Day 6

Skin of the teath job, that was. I made it by 7 words ... then the NaNo site was over-capacity. Finally I got the word count in with just seconds to spare.

Not that the word count is important. ;)

Now, and for the first time in what seems an age, I'm off to bed. Early.

Goodnight. :)

Day 5, Day 6, F1!

Day 5 went okay. I've managed to keep up and slightly over each day's word count - 1667 per day to keep on track. Now it's day 6!

Sinbad is doing very well, too. I say this not just because of his wordage, but because I've been lucky enough to have read part of his novel ... and I'm much looking forward to the next instalment, too (hint ;)).

It's saturday (day 6), and qualifying for the pennultimate FI Grand Prix at Interlagos in Brasil is this afternoon. W00T! I'm rooting for Mark Webber, an Australian who is, most people think, being royally fucked over by his team in preference of his younger teammate Sebastian Vettel. Much as I love the sport I think it's a shame that, yet again, it's all down to age. Webber is 34, and, as far as F1 goes, considered close to 'over the hill.' Vettel is 23 and the new golden boy. Michael Schumacher who is seven times world champion, and whose comeback has been truly (not Jarno ;)) awful, is 41.

F1 is a bit like ... well, I suppose all sports. Most armchair aficionados think they could do as well. Now, I know I couldn't really beat Vettel. Much like I couldn't win at worldclass tennnis, snooker, darts or morris dancing (shudder - Morris dancing, the one pastime you can happily keep). But I like to think that, given the chance, I could.

What isn't ageist is NaNoWriMo. Indeed, NaNoWriMo is a thing we can all do (he says confidently, on day 6). So onwards and upwards!

Day 4

I made it, just. But then it's not down to wordage - really. It's down to 'is there a damn point.' so, at 6683, just 15 words over target I updated my count, frothed over the keyboard and sent the whole lot to print. Naturally I am so, so sorry for the paper use, but it will be re-cycled. Oh, what a maker I am.

So now, after watching 'Lie To Me' (recorded), I'm going to have a read. And tomorrow I shall either be continuing as is ... or not. The 'or not' is slightly worrying as it means a major re-think of plot. Still, such is life.

Day 3

I'm knocking off at 5,777 and going to veg out and watch 'Lie to Me.' I might come back and write some more before I shuffle off to bed, but sleep beckons.

As to content I'm pleased. I'm on chapter 4. Not that it's going entirely where I want it to - I'm not sure it is. It's actually going where it wants to go and I think I'm a sort of guide. This writing process is most peculiar. I honestly wonder if I do have some sort of muse that takes over and guides my tipetty typetty fingers. Perhaps an investigator into the paranormal might like to have a go with me. And no, that's not some sort of perverted sexual offer - just in case Blogger is reading this.

Umm, unless, of course, the investigator is cute ... and wealthy! Harmony vocals and bass playing would be good, too. And a Ferrari. Oh, and a studio in a big house in the country (if I'm going to dream I might as well dream). ;)

Ave.

Day 2

I ended on 4282, but that was a nadge into day 3. I can't seem to stop just before midnight, and why on earth should I? Anyway, I've written a rather hot scene. Or should that be hawt? Whichever. It's quite, erm, rude. Rude in a nice hot-under-the-collar, re-arraging of the trouser department, sort of way. Strangely - or not so strangely if you know me - I've resorted to pantsing. And yet it works (don't fix that that ain't broke).

The outline is being followed. Ish. A bit. But then it's not the most explanatory of outlines, and how was I to know they'd want to have sex on a train? No, not in public! Gawd forbid.

Did you know that there are only two night sleeper trains left in the U.K.? One goes from London to Scotland, and the other from Paddington to Penzance. If you can afford a ticket then this is probably being read and précised by one of your PAs. ;)

Night night.

The first day.

Peachy: that was the first day. I finally managed 2,133 words which leaves me in good stead for the morrow ... or today if you're being pedantic.

A few mates decided to try their hand, too. Bartello (a renowned keyboard player), Kapitano (a renowned sage and songwriter), and KittyJ (a very dear friend from over the pond). I'd like to wish them well, and may they have hale and hearty word counts! ;)

I've finally worked out a working method. I'm using the stalwart 'Page four' to write and make notes; Firefox to grab stuff and images, and Office Picture Manager to look at them. Scrivener was great, but as it was a first beta I found it a little too buggy. I would have kept the whole shebang in yWriter 5 had I created all the characters, places, etc before the first. But as all I need to do is write, then Page Four is great. I've spent far too much time waffling on about writing software and not nearly enough time planning. Sadly, entirely my bad. Still in the long run it's not going to be a problem. Fiction is fiction no matter what it's written on.

The NaNoWriMo site is being really slow. Not surprising. I guess they didn't expect 148,892 authors to sign up! And, they say that generally it's only 2/3 of the final head count that sign up on the first day, which would bring the total of new novels (providing everyone finished, which is unlikely) to well over 200,000. The mind boggles!

Sinbad (Bruin Fisher) mentioned a NaNoWriMo piece on the BBC's 'Today' programme, this morning. I listened to it on the iPlayer and heard Ian Rankin and Fredrick Forsyth being interviewed (the last ten minutes of the show). They both said that NaNoWriMo was a good thing, and that provided you did all your research, world and character creation before hand, that there was no reason you couldn't write a novel in 30 days. Rankin then said he wrote the first 'Rebus' novel in 30 days, and Forsyth said it took him 35 days to write 'The Day Of The Jackal.'

Now I'm going to write a little more, then turn in a hit the sack.

Ave.

Yaaarrrr (in a piratical voice)

Chuffed. Three odd hours into day one and I'm at 1,136. :)
So now to bed.