My NaNoWriMo 2002 Diary (continued)

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Fri., Nov. 1, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 1,894
My total word count as of today: 1,894
Words left to go: 48,106
Percent complete: 4%

NaNoWriMo officially begins! I got a good start in terms of word count, but it took me a long time to get there tonight. The words were not flowing, they kind of stuttered out. I couldn't just sink into it. I kept hesitating and debating. I hope my Saturday and Sunday sessions go better so that I can have a better rhythm when the workweek starts.

Many thanks to all the friends who wrote to wish me luck!

Sat., Nov. 2, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 1,767
My total word count as of today: 3,661
Words left to go: 46,339
Percent complete: 7%

The words flowed a little better today, but I'm still hesitating a lot. I hope that gets better as I get into my characters' heads more.

I also think my hesitation is because I'm too worried about making this perfect. I need to cut loose more and not worry so much about quality. There is no time for perfection when you're trying to write 50,000 words in a month.

Sun., Nov. 3, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 1,926
My total word count as of today: 5,587
Words left to go: 44,413
Percent complete: 11%

This was my most productive day yet. On Nov. 1, I wrote 1,894 words, but it took me 3 hours and 15 minutes. On Nov. 2, I wrote 1,767 words, but it took me 2 hours and 30 minutes. Today I wrote 1,926 words in only 2 hours and 15 minutes. I'm very pleased with that. I'm glad this started on a weekend so that I could have some time to find my rhythm.

Mon., Nov. 4, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 1,836
My total word count as of today: 7,423
Words left to go: 42,577
Percent complete: 15%

I'm very tired, but I wanted to take a moment to post my newest numbers. I have a much better rhythm for writing this way now, but it's tough to get focused on sitting down to write right after work. I want to spend a little time with Joe, check my e-mail surf the Net, putter a little. These things help me feel like I have some kind of life, but for now I just need to be a writing machine.

Tues., Nov. 5, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 842
My total word count as of today: 8,265
Words left to go: 41,735
Percent complete: 17%

So many things distracted me after work tonight that I only put in a little bit of time at writing. I wrote much less than my goal for the day, but I'm glad that I at least wrote a little something. It all adds up.

Wed., Nov. 6, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 1,220
My total word count as of today: 9,485
Words left to go: 40,515
Percent complete: 19%

Tonight was time crunched and I wasn't as clear on where I wanted to take the story. I think the next couple days will be less distracting though, and I intend to think through the next few chapters before I write them so that I won't feel like I'm flailing so much. Winging it is fun, but it's easier to write at this high volume if I've at least determined some kind of plot point for that day's writing, such as "Jane decides to give Alex another chance." At least then I have something to work towards, even if I do wing it the whole way.

Thurs., Nov. 7, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 1,842
My total word count as of today: 11,327
Words left to go: 38,673
Percent complete: 23%

I'm very pleased to announce that I blasted past the 10,000 word mark today, but now I'm exhausted and I'm going to bed.

Fri., Nov. 8, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 0
My total word count as of today: 11,327
Words left to go: 38,673
Percent complete: 23%

I burnt out and didn't write today. It's the first time that's happened since I started this. I'm already feeling like a slug about it, so don't get on my case, okay?

Sat., Nov. 9, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 3,822
My total word count as of today: 15,149
Words left to go: 34,851
Percent complete: 30%

Well, I kicked butt and made up for yesterday. I feel better now. I'm going to make another big push tomorrow. My goal is to have 18,000 words by the end of the weekend. Considering how much I wrote today, I feel confident I can make that.

Sun., Nov. 10, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 2,954
My total word count as of today: 18,103
Words left to go: 31,897
Percent complete: 36%

Well, I made my goal for the weekend, but now I feel like my wrists are going to fall off. Several people have asked to see a bit of the story, so before I go ice my wrists, I present you with this bit from Chapter 1. It's my favorite part and I think it sets the tone nicely.

Chapter 1.

Tricia: Arriving Home

As soon as I open the door, I know there's trouble. The living room is a wreck. Within seconds, the cause of it all comes running by. My four little action figures, all in a row. Jane is firmly in the lead, yelling a war cry and holding Alex's Superman cape above her head. Alex is running right behind her, predictably demanding she give it back. Brian is running behind Alex, warning everyone that I'll be home any minute. Lisa is bringing up the rear, begging everyone to stop and talk about this.

Welcome to my world.

I put two fingers in my mouth and whistle as loud and sharp as I can. Everyone freezes and looks toward the door. Jane tries to hide Alex's cape behind her back.

"He started it!"

"She took my cape!"

"I tried to stop them, but they wouldn't listen!"

I put my fingers in my mouth and whistle again. Everyone shuts up this time.

"I don't care who started it, I'm finishing it. Jane, give back the cape, now!"

I give her a look she knows not to argue with. Jane gives Alex back his cape.

"Now, does anybody else have anything that doesn't belong to them?"

Heads shake no. Jane raises her hand.

"Yes, Jane?"

"Aren't you even going to ask what happened?"

I can't help but vent. "Is it any different than the last five times? Somebody said something that someone else didn't like. You all start chasing each other and manage to thrash the living room, despite being only six inches tall. Did I miss anything? Oh, right, you stole Alex's cape. What the hell is that about, Jane?!"

"He needs to learn to stop getting on my nerves!"

"Ugh. Jane, Alex can meet you part way by trying to understand you better, but you need to work on controlling your temper."

Jane crosses her arms and stares at the ground. I see Alex inspecting the cape thoroughly. It's his most prized possession. He looks pretty upset.

I ask gently, "Is the cape damaged Alex?"

He looks up for the first time since he got the cape back. "No, but it could've been! I'm sorry I made her mad again, but she shouldn't take my stuff!"

The guy has a point. "I agree, Alex. Nobody here is allowed to take anybody else's stuff without permission. If any of you don't like what someone says to you, say something back or walk away. You do not get to punish them by playing keep away with their stuff. Got it?"

Heads nod yes. I look around at the mess.

"Is this the only room you guys thrashed today?"

Lisa finally speaks up, "I think the kitchen got some of it too."

"Has anything been broken?"

Heads shake no.

"Good. The four of you have half an hour to clean this up. No yelling. No shoving. No bullshit of any kind. Got it?"

Heads nod yes.

"Move it. Now."

Everyone scatters. The guys take one side of the living room. The girls take the other. I go in the computer room to check e-mail. I can still keep an eye on them from there.

I sounded a lot like my mother just now, but at least I didn't use the "Wait 'till your father gets home" line. I hope Joe gets home first the next time they do this. He always backs me up in the aftermath, but I'd love for him to see all this in its full glory sometime.

Mon., Nov. 11, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 2,043
My total word count as of today: 20,146
Words left to go: 29,854
Percent complete: 40%

Today was kind of halting and slow, but I got met my quota of daily writing, and that's the point of all this. I did have to resort to a dream sequence though. I wrote a very emotionally intense day for my characters over the past couple scenes and I was stuck in a place where I just didn't have anywhere else to go with the current day and I wasn't in the mood to figure out exactly what would happen the next day, so I decided that everybody got tired and went to bed and I wrote a dream sequence for one of the characters. I don't claim that it adds a lot to the story, but it does have some (heavy-handed) thematic symbolism and it helped me meet today's word count goal, so it's good enough for November.

Tues., Nov. 12, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 1,544
My total word count as of today: 21,690
Words left to go: 28,310
Percent complete: 43%

I wrote a little bit at lunch, a little bit at home, but I got it done. I'm winging it a lot, but I'm trying to keep it fun.

Wed., Nov. 13, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 1,005
My total word count as of today: 22,695
Words left to go: 27,305
Percent complete: 45%

I fell short of my writing goal today. I started late and I had trouble maintaining momentum. I've noticed that I have to start writing fairly soon after I get home if I'm going to get much done.

Thurs., Nov. 14, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 1,876
My total word count as of today: 24,571
Words left to go: 25,429
Percent complete: 49%

I met my writing goal for today and I'm well on target. Tomorrow is the 15th, the mid-point of the month, and I plan to pass 25,000, the mid-point of the NaNoWriMo goal. Hooray!

The story flowed well today, but my back was sore. My little writing station is not ergonomically correct, although Joe and I have done the best we can about that. The fact is, no matter what we do on that score, writing this much every day, on top of all the time I spend at my desk at work, is bound to wear a body down. Grrrr.

I have a bit of a competitive streak. The NaNoWriMo website is set up so that I can enter my in-progress word count and see the in-progress word counts of other writers. I find it fun to see how I'm doing compared to my peers. I am usually in the top 20 of Seattle, but today I made #13 (out of approx. 250). That's my highest ranking yet. I know we're competing against a deadline and not each other, but seeing that helps me feel like I'm doing okay at this. I get frustrated with myself when I don't make my daily goal, but seeing the other authors' word counts shows me that I'm doing better than average and I should cut myself some slack.

Of course, when I check my ranking against the entire United States, I am very firmly in the middle of a very large pack, so I don't look at that one any more. There are too many people on that list who have already finished their 50,000 words or gone past that already, and that's just depressing. In fact, the last time I looked at my United States ranking, I was so desperate for an ego boost that I checked my word count against other women named Tricia. I can honestly say that out of the 13 Tricia's listed, I rank #1 in word count! Yes, I know that's a pathetic way to search for validation, but you need to realize that it seems like a great idea at one in the morning.

Fri., Nov. 15, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 0
My total word count as of today: 24,571
Words left to go: 25,429
Percent complete: 49%

Apparently, Friday nights are not a productive time for me.

Sat., Nov. 16, 2002

NaNoWriMo total word count goal: 50,000
Words I wrote today: 3,071
My total word count as of today: 27,642
Words left to go: 22,358
Percent complete: 55%

Fortunately, Saturdays are much more productive for me.

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