Words! Lots of 'em!
NaNo update: despite falling ill during the first full weekend on NaNoWriMo, I'm doing a great job at keeping pace with where I need to be according the 30 day timetables. I try to write more than the minimum each day so that I've got a cushion for when things like melting lungs pop up and prevent me from writing. Unfortunately, I didn't get one single word written on Friday because I was so sick (made worse by the fact I was too stubborn to either stay home or leave work early. As long as I'm functional, I'll be at work, even if I can't actually talk). Not to worry, I'm not spreading H1N1 around, it was just a simple cold. All of my symptoms were polar opposites of the flu, though it would be appropriate for me to come down with swine flu during NaNo since my story is about the 1918 version of H1N1 (but with a twist, natch). Though I do hope I haven't just jinxed myself. Really, I'm just kidding about how appropriate H1N1 is right now. Regardless of what I'm writing, I do not want to experience any type of flu at all any time soon. My stupid melting lungs disrupted my writing schedule enough as it is, so all of the current influenza viruses had best stay away from me. I mean it.
So far I'm 12,000+ words into my story, and so far I'm still loving it. Nothing beats the surprise of learning about the little quirks your characters have, and some of the best surprises are learning just how funny and endearing certain characters can be. I've actually spent more time writing about Sam than Echo this week because he never fails to make me giggle. I feel bad for ignoring my main character in order to focus on her soon-to-be suitor, but he's just so inappropriate sometimes that he's managed to keep a tight hold on my attention. In fact, even though this rough draft is as wretched as any rough draft (meaning it is not at all meant to be seen by anyone other than myself), I'm fighting the compulsion to post excerpts of it to my fiction LJ just so people can meet Sam. There was actually a scene I wrote earlier this week that had me so horribly freaked out and grossed out that I had to take frequent breaks, but once Sam entered the picture, I couldn't stop giggling, even though the horror element was still very much present. He's just a neat guy, and I think I might be developing a little bit of a crush on him and his quirks.
Anyway, one little thing that annoys me and amuses me at the same time is my wordiness and the way in which I often delve into tangents. Anyone who's read any of my LJ entries knows how long it takes for me to make my point. I'll even start an entry with a little, "I'm busy so I'm going to make this short and sweet" disclaimer, but seven paragraphs and 6,000 words later, I'm not even close to saying what I'd intended to say. This is a blessing for something like NaNo, but it's annoying me at the same time. When I get an idea for a scene, I can't just jot down a note and tell myself I'll flesh it out later. No, even though I really want to just get the point down before I forget what it's supposed to be, I'll still spend about 2,000 words babbling about the other incidental things that lead up to that main point. Again, that's awesome for NaNo, but I've got so many little scenes I'm eager to write that I get a little frustrated when I get wrapped up trying to reach the main event for the one scene I've been working on for three days. I almost want to yell at my characters and tell them to stop talking and just get to it, but I don't want to offend them and piss them off. After all, this is *their* story, they should tell it the way they want to, even if I'm already thinking about the next scene that needs to be done. I know, it's a strange complaint to have, but there you go, therein lies the basis of my frustration.
Now, let's just hope it's the biggest frustration I have. May the rest of November find me as enamored with my characters and their story as I am right now. And may my body heal itself and remain more or less intact for the rest of the month. Better I be felled by illness at the start of the challenge when I still have plenty of time to play catch up than my getting sick when I have 2 days and 20,000 words to go (eep!), but still, I'd rather not have any more interruptions, if you please!
Grrr. Sam keeps talking about steak in today's scene. It's making me terribly hungry for steak, but I'm not yet well enough to venture out to the grocery store. Guess I'll just have to make do with cheddar broccoli soup and some of my garlic/sundried tomato/pecan angel hair pasta. Delicious, but not as delicious as a nice rare steak. Dammit, Sam! Look what you've done! Maybe I can convince the local Outback Steakhouse to deliver. . . .
So far I'm 12,000+ words into my story, and so far I'm still loving it. Nothing beats the surprise of learning about the little quirks your characters have, and some of the best surprises are learning just how funny and endearing certain characters can be. I've actually spent more time writing about Sam than Echo this week because he never fails to make me giggle. I feel bad for ignoring my main character in order to focus on her soon-to-be suitor, but he's just so inappropriate sometimes that he's managed to keep a tight hold on my attention. In fact, even though this rough draft is as wretched as any rough draft (meaning it is not at all meant to be seen by anyone other than myself), I'm fighting the compulsion to post excerpts of it to my fiction LJ just so people can meet Sam. There was actually a scene I wrote earlier this week that had me so horribly freaked out and grossed out that I had to take frequent breaks, but once Sam entered the picture, I couldn't stop giggling, even though the horror element was still very much present. He's just a neat guy, and I think I might be developing a little bit of a crush on him and his quirks.
Anyway, one little thing that annoys me and amuses me at the same time is my wordiness and the way in which I often delve into tangents. Anyone who's read any of my LJ entries knows how long it takes for me to make my point. I'll even start an entry with a little, "I'm busy so I'm going to make this short and sweet" disclaimer, but seven paragraphs and 6,000 words later, I'm not even close to saying what I'd intended to say. This is a blessing for something like NaNo, but it's annoying me at the same time. When I get an idea for a scene, I can't just jot down a note and tell myself I'll flesh it out later. No, even though I really want to just get the point down before I forget what it's supposed to be, I'll still spend about 2,000 words babbling about the other incidental things that lead up to that main point. Again, that's awesome for NaNo, but I've got so many little scenes I'm eager to write that I get a little frustrated when I get wrapped up trying to reach the main event for the one scene I've been working on for three days. I almost want to yell at my characters and tell them to stop talking and just get to it, but I don't want to offend them and piss them off. After all, this is *their* story, they should tell it the way they want to, even if I'm already thinking about the next scene that needs to be done. I know, it's a strange complaint to have, but there you go, therein lies the basis of my frustration.
Now, let's just hope it's the biggest frustration I have. May the rest of November find me as enamored with my characters and their story as I am right now. And may my body heal itself and remain more or less intact for the rest of the month. Better I be felled by illness at the start of the challenge when I still have plenty of time to play catch up than my getting sick when I have 2 days and 20,000 words to go (eep!), but still, I'd rather not have any more interruptions, if you please!
Grrr. Sam keeps talking about steak in today's scene. It's making me terribly hungry for steak, but I'm not yet well enough to venture out to the grocery store. Guess I'll just have to make do with cheddar broccoli soup and some of my garlic/sundried tomato/pecan angel hair pasta. Delicious, but not as delicious as a nice rare steak. Dammit, Sam! Look what you've done! Maybe I can convince the local Outback Steakhouse to deliver. . . .