Nanowrimo 2010: Writing Progress, Day 12

I'm now at 42K. If I wanted to reach 50K by Sunday night (and you never know if I might just decide to try), I will have to write approximately 3,988 words per day for the next two days. Or, to make it a little easier, to finish by Monday night (halfway through the month), I'd have to write 2,659 words per day. I can do it. Stranger things have happened. ;)

Today's word count: 1,901
Novel's word count: 42,024
Novel's page count: 71

Now, to get to 100K by the 30th, I still have to write an average of 3,221 words per day...that's if my story holds out long enough. The way it's going, I don't see any reason why it can't. Anyone want to make any bets on whether or not I can do it? :P

Anyway, today I took it easy. I just wanted to write a certain scene I had in mind. However, I scrapped that scene and created a new one. So, now there's a new victim. Hunter, my main character (MC) won't get wind of this one right away, since the man died in another state. However, circumstances will bring this victim's story to the national news, and he'll eventually find out.

And the ghost is changing with every life she takes. She has a specific goal in mind, and she won't stop until she makes it happen.

My hero, though, is very smart, resourceful, and resilient. He'll get through this. :)

And now I'm off to shower, then read for a bit...and maybe do some knitting.

Lois

Nanowrimo 2010: Writing Progress, Day 11:

 

I've hit 40K a day ahead of schedule! :D

Today's word count: 4,412
Novel's word count: 40,168
Novel's page count: just over 68

Today, my MC had a phone call from his aunt, a woman he has harbored very bad feelings for over the past two and a half decades. He wasn't going to see her, but the love interest told him he should. She said he should forgive her--not for the aunt's benefit, but for his own.

Then he visited his aunt in prison. He gets her to tell him what really happened to make his sister commit suicide. He doesn't want to hear it, but feels he has to. He needs to know so he'll have closure. He finds more than that when he discovers that his aunt was as much a victim as his sister was.

All this was one long chapter. I still have the next two chapters lined out, and I'll work on the first one of those tomorrow.

Lois

Nanowrimo 2010: Writing Progress, Day 10:

 

Now for a writing update. ;)

Today's word count: 2,995
Novel's word count: 35,756
Novel's page count: 61

I continued the chapter I began last night, so I haven't worked on the three chapters I still have lined up. I'll work on the next one tomorrow.

It's been an intense writing day, I can say that for sure. Lots happening, and my MC is about to get a call from someone in his past he'd rather not hear from. It will dredge up a lot of unpleasant (and that's putting it mildly) memories. He will go to visit this person, and the visit will affect him deeply in ways that he never thought it could. I can't wait to write it. :)

Lois

OMG! A Real Update!!!!!

Wow! I just realized yesterday afternoon that I haven't posted anything but the devos and my Nanowrimo progress in a long time, so thought I'd post something today.

In fact, there hasn't really been much going on here, which would account for my not posting anything lately. The biggest news is that our washing machine has gone kaput. We've used the laundromat for the past two weekends, washing them there and bringing them home to dry in our dryer, which is also, I'm sure, on its last leg. And Jeff has a makeshift clothesline outside on which he hangs his jeans. I won't let him hang my clothes out there.

Speaking of Jeff, he's still working, but he's not bringing home the pay he was making before the layoffs. I guess that won't happen until sometime in January...if we're lucky. Things are pretty tight right now. Thanksgiving and Christmas will be pretty lean.

The kids' check engine light has come on, so they're taking it easy on their car. Eric's still making it to work, but they're not driving all the way out here to do their laundry (and of course, why would they want to when all we have is a dryer anyway?), so they've been using the same laundromat we use. They seem to be doing well. We took them to the grocery store on Saturday, then visited with them for a few minutes afterward. We'd totally forgotten about the groceries in the trunk! :P

I saw some picture's of Leah's baby, Cyrus, on the Internet. He's so cute! :D

This past weekend, Jeff stayed inside with the laundry while I went out to the car to write. It was his suggestion. It seemed I'd barely gotten started when the laundry was done! :P

I've been cutting back on carbs lately. I think I've cut the amount in half, at least, and probably more. I'm not really counting them. I'm just being more mindful of how much I eat, and if I fix something that has lots of carbs (like potatoes or pasta), I take a lot less, or I pass on it altogether. I'm certainly not going hungry, and that's a good thing. I'm just hoping I can lose some weight this way. It will take time, but I need to do it. I feel much, much better when I'm thinner.

I added 2,266 words to my novel last night at the write-in. That brought my day's word count to 5,354 and my novel's word count to 32,982! Today, I'll be getting into some more interesting writing, and I'm really excited about it. I should have no problem reaching 40K by Friday afternoon. :)

Oh! My betta died. :( He was doing so well, then the temps took a nosedive and he just couldn't handle the colder temperatures. At least, I'm pretty sure that's what the problem was. I was changing his water every week and refilling it with water from the large aquarium. All the other fish and frogs are doing great, so it can't be the water. I don't think I'll be getting another betta until the spring. Hopefully, by then, we'll be able to afford a small aquarium with a heater.

I've begun reading 'Salem's Lot, by Stephen King. So far, it's really good, but the scariest thing has been an encounter the main character had with a ghost(?) when he was nine. He was telling the story to someone else. It wasn't really that scary, but I'm sure the book will get a lot more so as I continue reading. :) One thing I really like about King is his ability to describe everything without making it feel dry and boring. He's really, really good at it.

I've also discovered the music group, 30 Seconds to Mars. I mostly listen to Christian rock with a little secular music mixed in. I stumbled across 30 Seconds to Mars one day and I fell in love with their sound. :) Disciple and Manic Drive are still my favorites though, followed closely by Forever and 30 Seconds to Mars. ;)

Well, I've got to get off here and get to writing. Here's hoping the rest of your week is a great one!

Lois

Nanowrimo 2010: Writing Progress, Day 9:

 

I told my writing buddies that I was shooting for 30K by the end of the day, and I've done it! :)

Today's word count: 3,088
Novel's word count: 30,106
Novel's page count: 52

Today's writing involved a camping trip and a haunting. It was quite invigorating thinking up how two very different young women would react in an encounter with the ghost. One of them cowered in fear while the other faced her fears head on. It was great! :D

There was also a wedding proposal.

I'll be going to Sweet Bay tonight for the weekly Nanowrimo Write-In, and I'm hoping to get 2K+ words, bringing my daily total up over 5K. That would be awesome! I'm shooting for 40K by the end of this week, and at this rate, I may surpass that, as well. LOL

Lois

Nanowrimo 2010: Writing Progress, Day 8:

Hahahahaha! I wanted to reach 25K by the end of today, and I've done it! *happy dance*

Today's word count: 5,628
Novel's word count: 27,018
Page Count: 46

Note: If you're keeping up with the math (which I'm sure no one is), you'll find that the numbers don't match up perfectly. That's because I look back over what I've written, and I sometimes add or change things. These changes are always minor, but they add or subtract a few words.

So, in today's writing, my MC saw two news stories on the news about the two murder victims. He knew about the first from when the police questioned him. He didn't know about the second one, and it gave him chills.

Then he called the older brother, the one with the device, and showed him what he found on it...a recording hidden under layers of white noise.

He also admitted that there was a time when he wanted to get back at the younger brothers for his wife's death. He'd blamed them, but eventually realized that it wasn't anyone's fault. The freak ice storm had been to blame.

Then the two of them went to talk to a witness to the second murder. My MC took pity on the witness, a lonely girl of about 21, and offered her friendship. He also told her that if she ever needs someone to talk to--day or night, about anything, no matter how insignificant--that she can call him. He feels something for her, but won't take advantage of a vulnerable woman, no matter how strongly he is attracted to her.

I've already got the next three chapters planned out (just the "barebones," but that's all I had to go on today, and you can see from my word count that it was more than enough), so I have an idea of what to write tomorrow. :)

It's been a great writing day for me. Now I need to catch up online and see what else I can get into.

Lois

Nanowrimo 2010: Writing Progress, Day 7:

 

I met my weekend goal of 20K! :D

Today's word count: 2,623
Novel's word count: 21,368
Novel's page count: 36

There is some mystery involved in today's writing. There is also an interrogation, of sorts. And another ghostly encounter.

Thankfully, there were no murders. ;)

Someone new will be murdered, though, and my main character will be the most likely suspect...especially when the police discover that he has a connection to each and every victim.

But he is innocent! He swears it!

Will the police believe him? And will those closest to him stand by him? Or will they turn their backs on him when it looks more and more like he is, indeed, guilty?

I'll be mapping out the next two or three chapters shortly. Right now, I need to finish posting. And I need to update my Nano page to reflect my current word count.

Lois