Mizbooks' Ink

I'm DONE!!!

2006-11-28T13:51:00.000-08:00

I did it! I finished NaNoWriMo!

My official count says I wrote 50,911 words! Whoohoo!

I finished with 106 pages, and my 50,000th word was "family". :o)

My novel isn't yet finished, so I'll keep writing until I finish the first draft, but for right now, I'm completely thrilled that I've finished NaNoWriMo, and I can say "I won!" :-)

It feels great!

40K

2006-11-26T13:01:00.000-08:00

I'm now over the 40K mark, and I'm in the home stretch! It feels good! :o)

Today I wrote 3437 words. I was aiming for 3000-4000 words. So, I met my goal. I could've wrote more, but I decided I was tired and needed to be done for today. Though, I'm considering going back to it later. I left my laptop out so that I could do that if I feel inspired. ;o)

Total Word Count is now at 41,485 words. Whoohoo!

Just 8515 words to go!!! :-D

Getting excited!

2006-11-24T12:56:00.000-08:00

Now I'm getting excited! There are 6 more days left, and I'm almost at 40K. I can do this! I'm going to finish! :-)

Today:

Today's count: 2296 words
Total, so far: 38,048 words
Left to go: 11,952 words
Days remaining: 6

I'm tempted to write an extra 2000 words today, just to put myself over the 40K mark! LOL. We'll see. Gotta get some reading done, too. ;o)

Day 23

2006-11-23T14:06:00.000-08:00

Today I didn't want to write. Where yesterday was an "energy writing day", today was a "wanna go to sleep instead" writing day. LOL

BUT, I persevered, and I got in my 2000+ words. So, without further ado, here are today's stats:

TODAY'S COUNT: 2293 words
TOTAL, SO FAR: 35,752 words (hit that 35K mark Chris Baty talked of! Yay!)
LEFT TO GO: 14,248 words
PAGES, SO FAR: 74 pages
DAYS LEFT TO GO: 7 days left

Counting Down

2006-11-22T15:05:00.000-08:00

Well, the countdown has begun. We have just one week left of NaNoWriMo, and I'm starting to get nervous!

I hit 33,459 words, today, which leaves me with just 16,541 words left to write. I started in on the last 1/3 of my novel, too, so it's coming along.

But, I keep thinking, "Okay, I've got __ days left, and I have to write ___ words, so that's ___ words per day, and ..."

Ack!

I should relax. I'm not doing that badly. I worked it out, and I only need to write 2363 words per day, from here until next Thursday, to make the goal. That's not a huge amount... And, I've been averaging that, anyway -- when I actually sit down to write.

Here's where my panic comes into play! I don't always get to write! My husband has been on the Afternoon shift for the last two weeks (and, that's a *new* thing, as he's been on a straight Day shift for ages!), so it's completely screwing up my daily "routines". I don't feel I can write while he's home, so I'm left with an hour each day to pound out the words, before I have to get my kids from the bus. Then I can sometimes squeak in another hour, while the kids play Playstation. :-?

But, there are days when I just don't get the opportunity to write at all, and that freaks me out! If I get too many of those in the next week, I won't finish. I'd absolutely HATE it if I got to just 2000-ish words away from the goal, and then found no writing time, and missed the goal by just *that* much! How disappointing that'd be!

I'm not going to think like that, though! I'm going to think POSITIVE! I will complete NaNo! I will get in 2000 words every day, even if I have to stay up 'til Midnight to do it! LOL. :o)

I am bet & determined to win this thing! I can't come all this way and give up! I've told too many people that I'm doing this! LOL. To say "No, I failed", would just kill me! LOL

So, here's to a great 8 more days of writing like a mad-woman! ;o)

STATS:
Today's count: 2792 words
Total, so far: 33,459 words
Left to go: 16,541 words
Pages per day (approx.): 4
Pages total, to date: 68 pages

Beating the Blahs

2006-11-20T15:10:00.000-08:00

Well, I didn't write all weekend because we went to visit my Dad. I didn't want to pack my laptop, and figured I'd not get any writing done, anyway, while there (which was probably a good guess). ;o)

Today, I sat down, and I pounded out my 2000 words. I calculated it today, and I need to write at least 2000 words per day from here, until the end of the month, in order to reach the 50,000-word goal. Doable, certainly, as long as I keep myself disciplined.

Today's new stats:
Words written/typed today: 2667 words
Total Pages completed, so far: 63 pages
Total - Word Count: 30,667 words
Days Left: 11
Words left to go: 19,333 words

HAVE FUN! * DON'T THINK! * DON'T CARE!

25K!

2006-11-13T14:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I've done it! I've hit the half-way mark! Whoohoo!!!

I can do this! I really can do this! :-D

Today, I didn't want to write. I feel like I'm catching my husband's cold. My glands are swollen, and my head hurt. I just wanted to sleep. Writing was the last thing I wanted to do.
But, since I haven't written in 3 days, I figured I'd better force myself to do so, today. And, my goal, since I was slacking, was 4000 words.

I surpassed that, thankfully! I wrote 4599 words today, bringing my total word count to 25,272 words. Yippee!!!

So, my new stats:

Days Already Gone By: 13
Today's Count: 4599 words
Total Word Count, so far: 25,272 words
Total Words Left to Go: 24,728 words
Days Left of NaNoWriMo: 17

Day 9: Argh!

2006-11-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

Today was really hard. I did NOT want to write!

I missed the last two days -- didn't write anything at all -- because on Day 7 I fell asleep (unexpected afternoon nap), and on Day 8 (yesterday) I was busy cleaning my house and getting ready to host Book Club. :-?

So, today I told myself I'd write 4000 words... try to catch up.

I sat down at my computer 45 minutes later than I'd intended, and I stared at the cursor blinking on the blank screen. I got 987 words out, and then I stopped again. I didn't want to write. I wanted to be reading.

SO, I got out my notebook. Every time I get stuck, I journal in this notebook. And, it seemed to help. I told myself I could read as soon as I'd written at LEAST my 2000 words for the day. Then I calculated how many words it would take to get me to 20K words.... Only 3025 words. I said, "I can do that. I'll aim for that." So I wrote (or, typed, rather). I typed until I had to go pick up the kids. I got in 2365 words. But, I determined to write more when I got home.

And, I did. I turned my laptop back on, set the kids up with their cartoons on the T.V., and then set out to write more...

And, I ended up with 3662 words, total. That brings me to a Total Word Count of 20,637! Whoohoo! I'm getting close to the half-way mark! :-D

I once again did some calculations... How many more words do I need to write today to reach 4000 words? Just 338. I can do that.

So, I've turned the laptop off for now, and I will try to get back to it later, before bed, and crank out another 338 words.

What one writer said (and, I can't remember who, unfortunately) is true: "The hardest part is getting started. Keeping going only takes half as much effort."

CURRENT STATS:

Today's Count: 3662 words
Total Word Count, to date: 20,637 words
Goal for Today: 4000 words
Words to go: 338 words
Tomorrow's Goal: another 4000 words :o)

I can do it! :-D

Helpful Motivation...

2006-11-06T07:53:00.000-08:00

This has been a huge help in keeping me motivated...

Click to join NanoWriters

Reading of how others are doing in their NaNo goals, and that they're having the same struggles as myself, really helps me keep going. I know I'm not alone. And, their encouragement boosts my spirits! Their word counts spark the competitor in me -- gotta try to be "just as good" as "them"! ;o)

Day 6: Progress!

2006-11-06T07:46:00.000-08:00

Here are my word-count tallies, so far:

DAY 1 - 2737 words written
DAY 2 - 2219 words
DAY 3 - 2488 words
DAYS 4 & 5 - 7159 words!!! (missed Day 4 due to a conference, but made up for it!)
DAY 6 (today) - 2372 words
====
TOTAL COUNT to date: 16,975 words! Whoohoo!

So, I'm not doing terribly. Setting my daily goal at 2000 words is perfect, I think, despite the fact that the "officials" at NaNoWriMo say that all it takes is a minimum of 1666 words per day to make the 50,000 word goal by November 30th. I like being ahead of the game. ;o)

It only takes me about an hour --if there are no distractions-- to get in my 2000 words. Yesterday I had 2.5 hours of almost uninterrupted writing time, so I got LOTS done! My story is progressing nicely, and I'm into the "middle" section already. I figure this is okay, given I'm already just over 1/3 of the way to 50,000 words. ;o)

I'm a happy camper. I can do this! :-D

&-P

Day 2: Pluggling Along

2006-11-02T12:56:00.000-08:00

Well, we're off to a good start, I think. This afternoon I sat down to write (after a morning full of distractions -- dd was home, sick, from school today), and I ended up getting in 2219 words! That means that, if I keep writing tonight, I'll be up over the 5000 word mark! :o) I'm at 4956 total words right now, so that won't be hard. ;o)

I'm feeling good about the flow of my story, so far. It was progressing too fast through my outline, though, so I laid on my bed and thought for a bit, and I came up with a way to slow things down. So, hopefully my outline will carry me right through to the end of the month.

My inner editor -- nasty thing! -- keeps trying to interrupt me, and to tell me that my story needs "fixing". But, I'm doing my best to ignore the beast. I've been told to "write the first draft FOR YOUR EYES ONLY!" (Jack Hodgins, A Passion for Narrative), and "Have Fun! Don't Think! Don't Care!" (Budgeron Ferret, Writer Ferrets: Chasing the Muse - by Richard Bach). So, I'm trying to keep those as my motto's throughout this crazy month. ;o)

Starting Out... Procrastinating!

2006-11-01T17:32:00.000-08:00

Today is the first day of November and, therefore, the first day of NaNoWriMo. I had all day to write -- both kids were in school, hubby was at work, and I'm still a SAHM... until I find a job, that is. So, I had nothing REALLY stopping me from writing. Except myself.

I played on the computer. I checked/sorted/and counted my kids' Halloween candies. I ate lunch. I talked on the phone...

Then I sat down to try to write. And, I wrote one page... But, I wasn't happy with my story choice. I was trying to write one of the ideas I'd found in my commonplace book. Not good. I'm not familiar with the characters, and I don't really have a plot outline. My old story -- the half-finished one -- was calling me.

Then the mailman showed up, and he (wonderful man) brought me a new "PAGES" magazine... LOVE that magazine! Also got the local paper (comes once-a-week). So, I got "distracted" for an hour. I was left, after that, with only 45 minutes to write before I had to go pick the kids up from the bus-stop. :-?

But, I did it. I started in on my old story -- the half-written one... And, just so you know I'm *not* cheating, I am completely re-writing it. New plot, new storyline... just the same characters & place names that I am familiar with and love. It's close to my heart, and I know I won't rest until the book is finished. :-?

SO, I've gotten in 1378 words, so far today, and I plan to write more before bed. Hoping to hit 2000 before the day is through. :o)

NOTE: I got in another hour of writing after everyone else had gone to bed, so my total word count for day one ended up at 2737 words. Yay! :D

NaNoWriMo

2006-10-23T17:42:00.000-07:00

I have decided to take the plunge ... I signed myself up for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), which takes place from November 1st to November 30th each year. The goal is to write 50,000 words in the month of November -- the equivalent of a short novel.

Yes, I must be crazy.

Published!

2006-05-31T06:58:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to announce that I finally have a *real* published work! It's just a book review but, still, it's in a real magazine! LOL

If you'd like to read the review, it's on my other blog (click here). If you'd like to see the published work, you'll have to get a copy of the July Issue of Romantic Times BOOK Club Magazine.

This Is Why

2006-04-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

THIS IS WHY© 2002

It's funny. When I was young, parents and grandparents would give me advice, or tell me how to live life, and I would accept it ... take it as is.

When I was a teenager, I would get more advice and how-to-live lectures, but I would rebel and I would do exactly the opposite of what I was told.

Now I am grown and have children of my own. My parents and grandparents still give advice and tell me how I should be living my life. A part of me wants to rebel. But, another part of me - the mature part - takes it in, rolls it around like a Life Saver candy, and then accepts it or discards it.

Mostly, though, I have learned to accept advice. I realize now that their advice is usually wisdom gained through the years. It's not meant to be pushy. It is meant to teach something that they have already learned; something they don't want me to find out the hard way.

In my rebellious teenage years I didn't take that advice, and I did learn the hard way. But the funny thing is, now that I have, I feel that I need to pass on advice to others about the things that I've learned in order to save them the heartache of learning it through difficulties. Someone once said, "Sometimes the best way to help people find the right direction is to let them see for themselves just how rough and wrong the path they are taking is going to be." Unfortunately I do not remember who said this and so I do not know whom to thank, but it is one of the wisest quotes I have ever come across. Many teenagers are left to their own devices. They refuse help and advice because they want to be independent -- to do it their own way. And, they need to learn. Much as adults would like to save them the pain that they are sure to endure, sometimes it is best for them to just go through it all. Then they will be much wiser in the end and be able to have a back-up for their beliefs.

I used to say that I believed in a lot of things. But, until I went against those beliefs I had no idea why I believed what I did. Now I do. Now I am wise (at least in some regards) and can say, "You shouldn't do this or that" and have a "why" for when my advice is questioned. I believe that this will help me when my children are teenagers. I don't want to limit them. But, I will share my beliefs of right and wrong behaviour, and I'll be able to say with conviction, "This is why..."

Kate Matthews
© 2002

Welcome!

2006-03-30T13:28:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Mizbooks' Ink - home of author-in-the-making, Kate Matthews. Check in often for updates on my works-in-progress, and to read short stories & articles!

God Bless!

Kate
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