Ok...now I really AM insane!

So yes I'm doing NaNoWriMo again this year...so that makes me at least semi-insane, but yesterday, fairly out-of-the-blue, I decided that I'll do TWO NaNovels this year!

WHY ME!?!?!??!?

Really! I love the plot I'm doing, but after reading those dare threads on the forums I'm sorry to say I don't really have room for them in my story. I hope that's not me caring too much about something, but anyway, apparently I'm going to have my plot as my priority one NaNo - it comes first. The other one is to work on after I get my words for the first one. It's a side novel of sorts. At any rate, I'm going to pack it full of dares and randomness.

Anyone have any suggestions on what to put in it? Or tips on how to cope with two novels at once? I've never actually written much more than 3k in one day. I don't know if I actually care too much about winning with my random novel though, it would sure be fun, but that would mean I wrote 100k in a month...I might die.

Trying Yet Another Thing!

I've been thinking about getting a desktop blogging client, so I'm trying a few things out. Since I might be trying a few different ones, there might be quite a few posts like this. Or maybe I'll make it so you can't tell and just do normal posts....oooh....

Anyway, I might as well make this a slightly useful post to at least myself besides the new blogging thing. Friday I was so tired but managed to get my 2k done, and then I had another late night from practice on Thursday and Friday for youth Sunday today. So anyway, my alarm went off, and tried so hard to get up, but I just couldn't do it, so I turned off my alarm and went back to sleep. I love my sleep....and I should probably just take naps or something. Although I had no chance for one on Friday.

Anyway, I didn't get any writing done yesterday, and I'm doing none today, so yeah. I guess that's it.

More October Plans

I didn't realize October was so close...that means the forums open up again! Yay! And I found this really awesome origami butterflyball. It is so much fun. And I put some of those Lucky Wishing Stars inside, so it was a lot of fun to explode. It's kind of like a pinata...I wonder if candy would actually work in there? I was thinking about making one for every 5,000 words. I was thinking of one for every day, but 30 balls is a lot, and one for every 10k would just be 5, and I kind of wanted more than that, so 10 would be good. I'll make them in October and label them with when I can break them open, and then I'll get whatever candy or whatever else I decide to put inside. Maybe a note to myself with encouragement...

I told my mom yesterday that I was planning on taking October to clean my room among other things, and she got all excited. She loves for me to clean my room. And if I'm going to be up for a few hours before everyone else and not writing, I might as well do something, right?

I think I'll do more origami than cleaning.

Thinking of Changing Once Again...

I'm still not sure if I want to stay on Blogger. I guess I'm being weird, but I think I might enjoy being able to have pages besides just the ones my blog is on. Like a page with short stories on it, without having to have it as a post in my blog. You know, stuff like that. But I like the mobile posting I have with Blogger. I've seen some other hosting places, and I guess I just need to try them out and see how I like them.
My problem is I might want to save the posts on this blog. It might be a pain to move them all over...Anyone have any suggestions?

Pros and Cons of Getting Up Early

So I'm going to see about setting my not-so-good blog-writing skills to work and publish a post that hopefully at least one person will find useful.
I've been getting up early for a while now, as I think most of you know, but my problem is that if I don't set my alarm I tend to sleep extremely late. I can't get up at what people think a reasonable hour is. I've decided that 5:30 is better than 10:30 myself though. So now I present you with the list of pros and cons from my personal experience with my person circumstances of getting up early (put in my usual rambling form):

Cons: My family is a group of people who tend to stay up late. And getting up at 5:30 makes me want to be asleep by 9:30. A bit of a problem for spending time with my family, especially on days when we have things going on in the evenings. I should just get over it and live on less sleep, but as it is I'm actually on less than before, and I can get pretty tired. Other night-time activities like concerts or sleepovers can be hard for the same reason. I'm used to getting up early, so my clock is set that way.

Pros: I find I can work better during the day, and even at night before I start getting sleepy and wishing for bed. I think writing as soon as I get up starts my brain as well, so I'm not tumbling about in a haze during exercise and breakfast and even my first few school subjects. It starts my brain. I'll probably have more stuff to put here during October when I'm going to take a break from actual writing to get myself ready for November. My dad comes down the hallway at about seven, but he mostly just says good morning as he goes by my door, then he's off to work. My mom has been having trouble getting up at a good time lately, so it's been 8:15 even before I see her; I haven't had a day yet that I'm not done with my words by that time, if I'm going to get them done in the morning. I'm almost always spent on my writing stints by that time anyway. I'm just trying to imagine what I can do in the almost three hours I have before I have to see anyone - assuming I don't waste it on the computer. There's origami to be done, school as well I guess (just to get ahead for November), and I might actually make some headway on my CSS and Javascript if I would ever sit down and look at them. I probably have to start over now, since I think I might have forgotten everything.

All in all though, I like getting up early, even though I'm starting to miss my family a little bit. I know some school kids have to get up at that time to go to school anyway, but since I don't have to start until later, I have those hours by myself.

And yes I understand that writing for something like two hours straight can be terrible for you hands, wrists, arms, back, eyes, head, legs, ankles, feet, eardrums and various other parts of your body. I think I'll survive for now though. I'm usually done after that anyway. I rarely get any other writing done the rest of the day. Thus my getting up early.

Anyway, I'm going to do my usual thing and ask my non-existant reader-base a question (just in case anyone ever feels like they want to comment): When do you get up, and why, and how do you like it?

To-Do List for October

I know it's not October yet, but I have it all made and the forums are locked, so I have nothing else really to do. (Well, not exactly, but whatever)

-Get ahead on school
I love being homeschooled. I can do extra school on some days and then take the day off of school on others. So I want to get ahead so I have a least a few days off from school if I need them. I'd only need 18 days maximum. We're taking two days off for Thanksgiving, and of course no school on weekends.

-Make a chart to get ahead on school
Just so I can keep track of what I'm ahead on, so I might get ahead on say math, so I can take just that off or something.

-Finish Plot
I just need to finally figure out how all of my characters are going to meet up in the end. Plain and simple.

-Clean Room to create a nice writing-friendly environment.
Simple enough. It's easier to write in a clean room. I'm giving myself the month off, so I might as well get the room clean so I can focus better.

-Take the month of from writing
I don't mean that I absolutely won't write, but I want to give myself time to take a break and relax, so I can be fresh for November.

-Get Starburst to make this Starburst bracelet
It looks like fun, doesn't it?

-Make sure all charts and such are in order
Just to make absolutely sure I'm ready.

I've already gotten the chart made, and I'm a day ahead on Algebra and History. I have all month to work on it, and since I won't be writing, I'll have time to do it. I don't think I want to take the /whole/ month off, but a few days if I need them would be nice.

So what are you all doing to get ready for November? I know I'm asking my non-existent readers again, but I feel better when I invite people to comment. Also any suggestions on what to blog about would be helpful.

Resetting Schedules

First normal post in a while!
Anyway, I've been having a really hard time getting my words written lately. Yesterday I barely got any. Anyway, I decided that all I had to do today was 1k, and I would go from there. And yet today I got my easiest 2k in a while. How in the world does that happen? Somehow I got up the first time my alarm went off, brushed my teeth, and started writing. I also didn't text my friend who was on her way to school until 7, instead of 6:30. So yeah.
I was thinking the other day, trying to figure out why it was getting so hard to write in the mornings. I might have come across the answer: I have trouble focusing while texting. I stopped writing down here at the computer because of distractions, and then I go and text my friend while I'm trying to get my words. Can I ever learn anything? Please?
So yeah. I was planning on starting with doing 1k today, and if I got that done all right I would do 1100 tomorrow, then if that went ok 1200 the next day, etc., etc. But I just go and write 2k, because it was easy and fun.
I'm an idiot or something.

Finally Made My Words!

It's something like 9:08pm, and I just now hit 2k. I hope it never takes that long again.

So Slow...

Some days, I tell ya. Anyway, Saturday was the Back To School Bash the local churches put on as a youth outreach. It was amazing, like always, and it rained, like always.
Yesterday was the Chiefs game against the Raiders. And the Raiders won 23-8. My dad and I actually left before the Chiefs scored their only touchdown. We left when it was still 13-0 actually. Games like that make of glad I don't care about sports that much.
Once again, I'm slow getting my words. I only have like 1269 now. I might have to finish them up later. Actually, I'm thinking of changing my schedule from 2k every day to 2k 6 days a week. If I don't use the day off some other day of the week, I'll take Sunday off. I just feel like I don't have any time for doing anything fun. Writing is fun, but sometimes I want to read a book or something you know? And after writing I have to go right into the school day. I just want to relax. So anyway, in November I'll write every day I can, but for now, I'll quick with this.

Update

Mostly 'cause I haven't written today. I was slow getting my words today, but got them done a little after eight.
The other day (wednesday) my friend said she was tired of waiting and said she was going to start the novel she was planning to use for NaNo early. I asked her a bunch of questions about what she had planned, and here's the list (no particular order, just what came into my head):

-Are you making a world for it?
-what kind of government does it have?
-do you have all of the rulers with family trees and biographies?
-Any old wars or important historical moments to document?
-All of your plants and animals made?
-even the ones you might see just in passing?
-Characters:
-Full bios and histories?
-Going back 6 generations?

That's just what I asked her. Even with that, she said she had done everything, which I'm not sure about, but whatever. The point is she said if I could come up with a prompt-plot that struck her fancy she would see if that could occupy her until November. I came up with it the next day and had it done by 8:15am (I got my words done a lot faster that day, I had even asked her at like 6:45am that day while she was waiting on the bus).

But really, if any of you thought you were done...hah! I'm not. I'll admit it. I have a detailed plot going, but it's not done yet. I'm afraid even to bring the plot to where I'm going to end it; or something. I don't know.

Happy Pen

Another cell post. I seem to be making a let of these lately. I guess that's what happens when you get bored somewhere that you can't get unc computer.
Anyway, Monday (I think, I'm too busy. I can't even remember) I got some fountain pen ink for my birthday that was back in August. Last night I cleaned out my pen and set it out to dry. This morning I got to load it with shiny new ink! I got four colors: Saguaro Wine (a nice redish pink), Eel Turquoise, Hunt Green, and another blue. I put in the turquoise and it looks nice. I like the change from black.
And now I may have to edit this post when I get home, because I might have posted something on this already.

Piano Post

We finally started piano lessons today. I've been wanting to for so long it seems, but things kept coming up and we didn't start until today. I actually practiced during the summer this year, and now that I've had my share of the lesson (my brother gets his turn now; why these take two and a half hours is beyond me. Maybe they won't today), I get to just sit back and relax until he gets done. Thus the cell phone post. I seem to be putting a lot of these up lately.
I was thinking, I think my NaNo experience might be better this year. Not that I had a bad one last year, but this year I've written and practiced a lot more. Just like piano has gotten fun the more I've played, writing gets more fun the more I do it. Honestly I can't wait for November to start so I can law those hands on the keyboard and start writing, hopefully for my second win out of three years. I wonder if I can be done by thanksgiving this year. It would be nice.
And now I go to do school. Poems later maybe!

Writing To Music

Just a quick post while I'm procrastinating about math. Thus it's on my cell phone.
Anyway, I've seen people on the forums who like to write to music (a lot actually), and some can listen to music with lyrics, and some can't focus if the music has words. I don't know which I am, but I have a few Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks on my computer from a friend, and they work really well for generating a mood for writing a scene. They're mostly thriller though, so I need to find something that's for other scenes - mostly general calmer stuff.
And now I return to math. Although, I would like to share a picture I took on my phone. You can see it here with this post. It's nothing special. I was just in the mood to post a picture. Enjoy!

Day Off Today!

I woke up at 5:30 today, and hit the snooze button repeatedly, because I was so tired. By the end of it I decided just to sleep in, and since I also decided that I didn't need the stress and procrastination of trying to write during the day, I haven't done that either. So yeah, not a word written today. It feels nice to have a day off actually. I'm lazy today, but that's all right. I'll continue with my schedule tomorrow morning.

I'd better.

Slowness On The Words...

This seems to happen every Sunday. I guess I just don't have quite enough time between getting ready for church and writing to get all of my words done. At least, not if we in early, like we have been, since I'm playing keyboard on the worship team. So I have a little over 700 words left to do today, and we still have to mow yet as it turns out. I guess I'll write while I wait for my dad to start with the tractor, and then I'll follow him like I usually do. I just hope I can get them done...

So I wrote the poem...

Just like I said I would. It's a sonnet in a sense of the rules, not with what they were usually about, but that's ok I think. Anyway, here it is:

*~*~*~*

NaNoWriMo Prep '08

To prepare myself for NaNo,
I started late in June.
Trying to sleep I suddenly said "oh!"
"I'll write about characters who can play a tune!"

And so I started to plot.
And as I wrote my ideas,
My characters began to fear naught,
And plunge into their arenas.

One will race across the sea,
Another travels through the land.
The third stays home, with all to see.
But all could easily have made a band.

Finally all three will meet up,
And tell their stories as they sup.

*~*~*~*

So here I really am begging for responses. I'm not much of a poet, so I would really like to hear from you with any suggestions.

Poems: Coming Soon!

I've started writing poetry again recently, but since I'm writing this from my phone I can't really insert the line breaks I need. I will tell you this though: I like poems with rules. I guess thats why I like Haiku. But today I'm trying some different types. So anyway, I might have something up in a little bit. Right now I guess I just wanted to post something.

Another Cell Phone Post

I don't have my words yet, so I can't sit down at the computer. Yet. I have about...900 more words to write today. I got a late start, and I was up later than my new usual last night, so I'm having a bit of a hard time. I had an idea off of the NaNo boards though. Someone bought the Lord of the Rings soundtrack to listen to. I have the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks for the first and third movies on my computer through some boring story that I won't bore you with. Anyway, I like to write to them, but it never crossed my mind to get MORE soundtracks. Anyway, I'll have to see about picking some more up. I can write fine most of the time with music with words, but the soundtracks are there to make certain feelings for movies, so its better when you're writing a scene in a book. I think. Actually, LotR WOULD be a good soundtrack...

Time To Organize!

I really think starting school and having that big schedule change - maybe combined with my brother going off to college - has messed with my mind. I'm not talking about organizing my room or anything (though I do want to do that), but I want to go through my blog and make sure all of my posts are in categories so posts are easier to find. Also, I've been thinking about finding some ways to increase traffic on this thing. It's not really that important, but it would be nice to have feedback once in a while. And for that I need people to read my blog, so...yeah. Anyway, I'll probably be doing some research on traffic increasing stuff and trying a few little ideas of my own. And that's all for now!

Blog Searching...

Yesterday I was thinking of changing to a different blog website thing. Whatever you call those...hosts! That's it. Anyway, I don't know what I think about anything anymore right now. Some of the different ones are cool, but I don't know if I really want to switch over. Of course I would continue this blog over there. Anyway, I decided I'm not switching right now. I might at another time, but not right now.

Um...yesterday we didn't have piano lessons, and it messed me up a bit. Mostly because I had my day planned out for 11 or 12 hours at the church, from 10 to probably about 10, but as it went I only had to be there at 1:30. It's a long story that I'm not going to ramble about right now because it's just not very fun.

Anyway, on a happier subject, I got my words done today! And I don't have anything to do really today besides school and stuff which is normal. So yeah...and tomorrow's Saturday which is nice, and I don't think I have that much to do. Which is always nice.

More NaNo Planning

And this time from a cell phone! So sorry for the lack of proper breaks and such. I might get on later and put them in. Maybe. Anyway, i settled on a to-do list for what i need to do. I've numbered them so they're easier to read, but bear in mind this is in on particular order: 1. Finish fleshing out plot. 2. Write backstories for MCs. 3. Worldbuild more. 4. Get organized with notes and schedule an such. 5. Get munchies. 6. Arrange for lucky stars. Some of those will have to wait until later of course, but there's still plenty to do before November comes around. I'm going to pretend I have readers again and ask you how your preparations are coming. And if you think I missed something that I need to do, please mention that too. See y'all!

Planning for November

Or plotting (muahahahaha!), as some like to call it, is going well right now. Today I'm starting school (I love being homeschooled, it gives me more free time to write), so I might not be able to do everything as well, but I got up early and did my writing on my neo in my room. I have a desk in there...I wonder what it's for? Duh. Someone bop me on the head and tell me I could've had a V8 please. Anyway, I haven't done anything lately, but I wanted to make sure I had posted that I got my idea at the end of June. Since then it's fleshed out quite nicely, and I'm already seeing subplots when I usually just stumble into them. Of course, if I don't add them in as I write or something else pops up, it's not a huge deal. I need to make sure my characters have a lot of personality, since I'm doing multiple first-person POV again this year. I loved doing it last year, even with all six of my MCs, but this year I only have three. It's not that I found six so much to manage, but three is all I needed this time around. In any case, my characters need to have their voices already ringing in my head by the time November starts.

That being said, I don't actually have my plot fleshed out from beginning to end. I have the bare-bones outline, with the very basics of what I want to happen. This year I feel like fleshing out a bit more before November for two reasons: One, I have more time; Two, I want to see how it works for me. If I do better with this tighter plot (which still isn't very tight), I'll try and do it more often. If I do better with the plot I had last year, being extremely loose, I'll go with that. But whatever direction my story goes, I hope I can just go with the flow and let things run their course. I'm not going to hold too tight to this plot, if my story wants to change I'll let it. I like having surprises, and hopefully they'll all be pleasant.

Let's see, what else is going on...well, I need to be actually starting school (it's almost 1:00 already)...oh! Tomorrow is going to be my busy day. I'm going to be gone from home virtually from 10 in the morning until something like 9 or 10 at night. Fun. I'll probably use my phone to send in a post while I'm waiting, and if I keep this up I might actually get into the habit of posting in this thing! -gasp-

Idea!

Yes, this is also from my cell. Anyway, I saw a thread on the nano forums for people who might try nano with their phones. I just thought that maybe I could do a blog of my nano to keep track of wordcount, and then I would proceed to write a novel on a cell phone. It's a thought, I don't know if I want to do it for NaNo though.

Trying Something Else New.

This time it's not a laptop thing though. I noticed that blogger offers a cell phone posting thing. I think I had seen it before, but I didn't have a phone. Anyway, thats what I'm posting from now. As for my writing, which is actually my theme of my blog, I got my August goal done of 62k. Saturday I only wrote like 416 words, and i ended up giving myself the day off. NaNoWriMo prep is going well, my only concern is that I'll run out of steam before November comes around. So I'm in no hurry to get this stuff done. There's plenty to do though. Anyway, sorry there's no paragraphs, but I can't put them in this kind of post. But what do you think of this method? I'm asking my non-existant reader base, just for fun.