Writing Journal

Got my library card tonight!
Because tonight's write in is at the local library I've been meaning to stop in and visit since I got my newly addressed driver's license in August.

Feeling blocked, though.  And tired.  I'm not even halfway through.  I'm not even at 20k.  I was hoping to be tonight, but I'm just feeling that the whole thing is stagnant.  I want Rose to spend more time in New York, but I also want her to have more time.  More time to do more with her life.  I guess I'm going to have to cut out her trip abroad, unless maybe she takes a short one with Bella.

Crap.  I'm kind of writing a clean version of Summer Sisters, a Judy Blume book that my mom bought for me without vetting it.  At least, I thought so.  After reading, or starting to read, something she recommended to me once, I'm not so sure anymore.  So much smut.


Anyway, I can't figure out what I want to happen next to my character.  I feel like she's ready to go back to the Midwest, but I'm not ready for her to leave Mona.  I'm also not ready for her sister-in-law to die, either.  That's what my original catalyst was for her to move back, but now I'm not so sure.  Maybe now it could be that Mona dies.  I think that works better.  Then she can live with her dad and unofficial stepmom until her sister-in-law dies.

Craaaaapppp!!!  I love Mona!  I don't want her to die, but I don't think I've written enough about her to make her death meaningful to readers.  Looks like I'll be taking a poddy break and working on that while I sort things out.

Writing Journal

I finally broke 10k on my NaNo today!
And I'm ready for bed now.  Only had 5k iU of Vitamin D and forty minutes of light therapy.
I also realized that I do better in the mornings at work if I've been up and working towards alert for a while. I'll probably do one more sprint.  Maybe try and get to a word count goal.  At least half of the "write this many words per day to finish on time" goal.  Which works out to writing until my total is 12,078. Ish.  Maybe 11,078.  That seems less intimidating. 

Until then, I'm going to do things like go to the bathroom, spin my Givling, and pack my lunch for tomorrow.  (We're at a pizza place.  I got a 10" so I don't have to do anything for it tomorrow.)

My MC is still at home.  She hasn't graduated high school yet.  Her brother hasn't got married and had kids, she hasn't finished her culinary degree in New York, her sister in law hasn't died, her best friend hasn't gotten married....She hasn't gotten married or divorced.  I keep getting caught up in being wordy about each scene.

Whatever.  I've made a new friend who told me about a website that provides an opportunity to write stories for money.  Hoping I can do that well enough that I can get by working part time and afford insurance on my own.  Or finding some place that offers insurance to it's part time employees.  Because I doubt I'm going to find a husband with such benefits at this stage of my life.

Writing Journal

Still plugging along at NaNo.  Still haven't hit 10k yet.  Facebook memories tells me that some years, I've been only at 2k at this point but have been at 20k other years. 

I ain't too worried.  I'll be able to make more write ins this week, which always help my word count.  Hoping to be at 40k by the time I head to Wisconsin for the holiday, which falls early this year.  I'll have the full four days off, but will use all of them to travel.  Might come up with some ideas, but probably won't write them.

Hoping this hangnail and torn nail problem can stop happening.  Bring it on in December.

I've developed a knack for missing NaNo Word Sprints on Twitter.  One just started.  Adios.

Writing Journal

At my second "off campus" write-in for the day.

Got ready to join in on a Twitter word sprint, starting at :55.  My laptop died at :54.  Frustrated, I refilled my drink and headed home.  Forced myself to write until the drink was gone, then I could go play with my yarn.  Worked well enough.  Technically doubled my word count.

Now I'm at my regular Saturday night location.  Yet again, waiting forever for service.  I get that we're regulars and most of us are pretty chill about being left.  She just came in and said that the manager keeps sending her to other tables.  They do look much busier than normal.

We're also much busier than normal in here, and it's probably going to irritate me if I don't get some music in my ears soon.  It's not just the volume of bodies, but the volume of the voices who have arrived.

Never thought I'd be hoping for my food to take a long time.  At least the lady I'm sharing a table with is nice, quiet, and interesting.  Haven't caught her name yet, though.  Maybe by the end of the night.

Writing Journal

Last night's attempt at NaNoing was a failure.  Not an epic one, but a failure nonetheless.  I live in northern Omaha proper but work in Bellevue, which is attached at the south side.  It's about a 25 minute drive since I'm heading the opposite of traffic.  I have a friend who lives in Bellevue who wanted to get together last night at 6 for an old lady's night in.  She was working on an embroidery project and I always have a blanket I can take with.  (It was the friend who taught me how to crochet.) 

I figured that'd be perfect!  I got off at 4:30 and could stop at Panera to write for at least an hour before heading over to her place for dinner. 

Wrong.

To be fair, the plan was perfect, but the execution was not.  See, I had forgotten to plug my laptop in to charge overnight after Thursday's attempt at a write-in.  And my computer has gotten worse in it's old age about giving me a warning when I'm working and the battery is low.  Thankfully I had my iPad with me, so I was able to do a bit of research/prep before my dinner bell rang.  On the plus side, I have more prepped.  Need to translate it into text from the handwritten, though.

At Panera now, looking to write at least an hour and get to 4k from 233 before I head back home to work on some crochet and grab a midday meal.  I had wanted to get up early enough to hit up the bank and grab some Panera breakfast, but I didn't.  Oh, well.  Once I eat some more of my bagel, I'll take my vitamin and get going now that my fingers are warmed up.  (Although, my wrist is hurting from about two hours of crochet last night and I don't think I have a brace with me.  Will have to add one to my bag for NaNo tonight.

Writing Journal

So NaNoWriMo begins!

I fell asleep and stayed that way on the couch all night and missed a first-chance write in.  Also woke up too late/lethargic to pump out a few quick words before work. Currently getting things squared away to participate in the first write-in.  I severely tore my right thumbnail and left pinky nail at the beginning of this week, so my typing shall be a bit halted.

Last night, I signed my dad up for nanowrimo.org.  He is working on a baseball book, an account of either one particular team or one decade, I can't remember which.  Since his work is all on a desktop and he gets nervous about social situations (honestly, the more I talk to him, the more I'm convinced he's at least a little bit autistic) I didn't overwhelm him with the social aspect of NaNo.  I think the internet accountability will be enough for him.

Well, my danish is gone, so my prep time is up.
haha....prep time!  I failed at PrepMo.  Hardly done a thing.  Looks like I'm pantsing it this year.  I'll blame the adjusting to a new job/schedule while making sure (often failing) to keep up with my Vitamin D.

Reading/Writing Journal

Misplaced that sports book that was going to take the place of Ashes of Roses.  But it's okay, because my dad bought me a copy of The Green Mile from HPB clearance for my birthday.  I like books with chapter breaks.  My copy of Anna Karenina continues to fall apart and Mill on the Floss has been stashed in my car for a week.  Still four books behind on my goodreads challenge.\

Had an experience on Saturday that is getting included in my NaNo.  Went to a friend's wedding reception, where I danced with an attractive man to I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles).  And he twirled me!  It was fabulous, and I keep listening to the song so I can keep the memory fresh enough to fictionalize come November.  Will probably write a poem about it this week to also assist.  Possibly to also submit for money.

The rest of this post is a list of places that pay for submissions so that I can check them out later this week to see if I have or can have anything that would be a good fit for them.  Source: writersincharge.com/literature-mags-that-pay-writers

1. Boulevard Magazine, $300 for prose and $250 for poetry upon publication

3. Plough Shares, $250 upon publication, subject to certain timelines
4. The Southern Review, $200 upon publication, prefer manuscripts via mail
5. Sub Tropics, $1000 for prose and $100 for poems upon publication
6. The Sun Magazine, $300 for prose (possibly use MoBoard story prompt)
7. West Branch Magazine, $100 upon publication, through Bucknell University
8. AGNI, $300 for essays, $150 for poetry with a submission window
9. Carve Magazine, $100 fiction and $25 poetry (good for exposure)
10. Colorado Review, $200 unpublished only
11. Crazy Horse, $200
12. The Fugue, $1000 for competition, associated with University of Idaho (submission fee)
13. Grain Magazine, $250 sent by post
14. Gulf Coast Magazine, $1500 compeition
15. Iowa Review, $100
16. Iron Horse Review, $100 with submission windows
17. Nashville Review, $100 with submission windows
18. Ninth Letter, $1000 competition
19. The Threepenny Review, $400 for stories, $200 for poetry, online submission
20. Confrontation Magazine, $250 with submission windows
21. One Story, $500, literary fiction only
22. Virginia Quarterly Review, $1000 for stories, $200 for poems
23. Willow Springs, $100 with submission windows
24. Narrative Magazine, $1000 for copies 7500+ words
25. Slice Magazine, $250

Reading/Writing Journal

Finished a couple of YA books recently.  Little Tree (mentioned last post) and "Ashes of Roses," which I picked up after last post.  The MC is a 15 year old who comes through Ellis Island from Ireland to NYC.  She and a younger sister find themselves working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory just before the 1911 fire that happened there.  Highly recommend if you're looking for an easy read.

I think I have a sports book to fill that one's place. 

But the biggest news is I have my NaNo project decided!

Last Thursday, a friend came over to tackle the jungle in our backyard.  I helped (very little) and afterwards, we talked a little bit.  I mentioned the struggles I was having with my writing, and he gave a few encouraging platitudes.  Brought up PrepMo, and I implied I was just hoping to have an idea worth prepping and the ability to figure out either plot or characters, as asking for both was too much to be feasible.

HMN was watching some Stephen's Universe the other day and the episode (maybe a song) mentioned "fifty pages about wedding cake."  She scoffed, but I immediately thought of a scene from the Unabridged Princess Bride.  I pointed out to her that if you talk about taste testing different wedding cakes, and then describe the baking and the enjoyment of the final product, including a few mishaps along the way, you could probably come up with fifty pages.

After a few moments, the pieces clicked, and I thanked her for my NaNo project.

The very next day, facebook reminded me of a friendivesary.  The picture it featured was one I took of him and his wife at their wedding reception featuring them pinky-swearing not to smash cake in each other's faces.

BAM!

That story is definitely getting included somehow.  So I have at least two characters, one scene, and an overarching theme.  Don't know if either one of them is going to be the MC or if it's going to include more than one cake.  But I've long held a theory that the way a couple cuts their cake says something about their personality as a couple.  In a few weeks, I may do a social media survey and ask people to tell me what they remember about their wedding cake/that part of the reception.  See if I don't get some more inspiration.

Well, off I go to sign up for a few more goodreads giveaways.

Reading/Writing Journal

I've finished reading two books since I last posted. According to Goodreads, I'm still four books behind schedule.  "The Handmaid's Tale" was the first.  Although the online discussion group didn't pan out, it did relight the fire in me to read.  That, and cooler weather that allows me to take reading walks.  I went with HMN to Half Price so she could sell back some of her books.  While wandering the store, I found a book called "The Education of Little Tree."  It was a nice, simple read which made it easy to read while gaming or in the presence of housemates.  I'm currently reading "The Mill on the Floss," which is not.  The writing style of "Anna Karenina" is such that I could do that, but the physical size of the book is not conducive to such practices. 

I probably ought to stop by Half Price when I'm done here (it's literally on the way home) and see if there's anything for a buck with a style that can replace Little Tree's.

I had an epiphany last week sometime.  (The days all run together and I'm not as good as I used to be about writing things down.)  Instead of trying to force myself to commit to prose, I should reconnect with the poet inside of me.  I'll probably focus on poetry for the rest of August, September (although there will be up to three times I leave town on a trip), and maybe a little bit into October.  I'll definitely do PrepMo in October.  Hopefully I have an idea I can outline by then.

Even found some magazines that supposedly pay for poetry/submissions that I can vet to see if any of them are in line with the kinds of things I write.

Wish me luck!

Reading/Writing Journal

I signed up for Camp NaNo.  And immediately stopped writing.  Why is Camp the kiss of death for me?  I'm hoping to have a novel idea in place by November.  Which will require having linear enough thoughts to develop a plot.

One of my friends posted to facebook that she wanted to start reading The Handmaid's Tale and was starting a group where people could talk about it as they read.  I expressed interest, she added me, I went out and bought the book (because I was too lazy to sort through my boxes, too scared to ask a friend I know has it, and didn't feel like renewing my license so I could get a library card to borrow it from a library).  And they are much more ambitious readers than I am!

Speaking of, it's nice-ish out.  I should go home, do some more slack chores (I play a four person game with three computer players and do things like load the dishwasher while the game takes its turns), and take a reading walk tonight.  There's a park a few blocks away that has a trail that I think leads to the local high school.

Reading/Writing Journal

Cleaning out the open tabs in the web browser on my phone.
Had a friend post to facebook asking for recommendations for short stories.  These are her responses.

A Letter to God by Gregorio Lopez y Fuentes
A Lodging for the Night; Suicide Club stories; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Ray Bradbury
Tuck Everlasting
A Rose for Emily
Holy is the Firm by Anne Lamott


Writing, Places to Submit
www.freedomwithwriting.com/freedom
List of contests and places to submit short stories and other writing.

Writing Journal

I've been ridiculously sick with a nasty cold for almost a solid week.  I'm down to just the drainage left.  It was seriously the worst I can remember feeling from an illness as an adult.  I coughed so much so hard that I popped a blood vessel in my eye!  Headaches, fevers, chills, congestion, fatigue, all of it.  Three solid days.  Then three days where some of the symptoms were lessened.

I didn't want to touch anything because I didn't want to spread the germs.  In fact, I left church earlier than I anticipated yesterday because a family came in late and sat behind me.  With an infant who was less than two months old.  I was like, "Jesus, get my germs away from this baby!"  I didn't even shake hands with people.  Gave a couple of air hugs.  But I mean it when I share everything except my germs with people.  Even when I lived alone, I would cough and sneeze into my shirt collars.

Anyway, that's what's kept me from writing.  In an odd way, it made me grateful that I hadn't applied for jobs, or gone looking for one.  Terribly poor form to call out of your first full week or an interview because you have a cold.  Even worse to show up with one.  I seriously rubbed my upper lip raw.  There's a small open sore between my nose and lips from all the wiping.

But I'm going to write today.  About a drunken painter in a city of wonder, thanks to a 60 second art challenge by a couple friends of mine.  Watch here.

Came back to add that Pandora, even though I have all my stations on shuffle (and I listen to a wide array of stuff) started my writing session off with Carrie Underwood's "Just a Dream," and ended with George Jones' "If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me," which is funny because I made Underwood's song the motivating factor for my MC to leave his regular bar early that night and my page ended up with him passing out as he entered one his ex hated.

Reading Journal

Finished a Maeve Binchy book in the span of about a week.  I tend to use those to relight my reading fire.  I always enjoy them, and since most of my collection is purse sized paperback, I get through one quickly and can ride the success of that.

Not sure what title is next.  I think I might do a movie-book combo with Roommate One's copies of Stardust.  I've seen the movie a couple of times, and what's funny is her copy of Stardust is on the shelf directly above her copy of Eleanor & Park, which I borrowed without her knowledge/explicit permission one weekend she went out of town in the second place we shared.

Saw something on twitter I might try next year, if I can meet this year's Goodread's Reading Challenge.  I like challenges and need to get back into them, honestly.  Anyway, the thread was about what people used for bookmarks and a guy said he used a playing card because he tried to read 52 books a year.  I thought it was cool, and you could write the title and year on each card.  If I can get through fifteen this year, I'll give it a go next year.

Reading Journal

I finished Persuasion today.  Now my Pandora shuffle is playing the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack, from the 2006 version.  I'm supposed to be writing.  That's my goal for being down here.  I did do some typing on an LDS forum.

I also just updated my goodreads.  I'm only four books behind my reading goal.  Which I set at 15, planning on one a month, plus about one more per quarter.  My own books are still packed.  I need to get my bookcases, or at least one of the big ones, somewhere other than my bedroom.  I need to be sleeping on my bed.

Finished a blanket today, too.

I guess I'll just go out, get  a writing prompt and do that.  Small but simple things.

Writing Journal

I'm doing this for real.  Again, I guess.  But for real.

I read this article by Kiki Schirr about setting a rejection letter goal, and it inspired me to start writing again.  This weekend, I made the final moving steps into a new home.  It's a humbling experience, but I needed to leave a toxic work environment.  And there was no other place in the town I was living in to make what I needed to make in order to afford my apartment.  My best friend had a room open in her home, offered it to me, and I decided to take a leap. 

My life still feels a little shambly as of this current writing, but I can already tell that it's going to be better for me than what I left behind.  For instance, I don't have a place in my room for a bed.  For the past three nights, I've been sleeping on communal couches.  It's a process.  One that, quite frankly, I'm hoping will be conducive to my artistic endeavors. 

Right now, I'm writing on a table set up in the basement.  Last night it was used to play Magic: the Gathering.  My plan is to listen to Pandora and write until the battery on my laptop gets to low or my drink runs out.  Not sure what I'll be writing.  Mostly journaling to start with.  I might work my way into book or movie reviews or short stories.  We'll see.