Day Thirty of NaNoWriMo...

Since I met my goal, I didn't worry about word count, today. Instead, I focused on preparing my first book for re-admission. I understand the criticisms, and will be making some changes, though not a lot. I made it through seven chapters, so far. Five I'm happy with, and two need some tightening. I included back story that is there for me, but not needed by the reader, I think. I'm going to read and work through the whole thing, checking each chapter as I go, and then I'll back and focus on the chapters that don't work as well as they could. I can tell it's my first completed novel, and I've made a lot of progress in my writing. I'm enjoying reading it again, and cleaning up little odd bits and pieces.

I also worked on other projects. I'm still feeling a bit out of sorts. Asking God for breadcrumbs.

Day Twenty-Nine of NaNoWriMo...

1339 total ~ 50412 Whoohoo!! Made it!! With a day to spare!! Good, because I've had some other projects pop up in the offing, and I need to spend some time with those. I've learned I can do it, and I've learned some better ways for working that keep me in mind of how much I enjoy writing.

Attending my Desert Rose meeting this evening and had a wonderful time chatting and connecting and learning. I would never have made it this far without those wonderful, amazing women. I knew going that I wanted to chat with both Kris Tualla and Deena Remiel, and both of them were so incredibly helpful.

Thank you, God, again, for blessing me with the opportunity to associate with such remarkable people, who have taught me so much. I feel so blessed.

Day Twenty-Eight of NaNoWriMo...

3992 total ~ 49076 Wow... One day of trying the new method, and I doubled the number of words, in the same amount of time. Everything came so much easier. I knew what came next, and what had to be shared. It was fun. One day at a time. Besides the current WIP, I also added to some other things I was working on. I don't know if I've ever had such a productive day. This is so thrilling. Whoohoo! Thank you, God, for bringing into my life people that are such blessings. Please, help me to be a blessing, too.

Day Twenty-Six of NaNoWriMo...

1724 total ~ 45084 For the first time, I'm more than half way through my manuscript with no idea how it's going to end. Really. I do know what comes next, and that's enough. It's been interesting to notice that my stories struggle, until I write the material that is related to my work toward becoming healthy. Until this week, I considered all my writing interchangeable, by all accounts and purposes. It isn't the manuscripts are interlaced in ways I never expected. Taking a deep breath, and releasing, and turning all over to God. All is in His hands.

Day Twenty-Five of NaNoWriMo...

1839 total ~ 43360 Interesting. I was struggling with writing the next chapter, feeling unfocused and too easily distracted. One of my other blogs needed a post for tomorrow. I had been thinking about it all week. I knew what I didn't want to do. And isn't that the way of it? God so often asks us to do exactly what we didn't want to do. I took a couple of hours to pound it out, revise, and rewrite. Then it was done. And suddenly the next chapter started pouring onto the page, and the start of the chapter after that. It's so very odd. I feel like a cork was stuck. Now it's out, and everything is flowing again as it ought. All is in God's hands.

Day Twenty-Four of NaNoWriMo...

1736 total ~ 41521 A bit difficult to stay focused, today. But then being perfect is not the point of this exercise. It's to put the words down on paper. I have a much clearer picture of the story, and that's the idea. There's a reason it's called a rough draft. Happy Thanksgiving!! I hope there was time to reflect on the blessings in your life. This is my first Thanksgiving when I feel like I'm truly following my heart. I hope there are many more to come.

Day Twenty-Three of NaNoWriMo...

2124 total ~ 39785 Not a bad days work. I think I'll turn in a little early, and start in again in the morning. I think I've even managed to clear my head of ideas, for the moment. I know what's coming next, but I'm hoping I'll be able to leave it alone, until tomorrow. Thank you God, for friends who remind me of what truly matters. For friends who help me sort through my crowded thoughts. For friends who believe in me. For friends who lift me. For friends who have taught me about trusting in Thee. My treat for finishing earlier than usual tonight: Deck the Halls by Arlene James, one of my Must-Read authors.

Day Twenty-Two of NaNoWriMo...

2409 total ~ 37661 It's coming much more easily now that I'm writing for me. I have two more scenes waiting to be written, but I completed one tonight, and that's enough for now.

Had a lovely chat with a relative, this evening. Though it put me behind on my writing, it cleared up a lot of things.

I write for me, but writing the best possible story is for my readers. Good to realize.

Day Twenty-One of NaNoWriMo...

2026 total ~ 35252 The story is coming along. I'm not entirely certain of the details, but at this point, the goal is to finish. It won't be the first time I do revisions. In future, I want to map out stories. Yes, I want to be a planner, as opposed to a pantser. Actually, I'd like to combine them. I want a vague outline, so I have a fair idea of where things are going, but allow myself the flexibility of being a pantser. Pantser - Someone who writes by the seat of their pants. :-) Bless Mary, the contemporary has been checked for continuity, and seems to hold together well. And she caught a few mistyped words. Thank you! My best writing time seems to be from about 10 PM to 1 AM. Those naps are a blessing. So what do I do during the day? I catch up on blogs, review what I've written, plan and double check continuity points. For example: I realized that I'd forgotten my hero was wearing a cape, and that needed to be accounted for. In a story without magic, disappearing stuff is distracting.

Day Nineteen of NaNoWriMo...

1916 total ~ 33226 Still moving along. Today was one of those days when I wondered where the story was going to go. I fretted, and then I remembered that the goal is to put the words on the page. So, I relaxed and thought, "What comes next?" Ah. I knew what came next, but then I fretted about how I should go about it. Again, the thought came to mind, the goal is to put the words on the page, so I started to write. And as so often happens, once I started writing, the story told itself, until the next chapter was finished. I may end up doing a lot of editing, but it wouldn't be the first time, and won't be the last.

Visiting family arrived, and I wondered if it would through me off track. It did, a little, but not enough to worry overmuch.

I've arranged to chat with Kris Tualla, at the next Desert Rose meeting. We joined at the same time, several years ago. She's self-published, and is working with a publisher. She writes historical romance. Her mantra is "Norway is the new Scotland." Her heroes are Norse. She was repeatedly told that no one wants to read about heroes from Norway. She didn't fit the romance "formula." So she published her books herself. Her enthusiasm and passion are inspiring and contagious.

The future is uncertain, but only to me. God knows, and He is in control, and I'm learning to trust that assurance.

Day Eighteen of NaNoWriMo...

1681 total ~ 31310 Still hanging in there. I wasn't sure I was going to make it, today. After yesterday's declaration, I wasn't surprised, today, when I opened the email from Harlequin rejecting my manuscript. I find it so amazing that yesterday I'd reached the point where I was perfectly okay with whatever happened. I've been reading up on self-publishing and exploring other publishers and beginning to think that Harlequin might not be my best choice. I'm a little disappointed... I was rejected, after all, but I know it's for the best. I was given some helpful feedback as to their reasoning, but they weren't reasons I was willing to change in my story. I also confess that I'm scared. I feel like the door has been flung open wide to the possibilities, and I'm not used to this kind of freedom. It feels good, but it's unnerving, too. Letting go of another dream, though this time I truly feel like God has something that is better for me in store, if I'll only keep taking the next step and the next step and the next step. So, do I believe Him or don't I? I believe Him. Jesus help my unbelief.

Day Seventeen of NaNoWriMo...

1989 total ~ 29629 Each section of writing starts out like pulling teeth, painful, slow, unsure. Then some bit reveals itself, and it's like being shot out of a cannon, at least what I imagine it might be like to be shot out of cannon. Not on my bucket list, by the way. It's so amazing to watch a story unfold. Sometimes you know what's coming next, but a lot of times you don't. You're writing, and all of a sudden thinking, "Wow! I had no idea!" Or "I didn't know that about the hero/heroine!" It's difficult to describe what it's like to watch your characters struggle, and then they catch on for a moment. In time for another aspect of the trouble to unveil itself, and they must take what they've learned to tackle this new difficulty, which will help them continue to grow, until they reach the moment when they're both in the same spot at the perfect time. God has been leading me along for a very long time. I do not know what the future holds, but I do know God holds it in His capable hands. With all my heart, I believe He set me on the path I'm now traveling, and I have reached that moment when I feel confident enough in Him and myself to expect Him to protect me. Not in the way many people think, expecting Him to smooth the way and make everything better. No, God's way is not the easy way. I expect God to lift me when I fear and tremble, to help my unbelief. I trust that He will give what is needed, not what I demand, but that does not bar me from asking, remembering to add "Thy will not mine." I know His way is the only way to true peace and happiness, no matter it will be paved with tears and pain, but it is only for a little while. And He is there to weep with me. He will not abandon me, ever. I may turn my back from time to time in a childish snit, but He is always right there, waiting for me to turn back and reach for His outstretched hand, a hand that is scarred with His everlasting love for me.

Day Sixteen of NaNoWriMo...

1847 total ~ 27640 Simply amazing. It's easier to write new chapters than to edit material that's already written. I need to remember that for future stories. I'm not a linear writer. Sometimes a scene pops into my head, and I write it and will slip it in where it belongs when the right spot pops up. I usually write the last chapter long before I reach it. That being said, it's a lot of work when I'm having to double check continuity from new material to old material that is finally being worked into the story. That being said, I'm discovering that my editing is best done during the earlier parts of the day, while actually writing tends to occur after 10 o'clock at night. There's something about the quietness of the time that helps my mind settle into the story. No interruptions, no distractions. I've learned to take 1-2 hour naps in the middle of the day, so I don't become sleep deprived. It doesn't always work, but it's a better schedule than I've ever enjoyed before. It takes a while to form a habit, and this one is still in the training stages. It does seem to be working well for me. (I'm also listening to Christmas music while I write. :-) )

Day Fifteen of NaNoWriMo...

1773 total ~ 25793 Whoohoo! Past the halfway mark. Had an unsettling experience, this evening. My internet went out, and my computer was soooo slow. Uh oh. God bless my computer, all my friends live here and so does my heart's work. Called my sister, but she wasn't close to her phone. It's okay. It was comforting to know that she would call back when she could, even if that wasn't until tomorrow. She was there. Then I called my internet company. Oh. They were out and working to resolve the problem. What a relief. It wasn't my computer. I figured out why it was so slow: My poor computer was desperately trying to find the internet connection that wasn't there, so everything else was put on hold. I unplugged the internet, and did my writing. I'm so grateful for the internet. There were words I needed to check, and no way to do so. Wrote them down to check once the internet was back. And obviously, the internet is back, up and operating, because here I am. :-) Thanks God!

Day Fourteen of NaNoWriMo...

1713 total ~ 24020 Did a quick read through and light editing of the contemporary manuscript, and sent off to my continuity editor. Thanks, Mary! Worked on Book 3, and finished another chapter. It was one that was already written but needed to be edited for change in content to match previous material that hadn't been there when it was first written. I've reached the material that was originally the start of the book, but since has become the middle of the book. There's a bit more that's already written, but I'm looking forward to when I'll be adding straight new material. It's a bit difficult keeping track of what's already been written and making sure there are no continuity blunders. Now, to allow myself to unwind, and sleep.

Day Twelve of NaNoWriMo...

2258 total ~ 22307 I'm not sure how good today's chapter is, but it moves the story forward. The next part is already written, but will now need some serious editing. That being said, the word total will still need to be met. I can to do this. I'm simply in awe of what this month has been like for me, what I've accomplished. My dreams hinted at this possibility, but I'm not sure I actually believed in myself or my ability. Granted, I haven't sold anything yet, but I'm hopeful, and I'm not giving up. I will do what I may, and turn what is beyond my abilities over to God. Thank you, God, for the amazing friends You have brought into my life. They lift and inspire and encourage in countless ways and so often precisely when I need it. All things are in Your capable hands, and I am learning to trust the truth of that.

Day Eleven of NaNoWriMo...

2559 total ~ 20049 Back working on book 3. And it's coming along. Funny. I was worried when I had only written 600 words, with another 1000 words to got. Not a problem, it seems. This has been the most incredible writing experience. Thanks, God. Veteran's Day. Thanks to the military men and women who have served and are serving. I saw this on FaceBook, by Jennifer Hartley, and it touched my heart:

Day Ten of NaNoWriMo...

2127 total ~ 17490 Oh, wow. It's done. And I am so happy with it. I'll do a proof, quick revision this weekend. Then I'll send it to my continuity editor, and go from there. THIS is what God has been waiting for me to do. And it's only the beginning. So many stories are waiting. What a joy.

Day Nine of NaNoWriMo...

1787 total ~ 15363 Another chapter done, and only one more to go. Wow. How did that happen? One word at a time. This is fun. God is good. I ask for reassurance, and He sends it. I ask for a plan, and He inspires one. It frequently isn't what I first envision, but it is always better than anything I might have planned anyway.

Day Eight of NaNoWriMo...

1716 total ~ 13576 The book is drawing to a close. It's ever so much better than I ever thought it would be or could be. It will be ready to query in a week or two, maybe sooner. If no one wants it, I'll self-publish. I already know that the time frame might be considered a difficult sale, but it's right for the story. It's in God's hands, and I'm learning to trust Him.

Day Seven of NaNoWriMo...

1942 total ~ 11860 I did a lot of cutting and revising from the previous version. POV was a struggle for me in my early writing. Sometimes it would change from paragraph to paragraph. In this MS, I had been thinking that I wanted the hero to share his dark secret last, but as I made cookies I mulled it over. It occurred to me that the healthier of the two would be the one to spill the secrets first. So, today, it's done. This has been an amazing learning experience.

Day Five of NaNoWriMo...

1942 total ~ 9918 I don't usually keep up the blog on the weekends, giving myself a break, but with the goal this month, it's better I hold myself accountable. So far so good. This has been a challenge, and a joy.

Day Four of NaNoWriMo...

2239 Total ~ 7976 I wasn't sure I was going to make it, today. I checked to see if I'd made the work count if I divided the last the last three days over the four days. I was short. So, I buckled down, and started writing. No matter how awful I feel or how out of sorts I am, once I start writing, I forget everything but the story. Thanks God.

Day Three of NaNoWriMo...

1811 total ~ 5737 Amazing. Simply amazing. I've tried to do this for the last few years, and never managed to come even close, not even the first day. Then again, I've never truly believed in myself as a writer. Now, when doubt slips in, I remind myself that if I'm serious, then I need to act like it. I'm learning. I will become better with practice. Thanks God, for hanging in there with me.

Day Two of NaNoWriMo...

2209 total ~ 3926 Another day, so far so good. The story has taken a few twists and turns I didn't expect, but I'm finding I like this process. One day at a time. Trusting God isn't easy. It takes a leap of faith. God's way is not the easy way, but I know it's the only way to know true happiness. I'm so grateful to all the angels God sends into my life to help me when I'm struggling and feeling overwhelmed.

Day One of NaNoWriMo...

1717 A good start to the month's challenge. Whoohoo! I've also figured out the rest of the story; I simply have to write it. Ha! It sounds so easy... maybe it is when you give into the story, and let it take you where it will instead of trying to control it. I sometimes, frequently, have a difficult time believing God has blessed me with such an amazing gift. And it's fun!