I didn’t write a single word for my novel today. I’m ahead, it’s okay. I never get much written on the weekends. Day 1 falling on a Sunday was an exception this year. Shaun, however, wrote like a fiend while I was taking down most of the Halloween decorations, doing laundry, swiffering, putting up the Christmas tree (don’t judge!) and cooking a delicious meal from scratch. I’m more than a little exhausted.

I hope I can get a session (or maybe two!) in tomorrow or I’ll actually be behind. Not there’s anything wrong with that.

I’ll give you Shaun’s word count! 3,554 words today for a total of 14,313. He is an awesome.

I should not have complained yesterday. I should not complain today, it will only make tomorrow worse. I mean, I was hardly complaining at all, really. I just said it was a little uncomfortable. Today is my lowest word count this year, but you know what? It’s still 200 words more than I need to write every day, and furthermore, I’m still 2,799 words ahead of schedule, I’m still about 1,500 words ahead of where I was last year, and last year? Last year I finished 5 days early with about 1,000 extra words. So… no complaints over here.  I’m feeling just ducky.

My protagonist, on the other hand, has done nothing but sob for 3,000 words or so.

12799 / 50000 words. 26% done!

Today wasn’t easy, exactly. I mean, I sat down for two 30 minute writing sessions and got over 1,000 words (my daily total was 2,173) for each and was finished with my writing before 1PM, which some people might think sounds like an easy writing day, but it wasn’t. I promise. I felt kind of a sick ache in my stomach about it and once, just once, I interjected a first person grumble about my dialogue into the novel.  What I actually said was, “I swear!”

My back kind of hurts from sitting here, stooped over the keyboard, and even though I’m drinking my water with a straw, my teeth hurt from the cold. I don’t see how that has anything to do with NaNoWriMo, but that’s what NaNoWriMo is for, taking the rap in the month of November. NaNoWriMo and not at all the fact that I haven’t been to the dentist in about 13 months. NaNoWriMo.

In spite of how cheerless this entry is turning out, I’m actually doing great. My jeans are fresh from the dryer, I diffused my external flash with some kleenex, I’m in love with a November novelist, I have 4 Nancy Drew mystery games I haven’t even opened sitting here on my desk and I don’t have to cook dinner for two nights in a row… though I love to cook dinner sometimes… we are currently low on groceries, so this is serendipitous.

10973 / 50000 words. 22% done!

Really positive writing today, belted out 2,334 in two half hour sessions and left off in the middle of a scene that should be easy to pick up tomorrow. I feel a little tempted to just continue it, but I’m really enjoying my obligation free afternoon. I went outside and shot some photos and video of the leaves falling from trees and made eye contact with the dark gray kitten who lives behind us, someday I hope to befriend him. Or her, pink collar may mean her.

As I have found, and No Plot, No Problem by Chris Baty intimated I would, I have more energy and interest in doing other odd jobs around the house. Huzzah!

8800 / 50000 words. 18% done!

2,034 words today. I like to get my writing done before noon, but today I finished up at 1PM. It was a struggle to make myself start but once I was in there it went fine. I still think I’m rushing the story along, but this is probably because I’m not even sure what the story is. How can I rush a plot that isn’t there? I just trudge along every day, exceed the required daily word count and then do some laundry and cook dinner. I can’t decide if I want it to be more of a challenge than it is, but I think not. It would be a challenge, perhaps, if I were not writing a somewhat stereotypical slightly parodied romance novel.

6449 / 50000 words. 13% done!

In about two minutes I’m gonna start writing non-stop for a half hour. As far as word count is concerned, I’m doing well. I still have no idea where anyone is headed, but they’re headed there with delightful names, like my main character, Ramona Havishamble. All I really know about her is that she’s somewhat cookie cutter and blonde, but the former will be changing as the, currently non-existent, plot progresses.

My current word count is 2,922!

& I’m off to write some more!

EDIT: 1,065 more in that half hour session, & with a little this & that added in between sessions my current word count is: 4,005!

I’ve written for one half hour session today, just to get myself going and have 1,022 words so far.  I’m feeling pretty positive about my basic subject matter. I don’t have a plot, I just have a girl in a place and she’s done a couple of things. It’s going well.

I’m trying to keep my firefox tabs down and I never remember to go back and look at things that I bookmarked, so here’s a fun and topical link that Shaun sent me this morning: writebadlywell.blogspot.com I read the first five or so posts and enjoyed myself immensely. It’s something to strive for, really. Especially since my chosen genre this year is “Romance”. At least that the one I’ve ticked on NaNoWriMo.org. I’m not going to let myself feel boxed in by this decision. These 1,022 words could lead us anywhere.

I also made my NaNoWriMo donation this morning before I started writing. Being a little invested helps, and I have won NaNoWriMo every year that I have donated, and lost every year that I did not. Surely that means something? In any case, I love it a lot and it keeps me distracted and busy in November, when I am prone to dwelling on crappy things that happened in Novembers past.

the first trick or treater
(and alas, the last *dramatic music*)

she asked for brains.

it took her a long time to get up to the porch.

Cleopatra, or if you happened to see me at the Night in Vegas themed Halloween party, a Luxor employee!

Siouxsie Sioux (conceived this costume for a halloween party that I didn’t go to last year.)

Angelique Bouchard Collins from Dark Shadows

October 25, 2009: Minnie Mouse.

with my Mickey.

October 26, 2009: Arwen Undómiel.

I’m getting pretty excited for Halloween & starting my as yet completely unknown NaNoWriMo novel on Sunday. Shaun will be able to write with me again this year!