Well I don't know how I've managed it, but I'm now at 26,846 words!
When I started this on the 1st, I wasn't sure that I'd have enough steam to keep going past the first few days but, to my great surprise, the words just keep on coming!
My great novel has actually turned into a series of interlinking stories - and it's going to be for children, as Unicorns and furry animals are involved, with a little moral to each story, although nothing earthstopping.
I'd written down some plans for a book I'd been hoping to write years ago, and for my daughter when she was young, and so I dusted the plans off, and decided that now might as well be the time to do it.
The strange thing I've found is that, as I write the stories, they are becoming more complex and real to me. My characters are developing 'character', and my descriptions of the world around them has become more in-depth and so, what started as a basic storyline for young children, is developing into something a bit more complex for the older child - it feels weird, but very natural in progression, somehow!
I know how the second half wants to be told, but I'm finding that it is writing itself in a slightly different way to the first - as if the story has matured, and now wants to be told in a fuller way, instead of a series of shorter stories - so I'm not sure how it's going to fit together in the end - I just know that I've got to keep writing it now! lol
Oh well, this won't get the story told, will it?
So I'll love you and leave you for now - and get back to you, to let you know how the second half continues!
A view through the window of my crafting life.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
The Eve of the Big Writefest!
Well, as from tommorrow, I'll be spending the next month in a writing frenzy (I hope), and will be doing the best I can to write those 50,000 words.
I got an email this evening from the Nano organisers and, as of this evening, they have had 90,000 writers register with them to do the big writing-fest - not bad from such small beginnings, and it goes to show how many of us have the urge to write that novel! lol
I've got my plot and characters all sorted out, so it's a case of setting to and getting the story that's inside me onto virtual paper and, as I'm knocked back health-wise again, and writing this on my faithful lappie while sitting up in bed, at least I won't have far to go if I collapse during the month!
I had a letter from the O.U. this morning, confirming my cancellation of the U211 course that I had been hoping to start in February and, although I know I did the right thing in cancelling it, it felt strange to hold that confirmation in my hand - a little bit like giving in to my health problems, if you like. Although I know it's the most sensible thing to do, there's a little bit of me that hates having to give in to my health problems, yet again! Grrrrrrr
Anyhoo, I'd better get on and do some practice typing, so that my fingers get used to doing 1,600-odd words a day, in order to reach the target in a month. I'll be letting you know how I get on as the month progresses - talk to you soon!
I got an email this evening from the Nano organisers and, as of this evening, they have had 90,000 writers register with them to do the big writing-fest - not bad from such small beginnings, and it goes to show how many of us have the urge to write that novel! lol
I've got my plot and characters all sorted out, so it's a case of setting to and getting the story that's inside me onto virtual paper and, as I'm knocked back health-wise again, and writing this on my faithful lappie while sitting up in bed, at least I won't have far to go if I collapse during the month!
I had a letter from the O.U. this morning, confirming my cancellation of the U211 course that I had been hoping to start in February and, although I know I did the right thing in cancelling it, it felt strange to hold that confirmation in my hand - a little bit like giving in to my health problems, if you like. Although I know it's the most sensible thing to do, there's a little bit of me that hates having to give in to my health problems, yet again! Grrrrrrr
Anyhoo, I'd better get on and do some practice typing, so that my fingers get used to doing 1,600-odd words a day, in order to reach the target in a month. I'll be letting you know how I get on as the month progresses - talk to you soon!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
I Think I Need Locking Up!
I know it's only a few days since the exams, but I have to confess to being bored silly! I've got so used to studying all the time that ,even with my Bible study, I don't feel I've enough to do - and I guess that's why I did what I did . . .
I was looking through various writer's sites (as you do) and came across a link for something called NaNoWriMo.com and, intrigued, decided to see what it was about.
Apparently, in 2001, a group of 21 people decided to see if they could write a 50,000-word novel in the space of a month, and they chose November as that month, and went ahead. They had so much fun doing it that they did it again the following year, then every year since until, last year, there were 69,000 people around the world doing it - the name of the site is National Novel Writers Month.
This intrigued me, and I decided that, as I was bored out of my skull, that I would have a go - so I signed up for it, and am one of 223 people in Wales to do so - although there might be a few more since yesterday (grin)
Writing a novel is probably what everyone who's ever put pen to paper has dreamed about doing and, when my daughter was little, I often wrote stories for her that friends said were good enough to publish - unfortunately, the publishers didn't think so and, after the 30th rejection slip, I put away my novelist persona, and slipped on something more practical (although I've managed to have 5 poems published in international anthologies - albeit not been paid for them!).
So I guess that this escapade is the last knockings of my little dream of being a novelist, and it will either kill, or expand, my deams of writing 'that' book (smile) we'll see at the end of November how it goes, anyway! lol
I was looking through various writer's sites (as you do) and came across a link for something called NaNoWriMo.com and, intrigued, decided to see what it was about.
Apparently, in 2001, a group of 21 people decided to see if they could write a 50,000-word novel in the space of a month, and they chose November as that month, and went ahead. They had so much fun doing it that they did it again the following year, then every year since until, last year, there were 69,000 people around the world doing it - the name of the site is National Novel Writers Month.
This intrigued me, and I decided that, as I was bored out of my skull, that I would have a go - so I signed up for it, and am one of 223 people in Wales to do so - although there might be a few more since yesterday (grin)
Writing a novel is probably what everyone who's ever put pen to paper has dreamed about doing and, when my daughter was little, I often wrote stories for her that friends said were good enough to publish - unfortunately, the publishers didn't think so and, after the 30th rejection slip, I put away my novelist persona, and slipped on something more practical (although I've managed to have 5 poems published in international anthologies - albeit not been paid for them!).
So I guess that this escapade is the last knockings of my little dream of being a novelist, and it will either kill, or expand, my deams of writing 'that' book (smile) we'll see at the end of November how it goes, anyway! lol
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
IT'S OVER!
Well I can safetly say that the course is over.
I did the exam today and, while I don't think I did that well, I also don't think it will be the disaster I had feared!
It was only this evening, while looking at the questions I had done, that I realised I'd missed out on one whole aspect of question one, that of performance - but I'm hoping that there was enough casually mentioned details included that could be taken as the missing element.
I quite enjoyed doing the prose section, and found plenty to say, which means that, with the way things are working out for me nowadays, I've probably got the total wrong end of the stick.
The poetry section was completed with me totally winging it, as my brain was a pile of sludge by the time I reached the last question and, although I managed to remember the technical aspects of poetry, I couldn't for the life of me remember even one line of the poems - just the jist of the stories told - so I think I'll barely scrape through with this section, if I'm lucky!
It won't be until December that I'm put out of my misery as to whether I've passed or failed, but at least I know that I've done my best and, if I fail, I can always take the resits!
One thing about doing the exam today, it has convinced me to cancel the U211 course in February. I struggled to remember what I did manage today, so I don't think I would stand a chance at remembering all the detail expected of me for this one.
I've already booked a 10-pointer to replace it, A177: Shakespeare: an introduction, and this will occupy 12 weeks of my time in a pleasant, but not too onerus way, while I wait out the time needed before the A215 Creative Writing course starts in October.
In the meantime, if I get cravings for the OU study way of life, they have a great OpenLearn site that lets you dabble in the courses without having to do anything major, so that will keep me out of trouble until my course starts!
Talk to you again soon!
I did the exam today and, while I don't think I did that well, I also don't think it will be the disaster I had feared!
It was only this evening, while looking at the questions I had done, that I realised I'd missed out on one whole aspect of question one, that of performance - but I'm hoping that there was enough casually mentioned details included that could be taken as the missing element.
I quite enjoyed doing the prose section, and found plenty to say, which means that, with the way things are working out for me nowadays, I've probably got the total wrong end of the stick.
The poetry section was completed with me totally winging it, as my brain was a pile of sludge by the time I reached the last question and, although I managed to remember the technical aspects of poetry, I couldn't for the life of me remember even one line of the poems - just the jist of the stories told - so I think I'll barely scrape through with this section, if I'm lucky!
It won't be until December that I'm put out of my misery as to whether I've passed or failed, but at least I know that I've done my best and, if I fail, I can always take the resits!
One thing about doing the exam today, it has convinced me to cancel the U211 course in February. I struggled to remember what I did manage today, so I don't think I would stand a chance at remembering all the detail expected of me for this one.
I've already booked a 10-pointer to replace it, A177: Shakespeare: an introduction, and this will occupy 12 weeks of my time in a pleasant, but not too onerus way, while I wait out the time needed before the A215 Creative Writing course starts in October.
In the meantime, if I get cravings for the OU study way of life, they have a great OpenLearn site that lets you dabble in the courses without having to do anything major, so that will keep me out of trouble until my course starts!
Talk to you again soon!
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