What's happened since NaNo...

To be honest, I have been avoiding my blog.
And not just my blog, but a lot of blogs.


The reason is that I didn't complete NaNoWriMo (this was the first year I was attempting it) and have been pretty upset about it. I was doing really well and made it to 25 000 words. I was waking up early and writing every morning before work, because that was when I wrote best. Then I had some conferences I had to go to for work and lost 5 days of morning writing time. I lost two weekends because I had weddings, family functions and other occasions. And I panicked because I had research to do and no time to do it, and didn't want to write made-up crap.
Another thing I struggled with along the way was that I have never written anything of that length before, and after reading over it now, I realise there is so much room to expand on what I've written.


Coming on to blogger and seeing everyone who finished NaNo just made me really upset and disappointed with myself. So I avoided all blogs and NaNo reminders for a while. It took a lot of comforting from my friends to cheer me up about it.


Despite failing NaNo - failing is such a harsh word... lets say not-completing instead - I am really happy with the words I've done so far and am definitely going to continue with the story this year. And I will definitely attempt NaNo again next year. 


Anyway, not that I've got that off my chest, lets see what I read in November and December:

Sarah Dessen - Just Listen

Dana Reinhardt - The things a brother knows

Lisa Schroeder - Far from you

Suzanna Collins - The Hunger Games

Nina LaCour - Hold Still

Lee Child - Killing Floor

Carol Lynch Williams - The Chosen One

Laini Taylor - Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Laura Harrington - Alice Bliss

Stephanie Perkins - Lola and the boy next door. 

Now, on to 2012...

7 days down, 23 more to go.

It's hard to believe that it's been only been 7 days. A week ago I had nothing and now I have something. Something I'm already feeling proud of. 

At the beginning, I really struggled with thinking large. I'm so used to writing short stories and keeping things minimal, that I found it hard to expand on things. My first few chapters started pretty short, only 1-2 pages (but the entire novel is written in the form of letters so I wasn't too worried about the length of them). And now they are going up to 3.5 pages. I can feel myself exploring everything more, tapping into my characters head and seeing things how he would see them. When I'm ahead on my word count and can afford to spend some time 'leisurely', I want to go back and re read those first few chapters, because I know there were will be heaps of room to expand them. 

It's at 11,000 words today. 

I lost the weekend because I was out in the country (which usually would be a great place to write, but not so much when you're on a romantic weekend away). We drove out two hours into a small town called Daylesford. We had a room with a private spa, we went to a cocktail party, to an antique and farmers market, wine tasting and lunching on the mountains. 

Happy writing everyone

Only day 2 and there have already been tears.

Day 1 of NaNoWriMo was a lot harder than I thought. 
I had done so much planning and research. I was excited. Nervous. Totally ready to start NaNo. 
But by 2 in the afternoon, 2,100 words later, I had come to the conclusion that the story was told from the wrong perspective and was just all wrong. It was going no where. 


I declared failure, teared up in disappointment and curled up in bed all sad. Luckily for me, I have the sweetest, most supportive boyfriend, who told me that he wouldn't let me give up. He brainstormed ideas with me until 1 in the morning (I was thinking a YA with an awesome love story, and he was thinking Navy Seals and government invasion). Finally we found an awesome idea that I was really excited about. (ok, so it's a combination of love and military ... but for all those who have read my blog, you should all know that I have a weird obsession with the army). And since my boyfriend is such an army and history addict, he's pretty much done all the research for me already! 


I woke up super early and got to work at 7am so that I could sit in the coffee shop downstairs and write before work started at 8:30. I got 1,500 words done and am REALLY happy with my new story. It was telling itself. Honestly, I hardly had to do any work, just move my fingers. It was the greatest feeling ever and I've been smiling all day since. 


I'm going to write a bit more before bed but will wake up early again and have a repeat of yesterday. I just write better in the morning for some reason. 


Anyway, here are some hints on my new story. 
An excerpt will follow shortly. 

Not necessarily in that order. 

NaNoWriMo Day 1

So I'm about to start writing! Pretty lucky that November 1st fell on a public holiday in Melbourne. I don't have to work today and want to get in with at least 5,000 words. Then after today I want to write around 2,000 a day. Wish me luck! 


I'm so anxious!! 
Usually I write short stories, and edit as I go. This will be a huge learning experience. 


Anyway, I don't have a title for my story yet. 
It's about:
  A Girl called Holly whose training in competitive Martial Arts
     A Boy called Jae who turns up in her classes
         And his secrets of a previous life.
Who is this new kid? Why does he have to be so handsome? And why can't he even tell Holly his full name?




Anyone else doing NaNo? 
          

I have returned

Blog! How I’ve missed you!

The truth is that life has taken my sleep and my words and has left me almost robotic, studying and working. (oh, and I moved houses!)

The fact now is that uni has finished for the year (half way to being a qualified publisher/editor), I’m settled into my new home – photos to come – and I’m returning to blogging.

NaNoWriMo is coming up in just over a week and I’m frantically planning my novel so that I’m ready to write my little heart out. My characters have started having conversations in my head at the most awkward times. I’ve been in the shower, driving my car or watching a movie, and have had to stop, pull over or jump out and write their conversation out. It’s taking on a world of it’s own.

I’ve been doing a lot of research lately, too, however I’m a bit worried that the company I need to research won’t help me with information, which could throw me off slightly, but hopefully isn’t too detrimental.

Here is what I’ve read in August and September. Not as much as I’d hope but I was overseas, had exams and was moving houses…  I have 8 books in the mail from Book Depository though, which is exciting.

Simone Elkeles - Perfect Chemistry

Simone Elkeles - How to Ruin a Summer Vacation

Courtney Summers - Cracked up to be

Sarah Dessen - Dreamland

Sarah Ochler - Twenty Boy Summer

David Nicholls - One Day

Jenny Han - It's Not Summer Without You

Veronica Roth - Divergent

Jenny Han - We'll Always have Summer

Here is a quote I found recently, from one of my favourite writers of all time, Etgar Keret. 

(interviewer) DH: Last night at the reading you said something very interesting. You said you were interested in “creating something out of something” as opposed to “creating something out of nothing.” You said, “Anyone can create something out of nothing.” First of all, am I interpreting this correctly, is this directed against the Judeo-Christian creation myth? Did you even have that in mind? 

(Etgar Keret) EK: I was talking about the artistic mechanism. Creating something out of nothing means making something up. But when you make something out of something, you take things that are already there, like an emotion, and you turn it into a narrative. The nature of literature is not to invent things, but to articulate what is already there. When you read a good book you don’t think that the author is making up lies, but you say, “Oh, yes, I know what he is talking about.” The fact that you know this means that it isn’t made up.