Before I say anything major, let me just say this: On my own terms, yes, I did win NaNoWriMo. On the YWP's terms, I won NaNoWriMo. Based on the outlines that are posted on the NaNoWriMo website, I won NaNo.
HOWEVER, last night at around 9 pm, I decided (well, not DECIDED, more like ENDED UP) to try and cram four hour's worth of typing into a mere hour and a half. Needless to say, that didn't end well.
In fact, it didn't end at all. My typing isn't done, and I'll still have a lot of finishing to do. But the point is, the novel is closer to finished than anything that I've ever done that's had to be more than 3000 words. So TECHNICALLY I finished something. YAY!!!
I still have a lot of work to do on all of it, including writing the ending and the last three battles, but I think it should count as having 'finished' something, because I 'finished' NaNo and I 'finished' writing 50,000 words. So that's that. It wasn't verified, nor was it all typed up by the time midnight rolled around last night. So there's that.
So even though I didn't TECHNICALLY win according to the NaNo website, I actually did. Make of that what you will (I don't entirely understand it, either). HOORAY FOR WRITING!!! That's all I have to say on the matter for right now. In a few minutes I have to leave and go to class. YAY!!! (It's creative writing. Creative writing is good).
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The Afternoon of Sore Fingers
Well, as I was stupid and didn't email myself the updated and school-network-compatible version of the novel (which I DID create right after I had posted), I wasn't able to type at school today during my free blocks. Which means that today, in addition to doing precalc homework and AP reading and room cleaning, I'm going to be typing for HOURS. And HOURS. And HOURS. I'll only be stopping my typing, in fact, to eat, sleep, and do homework. And probably not sleep. I'll probably be replacing 'sleep' with 'watching Glee for an hour and typing during the commercial breaks, of which there are many.'
This is because I'm currently four words shy of 29000, which means I need approximately 21004 more words before midnight. This, like a lot of the endeavors that I have undertaken lately, isn't going to end well.
For all of you fellow NaNo-ers who are happen to be reading this (I bet none of you are, because at least SOME of you have to be in a similar situation to mine), good luck and godspeed. I think we'll all need it.
This is because I'm currently four words shy of 29000, which means I need approximately 21004 more words before midnight. This, like a lot of the endeavors that I have undertaken lately, isn't going to end well.
For all of you fellow NaNo-ers who are happen to be reading this (I bet none of you are, because at least SOME of you have to be in a similar situation to mine), good luck and godspeed. I think we'll all need it.
Monday, November 29, 2010
AAAHH!
For once I have nothing to say or do. Except for doing homework. And typing. And stuff. The most annoying thing that's happened so far today is that I did a LOT of typing at school and, although I hit 'save' multiple times, the progress wasn't saved. And now I've lost two hours worth of typing. AAAHHH!!!
The good part is that I've won on the Young Writer's Program's terms, and I've technically won on the Official NaNo's terms, but the Official NaNo's page can't recognize it yet because I can't verify it yet because I haven't typed fifty thousand words. Yet.
Am I making any sense here?
The point is, it's frustrating, and I should be typing my story so I can do my homework when I get back from tae kwon do, but instead I'm here ranting.
I also just saved the current version of the story in a public-school-system-network-compatible mode, so I can actually save it properly when I do a lot of typing tomorrow. And I WILL be typing a LOT tomorrow. Tomorrow is also the day that I don't have any activities in the afternoon aside from room-cleaning.
Keyboard, prepare to meet your worst nightmare.
The good part is that I've won on the Young Writer's Program's terms, and I've technically won on the Official NaNo's terms, but the Official NaNo's page can't recognize it yet because I can't verify it yet because I haven't typed fifty thousand words. Yet.
Am I making any sense here?
The point is, it's frustrating, and I should be typing my story so I can do my homework when I get back from tae kwon do, but instead I'm here ranting.
I also just saved the current version of the story in a public-school-system-network-compatible mode, so I can actually save it properly when I do a lot of typing tomorrow. And I WILL be typing a LOT tomorrow. Tomorrow is also the day that I don't have any activities in the afternoon aside from room-cleaning.
Keyboard, prepare to meet your worst nightmare.
Day 29: Win! (Sorta...)
For the record, I've technically won NaNo. No, I didn't type up 25000 words last night and verify it on the website, but I HAVE written 50000 words. (this is where the 'sorta' bit of the title comes in) I created an account on the Young Writer's Program, set my word goal for 25000, typed about 100 words on a school laptop, and verified it there. So TECHNICALLY I've won. I still want to verify on the official website so I can ACTUALLY say that I've won. So that's that.
In other news, I have a total of around four hours between today and tomorrow to actually do all this typing that I'm talking about. Which means that I'm now going to stop blogging and start typing.
I'm most definitely going to be keeping this story going while I can, but I'm not sure how long it'll take. As NaNo ends tomorrow, I'm not going to actually have to USE all the discipline I needed during the month of November (Well, maybe I will...), because I have an indefinite period of time in which to write an indefinite number of words, and I'm not going to actually have a lot of time (all my writing during school will be thrown out of the window in favor of using my free blocks for homework next month, as the rehearsal schedule will be stepped up kind of a lot).
In short, if you're going to be seeing me regularly next summer, expect me to have replaced my knitting needles and yarn for my journal and pencil case, because, in all honesty, when else am I going to finish it?
In other news, I have a total of around four hours between today and tomorrow to actually do all this typing that I'm talking about. Which means that I'm now going to stop blogging and start typing.
I'm most definitely going to be keeping this story going while I can, but I'm not sure how long it'll take. As NaNo ends tomorrow, I'm not going to actually have to USE all the discipline I needed during the month of November (Well, maybe I will...), because I have an indefinite period of time in which to write an indefinite number of words, and I'm not going to actually have a lot of time (all my writing during school will be thrown out of the window in favor of using my free blocks for homework next month, as the rehearsal schedule will be stepped up kind of a lot).
In short, if you're going to be seeing me regularly next summer, expect me to have replaced my knitting needles and yarn for my journal and pencil case, because, in all honesty, when else am I going to finish it?
Sunday, November 28, 2010
General announcement
Hello!! Before I begin my daily rant, I'm sending out a general PSA: If you want to read what I have typed up of my novel (here meaning if you want to read the prologue - I'm not giving the entirety of it out to anybody until it's done), then you can email me.
If you don't want to read it and/ or don't know what my email is, then you are just going to have to wait until the novel's published. IF it's published.
Point is, if you don't know my email, the novel (or parts therein) will be unavailable until you figure out my email and/ or some big-time publisher decides they want to publish my novel. (hint: if you know me, facebook me).
Anyway, daily rant time: I'm a horrible procrastinator and shouldn't be blogging right now because I have some typing and some AP reading to do. Also, I've set a personal goal for this to be the first night since Thanksgiving that I don't stay up until midnight or later. Which means I probably should stop blogging and start doing some AP reading and script typing and novel writing and stuff.
Goodbye.
If you don't want to read it and/ or don't know what my email is, then you are just going to have to wait until the novel's published. IF it's published.
Point is, if you don't know my email, the novel (or parts therein) will be unavailable until you figure out my email and/ or some big-time publisher decides they want to publish my novel. (hint: if you know me, facebook me).
Anyway, daily rant time: I'm a horrible procrastinator and shouldn't be blogging right now because I have some typing and some AP reading to do. Also, I've set a personal goal for this to be the first night since Thanksgiving that I don't stay up until midnight or later. Which means I probably should stop blogging and start doing some AP reading and script typing and novel writing and stuff.
Goodbye.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Day 27: I'm beginning to see a trend...
What is that trend, you may ask? The trend is this: The only forward progress that I've made for the last few days is when, knowing I can sleep in the following day, I've done all of that day's writing at/ near/ after midnight.
Which means that I've had very little forward progress lately.
And also that I'm not going to be able to keep this up after Thanksgiving break.
I also haven't been able to do a lot of typing today due to lack of motivation and lack of time Why lack of time? Driver's ed. Why lack of motivation? Driver's ed. The good news is that today was my last day of driver's ed, though I didn't get my license or my court date, due to a lot of annoying events that I don't really want to go into right now.
But I will (hopefully) get enough homework done before I go hang out with my friends tonight (we're going to see "Tangled..." it looks really good) so I can do some serious typing before I get picked up. Well, serious enough typing that I can say I made headway on typing.
Or something.
Which means I have to go read about some dudes who died in the 19th century. And figure out resultant vectors. And stuff.
Although history is cool and all, I've always found other countrys' histories cooler than ours. Maybe it's because their history hasn't been pounded into my head since I was seven. I don't know, though.
Which means that I've had very little forward progress lately.
And also that I'm not going to be able to keep this up after Thanksgiving break.
I also haven't been able to do a lot of typing today due to lack of motivation and lack of time Why lack of time? Driver's ed. Why lack of motivation? Driver's ed. The good news is that today was my last day of driver's ed, though I didn't get my license or my court date, due to a lot of annoying events that I don't really want to go into right now.
But I will (hopefully) get enough homework done before I go hang out with my friends tonight (we're going to see "Tangled..." it looks really good) so I can do some serious typing before I get picked up. Well, serious enough typing that I can say I made headway on typing.
Or something.
Which means I have to go read about some dudes who died in the 19th century. And figure out resultant vectors. And stuff.
Although history is cool and all, I've always found other countrys' histories cooler than ours. Maybe it's because their history hasn't been pounded into my head since I was seven. I don't know, though.
Friday, November 26, 2010
nearing the end
As NaNoWriMo has (nearly) drawn to a close, and so I would like to take the time (before my hands cramp up from FAR too much writing) to put up a random list of stuff that's happened:
1. gotten an ink tattoo: yes
2. Days Gotten Behind: a lot
3. Abused caffiene: surprisingly not
4. Stayed up past midnight to write: yes
5. Written more than twelve pages in a day: I think so
6. miscalculated my average word/ page count for handwriting: a lot
7. Hit 50,000 words: I'm pretty sure.
8. Day I'm Going To Verify My Word Count: if nothing goes wrong, Sunday or Monday, Tuesday at latest. Tuesday is the deadline anyway, so whatever.
But I've noticed something, and it's part of the reason WHY I didn't want to type before I got to the end of the novel - I keep adding a lot of elaboration from text to screen, and, while it DOES add to my word count, it also drastically pads my page/ word count, so I'm not entirely sure that is entirely legal in the NaNo sense - does it count as editing? I hope not...
I think the hardest part about it is that, although I don't to stray too far from what I've written during the month, I DO want to get my extra little added stuff in there that I thought of when I was typing it (WORD COUNT EXTRAS!).
However, sometimes, if I attempt to 'step back and think about it,' the 'word count extras' could wind up being turned into ' unintended plot-changing dilemmas.'
This can also happen when you don't go back and read some stuff about the prophecy that you mentioned in chapters 1-10 when you actually WRITE the prophecy in chapter 37.
I guess this is what editing is for. Also, I think it's also the reason J.K. Rowling didn't pull off writing "Order of the Phoneix" in a month.
Or any other of the Harry Potter novels in a month, either.
1. gotten an ink tattoo: yes
2. Days Gotten Behind: a lot
3. Abused caffiene: surprisingly not
4. Stayed up past midnight to write: yes
5. Written more than twelve pages in a day: I think so
6. miscalculated my average word/ page count for handwriting: a lot
7. Hit 50,000 words: I'm pretty sure.
8. Day I'm Going To Verify My Word Count: if nothing goes wrong, Sunday or Monday, Tuesday at latest. Tuesday is the deadline anyway, so whatever.
But I've noticed something, and it's part of the reason WHY I didn't want to type before I got to the end of the novel - I keep adding a lot of elaboration from text to screen, and, while it DOES add to my word count, it also drastically pads my page/ word count, so I'm not entirely sure that is entirely legal in the NaNo sense - does it count as editing? I hope not...
I think the hardest part about it is that, although I don't to stray too far from what I've written during the month, I DO want to get my extra little added stuff in there that I thought of when I was typing it (WORD COUNT EXTRAS!).
However, sometimes, if I attempt to 'step back and think about it,' the 'word count extras' could wind up being turned into ' unintended plot-changing dilemmas.'
This can also happen when you don't go back and read some stuff about the prophecy that you mentioned in chapters 1-10 when you actually WRITE the prophecy in chapter 37.
I guess this is what editing is for. Also, I think it's also the reason J.K. Rowling didn't pull off writing "Order of the Phoneix" in a month.
Or any other of the Harry Potter novels in a month, either.
Day 26: Typing
OKAY, no stats today. Why? Although I hand-wrote a page and a bit last night (it was after midnight. It counts.), I'm going to be doing a TON of typing today. And, unless I'm very much mistaken, this is going to take FOREVER. Why? Because I've made it to page 33 in typing. I'm currently on page 190 in handwriting. So don't expect any forward progress today, just some random stuff about how annoying this typing-stuff-up thing is. On the up-side, it means that I'm ALMOST DONE! YAY! (Well, almost done with the stuff in the NaNo run. I still plan to be finishing the novel by hand when I hit 50,000 words typed).
So that's all I have to tell you for today. Well, aside from the fact that Harry Potter 7.1 is perhaps the BEST MOVIE EVER!!! They did a lot of stuff REALLY well, especially Dobby's death. It was the closest I have ever come to crying in a movie since Will nearly died in Pirates of the Caribbean 3. I was looking at the wands, too - I wanted to see whether my wand was a replica of anyone in the movies's. It turns out that it could belong to one of two people: Kingsley Shackelbolt or Narcissa Malfoy.
And now I am going to go type my sorry little hands off. See you later.
So that's all I have to tell you for today. Well, aside from the fact that Harry Potter 7.1 is perhaps the BEST MOVIE EVER!!! They did a lot of stuff REALLY well, especially Dobby's death. It was the closest I have ever come to crying in a movie since Will nearly died in Pirates of the Caribbean 3. I was looking at the wands, too - I wanted to see whether my wand was a replica of anyone in the movies's. It turns out that it could belong to one of two people: Kingsley Shackelbolt or Narcissa Malfoy.
And now I am going to go type my sorry little hands off. See you later.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
AAAAHHHH!!!!
I know that the NaNoWriMo website SAYS I've written 4,000 words today.
Although I appreciate their prediction that I'll finish the 50,000 word goal by tomorrow, I would like to point out that, for the record, the words-today count isn't entirely true.
See, as I've begun typing up my novel (or beginnings of it, anyway), I've found that my words per page average was not, as I so long believed, 250 words - in fact, it is closer to 260. So, having started on page 176 today, I'd actually written closer to 46,000 words, not 44,000, before I began my writing today. So I updated my word count for that. And I just spent a TON of time writing (nine pages, punks! You do the math of how many words that is, I'm too brain dead to figure it out), so that means I put in another 2,000-ish words.
And that means that, according to the NaNo website, between the 2,000 word sitting and my true word count update, I wrote (not really) 4,000 words today. And that means, according to the When You'll Finish Predictor, I'll be meeting the 50,000 word goal tomorrow.
Even though I'm going to end up going for 60,000, and "Thanksgiving Break" means "Ink-Staining Break" for me, I'm going to stay with 50,000 for now.
Why? Because, unlike most people, I hand-wrote my novel. Which means that, after tomorrow, when I officially get my ink tattoo, I'll have to type the whole thing up so I can actually verify that I wrote 50,000 words. Even I don't know for sure.
And there's another thing: you HAVE to verify between tomorrow and the end of the month. In other words, I can't meet my personal page count during my free blocks and then finish typing up the thing on December 2nd and verify then - it has to be by the 30th of November.
So I'm going to finish this notebook - I'm on page 187 - hopefully by Friday and type it up over the weekend.
Which means that, for the record, although I'm not entirely allowed to say this yet, I'm going to say it anyway:
For all ye doubters, SUCK IT!!!!!
Although I appreciate their prediction that I'll finish the 50,000 word goal by tomorrow, I would like to point out that, for the record, the words-today count isn't entirely true.
See, as I've begun typing up my novel (or beginnings of it, anyway), I've found that my words per page average was not, as I so long believed, 250 words - in fact, it is closer to 260. So, having started on page 176 today, I'd actually written closer to 46,000 words, not 44,000, before I began my writing today. So I updated my word count for that. And I just spent a TON of time writing (nine pages, punks! You do the math of how many words that is, I'm too brain dead to figure it out), so that means I put in another 2,000-ish words.
And that means that, according to the NaNo website, between the 2,000 word sitting and my true word count update, I wrote (not really) 4,000 words today. And that means, according to the When You'll Finish Predictor, I'll be meeting the 50,000 word goal tomorrow.
Even though I'm going to end up going for 60,000, and "Thanksgiving Break" means "Ink-Staining Break" for me, I'm going to stay with 50,000 for now.
Why? Because, unlike most people, I hand-wrote my novel. Which means that, after tomorrow, when I officially get my ink tattoo, I'll have to type the whole thing up so I can actually verify that I wrote 50,000 words. Even I don't know for sure.
And there's another thing: you HAVE to verify between tomorrow and the end of the month. In other words, I can't meet my personal page count during my free blocks and then finish typing up the thing on December 2nd and verify then - it has to be by the 30th of November.
So I'm going to finish this notebook - I'm on page 187 - hopefully by Friday and type it up over the weekend.
Which means that, for the record, although I'm not entirely allowed to say this yet, I'm going to say it anyway:
For all ye doubters, SUCK IT!!!!!
Day 24: the end is near
Pages Today: 3
Pages Left Today: 13
Current Page: 179
Page To End On: 192
Location: Shakani's house is very, very interesting. And big. And has a lot of doors. And is very confusing. And I don't know what to throw at them except for having them split up to explore, which they have now done. This is supposed to be a benign place, but still. SOMETHING has to happen, or else the readers will just leave after Chapter 35 (which is my current chapter. I abuse chapter breaks, I know). And that won't be fun. SO yeah. I'm having writer's block because of this. They need to get through Shakani's house (which is very old and was built in feudal times and is therefore very large and complicated), but I need to have something big happen to them. Like, I don't know, a minotaur storms them or something. But I CAN'T have a minotaur storm them, because Shakani, although she is immensely cool and her house is historic enough to become a national monument, the house isn't big enough to fit a minotaur without knocking down a few walls and some ceilings. Also, minotaurs are Greek, and Shakani comes from the equivalent of an Asian culture.
So does anyone know about any Asian mythological creatures that live in houses without the necessity of knocking down walls and/ or ceilings and/ or killing the inhabitants?
Pages Left Today: 13
Current Page: 179
Page To End On: 192
Location: Shakani's house is very, very interesting. And big. And has a lot of doors. And is very confusing. And I don't know what to throw at them except for having them split up to explore, which they have now done. This is supposed to be a benign place, but still. SOMETHING has to happen, or else the readers will just leave after Chapter 35 (which is my current chapter. I abuse chapter breaks, I know). And that won't be fun. SO yeah. I'm having writer's block because of this. They need to get through Shakani's house (which is very old and was built in feudal times and is therefore very large and complicated), but I need to have something big happen to them. Like, I don't know, a minotaur storms them or something. But I CAN'T have a minotaur storm them, because Shakani, although she is immensely cool and her house is historic enough to become a national monument, the house isn't big enough to fit a minotaur without knocking down a few walls and some ceilings. Also, minotaurs are Greek, and Shakani comes from the equivalent of an Asian culture.
So does anyone know about any Asian mythological creatures that live in houses without the necessity of knocking down walls and/ or ceilings and/ or killing the inhabitants?
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Fall Formal photos
Well, I have FINALLY uploaded my fall formal photos onto facebook. Go on there if you want to see most of them. HOWEVER, I have offically found my new favorite photo:
Yes, that is me, in case you were wondering. And yes, that is my fedora. And yes, if you want to see the other photos, you MUST get a facebook/ have one already. Strapless dress + fedora = love.
Day 23: way behind
Pages Written Today: 2
Pages Left Today: 14
Page Started On: 168
Page To End On: 184
Location In Story: beginning third part of journey, about to enter Creepy Lani Forest. Soon they will meet Lady Shakani (formerly Lady Stella). YAY!! Well, the fact that I'm probably not going to get any sleep tonight again isn't fun. But I like Lady Shakani. Because she's awesome. And stuff. But I also was really stupid and didn't get a ton of writing done yesterday (DARN YOU AP CLASSES! The reading I did late last night didn't even end up being due today), and because I have been chronically behind since last week, I hit Sunday's quota yesterday. And so I'm way behind. And I should be writing right now.
But I'm blogging and listening to my friends discuss Harry Potter. And one of my friends just randomly decided to insult Andrew Jackson right as people were discussing how the guy who plays Fenrir Greyback apparently doesn't look like Fenrir Greyback at all and they had to sculpt his face on. Weird.
I'm EXTREMELY psyched to see Harry Potter 7.1 on Thursday.
And for the fact that my brother is coming home tonight.
And the fact that this afternoon is the beginning of Thanksgiving break. YAY!
I probably won't be sleeping all of this weekend because I'm going to be writing so much.
And watching 'Harry Potter.' And eating Thanksgiving dinner and stuff.
So... yeah.
Pages Left Today: 14
Page Started On: 168
Page To End On: 184
Location In Story: beginning third part of journey, about to enter Creepy Lani Forest. Soon they will meet Lady Shakani (formerly Lady Stella). YAY!! Well, the fact that I'm probably not going to get any sleep tonight again isn't fun. But I like Lady Shakani. Because she's awesome. And stuff. But I also was really stupid and didn't get a ton of writing done yesterday (DARN YOU AP CLASSES! The reading I did late last night didn't even end up being due today), and because I have been chronically behind since last week, I hit Sunday's quota yesterday. And so I'm way behind. And I should be writing right now.
But I'm blogging and listening to my friends discuss Harry Potter. And one of my friends just randomly decided to insult Andrew Jackson right as people were discussing how the guy who plays Fenrir Greyback apparently doesn't look like Fenrir Greyback at all and they had to sculpt his face on. Weird.
I'm EXTREMELY psyched to see Harry Potter 7.1 on Thursday.
And for the fact that my brother is coming home tonight.
And the fact that this afternoon is the beginning of Thanksgiving break. YAY!
I probably won't be sleeping all of this weekend because I'm going to be writing so much.
And watching 'Harry Potter.' And eating Thanksgiving dinner and stuff.
So... yeah.
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