It's been awhile...

Hello out there...

Sometimes when I write a blog I feel like I'm sending my voice out into a dark empty cavern or deep space where "no one can hear you scream".

I went away to write a novel - and the novel swallowed me whole and spit me out a wiser woman than the one who blithely thought she knew what she was doing. I didn't. Novels are not short stories, or blog posts, and it took me awhile to figure out the structure. Thank goodness for all the resources not only at RWA and Rose City Romance Writers but though out the web (I'll confess more later).

They were great, but my learning curve was a bit of a bitch.

So I'm back - sent out my first new short story in ages to be rejected, or not. And I'm thinking about sex, stories, and sirens these days. Trying to get back into the writing/blogging/researching mode and I have no idea what will happen next - but where would be the fun if we knew.

~ Emma

NaNo - Day 16

Yep - I'm behind.

Several days behind... lovely cold I've had. One of the ones where you are so disguising that you worry your snot will cover the keyboard and you can't type because of the tissue that you are constantly holding to your nose.

I'm behind - but I'm also in love.

In my previous life I was a project manager. There are all sorts of tools out there for managing products and I am now officially in love with Scrivener. I now am the proud owner of Scrivener 2.0 and spent the morning avoiding NaNo and moving two of my projects to it.

Yesterday was the key moment - I was writing a scene that takes place in a oak forest and having trouble imagining what it would look like. So, I went and found a picture I liked - saved it to the Scrivener background, moved to full screen, and made my page translucent - it was like writing on the forest. Everything was there - the light through the trees,  the mossy ground, the gentle rise to the ancient oak tree, and suddenly the words came and I wasn't frustrated with my lack of imagination.

My hope is by playing with my new toy... sorry tool... I'll be able to catch up. Besides keeping all my research materials and text in one place.

Yep - a geek in love. Such a sad sad thing.

Licks!

NaNoWri Mo – Day 4

If you are following you know there were no stats last night… because I suck!

No, actually there was a really good reason. My brain simply told me “Not today love, I’ve got a headache”. ;-)

But today is a new day! And I can’t let my Region down –

We moved from 14^th to 11^th and I can’t help but want us make it into the top 10. Little Portland Oregon is with the likes of Melbourne, Toronto, The Twin Cities, and Chi Town. At the top is “all of Germany” (way to stack the deck guys) Seattle, Holland & Belgium (can you say stacking!), and London. We may never catch them – but it is fun to watch the stats.

I am an obsessive stats watcher –

What I need to be is an obsessive writer.

But yesterday served a purpose of it’s own. I got to watch National Geographic’s 2008 documentary on new archeological research being done around Stonehenge and read more of Ellis Davidson’s book on Northern European myths and symbols. They both gave me some intriguing ideas that will filter down into my novel….

What I really need to do now is turn off all the distractions and keep writing - because the only way to get better at it is to keep doing it. 

That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task itself has become easier, but that our ability to perform it has improved.

 Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)

Kind of like Sisyphus (image above) - I'm sure that boulder got easier as time went on.

Licks!

NaNoWriMo – Day 3

Not really how I expected to spend the morning…. But I suppose the bills have to be paid, the house picked up, not to mention garbage and recycling taken out... and yes phone call to the Mother. 

How incredibly mundane!

The plan today is the same – but I admit that there maybe a little wrinkle to my plan – it is absolutely gorgeous outside and I want to go out and play. 65 and sunny with a lovely brisk wind in November is amazing and not to be wasted.

Of course have Mac will travel…

Mmmm… that is a thought.  

I find it interesting that I can do the 3-Day Novel and write 10k a day and right now I’m struggling to write 3k. But then I’m not walking away from my life – rather writing and living at the same time – with all the interruptions that engenders.

Funny how life get in the way of art! Or smut!

But really, there are so many things to day to distract me, and they are things that actually need to get done. Okay, deep breath and onward…

Licks!

Day 2 Stats!!!

It was hard to finish the goals today since I’m also listening to returns… But my day is done!!!!!! Whoop!!!!!

So to the stats… 3,007 new words – 43,762 to go – 14.25% completed.

I have to say thank you to all my new friends at Rose City Romance Writers for their wonderful welcome today. I needed something good to happen and like magic they showed up and made my day.

Now back to the election returns….

Licks!