And by Home Stretch, I mean HOLY COW! This is the first year I haven’t been DONE by the last day! I’m CLOSE. I really am. And if I don’t finish by tonight will accept no social invitations and will plow through it. But I am ALWAYS done by now. Usually 4 or 5 days ago.
But see HERE are the problems I’ve run into:
See… I actually finished the book last Sunday, I think. The STORY anyway. Because my WriMo strategy has always been if you hit a rough patch, write a sentence or two about what KIND of thing goes there… [scene that does XYZ] and skip to the next place that flows.
And this is a BRILLIANT strategy… when your end goal is somewhere above 70,000 words… I just go in later, after a rest and a think, and fill in the holes.
But THIS BOOK will be done to the brim at about 52K… so I considered myself LUCKY that I was at 47K when I reached the end (only 5000 words to fill in, yeah?) But filling in is SO MUCH SLOWER than original writing. (like 200 words a day slow…)
I lost almost a whole weekend because my desktop died. Now I have a couple other computers around here, but NONE of them have Open Office on them (the program ALL my stuff is in). And the computer I’ve been WORKING ON (a nice older Mac a friend lent me) doesn’t have enough memory to access my external harddrive from my old laptop (where all my stuff is saved), so there was a comedy of errors emailing myself stuff at work (where the newer version of word can read Open Office and I can save it all as word docs and then email them BACK to myself).
I also have a desktop from my aunt that I think is newer than the other stuff, but I am locked out by unknown password (anybody know what her other cats name was? Her clue was ‘cats’ and I have Sweetie, but not the other one), so I lost a good deal of time trying to save password breaker software, but none of the other computers is powerful enough to download the version I need of freeware (which is interestingly called Ophcrack *cough*). GAH! I can’t wait until the next leg of my advance comes and I can get an ALL MINE NEW laptop.
Not me. HWMNBMOTI… the hospitalization with all sorts of complications… one of which was a seizure, so he’s not allowed to drive, which means ME, the full time worker, full time writer, part time mom, also has to do the shopping (a task I’d never do AGAIN if I could opt out—I HATE it)—so I had a week of serious worry and adding FULL TIME mom to the other full time jobs, then part time worrier since then.
So today we are throwing a TRIUMP OVER ADVERSITY PARTY!
Swim in the champagne pool, eat from the chocolate fountain, rub a cabana boy for luck…
And have faith I will get there. I hope all of you who joined also make it!
Oh... and happy 21st anniversary to my sweet baboo... hopefully this next year will be LOTS healthier.
11 comments:
"my WriMo strategy has always been if you hit a rough patch, write a sentence or two about what KIND of thing goes there"
I use that same strategy for my novels and sometimes even my nonfiction if I can't quite find the right words. I've never done NaNoWriMo. This time of year is generally deadline time for my nonfiction books and my fiction gets put on the back burner. I did the 3-day novel writing contest once. Lots of fun!
I was a spectacular failure at Wrimo. haha. So, I'm sorry that I can't give any advice but I think you can do it!!
And I'm so sorry to hear your husband is still having health problems. It sounds really rough. I actually can't even imagine how hard it must be.
You have a great attitude. I really admire you. I know you don't know me that well, but if you ever want someone to complain to, you've definitely got an ear.
I have faith in you. Keep going!
mood
Moody Writing
Tart!!! The NAKED lad has made me cross-eyed!!!
Take care
x
Congrats on all your progress! So glad you didn't lose anything with the computer problem. I like Google Docs for uploading/backing up stories...just log into gmail and it's there on documents. Very convenient, too (sometimes better than the emailing.)
So sorry about the not driving!!
Happy anniversary! Wow, that was a comedy of errors. You can do it though. Write Hart write!
Thanks goodness you didn't lose everything.
Is the other cat's name Pie?
I am so very impressed with all you've accomplished in one measly month, to say nothing of the difficulties and health scares. Me? I barely even edited my manuscript, so you are a NaNoWriMo winner by far.
And I love how you call your computer problems and efforts and emailing from work (I do that too) a "comedy of errors." When the same thing happens to me, it's a drama of screaming frustration emotional melt down.
Happy anniversary!
Your poor hubby :( Urgh. I know, though - POOR YOU AS WELL! I hope he is improving even as I type this, though, and that your life can get back to normal!
Congrats again on NaNo!! :)
Hi Hart ...
1) You are doing fine on the book part; and if you are slowed down, you will catch up. It is your goal, but everybody will forgive you if you are not right on time.
2) Can you get a nerd to get you into your Aunt's computer?
3) The worst part is your husband's illness! Saying prayers for you guys; that sounds scary to me. Hope you get that figured out very soon.
Hugs,
Kathy M.
Hope you managed to complete it!
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