Saturday, October 16, 2010

NaXXXWriMo

You guessed it! You have stepped into the pornography mode of WriMos... *snort * or not... Okay, seriously... I just wanted to talk about both WriMos and that was the easiest way to get it across... so sue me...


NaBloWriMo

If you aren't a sidebar cruising kind of reader, it's possible you missed it entirely... I always blog almost every day... I am just sort of an exhibitionist and it is how I swing... but in October I formally COMMITTED to NaBloWriMo—writing a blog post every day in October... and while I have a bizillion weaknesses, one of my strengths is that I ALWAYS follow through. If I say I will... I will. (it doesn't hold QUITE the same strength if I share with YOU a commitment I make to MYSELF, but when I commit to YOU...) so here we have it.. I will blog every day...

I've discovered though, that COMMITTING to blogging every day is, in some ways, making it harder. I apologize if any of my themes seem strained... I don't think it is the alphabetical thing—I think it is the HAVE TO every day thing... I don't TAKE the option not to.. but it is always there... I think it is messing with my creative flow or something... or maybe it is editing—that is equally likely—editing and creativity are mutually exclusive... But there we have it... I am committed to blogging... and committed to editing... and should possibly be committed.


NaNoWriMo

So I talked earlier about WHAT I'd write. It is fairly (but not completely) decided that this round will by the YA mystery Player Down. This was in the top three among all of you, but was really CHOSEN for being the most complete concept. Everything else has stuff to work out, or higher stakes for not getting it just right.

Today though, my interest is in WHY WriMo.

Did you know that in the last 14 months I finished 6 novels? That sounds just a little insane, doesn't it? Do you want know know how many novels I've CLEANED in that time? I've done the 3rd cleaning of CONFLUENCE... the first cleaning of LEGACY and two cleans of the Garden Cozy. NONE of them is 'Clean enough'. In other words last year was a WRITING year and it really needs to be balanced by an EDITING year.


But I am not willing to give up the WriMo. Why?

I could say the ideas keep coming. (They do.)
I could tell you it is important to appease the muse. (Also true)
I could tell you how I love the group energy (BOY HOWDY!)

But the reality of it is the unavoidability of my FOMS. FOMS, for the uninitiated, is my deep seeded Fear of Missing Something. What if something COOL happened and I wasn't participating? I couldn't handle that at all! I HAVE TO BE THERE!!!

Plus the five novel ideas and the knowledge that I could not possibly wait until six months from now to start one...

So if any of YOU are doing it, please join ME in doing it... (no matter WHAT your motivation)


http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/534564

22 comments:

Kal said...

I have 4 novels written and I post multiple times everyday so I feel your pain. It's an obsession as much as the desire to leave something behind. Because we are both geniuses right? Let me know when one of your books are good enough for all of us to read.

Powdered Toast Man said...

this writing a post everyday came at the wrong time for me. I had soooo much free time over the summer. Now I have a full plate of school and work. I don't have as much time to blog. Damn hw and real life getting in the way.

I would definitely not be able to write a novel. I'm more of a blog writer than a book writer. You do it up though.

CA Heaven said...

Some XXX blogging could be fun. I have some stuff written and ready, but haven't dared to post it yet. Maybe I should ... not enough to post every day for a month though >:)

Cold As Heaven

Jan Morrison said...

oh no! no you don't! you aren't seducing me to the dark side! last year cured me - talk about a cleaning job. this year I'm going to simply continue to plug away at True and WHEN I'm fully finished that I will finish the first draft of Earth Bound that I started last year in ninnymo as I now call it. Ideas I don't need - petting my scattershot attention is not needed. I need to focus my light on cleaning as you call it. I wish there was an editmo. I suppose I could start one. arggh. no. no starting things. head down. work away. don't listen to the siren call of a nude tart.
no.

Mason Canyon said...

Wishing you great ideas and fast writing with NaNoWriMo.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress

Old Kitty said...

6 novels in 14 months and 5 potential ones to come?!?!?!

WOW.

When you get NAKED, you really get NAKED! Wow.

Take care
x

Megan Bostic said...

OMG 6 novels in 14 months. You are a machine my lady.

I'll be doing Nano this year too, though I have NO idea what the heck I'm going to write yet.

Lola Sharp said...

Dude, I've been revising one novel for almost 6 months! *sigh* I'm a slow reviser. I fester, fester, fester over every single detail. I like a pristine ms.

Anywho, you know I'm doing nano. (I buddied you already)

I have not one clue what I'll be writing for it...too deep in revision hell to think about it. I'll deal with it on Nov. 1st. I'm a wing-it girl anyway. (hence the revision hell)

See you then! (can't wait! It means I don't have to revise the current WiP for 30 days! Woot!)

Happy weekend!
Love,
Lola

Anonymous said...

I plan on attempting NaNo, but I won't be hanging on the forums. My time's pretty limited already, unfortunately. Somehow I manage to swing by here pretty often, though. ;)

Also, I've lost my Fear Of Missing Something. It succumbed to its twin nemeses, Apathy and Overcommitment.

Hart Johnson said...

Kal--Oh, I will yell and scream when I have something somebody wants (aside from this Cozy--THAT ONE was committed from the start... but I will also yell and scream about that...) I think you share my FOMS.

PTM-it was possibly the wrong timing for me, too, but November is better. My summers are MORE committed because the kids are ever present. Now the obstacle is my daughter's swim season and her last meet (unless she makes state cuts, which I doubt) is next week.

CaH--yeah... I'm more a PG13 blogger. Have I sent you to the bed wench in my sidebar--is is a RL friend but her stuff is SPICY!

Jan-some day I will have your wisdom, but probably not until my kids leave home...right now if I don't do the manic thing, I don't do ANYTHING.

Mason-THANK YOU! Join us?

Megan--a little. 2 of those were WriMos and 3 were a trilogy so were almost more like one super LONG novel--a single story. But yeah. A lot of writing.

Lola-the clean up DOES take longer if you write fast--and between my rounds of cleaning, I don't think 6-8 months is far off for the ones ASIDE from the Cozy--the cozy with the deadline and the more careful PLOTTEDness, has been a little easier to clean. That one I ALSO wrote 50 pages for the audition, then it SAT for 3 months while I waited to hear, so it really was pretty well thought out before I wrote.

Simon--I won't spend a ton of time on the forums either, but I DO like looking at all my friends progress every morning, so at least sign up so I can see your widget!

Katie Anderson said...

I've just friended you on NaNoWriMo. Here's to both of us reaching 50,000 words and beyond!

Unknown said...

That's so cool. COngrats! It's amazing to get six books done. I'm so jealous.
CD

LTM said...

you're so funny! we have a shared weakness, but it seems since my latest MS is now done and you know the story on the other, I'll be spending Nov. editing/cleaning instead... :D <3

RaShelle Workman said...

Hart - Six? Hart, wow!!! WOW!!! That is impressive. We're buddies on NaNo now. Yay!!!

Hart Johnson said...

Katie and RaShelle *high fives* I need to go look. Clarissa-you were already on my list...

Leigh--yeah, you have designated and requested work to do!

Kas said...

Ugh. Okayyy I'm heading over to sign up. Though I am going to be Rebel status this year, as I'll be working on the same one as last year (and probably the one I started for BuNo as well...

And a side note to NaNo (who I am pretending is sentient): Why November?? November is hell month for us college students. (Especially those of us GRE-ing and grad school app-ing this month.) Rawr.

lisahgolden said...

I added you as a WriMo buddy. Now I need to step it up on my current WIP edits.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I am doing both!
Although not naked. At least, not that I will confess.

Hart Johnson said...

*hugs Kas* I have no clue WHY November, but I think if you can do November, you can do ANY month... Good luck on Novel, GRE and School!

Lisa *fist pumps* Excellent! And yes... hurry, so you are set to change modes!

Alex-you want to be a nudist and you know it. Just give in.

Christina said...

My first year doing Nano this year :D so excited, added you as a friend :D

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I can't wait to see what's going to come out of NaNo! Sounds like a great manuscript you're planning to write. Good luck with it all!

Patricia Stoltey said...

I'm doing my own private NoWriMo for the next four months, but decided to pass on the official program so I wouldn't get caught up in the anxiety part of the game. I can stress out enough from my self-imposed deadlines.

Six novels? I need to have a year like that. I guess that requires writing every day, right?