Monthly Archives: November 2016

NaNoWriMo Days 8-10: Farthest Away and Halfway Home

NaNoWriMo, NaNoWriMo2016

Life got in the way of updating the last few days, and I didn’t write too much the day of and after the election, but I’m back full force today.

I hit the halfway mark today, Day 10, and it feels good to refocus on what gives me purpose: putting thoughts onto the page. It feels in some way like a long hike to 50,000 and in other ways it’s not nearly enough. It’s a good feeling.

day-10a

Day 8 Stats:

  • Essay: “The Real Christmas Newsletter” 584 words
  • Essay: “Errant Blue Lines” 737 words

Daily Word Count: 1321

Total Word Count: 23,058

Day 9 Stats:

  • Essay: “Nothing is Funny Today” 847 words

Daily Word Count: 876

Total Word Count: 23,934

Today’s Stats:

  • Essay: “Dyspepsia: The Choice of a New Generation” 2873 words

Daily Word Count: 2873

Total Word Count: 26,807

 

NaNoWriMo Day 7 — Unfancy Report

NaNoWriMo, NaNoWriMo2016, Writing

I find it interesting that the short story I am working on is my slowest work and the one that rattles my confidence. I feel at this time I approach it from its blind spot and poke at it a little every day.

I’m not much of a short story writer. I was discouraged from writing fiction early on, and I’ve not yet confidently shaken that. To finish this piece and then to return to it in a month is one of my goals.

Every moment was filled today and still so many words. Today I tried talk-to-text for one of the essays, and I have to say it took me longer than it would have to write or type it. I felt more aware of how right or wrong everything sounded, and I began meta-crafting and editing and criticizing my work. I wonder if that is a function of that particular essay’s topic or of the talking process. I’ll revisit.

I love NaNoWriMo. I do not look forward to Dedit-cember.

Today’s Stats:

  • Essay: “The Real Christmas Newsletter” 209 words
  • Essay: “The Circle of Life: From Lonely Cheese Back to Farmer in the Dell Again” 1862 words
  • Short Story: “Pie Trauma” (working title) 1084 words

Daily Word Count: 3155

Total Word Count: 21, 737

NaNoWriMo Day 6. Also Skeet Shooting Season Starts Today.

NaNoWriMo, NaNoWriMo2016, Writing

We’re about three hours into skeet shooting season here in the town where I live. I know this because every damn shot makes me jump, and I’ve been jumping a lot today.

It has made writing a challenge today. I can’t focus on any one piece adequately, so I’m hopping around, adding a little here, throwing in a paragraph there, starting something new. My work is edgy today. Slow. Angry.

nanowrimo-day-6

And I’m shot, if you’ll pardon the pun. I hope I’ll be able to get a few more words in later today, maybe as the sun goes down and the skeets are all dead, but I have more words written than I did at the beginning of the day, and that’s something.

Also, I’m enjoying giving my writing silly working titles.

Today’s Stats:

  • Essay: “Pinatas and Glitter Girls” 614 words
  • Essay: “Processing the Leftovers” 1051 words
  • Essay: “Betty Off-Her-Crocker” 1156 words

Daily Word Count: 2821

Total Word Count: 18,582