I did it!

65057 words.  50,000 of them since November 1st.  I'm proud of myself.  Really proud.  No it's not done yet, but I reached my goal and I am well on my way to completing my novel. I did it with 4 days to spare.  I didn't give up.  On December 1st I will promise to revise what I have written and hope to publish soon.  Stay tuned folks.  I'm chasing my dream.  A special thanks to two people who have encouraged me relentlessly.  You know who you are.  I count myself lucky to have you in my life.  Thank you for sharing my dream!

P.

Update

I'm not dead I'm just busy. I'm at 47247 words and counting. The goal was 50 thousand, but I've had to increase that by 15000 words, which is what I had started the story with. Okay I did spend the first day editing all of that, but I'm a purest and the competition was to write 50 thousand words in a month. So I'm going the honest route. I'm ahead of the game and have less than 1400 words to write per day this month to complete my goal. I believe I can do it. The problem for me isn't just that I have to write all this, I'm pretty creative. The problem is I am writing about things I don't know about at some points and I have to do research, a lot of research. So, off I go into the land of Google and search my little heart out. I am going to make it the goal. Really at this point the word goal isn't as important as my own goal of finishing my novel. It's something I have always dreamed of doing. So I'm chasing my dream down and beating it into submission. Wish me luck!

Inspiration

According to Nanowrimo 60% of all the winners had a cover for their novel. So I thought to myself I'll give this a shot. I'm not surprising that I am fairly good at photoshop. It's not my first kick at the can editing a picture for a book. I actually have a little more time on my hands this time to play with the photo. I headed off to the local flea market and procured some old cheap coins from the vendor there. Truth be told I probably could have used a car wash token after all the photoshopping I did, but I wanted it to feel authentic somehow. Who knows I could have picked up my own magic coin in the process. It was literally my last stop. I had already purchased a Claddagh ring and a pride ring for ridiculously cheap. I think I'd probably die of old age before I got a claddagh ring from anyone else that I liked so I got one myself. I digress. My neighbour graciously allowed me to dry some clothing at her house (Nanny Anne I love you!) and also allowed me to use her as a hand model. So there we have it a cover for my unfinished novel. I still have a lot of typing to do this evening, my little side trips and distractions have cut down my typing time today. I'm still way ahead of the game, but as I said, I don't believe that 50 thousand words is going to be enough, and I really want to have this done before the end of the month. I also have rationalized that perhaps if I have a pretty enough cover the words inside won't be so important. I'm still terribly afraid that I have written some abomination of a story. But I'm not through yet. Go Pamela!

Freedoms

(I want this hoodie!)

I wonder if everyone who reads a books see's it like a movie in their minds? For me when I get into the groove of writing a story it's like a movie that plays in my head. Little things attract my attention and I have to describe them in detail just as they strike me. I am now just shy of 30 thousand words in my 50 thousand word challenge. The more I write the more I want to write and even when I am not clacking away at my keyboard I'm finding myself pondering the “movie” ahead. Wouldn't it be cool if this happened to this character. Writing is truly a way I can find freedom. When I'm writing my story it doesn't matter that I'm a poor ginger midget who is a little portly and a complete klutz. The only real thing that matters is if I can make my fingers tell the story of what I am seeing in my minds eye. With the invention of the internet I can use it to circumnavigate the bouts of aphasia that I get. Being creative with words to describe the darn word I can't think of also makes it just that much easier to describe a thing with out naming a thing. It adds a little suspense n'est pas? The only problem I have right now with writing is I don't want to read anything that I've written. It's not uncommon (I've spoke to other writers). The fear is this. What if the words I've written down match up with the movie I am playing in my mind. Quite often I'll scrap a blog if I read over it too many times. I've written better than 13 thousand words in the last 8 days and I'm very afraid that all of them might be garbage. I've decided not to read what I have written until I have completed the novel. That way editing what I've written will be like corrective surgery instead of a complete amputation. I have also come the the conclusion that 50 thousand words (boy that sounds like a lot doesn't it?) is probably NOT going to be enough to finish my novel. I'm not one to take the easy road, and so I soldier on in my writing.

Oh speaking of soldiers I do hope that all of you out there reading this have donned your poppies. The red ones that is. It's like the old adage, “If you are reading this thank a teacher, if you are reading this in English thank a vet”. Let them know that we have not forgotten the sacrifice that they have made, and if you know the family of a vet (wives, children, husbands, mothers, fathers) Thank them too. Although it's not their blood that has paid the price for the freedoms we have, it's their lives that are forever scarred by the loss of their loved ones if not by death then by injury or absence in their lives. How many of you out there could kiss your spouse or parent good bye knowing that this kiss could be your last. Usually death comes as a surprise and for the families of those who serve it is a constant apparition that haunts their daily lives. Loving someone who serves is a sacrifice in it's self. The brave faces aren't just worn by soldiers they are fixed upon spouses and children and parents as well. The brave faces often fall off when the service person goes away and it's quickly replaced by tears. We send our soldiers off to war and it's almost as if they are dead already, absent from day to day life, unable to be reached. When they come home it's like Lazarus coming back from the grave only to be rinsed and repeated. Most people only live through the death of their spouse once if that. Service people's families live it over and over again. This is something that we should not forget. We made a promise not to forget and we should hold steadfast to that. Never forget the high price paid for our freedoms because it wasn't free. It came at great cost. It was born out of sweat and blood and tears and sorrow. I will never forget and I will teach my child not to forget and I pray she teaches her own children. In our memory those lost find life, never forget and thank you.

Words on a screen

I never considered myself an author. I've written my fair share of reports, blogs, poetry, short stories, and even a couple of toe tapping songs, but I never had considered myself an author. Oh certainly I had spoken about writing a book and had written chapters here and beginnings of such over the years. I had never finished any of them, and yet still they remained like treasures in my computer waiting to be discovered. I never really considered that something I may write would be interest to someone else. All of the things I have penned have been for me, or on the rare occasions songs or poetry for other people. As I stated before November is National novel writing month and I have accepted this challenge. I opted to work on one of the many beginnings I had already written. Some might think this cheating, but really again I am doing this for me. 50000 words might be the goal for some, but my true goal is to finish the novel. It make take many more than 50,000 words but every day I plug away at it. I'm still not well from my last go round with this years flu and have been stuck in bed. A well loved laptop from an even more loved friend has kept me company through my illness. Although I may not have been able to write much, (sometimes as little as a few hundred words) I'm still making progress. I have found myself pondering the novel and characters even when I am not writing. It makes it easier to write when I have actually gathered the strength to type. I have quickly rekindled my love for the characters that I have written about and each new character has a special place in my heart. It is my dream that perhaps one day someone else would love my characters and in a way they would actually be loving me. Who can't see themselves in a good character. Regardless if it gets published or not, I'm still writing for me. And after all isn't that the point in all of this? I'm still at it dear readers. I'm still here.

word count 22942

Time for change

Change is in the air, you can smell it. And in this case you can see it as well. I woke this morning to a gentle little flurry of snow drifting lazily to the ground. It's the first snow of my city this year, and I'm excited to see it. Things are changing in my life and come what may I am fighting hard to have them change. I've enrolled in a novel writing contest this November and today marks the first day of my challenge. You may not catch me around the blog as much because I'll have my head stuck in a book.... my own. I am going to achieve this. I may not win prizes for my writing, or write anything life changing, but if I can make just one person fall in love with my characters I'll be happier than a clam. So my dear readers fear not I will return to you with open mind and open heart and hopefully pop by every once in a while to give you an up date. Oh incidentally, it's time to change your clock this evening. For you an extra hour of sleep. For me an extra hour of writing!

Hermit Pamela signing off... for a while at least :D My love to you all.