A welcome sense of normalcy

Yes, I live in The People's Republic of Commiefornia, but even we are beginning to see a return to normalcy. Sort of. Finally.

The past week or so I have not worn a mask into grocery stores or at the car wash, and it hasn't been a problem. Some customers are still wearing masks, while others are not. Most employees seem to still be wearing them, probably required by their employers just to err on the side of caution. 

In the past week, I registered for two in-person 2023 writer's conferences and gotta say, it felt kind of weird (but a good weird) to be looking at hotel info, indicating what kind of meal I'd like at the banquet, offering to serve as a volunteer and requesting to be put on panels, all in person. It was delightfully normal. On the other hand, I should be at Left Coast Crime in Albuquerque as I type this. I was signed up since it was originally scheduled in 2021, but in December they sent us an email stating that vaccinations would be required to attend, so that ruled me out. I can understand that four months ago they weren't sure how things would be going at this point, but fingers crossed that next year this won't be an issue.

 

Also, today I submitted a story for the first time in over a year. I have been writing and publishing, but the writing has been ongoing works in progress and the published stories have been out there for a while. The one that was accepted in March was submitted over a year prior. I did "win" NaNoWriMo in November, but even that project is in first draft condition, not anywhere near ready to go out into the world, so getting something out, even a flash fiction story, still felt good.

I like the feeling of not being on hold anymore, even as our political and media overlords seem to be tentatively floating the idea of yet another deadly strain of COVID. But I think people are sick of it, sick of having their lives and livelihoods put on indefinite hold by the powers that be despite the fact that COVID did not turn out to be the black plague we were promised. People are not dropping dead in the streets, populations are not being wiped out. There are numerous deadly diseases and medical issues out there, many of which are contagious and most of which have been around for years, and we never shut down our entire society for any of them, at least not in my not lengthy lifetime. Not sure what ultimately was the point of shutting it all down for this one, but I look forward to books that will no doubt be published on the subject in coming years. Yeah, I'm a little skeptical.

Fortunately, one constant that can be relied on to make life better is Sophie being ridiculously cute. Enjoy!

GIANT. BUNNY. FEET.

NaNoWriMo Final Progress Report - SUCCESS!!!

 

I finally made it over the 50k line Saturday night. Here's how it played out:

 

Day 22 (Monday)

Words written: 2,822 / Total words: 34,305

 

Day 23 (Tuesday)

Words written: 3,203 / Total words: 37,508

 

Day 24 (Wednesday)

Words written: 1,909 / Total words: 39,417

 

Day 25 (Thursday/Thanksgiving)

Words written: 764 / Total words: 40,181

Badge earned:

Day 26 (Friday)

Words written: 2,247 / Total words: 42,428

Day 27 (Saturday)

Words written: 2,835 / Total words: 45,263 (this put me back on track to finish 50k words by Nov. 30)

Day 28 (Sunday)

Words written: 2,587 / Total words: 47,850

Day 29 (Monday)

Words written: 2.284 / Total words: 50,133

Badge earned:

Day 30 (Tuesday)

Words written: 2,686 / Total words: 52,819

Sisters in Crime had write-ins two days a week Monday through Saturday, plus Twitter sprints that I didn't participate in because I dumped Twitter some time ago, so the amount of support they provided to their members was beyond generous and the reason I finally had my first NaNoWriMo success after several failures.

It was a great experience and I'm almost sorry it's over. The amount of writing I got done was phenomenal. There were only two days in the entire month that I didn't write at all and they were both Sundays, the only day there weren't any SinC write-ins. Not a coincidence.

See you next November, NaNo!

 

National Novel Writing Month is officially a success

I'll do a more detailed post tomorrow about how I got here, the overall experience, and how it's going to affect my writing going forward, but for now the news is that tonight I finished NaNoWriMo with a final word count of 52,819. I actually cross the magic 50k finish line last night at 50,133, but took part in today's Sisters in Crime write-ins to get the word count even higher. 

So incredibly stoked over this. I've attempted NaNo several times in the past on my own, but never made it past the first few days without falling hopelessly (IMO) behind and giving up. This was such a great experience.

Official results:

 

 

 

Back on track!

After lagging behind most of the month and getting close to catching up, but not quite making it, I just caught up on NaNo! I'm finally on track to hit the 50k goal by November 30, the last day of NaNoWriMo. Very happy about this! The Sisters in Crime write-ins have made all the difference in the world. This will be the first NaNo where I didn't fall hopelessly behind within days and gave up. Tuesday is going to see some happy dances!

NaNoWriMo Week 3 Progress Report: The good, the bad, and the ugly

I was behind but kept getting close...so close...

 

And then, SUNDAY! A girl needs her write-ins, just sayin'. And the only day we don't have Sisters in Crime write-ins is - you guessed it - Sunday.

Day 15 (Monday)

Words written: 1,549 / Total words: 22,325

Day 16 (Tuesday)

Words written: 1,309 / Total words: 23,634

Day 17 (Wednesday)

Words written: 2,671  (check me out) / Total words: 26,305

Badge earned:

Day 18 (Thursday)

Words written: 1,949 / Total words: 28,253

Day 19 (Friday)

Words written: 1,051 / Total words 29,304

Day 20 (Saturday)

Words written: 2,179 / Total words 31,483

Day 21 (Sunday)

Words written...ZERO. ZILCH. NADA. YIKES. / Total words: 31,483

All week long I was getting so close to being caught up/on schedule to make 50k, then...Sunday. The second time I've had zero words and the second out of three Sundays I didn't write at all. Now we have Thanksgiving week coming up. Shopping Monday, possibly Tuesday, meal prep Wednesday, Thanksgiving Thursday...let's just say, I have MAJOR catch-up to do now and probably will have even more over the long weekend. And November 30 is the following Tuesday. We'll see if I make it to 50k words, but if not, it's still been an amazingly productive experience and I'll have a project well under way. Which is more than I'd have without NaNo and the SinC write-ins. Happy writing, everyone!

National Novel Writing Month - Week 2 Progress Report

 

After not writing at all on Sunday (Day 7), I got back in the saddle on Day 8. The tough part is staying in the saddle. Also, no new badges - they make it a lot harder to earn them after the first few days.

 

Day 8 (Monday)

Words written: 1,841 / 12, 073 total (not quite caught back up after my 0 count on Sunday, but making progress.

 

Day 9 (Tuesday)

Words written: 2,486 / 14, 559 total (almost caught up, but then...)

 

Day 10 (Wednesday

Words written: 202 (yikes!) /  14,761 total

 

Day 11 (Thursday)

Words written: 535 (yikes again) / 15,296 total

 

Day 12 (Friday)

Words written: 3,207 (that's better!) / 18,503 total

 

Day 13 (Saturday)

Words written: 1,588 / 20,091 total

 

Day 14 (Sunday) 

Words written: 685 / 21,730 total

So some slow days there, but I'm absolutely boggled by the fact not only that I've written 20k+ words in two weeks, but also seeing my story start to flesh out in ways I hadn't expected. It's really coming together, and the Sisters in Crime write-ins have been beyond helpful.

Onward and upward!

Where has the Pomodoro Technique been all my writing life?

Seriously, how have I never heard of this until now?

 

The Sisters in Crime/NaNoWriMo Zoom write-ins employ what's known as the Pomodoro Technique. Basically you work for 25 minutes, then take a brief break before doing another 25 minutes of work. If necessary, you can take a longer break after several pomodoros. 

 

Each write-in begins with the writer/host of the session greeting everyone and offering some advice on NaNo and/or writing in general. Then the host sets a timer for 25 minutes and the Zoom meeting goes dark. When the pomodoro ends, the host brings everyone back and we get to boast about our progress in the chat.

I've managed roughly between 800-900 words per pomodoro. Some people do less because they're researching or working on something they've been stuck on. There's no rule about what or how much you have to get done within the 25 minutes, just that you focus on your task.

The technique was developed in the late 1980's by college student Francesco Cirillo and is named "pomodoro" (Italian for "tomato") after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used.

I remember these!

There's a very formal step-by-step list of instructions on how to use the technique here, but you can do it as casually as you want. I have found just doing even two a day during the write-ins to be life-changing in terms of my writing progress, which had been sluggish at best this year. I plan on continuing to use it post-NaNo and highly recommend the technique for anyone who needs more focus and discipline on any task, not just writing.

National Novel Writing Month - Week 1 Progress Report

OK, so Week 1:

 

One of the things discussed during the Sisters in Crime NaNo Kickoff on Monday was the idea of doing what you can and not feeling bad about not making the full 50k word count. Several writers mentioned doing "half-NaNos" and even though this isn't official with NaNo itself, it is a goal that can be more easily met. So I've decided if I can't hit 50k, 25k at least will be acceptable. But 50k would be preferable. 😁

 

Here's my first week's progress, which overall I'm happy with because it's already an improvement on my previous attempts to do NaNo. Note: 1,667 words per day is the minimum needed every day to make 50k by November 30.

Day 1: 1,726 words written

Badges earned: 

 

 

 

Day 2: 2,524 words written/4,250 total

Man, oh man, the write-ins make all the difference in the world!

Badge earned:

 

Day 3: 2,100 words written/6,350 total

Sisters in Crime write-ins? Greatest writing thing ever.

Badges earned:

Day 4: 1,466 words written/7,816 total (no new badges)

Day 5: 1,962 words written/9,778 total (no new badges)

Day 6: 454 words written/10,232 total

Note: This was a slow day in terms of words written. I mostly did research and built a playlist to go with the project. But even with the slow day, I'm still a bit ahead of schedule (just barely).

Badge earned:

Day 7: 0 words written. You read that right - ZERO. I'd intended to write but got caught up on a couple of other things and never got to it. Still, it isn't the end of the world. This is the first day I've fallen behind the pace, but I'll have nothing but time the next couple of days to write, so I'm actually not discouraged. I was overachieving for the most part, so I feel confident I can get back on track, and there's plenty of November left.

So overall, I'm pleased not only with my progress, but how much I have fleshed out my story. Looking forward to week two!

 

Today in entertainment news...

First up, something fun: Steve Buscemi handed out Halloween candy dressed as his 30 Rock character that has become a popular meme.

 

*****

On a less savory note, did you know that there is now such a thing as "the cancellation scam"? Some writer for Jezebel does; apparently it's where a celeb intentionally provokes outrage for publicity. However, using what the writer perceives as Dave Chappelle's "fear of irrelevance" as an example of this is kind of a stretch. If there's one performer today who doesn't need to worry about being irrelevant, it's Chappelle, and that was the case well before The Closer. There are plenty of celebrities desperate to stay in the spotlight, but history has shown that Dave Chappelle isn't remotely close to being one of them, much less "dependent" on it. But in their desperation to rip Chappelle, apparently some people are able to make such ridiculous reaches that I wonder that they don't dislocate their shoulders reaching so hard.

This is the guy who walked away from a $50 million deal back in his Comedy Central days, and as a fan of his show it was a huge loss. But unlike a lot of other people in the entertainment industry, Chappelle has stayed on an even keel, living in Ohio with his first and only wife and their children, and without a lot of the gossip-worthy drama that afflicts other famous people. And another thing - I'd be willing to bet a lot of people griping about The Closer haven't watched it in its entirety. It makes me wonder if these aren't the same people who hounded Daphne, and if - like me - you've actually watched the show, you will know what that means.

*****

Tough news: Steve Carlson, who portrayed one of the hockey playing Hanson Brothers in the immortal Slap Shot is in need of help. He was recently diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic squamous cell carcinoma and needs financial assistance with costs related to his treatment. The good news is that you can help out. His Go Fund Me is here.

The Hanson Brothers make their insane debut as Charlestown Chiefs:

And how bonkers is it that I never knew until now that Steve Carlson spent some time as a Los Angeles King?

If you can, put on some foil for a brother.

Update 7/27/22: Great news from Steve!

Greatest news of NO CANCER!  I'm cancer free, gaining weight and healing.
Yesterday at my six month post chemo/radiation appointment the PET scan revealed Stage 4 Cancer is gone!
I cannot thank you for your support during these last 10 months.
We wouldn't have been able to make it without your help.
Now that I know the fight, I will continue to bring more awareness to the struggles of this disease.
Few of many struggles:
Isolation  
Financial
Emotional
Mental
It was the toughest fight of my life .
Thank you for your donations your cards your prayers and friendships.
If ever I can lift someone up in prayer or spirits please email us!  
Steve Carlson

*****

You guys, the wait is almost over! Dexter: New Blood debuts this coming Sunday. 

The return of our favorite sociopath/serial killer will go a long way towards easing the pain that the return to Pacific Standard Time (also next Sunday) always causes me. Dark at 5pm? That sucks so bad.

And now I have to get writing - today is the first day of NaNoWriMo. Have a great week everyone!

Here comes NaNoWriMo!!!

I was inspired to do NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) this year after being in a write-in a few weeks ago sponsored by Sisters in Crime, which also started co-sponsoring NaNo a few years ago. I hadn't been planning on doing it, but one of the moderators mentioned that she was using the write-in to do prep for NaNo. That made the decision for me. My writing has been sporadic this year, even after the move back to the beach - lots of ideas and notes, not so much finished product or submissions - so I'm viewing NaNo as a much-needed kick in the rear to get back on track.

I'm also working on a brand new project instead of trying to resurrect old, partially written ideas. Not that I don't have faith in those, but I think that doing something brand new with no history or baggage is a different way for me to approach NaNo, which I've tried in the past but never finished. In fact, I'm making a point of not touching it until November 1 so that it's brand spanking new right out of the gate.

Sisters in Crime is holding a bunch of online events throughout November to support members doing NaNo, and I'm going to try and participate in as many as possible. 

If you're doing NaNo, I wish you all the best of luck. The goal is 50k words in the month of November. That works out to about 1,667 words per day, every day. Monday's the big day! See you there!

So it turns out committing to NaNoWriMo wasn't my best move...

Just a couple weeks ago I decided to publicly commit to doing NaNoWriMo this year. And I made that decision knowing I would be traveling the first few days of November and would probably have to play catch-up when I got home, but since my writing progress this year has been slim to none, I hoped it would be the boot to the keister I needed to get going.

Turns out that was a mistake. The boot came in the form of Bouchercon, which is where I was when NaNo started. It was inspiring to be back in that community again and one of the writing decisions I made while there is to focus primarily on short stories for the next year. My goal is to get published a few more times so that I'll have books to promote and be eligible to be on panels at the writing conferences I attend. That is something I can do to boost my career. Doing NaNoWriMo - while I think it's a good thing for people who want to take a shot at writing the first draft of a novel - isn't really going to affect my writing career.

In addition, the project I was going to work on for NaNo got put on the back burner when another idea I had jotted down a few notes for a while back suddenly decided to appear very well formed in my brain last night. I don't know why it suddenly came to life, but it did and I'm certainly not going to fight it. I'm about 99% sure I'm going to write it as a pilot script, which would be great for competitions in 2020. It's going to be secondary to short stories, but since it's fresh in my mind I want to get going on it. And since we're talking about 60 pages, like short stories, it's something I can keep a handle on, unlike my attempts at novels. So despite having had every intention of doing NaNo this year, the reality is that I think the shorts and pilot are professionally my best bets.

I'm trying not to feel like I'm flaking out on yet another commitment, but it's hard not to feel like I did just that. But I really feel like this plan is best for me right now.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some writing to do.

To NaNo or not to NaNo

I've been debating whether or not to do NaNo this year, going back and forth like crazy, wondering if it will get me back into writing mode. And I finally decided today that I'm going to do it. I need to do it.

For those of you who have never heard of National Novel Writing Month, it's an online community that in the month of November commits to writing 50,000 words of a novel. That works out to 1,667 words per day in a month that includes Thanksgiving. I've tried it a few times in the past but never made it to 50k.

All that matters is word count - no editing or rewriting, no worrying about how it comes out. Just write. Just get the words down and worry about fixing it later. It's basically a month-long writing sprint.

Here's some NaNo advice and freebies and 30 tips for doing NaNo. These articles are what finally pushed me to go for it.

If you've ever considered trying to write a novel (even if you don't consider yourself a writer) NaNo is a great way to give it a shot.