competitive gene and that's probably not good for her. ;)


    And I just adore Calvin. Froot Loops in the salt shaker. I can't think of anything witty, but its great.

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  4. There's something there about salt & light made sweet & bright...but I can't come up with it. Still, a great photo. And like Jeanne said, kill those characters!

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  5. How did he get those through the tiny holes?

    And no ferris wheels? No point in coming over to play now, is there? Unless you have a pony. Do you?

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  6. Ah, some great comments. "Froot Loop of the earth," "salt & light made sweet & bright". Hmm, think I'm going to make it into a big poster for my laundry room with those under it. It'll be the first thing I see when I walk in the house from the garage. Should provide some inspiration, or at least a smile.

    Michelle, yeah, you'll probably kick my butt now.

    Chris, no pony. But we do have a black lab who acts like a horse.

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  7. Go Jen! Go Jen! Can't wait to see who you kill off in this one. :)

    I'll vouch for the lab. He runs around like a small horse, is probably even strong enough to pull a pony cart. Well at least a red wagon with the kids. He's got a lot of energy for sure. :)

    Calvin's creativity never ceases to amaze me. Notice how he's not afraid to mix traditional "female" and "male" colors together. There's some great composition and energy in the use of the color spectrum with orange acting as an insulator between the pink and green shapes. Okay, was that artsy snobby enough? LOL

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  8. Calvin is just thinking outside the salt box. I, for one, believe it would make for a very nice poster--one you can save to give his new bride at the bridal shower along with kitchen stuff. And see, this project gives you way more planning time than NaNo or anything else, for that matter.

    Abundant blessings,
    Jenny Cary

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