"Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very';your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be." - Mark Twain.
Hannah Howell (author) posted this on her Facebook wall with the added speculation that it should be a much harsher (presumably four-letter) word.
10.28.2010
National Novel Writing Month
Well, well, well...NaNoWriMo in just under four days...
Last year at this time I had a stack of notecards, all sorted by the colors that indicated their information (green for character info, blue of potential quotes/interactions, red for scene details, etc). There was a sense of "Will November First ever arrive??" I contemplated cheating by starting early and just counting that which I'd written as of the official start date.
This year - as veteran of a NaNo 09 win - I'm both cocky and distracted. Back then I knew I'd have no problem. Right now I'm worried that there won't be enough novelty to keep me inspired or that I won't find the going as easy as last year because of my commitment to other projects taking up my available time.
I have the excuses lined up, of course. "Whirlwind trip to Illinois" coming up. "Too many stories in my head" for me to decide upon. "Committed to my volunteer work" which is more necessary that my personal goals.
Fortunately I recognize these as excuses. They are - in reality - no different from the challenges of other WriMo's (or is it NaNo-ers?) and like the other participants, I simply have to organize my plate to fit all my victuals.
Or I can treat NaNoWriMo like a dessert; it will be on a separate plate, waiting for me to finish my main plate so I can enjoy it like a reward.
Last year at this time I had a stack of notecards, all sorted by the colors that indicated their information (green for character info, blue of potential quotes/interactions, red for scene details, etc). There was a sense of "Will November First ever arrive??" I contemplated cheating by starting early and just counting that which I'd written as of the official start date.
This year - as veteran of a NaNo 09 win - I'm both cocky and distracted. Back then I knew I'd have no problem. Right now I'm worried that there won't be enough novelty to keep me inspired or that I won't find the going as easy as last year because of my commitment to other projects taking up my available time.
I have the excuses lined up, of course. "Whirlwind trip to Illinois" coming up. "Too many stories in my head" for me to decide upon. "Committed to my volunteer work" which is more necessary that my personal goals.
Fortunately I recognize these as excuses. They are - in reality - no different from the challenges of other WriMo's (or is it NaNo-ers?) and like the other participants, I simply have to organize my plate to fit all my victuals.
Or I can treat NaNoWriMo like a dessert; it will be on a separate plate, waiting for me to finish my main plate so I can enjoy it like a reward.
10.07.2010
Irony
"I refuse," she said with quiet indignation. "Even if I have only choice of that or dying, I would continue to refuse."
I nodded with understanding, recognizing that some bit of information had been presented to her in the past that changed her life forever.
"So you don't drink anything but bottled water? Even in your own home you don't draw from the tap?" I asked, pretending to be unclear on her meaning.
"Not for drinking. Ugh! Poison! The stuff the city sends through the pipes is nasty. It will give you any number of noxious bugs immediately, and if you manage to avoid that, the chemical treatments in it will give you cancer."
Then she took a long angry pull from her cigarette, a last draw down to the filter.
Again I nodded with understanding.
I nodded with understanding, recognizing that some bit of information had been presented to her in the past that changed her life forever.
"So you don't drink anything but bottled water? Even in your own home you don't draw from the tap?" I asked, pretending to be unclear on her meaning.
"Not for drinking. Ugh! Poison! The stuff the city sends through the pipes is nasty. It will give you any number of noxious bugs immediately, and if you manage to avoid that, the chemical treatments in it will give you cancer."
Then she took a long angry pull from her cigarette, a last draw down to the filter.
Again I nodded with understanding.
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