So last time I wrote, I mentioned that I was going to be doing my own version of NaNoWriMo for the month of June and I thought I would give a little update.
1. NaNoWriMo is HARD.
Okay, so I knew this going in, but I don't think I fully understood just how hard it would be. I have so much more respect for the people who have successfully (or even unsuccessfully) participated in NaNoWriMo. It's so difficult to sit down and write that much every day. Of course, some days I wrote more, but other days I have been checking the word count after every sentence.
2. I'm terrible at consistency.
Okay, so here's what happened. June 1st came and I wrote *whispers* absolutely nothing. Yep, that's right. I went shopping for my sister's birthday gift and did not write. However, I compensated the next day by writing double. I then stayed on track for a couple of days. Then I had a weak day: I only wrote 400 words. No biggie, right? I can just make it up the next day. I definitely did not do that. I have also missed an entire week due to father's day, getting sick briefly, editing the completed manuscript, and other complications (including a seminar I took at my college that took more time than I thought it would and good old-fashioned laziness).
3. I'm extra-critical of myself.
I've definitely been beating myself up about not staying on track, but I'm learning to get better about that. I'm getting back on track today and not worrying about the time missed. That was part of the point of doing this not during actual NaNoWriMo: no pressure. Even with missed time, my manuscript has nearly tripled in length. I have written 2 complete manuscripts, one almost complete, and started this one and this is the first I have ever outlined. It's a rough outline, but an outline nonetheless. That has made it a lot easier to keep going. Thus far, I haven't had any cases of writer's block, which is basically a miracle, so my delays have been partially out of my control and partially in my control. I can't do anything about the out of control stuff, but I can work on my motivation. I'm going to try keeping to a writing schedule so that I write the same time every day. Unless I get super crazy, this won't be done by the end of June, but there's still a very real chance of finishing in early July and starting edits. So that's my goal.
I'm working on fueling my self-disappointment into better action in the future. It's a learning process! But what better way to learn than with something fun like writing? So off I go to write!
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Fun Updates!
It seems every time I write a new post here, I say something about how it's been forever and how I promise I'm going to be more consistent. It's the thought that counts?
Anyway, let's get to a few updates...
1. Life Updates
I am still teaching and loving it. I just finished my second year teaching high school English and it is such a rewarding job for me. I truly love my students and my subject matter.
New news! I have been officially accepted into graduate school! I've already taken a few classes, but in the fall, I will officially be pursuing a Master's of English Rhetoric. I'm pretty stoked about it. If you've been following this blog for any length of time, you'll know this has been a goal of mine for a long time and that many people (read: ACTUAL COLLEGE ADVISORS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HELPFUL AND SUPPORTIVE) have told me that I wouldn't be able to do so. I'm happy not just to prove them wrong (though that's fun, I won't lie), but above all, I'm happy to finally follow through on a long-time ambition. I will still be teaching and will be going to school part-time.
2. Writing Updates (the best kind...)
Manuscript #2 has been complete for some time as many of you know. Many moons ago, I had some writer friends read it and give me feedback. Their feedback was fantastic, but due to time constraints, busyness, and general confusion about where I wanted the manuscript to go led to a stall in progress. I started by making the simple, mechanical edits. Then I didn't look at it for months. I tried fixing some major sequencing problems but just got frustrated. Then I started writing a sequel (because that's helpful, right?). Then a friend asked me to read their manuscript and how could I resist (It was fabulous, in case you were wondering...)? After a while, I finally figured out what I was doing. I began closing a major plot hole to which my friends had drawn attention. Then I improved the surrounding writing. Then I made a few other smaller improvements.
And now?
IT IS PRINTED.
Yep, I reached that critical moment. I printed it. I squealed over it a little and then got down to business.
And then what happened?
Exam season started at school 😓 It's impossible to get anything creative done when you have to write exams, clean your classroom, help students review, wrap up other end-of-the-year stuff, get gifts for a retirement party, and try to get enough sleep.
But now, it is summer, and for the first time since I started college in 2012, I am not taking any classes of any kind over the summer, so I actually have quite a bit of free time this summer.
So I will now read through it and make some final edits and then I will have some different friends read it. Some will be writers, some not. I want a lot of perspectives. Hopefully (she said ambitiously) I will really have something by the end of the summer and will feel comfortable querying in the fall.
WHEW
(giphy.com)
Other writing updates:
Every November, there is an event called NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). If you haven't heard of it, basically it's an event for novel writers. These ambitious souls set out to write a novel in a month (writing about 1,667 words a day, give or take). It has always sounded like so much fun to me, but November is possibly the worst month of the year as a teacher AND a student because that is the busiest time of the academic calendar, so I've never participated.
I've decided to throw convention to the wind. Who says I have to participate during November? Why can't I do it in another month? Sure, I won't actually be participating in the official NaNoWriMo event, but who says I can't follow the 1667 guideline in another month when I have time?
As the non-conformist that I am, I have decided to do just that. This June, I will attempt to finish that sequel I started (I currently have about 5,000 words). Sure, it will probably be pretty terrible, but it will be written, which is the very important first step. Plus, it'll be a fun experience and a way to keep busy this summer as well as flex my creative muscles. I'm looking forward to it!
Also, I am always submitting short stories to magazines in the hopes of getting one of them published. Fingers crossed!
(giphy.com)
So those are all of my updates. Let me know your thoughts and have a wonderful summer! Maybe I'll actually post within a year this time! 😏
Anyway, let's get to a few updates...
1. Life Updates
I am still teaching and loving it. I just finished my second year teaching high school English and it is such a rewarding job for me. I truly love my students and my subject matter.
New news! I have been officially accepted into graduate school! I've already taken a few classes, but in the fall, I will officially be pursuing a Master's of English Rhetoric. I'm pretty stoked about it. If you've been following this blog for any length of time, you'll know this has been a goal of mine for a long time and that many people (read: ACTUAL COLLEGE ADVISORS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HELPFUL AND SUPPORTIVE) have told me that I wouldn't be able to do so. I'm happy not just to prove them wrong (though that's fun, I won't lie), but above all, I'm happy to finally follow through on a long-time ambition. I will still be teaching and will be going to school part-time.
2. Writing Updates (the best kind...)
Manuscript #2 has been complete for some time as many of you know. Many moons ago, I had some writer friends read it and give me feedback. Their feedback was fantastic, but due to time constraints, busyness, and general confusion about where I wanted the manuscript to go led to a stall in progress. I started by making the simple, mechanical edits. Then I didn't look at it for months. I tried fixing some major sequencing problems but just got frustrated. Then I started writing a sequel (because that's helpful, right?). Then a friend asked me to read their manuscript and how could I resist (It was fabulous, in case you were wondering...)? After a while, I finally figured out what I was doing. I began closing a major plot hole to which my friends had drawn attention. Then I improved the surrounding writing. Then I made a few other smaller improvements.
And now?
IT IS PRINTED.
Yep, I reached that critical moment. I printed it. I squealed over it a little and then got down to business.
And then what happened?
Exam season started at school 😓 It's impossible to get anything creative done when you have to write exams, clean your classroom, help students review, wrap up other end-of-the-year stuff, get gifts for a retirement party, and try to get enough sleep.
But now, it is summer, and for the first time since I started college in 2012, I am not taking any classes of any kind over the summer, so I actually have quite a bit of free time this summer.
So I will now read through it and make some final edits and then I will have some different friends read it. Some will be writers, some not. I want a lot of perspectives. Hopefully (she said ambitiously) I will really have something by the end of the summer and will feel comfortable querying in the fall.
WHEW
(giphy.com)Other writing updates:
Every November, there is an event called NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). If you haven't heard of it, basically it's an event for novel writers. These ambitious souls set out to write a novel in a month (writing about 1,667 words a day, give or take). It has always sounded like so much fun to me, but November is possibly the worst month of the year as a teacher AND a student because that is the busiest time of the academic calendar, so I've never participated.
I've decided to throw convention to the wind. Who says I have to participate during November? Why can't I do it in another month? Sure, I won't actually be participating in the official NaNoWriMo event, but who says I can't follow the 1667 guideline in another month when I have time?
As the non-conformist that I am, I have decided to do just that. This June, I will attempt to finish that sequel I started (I currently have about 5,000 words). Sure, it will probably be pretty terrible, but it will be written, which is the very important first step. Plus, it'll be a fun experience and a way to keep busy this summer as well as flex my creative muscles. I'm looking forward to it!
Also, I am always submitting short stories to magazines in the hopes of getting one of them published. Fingers crossed!
(giphy.com)So those are all of my updates. Let me know your thoughts and have a wonderful summer! Maybe I'll actually post within a year this time! 😏
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