the happy mania

Heheheh. Found a way to make word count with novel: start writing a doujinshi of your main story and go nuts.

I'm having so much fun, I'm half serious about giving up on the actual bits of the novel. I mean, it's tough to write a crime novel when the actual murders are so goddamn difficult. Why couldn't I have just given the guy a gun? Nooo, he has to go around strangling people and then burying them in shallow ditches. Until I figure out the best way to make it less complicated method-wise (I am so rubbish at plotting), it's all about figuring out the main character. Tell you what, it's so much simpler to write incompetent characters or weird bullies than to write ruthless and efficient noir characters. Oh my god, I just realised that means I skew towards writing stuff like Touch of Frost (the novel, not the show). That explains so much 0___0

Easily caught up to the day's total by writing scenes out of order. Then came the results of the Maine election.

Shameful. Just shameful.

Couldn't for the life of me understand why kind-looking guy kept smiling at me when I looked up from my laptop in the cafe. That is, until I stood up and refilled my coffee and remembered:

HO SHIT THATS MY EX!

Now I'm hiding in a booth. Don't laugh.

Nanosprints are a blessing and a curse.

I've gotten past written more than 12k today thanks to the sprints, and damnit I want to stop. But noooo, the sprints are enabling me to keep on writing. ARGH.

Also, I have drank so much caffeine my eyes are crossing.

asdfjkl; *plops head onto keyboard and drools*

... and already I've seen bitching about HOW DARE EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER ON THE FLIST POST THEIR WORDCOUNT ON THEIR PERSONAL JOURNALS AND THE NANO COMMS?

Jaysus, it's the first day. As experience has shown, many nanoers will eventually stop posting word counts as the month progresses. Save the snarkiness for something worth it, like Sarah Palin's potential run for the 2018 candidacy.

So who wants to read what I've written so far? Figures :P

Went to a NaNo meetup today, and it was absolutely productive. I don't know why but being in a structured environment like writeups stimulates my appetite for writing. When fellow nanoers took breaks to chat, I juggled typing and joining in the conversation, which probably seemed rude now that I think about it. As for the question 'What am I writing?', the answer is: I don't know.

After writing 2,235 words though, I can safely assume what it's turned out to be is a yaoi novel. *facepalm* Hey, no one is more embarrassed or surprised than me. Trust.

On the bright side, I can't wait to see the look on people's faces at the NaNo afterparty when they read the first page of the novel -- it's the 'day after' scene between two guys in a motel. Hee.

Oh my good God YES YES YES!!!

I must be out of my tiny mind. It's past four in the morning and I've just completed the last 6,000++ words in one go. I must thank the AIM chat wrimowars -- if it weren't the really pumped up writers willing to war at 3 am or whenever, I wouldn't even dare to finish this nano at all.

Take that bloody work projects and take that you soul sucking office bureaucracy! Take that stupid allergy attack that made my eyes so swollen I couldn't even see! HAHAH! I'M KING OF THE WORLD!!!

*falls back to earth*
Okay, but now I'm stuck having to take a shower and leaving for work in an hour and a half. Damn this no sleep dealie.

This milestone was actually reached not over the weekend, but a little before Tuesday at 00:30. Didn't actually get to bed until an hour later, but it was so worth it. The best part was the growing realisation that I needed to ditch the extremely limiting and frustrating third person POV and use instead the police sergeant character to continue the novel. I was against this for the first week simply because he wasn't my MC, but he turned out to be a formidable foil. Things were much more interesting with him around, and I began to cram in more words into the novel. So, that part is resolved and I can get along with the action.

For a crime story/police procedural, this action has been woefully missing. The story is shaping up to be more about the investigation and office politics than the murder! But I think I subconsciously went down this path with my first chapter, which illustrated the problems of a small suburban police force that has to rely on outside support.
Also, no love interest! I know its not mandatory, but a funny sprint session over at the chat room wrimowars reminded I needed some gratuitous man on man action in there. Ah, that's definitely something I was going to expand on an upcoming storyline but I managed to insert something dirty this time around.

Can't rest too long on my laurels, though, as I am going to be extremely busy on Thursday (isn't everyone?). I'm cooking the dinner again this year: turkey, stuffing, smashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie - I'm doing the whole lot! Somewhere between that and Black Friday morning, I'm hoping to get in enough words. The goal is now not only to have 50K, but to get to this amount on 25 November 2007. Ohhh yeah. It's going to be hellish.

Speaking of which, I really should get back to work. But f'me if I can't keep staring at this video. Lego Batman. I can't wait. Hee.



EDIT (15:42): Erm, was just recently told by my 2nd-in-command boss that Thursday is NOT Turkey Day. Have somehow traveled a week ahead in time. Must... have... sleep...

Last night was yet another bi-monthly get-Kiley-drunk night, this time at TGIF. Ew, normally I wouldn't step inside the grotty place but friend had a mysterious assignment to review one TGIF in particular. And the assignment included one of us imbibing alcohol. Since said friend is allergic to alcohol (yes, really), I bravely took on that task. Alas, such sacrifice precludes some sort of nasty cost and that turned out to be mentioning NaNoWriMo to friend. Once she heard that I was making an attempt to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days without any profit in mind, she proclaimed me crazy and the whole enterprise a waste of time, then ordered more nachos. End of story. Burn!

Later she hastily explained the nano thing was too far out for her and that if I thought it fun I should go ahead. It makes sense that she immediately diss the whole thing, because said friend works in the industry (in LA, it's kinda obvious what this means) and time shouldn't be squandered for things that aren't going to help pay the bills. I did find that quite cynical, but have to admit a few months ago I would have thought the same thing. The standard of living is steep in LA, and our wages (particularly at entry-level) are too little to compensate for food, transportation, clothing etc. Thus my mum working two jobs, my friend taking on freelance jobs, and any number of friends/colleagues we know living with parents. At the same time, it's such a hollow life if we can't even take a break from the rat-race to do something that's out of the ordinary. I guess some people have their yoga, and for November I have nano.

It's day 3 and I am still upbeat about nano. Serious. I make no bones about how rubbish the writing is, with its inaccuracies, cliches, stereotypes. The main character I had in mind has been relegated to the backup. Instead, I have a grumpy bloke I know nothing about and a plot I am making up as I go along. It absolutely makes me laugh. But it is a fantastic thing, writing just for writing. I have no idea how I did it, but I was able to banish the evil inner editor who had disrupted my flow of writing for years and years. It's a euphoric thing, conquering that little voice in the back on my mind criticising my prose, belitting my ability to write. Dare I say it, writing has become a natural high.

I really hope this lasts, not just for the month of November, but the rest of my life. I'm absolutely aware I have a lot of work ahead if I want to fully complete the novel. There's the re-writes, picking out which scene should stay or go, and even just picking up a POV for the chapters. And I'm actually having fun. FUN! OMG! Bless Chris Baty for reintroducing that which I thought I would never have again :)

This entry is written for the benefit of those who read this LJ and are actually interested in the things I have to say (THANKS! <3) and for future-me who will inevitably forget the lessons of the past.

Lesson #1: I am a nutter. That's right future-me, you are mad. Irreparably mad.

Lesson #2: Remember Lesson #1? Keep it in mind always. It's easier that way.