November 2, 2014

The Writer’s Life Day #1: Everything is Awesome

I quit my job. I quit volunteering. I am well-rested. My office is clean. My desk a clutter-free, pristine horizontal landscape. My magnetic storyboard is up. Chapters laid out. Characters listed. My family ignores me. My cell phone is on silent. My email is shut down.

Gentle music plays in the background, massaging my brain. My humidifier is ejecting the perfect puffs of mist to prevent my eyes from drying out. The sun is streaming through the study window. Cats doze with tiny snores on the reading chair. My hot cup of tea is at the ready. My chair is at the perfect height. The blank screen beckons me.

And beckons me…

Oh, shit.

Is there a writer in the house?

Humor, Personal, Writing

NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, Personal, Writing

25 responses to “The Writer’s Life Day #1: Everything is Awesome”

rossmurray1

November 2, 2014

An-n-nd GO!

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1. Michelle at The Green Study
  
  November 2, 2014
  
  Knocked out 2,000 words and as I sit down for another session, in the words of those cultural doyens, Foreigner, it “Feels Like the First Time”…every single time.
  
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Ruth Rainwater

November 2, 2014

You have a plan?? I don’t. I had no ideas for a plot. No idea who my characters will be. So yesterday I sat down at the computer and began to write. I have no idea where this story is going – I have one present character so far and one who is nowhere to be found. And about 700 words. My characters had better show up soon!!

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1. Michelle at The Green Study
  
  November 2, 2014
  
  I know! I went a little crazy this year and actually thought about what I wanted to write. And it’s still veering wildly off course into something totally different. Planning/No Planning seems to not make one whit of difference. My board with all its index cards is as impressive as a criminal investigation board, but now everything has to be rearranged!
  
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  1. Ruth Rainwater
    
    November 2, 2014
    
    Well, you know what they say about the best-laid plans! LOL
    
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Honie Briggs

November 2, 2014

No laundry to fold.
No children to scold.
There’s a story to be told. Be bold.

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1. Michelle at The Green Study
  
  November 2, 2014
  
  Still have laundry, still have child, but I remain blissfully ignorant that either one has to be dealt with anytime soon.
  
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John Coleman

November 2, 2014

Ha! That’s pretty much the deal, right? That blank screen. Good luck, sister. Peace, John

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1. Michelle at The Green Study
  
  November 3, 2014
  
  Thanks, John. The fact that I have cleared the slate as much as possible, put every advantage in place and STILL can sit staring dully at my monitor is a lesson worth learning – if you want to write, it’s not about the stuff, the time or the inspiration. It’s always about the elbow grease!
  
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Outlier Babe

November 2, 2014

Michelle, you are nothing if not a writer. You will write. : )

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1. Michelle at The Green Study
  
  November 3, 2014
  
  Thanks. Here’s hoping this comment isn’t it for the day!
  
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Belladonna Took

November 2, 2014

A wonderful thing happened when I started writing! I had done a LOT of thinking and some minimal planning, and the book I’m working on is one I’ve had in mind for several years. I vaguely remembered that I’d jotted down some bits and pieces, way back. Turns out I’d already written several thousand words! And I LIKE them – the story still aligns with that beginning, given a bit of tweaking!

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1. Michelle at The Green Study
  
  November 3, 2014
  
  Fantastic! I’m glad you have discovered this for yourself. There is no greater pleasure than reading the words you’ve written and liking them. I’m so glad for you. My process, I’m discovering, will have to happen while I’m writing. I planned this year and in the first chapter went off the rails. That’s part of the fun of it for me, I guess. Write on!
  
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Lyle Krahn

November 2, 2014

I’m betting yes!

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1. Michelle at The Green Study
  
  November 3, 2014
  
  Thanks, Lyle. I’m betting I’ll spend the entire month wrestling myself to the keyboard, but the drive is there.
  
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Karen

November 3, 2014

So how did it go?

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1. Michelle at The Green Study
  
  November 3, 2014
  
  2000 words, reluctant, every single one of them, but I’ve left no room for excuses. I think I’ve completely destroyed every myth in my head about what it takes to be a writer. Once putting in place everything I imagined I needed to be productive, I discovered it to be a big, fat lie. Writing is as writing does.
  
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  1. Karen
    
    November 3, 2014
    
    Every word is a victory.
    
    I just checked my NaNoWriMo buddies word counts on the website and they are putting me to shame. One has over 14k words already! I’m hoping she just typed “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” 140 times.
    
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    1. Karen
      
      November 3, 2014
      
      Rather, um, 1400 times. Math is not my strong suit. 😉
      
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    2. Michelle at The Green Study
      
      November 3, 2014
      
      I have writing buddies who ALWAYS outpace me, but after hearing about their editing processes following November, those numbers don’t bother me. It depends on what kind of writer you are. I tend to write sparsely and have to fill out my descriptions upon editing. NaNo tends to be a challenge for me in that respect. I have a big, fat plot-driven story with 50 unresolved story lines. Adjectives apparently serve some purpose.
      
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Sandy Sue

November 3, 2014

You GO girl!

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Tiny

November 5, 2014

Everything is perfect…the stars are aligned for success!

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1. Michelle at The Green Study
  
  November 6, 2014
  
  One would think. It’s a huge responsibility not to have any good excuses for failing!
  
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  1. Tiny
    
    November 6, 2014
    
    I’m in the same boat here. Let’s row!
    
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kirizar

November 16, 2014

I missed this one. Let’s just chalk it up to an overwhelming panic in the face of no excuses and move on!

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