NaNo Countdown: 3 hours

NaNoWriMo '10 is about to start and has already started for some of you. Exciting, right? More like terrifying. I just had my first case of Writer's Doubt and Panic and November hasn't even started yet. I'm not entirely sure where my story is going or if I even have an actual plot. Yes, I posted that bit about Caroline, but I don't think it's strong enough to carry the whole story. I've toyed with other ideas, both to improve this story and to pursue other options.

Panic is common, doubt even more so. Getting past that and getting words on the page is what makes you a writer.

NaNoWriMo in Years Past

I mentioned yesterday that this is my 4th year doing NaNoWriMo and since this blog is not old enough for me to have mentioned these before, I thought I'd make a list of the different stories I've attempted and the different issues I've faced in writing them (ie: why I didn't finish).

2006: The Elemental Spell: Fantasy/Humor
Main Idea: An alchemist in a parallel universe accidentally kidnaps two step-siblings from a Ferris wheel in our world when attempting a spell for beef Wellington. The three try to re-open the portal between the worlds to get the children home safely, but another alchemist wants to exploit it because Earth items are the biggest trend. Basically, all alchemists are Earth fanboys. Lots of satire, really stupid jokes, and a dictionary as a spellbook.
Why it Didn't Work: My computer died somewhere around 25k. It was tragic.
What Happened to It: I have since worked on this, but while I love it, I realize it's not entirely worth fixing. Someday I may rewrite it, but for now it would require too much effort to fix all the major faults.

2007: Reconnect: Realistic/YAL/Teen Drama
Main Idea: Two teens who live next door to each other and grew up as friends have grown apart by the time they enter high school and reconnect online. Delilah is sort of a preppy girl with good grades and a booming social life, but she's sometimes pressured into things by her friends that she doesn't want to do. Max(?) is a geeky shy guy who is one of the smartest kids in class, but sticks to the wayside.
Why it Didn't Work: It sucks. Sucks sucks sucks sucks. I gave up on it completely way before the ending and I can't believe I started it. Also, I'm not very good at realistic fiction, tends to bore me.
What Happened to It: About a year later I lost the document completely after a freak file naming accident. I have a few scraps on paper left over and a few pieces from my old writing blog, but for the most part it is gone. Which is good because it sucked, but I also sort of miss it, just because it was a piece of me.

2008: Nothing!


2009: Zenith: Science Fiction (YAL)
Main Idea: Rob's grandfather, Fagan, lives on one of the last true farms in existence, but he's being forced to move soon. Fagan doesn't want to leave his home, but more than that, he's hiding a plane illegally in the barn. Air travel no longer exists, outlawed for "safety reasons" by the government, but this turns out not to be true. After Rob discovers that his new friend Risty is part cyborg, she blackmails him and his grandfather into helping her discover the truth in what's really happening behind the clouds.
Why It Didn't Worked: For one, I got really attached and I loved it. The world was new to me, something I could create, but didn't have to be so far off from our own. But more than that, the characters felt real. They were distinct, but not unheard of, they had stories and faults and heart and I loved them to pieces, even when I disagreed with what they were doing. I had a good idea of who they characters were and what they wanted and where I wanted to go with the story and I went there. I reached a point when I didn't know what was going to happen next, but I kept on writing and well, that's when the good stuff happened.
What Happened to It: I have since finished writing Zenith and gone through a few rounds of edits. It is currently in the beta reading stage and once I have more time on my hands (Christmas break, most likely), I'm going to edit it again and once I feel I've done enough, I'm going to query it to agents.

NaNo Countdown: 8 Days!

Hey folks, it's just about that time again! That's right, it's the time when we give up sanity, sleep, and friends all for the sake of our writing!

This will be my fourth attempt at NaNoWriMo and if all goes well I will "win" for the second year in a row. I'll be honest with you folks, I want to win, but I'm not going to be as devoted as I was last year. My schedule is fairly crammed with school and work, more so than last Fall, but I am going to do my best. I'll budget my time and take advantage of my 3 hour schedule breaks between classes/work.

I wanted to try something new this year, so I'm attempting a story unlike any I've ever done. I'm writing a sports book. A sports book. I don't even play sports! I also don't write a lot of realistic fiction, so this might be a challenge for me.

Caroline Reyes is a competitive inline speed skater training for the Nationals. In an attempt to gain an edge and clock in some extra track time (and after a few dares & challenges), Caroline tries out for a roller derby team—and makes it. Despite skating almost her whole life, derby proves challenging to Caroline. She'll have to learn how to skate on four wheels, play as a team, and most importantly: take a hit. But what happens when she has to choose between her dream and her team?

Tonight I finally figured out all the girls on the main team (The Rockin' Rollers), both their real name and their derby names. I love how much a derby name says about a girl, whether they're fun, sexy, or smart, even what their interests are. These girls love poetry, music, science fiction shows, and cooking. Never has naming characters been more fun.

If you want to friend me on the NaNo site, my username is typesetjez!