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How I Survived Nanowrimo: With a Full-time Job and An 18 Month Old

It was the night of November 30th and not only was I in a stubborn frenzy, that the next day was the first of December, but it was the last day to score a win for the National Novel Writing Month challenge and I still had a few hundred words to write.

So I did what any desperate mother will do in search for a time of peace, bribe my 18 month old with NickJr., markers, crayons, and an oversized picture of HoHo to color. Scout sat on the floor with her setup and I sat next to her, laptop powered on and ready to go. This actually lasted longer than I had expected, about a full 30 minutes, however one of her favorite shows was on so that probably had a lot to do with it.

It was finally night-night time for the rugrat who, of all nights, raised hell. Now, my kid is a sleeper. After we brought her home from the hospital, I only had bags under my eyes for the first three weeks and that wasn’t from her lack of sleeping, it was from my fear of why she was being so quiet all night. What can I say, she spoils me.

I finally wrestled her to sleep around 10pm and I was still about 500 words in the hole. The hubs came home around 10:45 from his card tournament and began to tell me about how his decks didn’t do so well against the other players. To where I replied, “Hush it. I only have an hour left and I have to pull 300 words out of my butt.”

Silence ensued and the next thing I knew it was 11:48 and I had a total of 50,131 words according to Microsoft Word. I held my breath as I validated the word count at Nanowrimo.com and when the congratulations page came up, I thrust my hands into the air, like you do with any victory, then preceded to stare at the screen in awe for about 15 minutes.

Naturally, I then texted everyone and their mother, shouted out on Facebook and Twitter and even boasted to my cat that I had won. I had dominated the 50,000 word goal in only 30 days. Not only is that the most that I have ever written in a single story, it’s the first time I’ve plugged out more than 10,000 words in a single month.

It’s been a day and a half since I’ve claimed my victory over the beast that is Nanowrimo …and I am still shocked that I managed it.

For most of yesterday I was convinced that I had accidently double pasted a chapter in Scrivener, the program I use, and went quickly over all my documents in the binder, but all was in order. Today on my weekly hike around the neighborhood Costco, I tried to think of all the things I did over the 30 day time frame to help with my word count. These are a few things I came up with:

1) I packed a lunch every day for the day job, so I could stay at my desk and write for my full lunch hour. (With an exception of that one day, when I had to go to the post office.)

2) I think a majority of my word count came from the fact that my kid is a sleeper. Like I said, she spoils me. Bedtime on a normal day is between 8:30 and 9 with no fits or fuss. Naptime is rarely ever shorter than an hour and can lasts for up to 3. Which brings me to my next strategy.

3) I refused (and still do) to clean or do any house work while my daughter is napping. Nap time is quiet time which is primal writing time. How do you think I wrote this blog post?

4) Much like my daughter I like my sleep, but I powered through and stayed up to ungodly hours for the last two weeks of November. I told myself that I couldn’t go to sleep until I managed at least 1,000 words starting from the time Scout was out. This lead to bedtimes of about 2am most nights, and I am far from a morning person but no pain, no gain.

5) When I got home from work I spent as much time playing and doing this with Scout so that after dinner when she is usually the most occupied with toys and such, I wouldn’t feel guilty with my face buried in my laptop. Not much writing was done when she was awake though; she’s a momma’s girl and gets jealous if anything is on my lap that isn’t her.

6) Lastly, in pursuing the writing challenge I have learned that the best seat in the house for ample word outage isn’t in fact on the living room couch. There’s too many distractions and awkward laptop placement there. I began sitting at my dining room table to write for the last two weeks and my word count soared to higher than it has ever been. Being away from the distractions and having the keyboard at a level that makes writing comfortable has done wonders. I am definitely going to be on the lookout for a proper writing desk in the coming months.

With the high of Nanowrimo wearing off and the realization setting in that I still have about another 30,000 words to write until my novel is completed, it’s time to get back to the grind. Then I get to tackle editing for the first time.

Until then, stay writing and stay golden.

To Plot or Not To Plot...PLOT!!

It has become clear recently that I like revising my already written work WAY more than writing it in the first place. I've been thinking a lot about this the past few days and I have narrowed it down to the fact that I am a hard-core plotter. Like “Stop the presses until I figure this shiz out!” kind of plotter. Everything has to fit nice and neat into a little package before I flesh it out into a full story.

I have tried every which way to plot out this novel and then write the damn thing but as I'm writing I want to change something, and instead of writing notes on what has to be changed to already written material, I have the NEED to go back to the beginning and revise all the way down and then start writing again.

My current battle has been putting a big axe to the love tangle sub plot. I have decided after reading several peoples opinion on the triangle that I didn't want it in my story. The love triangle has been done in every form and I don’t want to feel the need to add a “Team this guy” or “Team that guy” to give readers something to fight about. If I do my job right they will find something to root for as well as a character to gush over. I was focusing way to much on the sub plot that it became the main plot. The romance was a front runner and I don’t want this story to be a romance. So I am attempting to plot yet again. It has taken 3 days so far and I've not gotten far. Because while I have to plot to write, plotting frustrates me to no end. The first quarter of this book has been written three times and now I have the urge to go back and nix the triangle.

I am refraining from going back over already written material at least until the plot is set. Good ole’ fashioned pen and paper is my method of this plotting spree. It was going great at first, I had written 10 pages before I knew it, but then I had a life to live and when I eventually got back to plotting the spark was gone and the tension builds in my chest with frustration at my lack of wanting to plot this story yet again. I know part of it stems from the fact that I still don’t have a clear vision on how I want this baby to end and without an ending in mind the plot is just craziness.

Overall, I think maybe I have been working on this project for too long, (almost 2 years) and that I need to sit it down for a bit and forget about it for a while. Maybe, I’ll come back refreshed and ready to tackle it with full force. But there isn't a day that goes by where I don’t think about my characters or the situations I want to put them in. So, I think I’ll just research aliens for a few days and get some inspiration.

Are you a plotter? What kind of method do you use to plot? I'm willing to try anything!

A Nerdfighter is Born

Some of you are no doubt thinking that I must have been living under a rock to have never heard of the Vlogbrothers. I wish I could tell you I was. I wish I could tell you that it was by force that I have not found this striking piece of nerd gold until recently. Sad thing is, I have even been following John Green on twitter for some time now with his books coming close to the top of my TBR pile (needless to say he has jumped all other books and TFIOS is on my radar the next time I can make it to a bookstore). I am determined to chalk this up to fate that I have not discovered the videos until now.

I call it fate because I have a problem. My problem is restraint (or lack thereof) when it comes to something I like. And let me tell you, boy do I like the Vlogbrothers. I am more than capable of watching every video back to back, in sequential order, every second of my free time and never get sick of their beautiful faces. That is a problem not only because I have a job as well as a Husband, Child, and house to take care of. But because I have only written 1,023 words in my WIP this week!

I have an extremely addictive personality. It is only by the good morals my mother beat instilled in my head, that I have never smoked cigarettes or done hard core drugs, nor am I a raging alcoholic, because believe me the addiction would be imminent. Instead of being addicted to meth, I am addicted/obsessed to other things, like rice, and books, movies, TV shows, Pens, Notebook/journals, Harry Potter, Twitter/Facebook/Reddit and now YouTube. More specifically Author vlogs. Even more specifically the Vlogbrothers!

I like to start from the very first video posted and work my way to the most recent. The thing with the Vlogbrothers is that they have nearly 950 videos uploaded to YouTube! That's a lot of frakin videos!!

So I have decided that for the sake of my sanity and my writing - and my husbands sanity- , I will be using the Vlogbrothers videos as a reward for meeting my daily word count.

Guidelines:
If you follow my blog you will remember my 2012 deadline to have my current manuscript's first draft completed by is May 31st. My word count ranges between 500-1000 depending on the day of the week. IF I meet my daily word goal I am awarded with the viewing of 3 Vlogbrothers videos for that day. In addition, for every 100 words over my daily word goal, I will be awarded 1 Vlogbrothers video. There will be no rolling over of videos, the reward must be watched on the day it is earned.

This will leave me with many videos still to be watched after May is long gone but I will revise my guidelines for editing when the time comes. Now if only I can muster the restraint needed to keep to this. I think I will try to comment on every video I watch so feel free to subscribe to my Channel CalynBoBalyn, however be warned. It is loaded with videos of my child being cute. Also feel free to like me on Facebook and the Twitter. I will update my progress as I go. I have already watch a bit of videos so my comments will start on the 6th page, when you sort by oldest-newest.

Blog word count counts too right? *Runs off to YouTube*

The Best and Worst Thing You Can Do While Writing a Novel

I bet you stumbled your way here thinking you'll find a snazzy list of things you should and shouldn't do while writing your novel. Funny enough, in my experience I have found that the best AND worst thing you can do is in fact the same thing...

...telling people about it. More specifically, family.

At the beginning of my writing adventure it was just a hobby. It was something I did on my free time, mostly writing about characters that were not mine (fanfiction). I didn't write everyday but it was something that I enjoyed doing. There was no need to tell anyone unless they asked if I had any hobbies. Now that I am getting more and more serious about writing, the excitement has led me to burst off at the mouth to anyone who will listen that I am aspiring published author currently writing my first work.

This always goes over the same way you think it's going to, depending on who you're telling. Some people are happy for you and wish you the best of luck and move on, some people think you are aiming too high and move on, and some people just don't care all together...but then there are the people who actually do care, for either sinister or sincerer reasoning. Whether they want you fail or succeed, they are the people that make this a great and not-so-great choice.

Telling people that you are writing a book is the best because it gives you motivation to write and talking to people about your writing gives you motivation to write too. Especially if you know the person secretly wants you to fail, then updating your word count on Facebook or Twitter is like a more mature satisfying rub in the face, tongue sticking out, na-na-na-na-bo-bo I'm doing it!, Winning!

It's also the worst because now you have someone to hold you accountable, which makes writers block and the ever present self-doubt that much worse. No matter how many words a day you are able to write, there always that voice that says you're not good enough. When those words start to flow less frequently the self-doubt sets in greater intensity and on top of that you have people asking how it is going and the people who doubted you are secretly laughing in there menacing ways. Writers block is hard enough without the idea of letting the people you told (that actually care) down.

Not only that, but most people who don't know about writing or publishing thinks it takes a New York minute to write and publish a book. So you have to constantly answer the dwelling questions of: Is it done yet? When can I read it?

You'll have the occasional person who understands that it is no easy feat to write a book, but the majority will expect you to have a written and polished manuscript in there hands a mere week after telling them of your dream. Oh how I wish it was that easy.

So my advice is don't go telling people about your writting endeavours lightly. It is by far the best and worst thing I have done.

Dear 2012,

Before I begin, I would like to apologize for not properly celebrating your introduction. Instead of the usual alcohol infused night, followed by an aspirin infused first of the year, you will be welcomed by my husband and I as we snuggle on our couch with a baby in bed, a glass of wine and a kiss at midnight.

Onward, I have steep goals for you my friend. Believe it or not, none of them involve losing weight, as was a resolution to most of your predecessors. I have several goals and resolutions I would like to discuss. I understand that some of them are not very likely to happen with you, but being a published author is a life goal of mine and not just designated to the confines of your 12 months.

My goals and resolutions are as follows:

Resolutions:

1) To attend as many family 'child' birthday parties as I am able

2) To take my dog for more walks

3) To Make lunches for work at least 3 days a work week for both me and the husband

4) Start saving money for emergencies

5) Read at least one book to my daughter every day

Goals:

1) Finish my YA SciFi manuscript by May. (It is currently 1/3rd of the way finished.)

2) Have aforementioned manuscript submission-ready by July.

3) Write a Query

4) Write a Synopses

5) Start submitting to agents by August.

6) Have a rejection

7) Have a partial request

8) Have a full request

9) Have an offer of representation

10) Accept an offer of representation

11) Read a minimum of 25 books

12) Go camping (at least once)

I don't usually go into a new year with such high hopes, as the past few years have been agonizing to say the least. 2011 changed my life forever, with the birth of my daughter, and I am determined to make you continue that trend. I will not only celebrate my daughters first birthday with you but also my 10 year 'total anniversary' with my husband.

Needless to say, you will be a big year regardless of my completion of these goals and resolutions, but why not make this year the best it can be?

Here's to me, you, my copy of 2012 Writers Market, and our journey that will start in a few short days.

(total anniversary is the total length of time I have been with my husband, from the very beginning of our relationship.)

In Which All the Things!

After making my rounds on a few of my favorite writers blogs the past few days, I have found that several of them have post titles, within the past month, that start with "In Which". One of my previous post even started with it!

I have always been a sucker for titles that start out with "In Which", but now it seems to be way overused.

Looks like I am going to have to rename all my chapter titles now. Sad face.