Martin Livings

Yeah, I'm not doing these every day this time around. Just from time to time.

NaNoWriMo Day Five
Target: 8330
Written: 10103
Position: +1773



( Blather about the book beneath the cut... )

So, yesterday on Facebook, I bragged to mikandra that I wasn't going to plan anything to write for my NaNoWriMo this year, just go with the flow. Nothing in mind.

Yeah.

Then I went to bed and continued reading kaaronwarren's Slights, struck by the voice and style she's using in it, a personal, rambling Palahniuk-esque flavour. It reminded me of how I once intended to write a book I've been thinking about for some years now, a non-genre novel called Mister Phoenix. I've tried to figure this book out dozens of times over the years, but could never crack it.

I turned out the light, closed my eyes, tried to go to sleep.

Then Mister Phoenix appeared before me, almost complete. I saw the entire book, from the opening line to its conclusion. I saw the characters, the voices of the characters, the method of the storytelling. And I saw that it just might work.

It's hard sharing a bed with a writer, just ask my sweety. I leapt out, ran to the study, and frantically typed some notes (not too many, mind you!) before they faded. Then I went back to bed.

Today it's not quite as clear as it was last night, but it's still there. And it's a book and a style that will benefit from the quick-fire method of NaNo, it needs to be a stream of consciousness, entirely subjective and as unstructured as I can bring myself to be [1].

Now I have to wait a fortnight for NaNoWriMo to start. I can hardly wait!

[1] I'm a ridiculously structured writer, it's one of my worst flaws. Before I start a book, I usually decide how many chapters I'm going to write and how long each will be. Kind of kills the spontenaeity of it, huh?

Fifty thousand words in thirteen days. Done and dusted.

Somehow, NaNoWriMo doesn't feel like that much of a challenge anymore. ;)

Technically, I could just stop. I've reached my word goal. But y'know what? I kinda want to know what happens to Harry and Ileana. Hopefully a few other people do too. So I'll finish the damn book. Only six more chapters to go! Oooooh!

But, NaNoWriMo-wise... stick a fork in me, I'm done.

Yes, on that cliffhanger, I'm going to leave it for a few days, as I'm going to be without Internet and computer for a couple of days. But I'll be back at the coalface bright and early on Monday morning, ready to write the next two of the final ten chapters in my masterpiece (cough cough!).

I've got two words for those chapters already, so I just need four more. However, if there are more than four more offered, I'll start applying them to the chapters that follow these. So, theoretically, the whole course of the rest of the book could be laid out if I get, um, around thirty-odd more words over the weekend. :)

Have a great weekend, all, and prepare yourselves for the soul-shattering conclusion to the entirely-pulled-out-of-my-arse magnificent octopus that is Obituary!!!!!!!

Passed the half way point to the 50000 target just now, hurray! Not bad for less than a week's work. ;)

If I can keep this up, I should hit 40000 words by the end of this week, then I'll take the weekend off (it's our seven year anniversary, and Izz and I are going away for the weekend), then cruise to victory the next week. Oh, except that, by the structure of this book, it's going to be 60000 words, not 50000. But still, all I have to do is pass the magic fifty by the end of the month, I can finish Obituary off after that! Too easy! :)

Hmm... when am I going to have time to fix up "Ascension" for Grants Pass during all this???

But I'm not a writer... honestly...

If you want another chapter (or two!) tomorrow, I'll need two more words please.

Thank you. Come again. :)

So, yesterday I gave up on NaNoWriMo. I realised that I just couldn't do it this year.

Today, I realised I was right. I can't do it.

Not alone.

But, for the rest of the month, I'm going to write two chapters a day. Maybe even three, if I can manage it. And you're going to help me.

The first three people to reply to this post with words, concepts, idea, etc to be included in the first chapter - and thus shape the entire "book" - will be used. And acknowledged. It's almost like a reward.

That's right, it's like Tuesday's Ten Minute Tales, except every damn day, twice a day, and making it into an ongoing story.

Also, I can't guarantee the ten minute thing this time around, thanks to work and life. But I'll post the chapters on the same day I get the words, before I ask for the next set of words for the next chapter. I hope that's acceptable!

Okay, guys, let's see if this thing will fly!

Wow, pretty consistent thus far...

NaNoWriMo progress - day 8

Where I Should Be:

13,333 / 50,000 (26.7%)

Where I Am:

0 / 50,000 (0.0%)

Don't count me out yet! Like John McCain, I like being the underdog...

Sorry, what's that? He lost?

Ah, bugger...

Michnight Echo Issue 1 is now available, and features a cavalcade of stories, including my own "Piggies", which the more astute amongst you might recognise as an edited version of one of my Tuesday's Ten Minute Tales. I miss doing them. Sigh. :(

Also, I'm eleven hours into NaNoWriMo, and haven't yet written a single word, or even had an idea what to write. And probably won't have time to do anything about it today. Ah well, that was easy! Maybe my NaNoWriMo should stand for National Not Writing Month! I think that'd be a bigger challenge for some people I know. Yes, I'm looking at you, azhure!

( Here's the official release statement from the AHWA... )