NaNo 2020 by Bonnie Le Hamilton

And we’re off! Or should I say, I’m off since Konnie doesn’t NaNo.

If Konnie’s family weren’t so dependent on her, then she could at least attempt it, as it is if she were to write 50,000 words in a month again, they may . . ., you know, I have no idea what they’d do, since they certainly wouldn’t kill her.

I do know the one and only time Konnie managed the feat, her family was rather upset with her.

I’m just kind of irked at how long the rough draft of that particular tome ended up being. The problem is her editing is adding more than its deleting. She’s adding details. Okay, that thing’s a series, not a stand-alone. Four stories, all interconnected and overlapping.

They overlap so much it’s hard to figure out where to divide them into four. Adding to the problem is the fact one of the stories is longer than the others, and at least one isn’t long enough to fill a novel. Konnie is having trouble dividing it.

On the other hand, I also have a series . . . well, I started something I hope to be a series. But right now, nothing is overlapping, and it is mainly about two brothers (twins) and what they do, accomplish, during a war their people are in with a neighboring planet.

Yes, it’s a sci-fi, but then so is Konnie’s massive tome. But unlike Konnie, I do have one finished – sort of sci-fi. The main characters are descendants of aliens from another planet, but it’s set on contemporary Earth.

I have a feeling that a certain nephew of mine would much prefer my unfinished sci-fi to the completed one, because he read the finished one, and complained to me, “Too much mushy stuff, not enough action.”

He, being a young boy wanted more action-adventure than romance. I told him he wasn’t in my target audience and asked why he even bothered reading my novel. He couldn’t even answer that.

Of course, that happened years ago, not long after I finished the rough draft and he got ahold of his mother’s computer, found the story in her files, and read it!

Yeah, that shocked everyone.

His opinion of the story didn’t surprise anyone.

But like I said, “He isn’t in the target audience.”

Actually, I’m not sure he would enjoy my newest sci-fi, because it has romance too. It’s a war story, so it does have action, but I write romance.

And that brings me back to the purpose of this post; National Novel Writer’s Month.

I am participating, as I do every year. The information on my account says I’ve done it for sixteen years. I can’t believe it's been that long. I mean I know it's been a while, and certainly longer than six years, since I know I started doing it long before my husband died, six years ago. I’m just surprised it was that much longer.

I’m also dumbfounded at how long ago I wrote the rough draft of the novel I’m currently trying to sell.

I mean really, Claire was in like middle school! She’s a mother of a toddler now!

Boy does time fly.

And it flies even faster when you are trying to do word sprints. Too bad the ideas can’t come as fast.

Anyway, I am doing NaNo, and I think I’m going along okay. Here it is only the fourth day in and I already have just over almost 7k words as of last night. The exact count, at the time of this writing, is 6,957 words.

All I can say is I’m glad I'm over the daily goal minimum because I haven’t worked on this story yet. Hopefully after work. At least I only work five hours a day. I'm glad I don't have to work eight or nine hours a day.

Actually, I tend to fall asleep soon after I get home. Not going straight home from work just makes it harder. Too late for a nap, too early for bed.

I feel for those who have to work full time. I certainly can't.

Working is hard.

Working and trying to find time to write is even harder. I either take a nap at 4 PM each night or start yawning, or dozing off, before Voyager comes on.

I like to watch the older Star Trek shows.

Of course, right now I’m trying to do word sprints, and write my post, because it is NaNo after all.

So, how is everyone doing so far? I know it's still early. I know those who are ahead right now (like me) may end up fizzling out later. Some do. I just hope I don't get behind.

But happy writing, everyone!

Work, Pets, and Nano by Bonnie Le Hamilton

Okay, who has time to write?

I come home from work and I have trouble keeping my eyes open long enough to eat dinner and I get home around four in the afternoon! How do people manage when they work eight-hour shifts?

I can only work twenty hours a week. You would think, what with me working half as many hours as most people, I’d be able to find the time to write more than once every other week!

And this would be October! Nano is less than a month away, and even if we were meeting in person, which we’re not, I can’t make our meetings this month (for prep) because I have to work.

Because of work, I can’t make my knitting group meetings either. In November, my writing group will have some virtual write-ins, and some would be in the evening, if I can stay awake that long, I could attend those.

Too bad they never have write-ins on Mondays. I have Mondays off.

Konnie is working too, but she doesn’t even attempt to do Nano and the one time she actually managed to write 50K in a single month her family was less than pleased with her.

Actually, when Tom was alive, I generally only managed 50K in November, because Tom expected me to quit writing for the month once I reached it. Needless to say, after he died, I managed a lot more words during Nano. This year, I have the feeling, I’m not going to do as well, since I’m only sure I’d be able to write three days a week. The three I’m off.

And still, Konnie won’t even take part in Nano. Maybe once her nest is empty.

Nah, that’s not going to happen.

Her second oldest has major health issues and needs help while her youngest is on the spectrum and doesn’t want to leave the nest. So, essentially, she only has one child left to leave the nest. And that’s only if her oldest son manages to stay out of the nest. He’s yet to prove he can manage a budget.

Not that Konnie hasn’t tried to teach him how to. She’s done everything she can to make her kids ready to live on their own. In fact, she taught all her children everything her youngest daughter has down pat. And the only reason she hasn’t left the nest yet is she’s having trouble finding a job in her field.

It’s hard to break into a field with only a degree and no work experience. I keep hoping for her sake she finds something soon.

But even with just two kids at home, Konnie wouldn’t have the time to write more, since she’d be left with the three members of her family who need the most attention.

My next issue is my carpal tunnel is acting up. Probably because I’ve both been trying to improve my typing speed and knitting a Christmas present for Konnie’s husband and those needles and thread are quite small.

I just wish I could say his present would be finished by Christmas. Yeah, not happening unless I forgo doing Nano.

As far as writing goes, I have one other impediment to it.

That impediment is called Patches.

I swear every time I open my computer, he decides he wants to cuddle. How do you type when your cat is trying to put himself between you and the computer? Konnie doesn’t have that problem, because the only cat in her menagerie wants nothing to do with her. Kind of a sore point with her, because Tiger will go to me!

At any rate, her dog isn’t a lap dog. The only lap dog in her house isn’t her pet, and he knows not to get between Konnie and her computer. Patches doesn’t care. All that matters to him is getting my attention. Why he decides he needs it when I’m busy, I’ll never know.

So anyway, who is doing Nano this year? And who is ready for it?

Do you have a project in mind? I do. Not sure it will work, but I have an idea to start with.

More importantly, do you have a writing schedule? Or do you wing it? I usually wing it, but with my schedule, I’m going to have to go with a schedule. It’s all new to me.

And do you outline extensively or go by the seat of your pants? I used to always go with the seat of the pants, but the last little while I’ve been going more with something somewhere in between the two. Maybe in a way, I always have, I just didn’t bother writing down the outline before.

So, what is your method?

Anyway, happy writing, everyone!

Save the Cat and other issues by Bonnie Le Hamilton

Okay, NaNo isn’t going so well for me. My story stalled out. And I'm debating how to fix it.

In other news, I just spent an entire week on my duff, thanks to my cat, and I still didn’t manage to do things that I could have done while sitting there, like write or even crafts, and I have some friends who are expecting. I’ve been trying to knit a baby blanket and one whole week of no knitting isn’t helping just as much as one whole week of no writing.

As for why I was laid up, well, see, Patches, my dang cat, likes to run through and around my feet while I’m trying to walk. Folks, I can’t see my feet! Not when I’m standing, ergo, I can’t see Patches when he does that. I tripped over him and injured the ligament in my knee.

Since then, instead of trying to miss him (which is how I injured my knee) I step on him. Hopefully, eventually, he’ll learn to steer clear of my moving feet. Though so far, I’ve stepped on him several times and he’s still scampering around my feet. 

Now to the problems with my story.

I think I’ve started in the wrong place. Then again, I’m not sure what I should do after a certain point in the story that is in my head, but not on my computer screen yet, which is the major problem, what happens next?

At this rate my story will fall into my pile of my “started but not finished” stories. I already have too many of those. Some could get somewhere, if I would just work on them, others stalled out because it just wasn’t working,

This one could work if I could figure out how to finagle it. Or at least I think it will work.

Then again, most of my stories that fizzled out unfinished, did so because it was starting to sound like a soap opera to me. And that isn’t a good thing in my opinion. I consider it sounding like a soap opera when it becomes too contrived or forced, or far-fetched.

You know, like a soap opera.

Can you tell I don’t watch those things?

I used to, many eons ago, until I realized their storylines were contrived, forced, or so way out there they were ridiculous. And I really want to avoid that with my writing. Such writing is a copout. It’s lazy.

Writing should be fresh and exciting.

Right now, I need help with that.

And I need to start with where I start this story.

I want to start it at the inciting moment, but the “Save the Cat” method says to start with their normal life before the inciting moment. Dang, I don’t want to start there!

Maybe that’s my problem, I do not want to start before they meet, I want to start where they get thrown together!

Maybe that’s my problem. I had said I was going to try the “Save the Cat” method, but I generally start at the inciting moment rather than introduce the main characters in their normal life before going into the inciting moment.

Off the top of my head I can think of like two stories I have where I show the “normal” life of my main characters before I have them meet or the inciting moment. Most of my stories start at the inciting moment. I mean really, start where the action is!

As far as I’m concerned anything before the inciting moment is backstory, very rarely do I consider any part before that point as a necessary detail of the story. I make all that backstory.

So maybe my problem right now is that the method I wanted to try and use this time around wants me to do something I don’t want to do.

I think I should start again, and begin with the inciting moment.

I’ve had good luck that.

Konnie’s favorite opening line is one I wrote (yeah, I haven’t finished that story; it kind of went off the rails – as in too long) but it starts at the inciting moment. She was talking about her favorite opening line to someone at the writer’s conference we attended. When she mentioned my story, I had to point out it wasn’t even finished yet, let alone published.

Most people pick an opening line from something published, but no, Konnie had to pick one of my stories!

Anyway, I’m going to try writing from the inciting moment forward, and see how that goes for me.

Happy writing everyone!

PS. Happy birthday next week, Ben. 

National Novel Writer's by Bonnie Le Hamilton

November is here and all around the world writers everywhere are participating in the challenge to write 50,000 words this month. I have been doing this challenge since 2003, and I usually win, but now I have a few other responsibilities taking up some of my time, so we’ll see how well I do this year.

So far, I have just barely over 5,000 words. (My sister-in-law ended up in the hospital early Saturday morning.) How are you doing? What is your Nano sign-in? Let me know, I’ll friend you. My sign-in is FaithfullSpirit2 (and yes that is how it is spelled).

I’m an old pro at this, so I’d like to give you some simple advice for the month.

First, pay attention to your sleep schedule. You can’t write when you are yawning. And dozing off is even worse for writing. (Think falling asleep on the keyboard – the keys will move, but it won’t make any sense!)

Second, don’t skip meals. They say kids need a good breakfast because they can’t learn if they’re hungry, well, a writer can’t think with a growling stomach. So, remember to eat. This is why I’m glad all our local write-ins include at least snacks.

Third, don’t tie yourself down to an outline, maybe your muse wants to go another way. Let it. You never know, it might be a better choice, and you won’t know until you write it. Another thing is if you stick with the outline against your muse, you are letting your inner editor out. Just go with the flow, you can fix it later. This challenge is more like a month-long stream of thought. Besides, you can’t fix a blank page. 😊

Four, make sure your family knows what you are trying to do. Advertise this to everyone who may or may not interrupt you during the month, and lay down the law, “No interruptions while I’m writing!”
Though I do know some people can’t say that, while others wouldn’t understand. Children being chief among them. I don’t have that problem, but Konnie still does, even though all her children are all now legally adults, only one of them is actually out of the house.

As Konnie has often mentioned, she has a hard time doing anything on her computer because of interruptions from her family. I didn’t have much of a problem when my husband was alive. He only interrupted when I needed to be going somewhere or it was time to eat. Something I miss a lot, especially when he used to get my attention that it was time to eat by placing food between me and my computer. A whole lot easier than having to drag myself away from my computer long enough to make something to eat.

And I’ve heard of a writer who changed his voicemail message to say something on the lines of, “I’m writing right now, but leave a message at the tone and I will get back to you as soon as I take a break.”

Which might be a good idea for anyone who gets a lot of calls. Also, turn your ringer off while you’re at the computer. Again, that is something I don’t have to do, I don’t get that many calls, as in hardly ever. Even less since I discovered I can block calls from unknown numbers. Now I’m not getting any robocalls.

Fifth, remember first drafts are awful. They usually stink. But as I said before, you can’t fix a blank page. That is what this challenge is all about, filling the page so you can later go back and fix it. There is a time and place for editing, and a time and place to just write. November is when we just write, don’t worry about the mistakes, just write.

Though I know that last one is easier said than done. I find myself rereading what I wrote the day before, and end up having to add and delete words, correct spelling, and fix unclear sentences. Most of that is grammar, which I wasn’t paying attention to the day before. But that also means I do let my inner editor out for a few minutes every day. I’ve tried not to, but I can’t help it.

I make mistakes all the time, and when I see them, I can’t go on until they are fixed. Don’t know why; that is just how I am.

Sixth, don’t ever accept what others say is the way to write as law. No two people are alike, no two people have the same style. Go ahead and try it, if you wish, but in the end, it’s your choice as to whether it works or not.

Happy writing, everyone!

Of Nano and Conference by Bonnie Le Hamiton

National Novel Writer’s month (Nano for short) is coming, as it does every November, but well, this past weekend I attended my writing group's monthly meeting and the discussion was on, “What are you going to write this Nano?”

Yikes!

I’ve been so focused on editing my one novel that I haven’t written much of anything all year beyond my blog posts. I most certainly haven’t been thinking about what I will write, so I have no idea.
But let’s face it, for the Nano’s I’ve participated in, I’ve had an outline a whopping total of one time. And I’ve only known what I was going to write in advance maybe five other times beyond that.
More often than not I’ve headed into the first of November with no plan, and no story idea. Though I have to admit, since I generally write romance, that is what I was thinking I’d write when I started the month.

That is what I wrote those times. The only time I didn’t write romance was the time I used an outline, so maybe I should try outlines more often and branch out on what genres I write.
For me, romance is easy. Anything else is hard, so I’d need an outline for something in the sci-fi field. I did have an outline, not much of one, but I did have one. Not enough to finish that story, but it was start. I need to finish it.

Maybe I should work on that again.

But I have other story ideas, one that has been popping into my head once in a while. I just don’t think there is enough there to make a good story, not a novel anyway. And I’m not sure of motivation or anything on the part of the characters. I just plain don’t think that one will work, so I haven’t fleshed it out in my mind let alone on paper – or rather computer screen.

I only have a vague idea about what happens next on my sci-fi, and I know I still have some fleshing out to do on what I already have to make it a complete story. So, I need to work on that. I need to be more organized and work on my writing with more consistency than I have been.

Have you ever found yourself so busy writing has taken a backseat for you? Or do you consider editing just another part of writing? I have been doing a lot of that, just not consistently.

I haven’t been doing anything with a whole lot of consistency.

That’s probably my biggest problem.

But then I’ve discussed that before. I get distracted easily. Too easily sometimes.

Then there is Konnie. When she’s home, she has a hard time finding time to write, but her distractions come in the form of a husband and four kids still living in the home. Needless to say, I don’t have that problem.

My distractions come in the form of one small kitten who likes to play and a sister-in-law who needs rides once in a while. Then there are my writing groups, the knitting group, and my volunteer work. Yeah, I’m busy.

This week is even more so because Konnie is up visiting me and she, of course, would like to visit some of our family in the area if she can while she’s here. On top of that, we have a writer’s conference to attend this weekend. (Which is why she’s here in the first place.)

Though that has already led to some interesting interactions.

Sunday at church, I spotted the young daughter of a friend of mine, right as the girl noticed my sister, not me. She smiled and started toward her, then stopped and frowned in confusion, then I got her attention and the poor girl was shocked. She is learning delayed and still very young, so I can imagine she had a hard time with the idea that there are two of us.

Another lady from church walked right up to us and started to say, “Now which −”

I smiled and said hello, calling her by name.

“Well, that answers my question!”

Everyone, of course, noted that the person sitting next to me looks just like me. They would have to be blind not to notice that.

We got a lot of people staring at us at the airport when I picked her up too. This will continue the whole time she’s here. This conference should be fun!

Anyway, have you ever been to a conference? This will be a first for both Konnie and me.

And do you participate in Nano? Will you be participating this year? If so, do you know what you are going to write?

Well, happy writing, or editing everyone!

Pre-Nano Panic by Bonnie Le Hamilton

Yesterday morning while waiting for my ride, I spotted my first tree of the season turned to its fall splendor. That’s right folks, its fall. Meaning snow is on its way, Halloween is around the corner, then comes Thanksgiving and finally Christmas. They are not far away. And what is even closer than Thanksgiving and Christmas is the start of National Writers Month, and I’m not looking forward to it this year.

You heard me, I’m not looking forward to the writing challenge I enjoy and have aced all but twice in the years I’ve been doing it. But let’s face it, right now I have so many stories in my head I can’t figure out just one to work on.

And I haven’t managed to get much writing done in the last couple of weeks, since I’ve been having a hard time concentrating on writing, or more accurately I’m having trouble not obsessing over a plot hole in one of my stories – I can’t figure out how to fix it. And when I haven’t been pondering that problem I’ve been rereading some of my other stories and finding issues in them too.

Actually, all I have found is problems, and I have no idea how to fix them except in my sci-fi, but every time I open it, I don’t want to read it, I don’t want to work on it. I have an outline of the scenes I need to add to the middle of it; I know what I need write, but I’d rather try to get all these other stories playing in my head going, figure out the details I don’t have yet and get writing them. 

And the big issue is I really should add those scenes to the middle of what I already have on my sci-fi, so I can start writing what will be the next book of the series, preferably come November. And I have to make the changes those scenes make before I can continue with my story!

But there is that plot hole in the one I’ve been trying to rewrite for the last month or so, and those other stories I started before it, and dang, when will my mind stop coming up with new stories? I don’t think its anytime soon because I have four stories running though my mind as I try to write this post. Oh, the joys of being ADD. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, concentrating is not my strong suit.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve opened one manuscript or another this last couple of weeks (more often then not my sci-fi) then didn’t work on it. Okay, sometimes I spent it trying to work things out in my head, but other times I was a drawing a total blank.

A few times I opened some other story, just to distract myself, only to notice stuff needing fixed in it too. Its like nothing I have is working, all of it needs fixed in one way or another, and I’m overwhelmed.

Where do I start? Which one is most important? Do I decide by which one is the oldest? Or is it by the one which is the most done? And which one is that? For my sci-fi, I’m looking at a four-book series, but I pretty much have all of book one, except the missing scenes. One of the stories I found a problem with is totally complete, just needs editing, a major one at this point, but I have the end down.

Some of the others are barely started only a scene or two, others have way more, but still not finished. Decisions, decisions and I don’t know where to start! And does anybody know where I can get a house elf? Maybe I could get more done if I didn’t have to worry about doing my dishes, laundry, dusting, and cooking.

And Konnie is probably at this minute wondering what on earth I’m talking about, I live alone and she still has four kids at home and has all those pets. Her chores are almost never ending in her place, with the added duty of tending to their pets’ needs. When she doesn’t get any writing done, its because she’s been too busy chauffeuring her kids around town, or taking care of other household needs.

Actually, a house elf might not like being at my place – there isn’t enough to do. And they’d love being at Konnie’s place, where there is always something which needs done. Anyone else out there need a house elf?

Happy writing everyone!

Nano Advice by Bonnie Le Hamilton

It’s October. For most that means Halloween, and all that goes with it, but for a growing number of writers that means gearing up for National Novel Writer’s month, https://nanowrimo.org, especially if you’re a planner. I’m not much for doing that. I might draw a map or a floor plan, but I’ve never written an outline. So, I can’t give advice about how to do that.

As the days move quickly toward the start, I thought I’d impart some wisdom I’ve learned from all the years I’ve been doing this to all those first timers out there. And I think I’ll begin by saying, if you miss the start, don’t look at where others are and say you’ll never catch up, you don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Tomorrow they may hit a roadblock. Don’t give up. This is really more about what you can do, not what others can do. And it doesn’t matter who reaches the finish line first; everyone who accomplishes 50k in the month wins.

And if I can pound out 40k in just fourteen days, as I did this past July for Camp Nano, you can come from behind and produce 50k in whatever time you have left of the month. (If you type really fast, unlike me, you might even be able to manage 50k in a week.) Though I wouldn’t want to make a habit of it.

Which is my next point. Don’t leave it until the last minute. Just remember the old Aesop’s Fable about the Tortoise and Hare. The Hare was fast, but only in spurts, and he didn’t win. He got distracted; he lost focus. Keep that moral in mind. Over the years I’ve been participating, I’ve seen people who typed almost nonstop for the last twenty-four hours, madly trying to finish, and several didn't because they had too far to go. Even they couldn’t type that fast.

Then there’s me, I’ve completed all the Nano’s I’ve entered, except last year, and that was because I had a concussion and couldn’t. (One of those I wasn’t able validate my efforts, but I did meet the goal.) And the only time I was typing like mad was the aforementioned Camp Nano this past July, which was all my fault, because I spent too long editing instead of writing.

Generally, I take the tortoise approach to writing. Slow and steady wins the race. It won’t win a Word War, but it will get me to the finish line, often before the winners of all those Word Wars.

Actually, I know a lady who could type three or four times faster than I can, but she always ended up doing some all-nighters near the end, and not always to success. Sure, she could type fast − that didn’t help.

My advice is to make time to write at least six days a week. Notably, if you find you have minute, or two, take it! Because tomorrow you may not get that much. Steal every second you can find to reach your goal. That way, you won’t have to depend on some mythical chunk of time off somewhere in the future, which may disappear like a mirage; use what you know you have, it might be your only chance.

And most importantly, Happy writing everyone. 😊

Camp Nano by Bonnie Le Hamilton

As anyone who follows this blog knows, last November, the ninth to be exact, I was involved in a car accident. An accident that left me with a concussion, meaning, from that point forward for two months, I couldn’t read, watch, or get on my computer; that also meant I couldn’t write.

I’d made it around 25,000 words before I was told I needed to stop doing the very things I like the most, but most importantly, it meant I wasn’t able to finish the Nano for the first time since I started doing it. (There was one year where I didn’t get my win verified because I was on dialup back then and I was having phone line issues; the site wouldn’t load my manuscript.)

Anyway, when the notice came out about Camp Nano a couple of months ago, I decided that I’d try and do it this year. I usually don’t because July is after all my birthday month, I’ve never wanted to push that hard in July, but well, I’ve had trouble getting back into the habit of writing since that accident, so I decided I needed to try.

And I have to admit it’s been an extremely slow start for me. In fact, the first five days of July I averaged adding just 620 words a day to my WIP (The WIP I started back in November). And for the first eighteen days, I only averaged 999 words a day — not much better. I usually average 2,000 words a day, sometimes even more, from day one in the Nano.

I’m way behind my goal, which is again 50,000 words in the month. I’m hoping to actually finish my WIP.

But at this point, I’m going to have to write 3,000 words a day to do it. So far, I managed that yesterday, and I’m not counting this blog, so I’m going back to my WIP.

Happy writing everyone! J

My Bad Luck by Bonnie Le Hamilton

Okay, it is now November 23^rd, Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and normally by this time, I’m real close to the 50k mark. I usually make it sometime on Thanksgiving day — not happening this year.

My present word count for the month is 23,126, which is where I stopped like on the 11^th when I realized I had a mild concussion from the air bag hitting me in the face.

Yeah, yet another injury, and the concussion wasn’t all. Turns out, I also strained a tendon in my left knee during the accident. Meaning, I’m back to having to stay off one limb as much as possible. And I thought it was bad when my carpal tunnel started acting up at the first of the month!

I never saw this coming. And I mean that quite literally. One second the road was clear, and I had the green, the next I had a face full of air bag. When the air bag deflated, there was still no body in front of me. I wasn’t even sure the other driver had even stopped until the police pointed out her car to me. And now I have no car.

Anyway, I’ve spent the last couple of weeks unable to get on my reader or computer, or watch TV or even read at the same time that I’ve had to stay off my left knee as much as possible. Now I know what torture is like.

And here’s hoping the headaches are over!

Happy writing everyone! J