Yonks too long.

I was trying to get a handle on the plethora of email accounts I seem to have, when I stumbled upon a reference to this blog. It's odd: I'd completely forgotten I had it, but not entirely surprising, considering the last entry was on the 1st Jan 2011. In the ever faster world we live in that's almost a lifetime ago.

So where am I now, I muse. Still, I haven't finished a novel, though I have written a lot more short stories which you can find at Camy's Gaff.

My band, Kamakura, became a five piece. We gigged, on and off, for most of 2012. Then we split. As the 'frontman' - ya, right, snort - I found out how to get over stage fright. Had we been 20 years younger we might well have had a real shot. Sadly, it's too late, which is a bummer, but good to finally come to terms with.

So here's the advice. Youth is everything in our society. If you want to become a 'star' you have to do it NOW and not talk about it for decades. That said, good music is everlasting and the song's the thing.

Buy our album 'Dealing With Liquids' - or have a listen to it - HERE.

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That's me; now; in 2013. I've got a head full of songs that I'm going to record and put out solo (or with one other who knows who he is but shall remain nameless). I'm also working on finishing my first long form story.

My more recent blog is Congenerous.

Happy New Decade

Yep, so here we all are at the start of a brand new and shiny decade. Personally, I can't quite believe the last one's over. Where the fuck did it (whoosh) go? The finitude of the 2000s is shocking. And, naturally, alongside of it all, one gets older too. See? Multiple shocks. Gah!

Nevertheless, enough of the bah humbugs. Happy new year and all that jazz. :)

How many words for snow?

Too damn many, according to Icelanders. And too much snow according to me. Lovely and pretty though it is I wish it would stop.

16 days post NaNo

I written a new short with the working title of Ceil. It is, of course, not what I should be doing. I should be thinking about Hellion. And I do, and am, but it requires so much umph that I'm not going to start the re-write until after Crimble, and possibly not until 2011 ...

... which is a frightening thought. Another year has shot by. Though as a positive I can say I've 'won' NaNo and that we've recorded an album. Now all I need to do is finish the novel and sell them both .

I don't suppose a managerial type is reading this blog?

On more mundane fronts: B and I have just finished tidying the house for an inspection by the agent. You'd think that provided you pay the rent and don't give them gyp they'd leave you alone. But no! Personally, I think it's a damn nerve and piss poor public relations. Ah well, one day .... ;)

Firefox 4 Beta

I've just installed the Beta for Firefox 4 - though I'm very late to the party as it's already version 7. Sadly, my most used plugin - download em all - isn't available yet. Otherwise it's way peachy and shiny ... and shiny is just what Emus love.

Now, as it's 3.45ish I bed bound.

Ave.

Pondering, yet again

It's sunday morning and I'm about to head off to kip. I spent yesterday thinking about characters, situations, locations and drama ... and how I can simplify what I've got and split the core story into two or, gawd forbid, three.

Logically I must be closer to knowing what to do, but it doesn't seem like it! ;)

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Humph :(

Having read what I've written during NaNo 2010 I've decided two things. The first is that it's actually, in places, quite good. And the second is that it's far, far too complicated, with too many major characters. I'm working with story arcs that should span more than one, and possibly more than two books. So either I cut, tweak, fix and write a lot more - or I slice it into three. This isn't a bad thing. In fact it's rather a nice problem to have.

So that's where I am on the morning of the third post-NaNo day.

Day 30 - Oh yes!

At just before 03:00 I hit the tit and was lauded as a winner. I won with 50,309, though that's not close to where Hellion will be, wordage wise, when it is finally finished. There's so much still to do.

On the one hand I feel smug and warm and wuzzly and am ready for kip. On the other I'm sort of upset that the November NaNoWriMo extravaganza is close to over - and not just because the rent is due on the 17th.

What I must not do is put Hellion away with a view to finishing it 'soon'. That's a disaster in the making. What I have to do is rip apart what I've written. Then write the outline, character outlines, Location descriptions, story arcs and sub plots that I should have written in October. Then I have to finish the rest of the first draft. Only then can I take a break, before starting the second draft.

The great thing about NaNoWriMo 2010 was the camaraderie with Bruin. Wonderful it was! :)

Day 29

I'm at 47,367, on the penultimate day, and I'm feeling quite relaxed - even though I have to go out to rehearse and then drive M home.

What I don't need to happen - and it would be a good example of sod's law if it did - is to get this close to finishing and then miss the bleedin' deadline. Oh no. No way siree.

When I get to the BIG 50 I'm going to read what I've written, complete a real outline and character and location sheets, and then carry on writing. I think I have three interwoven story arcs - which are not interwoven in the right places, and a plethora of sub-plots that need pruning.

100k is my present guestimate for the finished novel.

Day 27

Yes, it's Saturday, day 27 and you get no points for guessing I'm behind. I need to write 4,000 today and I won't do it if I'm yabbering away, blogging.

So I'll sod off and write, then. Catch you later.

Ave

Day 25

Whoops, it seems I've missed out a couple of days. Never mind.
I'm now behind again, which is not peachy at all. 38,741 is not 41,667 - though by the end of play today I think I'll be there.

Load of people have already finished their 50k, and many are well on their way to 100k, which is proper noveling ;)

Now, no more waffling. I've got to get on ... things to do people to see novels to write. :)

Day 22 - part II

Just past target and the best days writing to date. I'm really getting into the story now, which is what NaNo is truly all about. I think (fingers crossed) I should have a first draft of around 70,000 words.

Ave all.

Day 22 - part I

I'm writing this at the beginning of day 22. Or close: it's 03.20. I've just caught up and past day 21's 35,000 mark and am off to the sack at 35,596.

I'm really getting into the story, but typically, I have so many threads and sub-plots going on I really do need a proper working outline. And something a tad better than Page4 to work on. Maybe Scrivener will end up being the tool of choice?

what I definitely need to do once I've got to the end is read it -- printing is the only way to go -- and start the first re-write before I put it to one side, as I've done with the other three NaNoWriMo novels I've written.

I very much want to hold 'Hellion' as in 'an actual book' and record it for Podcasting, too. Also, have it as a digital download. :)

Day 18

Things are getting exciting in Hellion ... though I can't say what, other than Talek has returned to the Imperium.

Too many words to complete tonight, so catch up is going to roll over again ... bah!

Day 17

Day 17 was a Wednesday (if you're interested).

I came soooooo close to catching up. Then didn't. Oh well, what I did do was write a chapter precis for where I am to date. AND it's very useful. :) Seriously, I wouldn't be where I'n not without it.

Night night y'all ;)

Day 16

I nearly caught up and then watched TV instead. So now I have to catch up again. Ah well. C'est la vie and all that (wimp). I saw a great doc on 'The Heroes Tale' as it relates to Star Wars. Well worth seeing if you get a chance.

I'm past half way (25,731 as I write) and have to get to 28,334 by tomorrow night - or tonight, seeing as it's already 00:30.

Nighty night.

Day 15

I caught up after midnight which actually means I'm still behind. Humph.
Never mind. The most important thing is that I'm well into what I'm writing, and though some bits are crap, that's what the edit is for! Wicked. ;)

Night night all (03:15)

Day 14

I watched a great end to the F1 season, and though Mark Webber, my choice for Champion, didn't win, at least Alsonso was denied the title thanks to a pole to flag race by Sebastian Vetel - who is now the youngest ever F1 champion.

Then I had to go into Rye and spend a few hours helping a friend put stuff on eBay ... and then eventually she decided not to. :(

Saw Thorne Scaredycat on TV with food, and now I'm even further behind. Sigh. But I will do this thing. After all I want to write. I want to do this, and there's nobody with an Damoclesian sword held over my head ... is there? ;)

By end of play tomorrow it's the half way point: 25,000 words. I'm not going to worry about the quality of the work - as everyone says, that's for the edit. Words will be spilling out of my finger tips tomorrow. Oh yes they will!

Day 13 pt II

After watching a very exciting F1 qualifying - which didn't produce the result I wanted, but nonetheless produced a very exciting grid for tomorrows race - I am now writing.

Almost too much to do to catch up ... but catch up I shall, and more. See? It's good to be certain of one's intent. I shall not be lacklustre and left by the wayside. :)