2021 NaNo Results

December 1, 2021December 1, 2021 / JoHawkTheWriter / 6 Comments

It never fails. When I have a creative deadline, I can count on the muse whispering in my ear and handing me a big bucket of inspiration. Of course, the wild onslaught of compelling visions arrived for a completely different area of interest. So much for my desire to place my focus and efforts on my writing.

Apparently, for November, the muse wanted me to take care of creating a few holiday gifts. My goal is to do everything in my power not to upset my muse. Keeping the diva happy and making sure she is a frequent visitor at my house is imperative, so I complied. The result is that I started and finished four projects. There are also a handful of other projects in the works.

Blue and Green Plaid Fleece Pocket Scarf — Fleece Pocket Scarf

Teal, Blue, and White Tied Fleece Throw with pink teddy bear — Tied Fleece Throw

Dark Blue Velvet Backed Blue, Teal and Lime Green Hippo Throw Pillows with Blue Velvet Ball Trim — Velvet Backed Hippo Throw Pillows with Velvet Ball Trim

Cross stitch cornucopia fall Thanksgiving Table Runner — Thanksgiving Table Runner

Lest you assume I didn’t do any writing for NaNa, let me calm your fears. My cumulative word count for November will not win me any prizes, but I eked an additional 5k words for my story. From my side of the relationship — the muse owes me.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

NaNo Check-In

November 5, 2021 / JoHawkTheWriter / 14 Comments

We are five days into NaNo, and I haven’t even begun. Fledgling projects are notoriously difficult in the beginning weeks. But this time, I may have bitten off more than I can chew. I discovered I have too many unfinished projects, too many commitments, and by adding NaNo into the mix, I have stretched myself too thin. The day job, family responsibilities, and my desire to cross a few lingering projects from my To-do list set the stage for disaster. It happened when I torqued my back while lifting an overloaded and far too heavy box of holiday decorations. Everything stopped.

It turns out pain killers make me sleep, which is fortunate since my head is too fuzzy to operate rationally. I’m unlikely to get into trouble when I am sleeping, but then nothing gets done. My total word count is less than 500 words. Sigh. Yesterday, I felt almost human and more like myself. Today, I can move without spasms. My NaNo goal has suffered because of my inability to focus and devote the time needed to log progress. I’m not giving up. Not yet.

I cleared my schedule for this weekend. In the planning stages, my idea was to focus my energy on creating a buffer and getting ahead on my NaNo word count. The situation isn’t ideal, but doesn’t everyone love an underdog or an against-all-odds story? This weekend I am dedicating myself to my writing and getting the words on the page. I can’t wait to tell the story that’s been taking up so much of my mental energy. I have a sneaking feeling that energy will feed on itself and make me even more passionate about moving closer to my goal.

How are you doing with your NaNo goal? Are you ahead of schedule? Or, like me, are you horribly behind where you thought you would be?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

NoNoWriMo Lessons Learned

December 2, 2016 / JoHawkTheWriter / 12 Comments

Photo credit: toddwendy via Visualhunt.com / CC BY

I barely made the word count to win. Writing 50,000 words in 30 days was challenging and something I had never done before. Everything considered, I am happy with just making the goal. I don’t know of anyone who would attempt a marathon without doing some training and conditioning to prepare for the race. And yet, that is exactly what I didn’t do, I didn’t train for this event. Over the past thirty days, I have learned some valuable lessons I will apply in my writing.

Some days are going to be a wonderful. On these golden days, I will be able to write 3,800 words (my best day). The words fly from my fingertips, the story progresses and when I re-read the next day, I am thrilled with what I have written.
Some days will be fraught with issues. My research didn’t cover some detail that I need in the story and I can’t seem to find the information. Or I don’t know where the story needs to go next, or I end up fighting with my characters, all of which result in only a few hundred words. (my worst day 500 words). The next day’s re-read will then, of course, reveal numerous typos, skipped words, or something that just doesn’t make sense and needs to be deleted or re-written.
Sit, Stay, Write. Writing every day keeps the wheels turning. There were days when the very act of sitting down to write got me past the section I was worried about. This happened on more than one occasion and lead to some days with decent output.
It is ok to abandon a section to come back to later. This happened early in the month. I was slogging thru a part that was heavy in research and validatiaon. I got so far and just could not force myself to continue. I knew where the story was going next, and I wanted to get to it. I pretended that part was written and skipped ahead to the next section. Viola, I was on my way and I can go back and finish that section this month.
It is important to leave time for fun. During the month, three were a few days where I had the urge to write something a little different from my novel. The characters in my loft was a good example. I knew if I didn’t write it, the story would lose the spontaneity that I felt. The very act of getting that story out of my head, cleared the way to a productive writing session.
There is nothing that I would rather do. I love the process of writing and the ability to tell the stories that have been cluttering my mind. Not only do I feel like I am creating something, I feel like I am finally going to be able to put down the load I have been carrying with me for so long. Until I started this process, I thought my story was one book. Now, I know it is three. That is some load.
To write you must be courageous. Writing is a part of me that I have been carrying around and nurturing for a long time. Now I am putting it down and plan to send it out into the world. What if no one likes it? So far, the few sections that I have shared have been well received. I know I still have a lot to face in this department.
Having goals is a good thing. Now that I am this far, I can’t wait to finish this story. I am anxious to finish and move on to the editing. Besides, I have two more books I need to get written. That means that I still need some writing goals. I will be setting my goals for December keeping the Christmas holiday season in mind. Don’t think I will shooting for anything like 50,000 words this month.

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

NaNoWriMo Day 30

November 30, 2016 / JoHawkTheWriter / 3 Comments

Photo credit: prb10111 – awol via Visual Hunt / CC BY-SA

Just validated my total word count with a half an hour to spare!

Total for 30 days of writing…

50,508

Congrats to all who have participated. Time for a little party. Even if you didn’t quite make the goal (like I almost didn’t) you have probably written more that you would have without NaNoWriMo.

Please join me in the celebration and leave your word count below.

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

NaNoWriMo Day 29

November 29, 2016 / JoHawkTheWriter

Photo credit: You As A Machine via Visual Hunt / CC BY-SA

We are down to the wire. Working hard to make the deadline.

I am still writing tonight but I wanted to post to let you all know just how close I am.

Word count for November 29, is:

2,500 words. Twenty-nine-day total 48,000.

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

NaNoWriMo Day 27

November 28, 2016 / JoHawkTheWriter

Photo credit: ClaraDon via VisualHunt / CC BY-NC-SA

Working feverishly in my attempt to hit the targeted word count. Yesterday was a decent day and I am still working on today’s count.

Word count for November 27, is:

2,500 words. Twenty-seven-day total 43,800.

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

NaNoWriMo Day 26

November 28, 2016 / JoHawkTheWriter / 2 Comments

By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination. — Christopher Columbus

Photo credit: Phil Roeder via Visualhunt.com / CC BY

It is time to get back to work. Friends, family and Thanksgiving I wouldn’t miss for the world. Life is after all about relationships and spending time with the people that you care about. Even with all the festivities there is a feeling that can’t be dismissed. The urge to create, to do something special, won’t be silenced.

I am being called back to my loft and back to the writing. The good news is I come back to it with renewed energy and sense of purpose. The story must be told.

I may still have a way to go to get to my chosen goal, but I will arrive. I hope you are closer to your goal.

Word count for November 26, is:

500 words. Seventeen-day total 41,300.

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

NaNoWriMo Day 17

November 18, 2016 / JoHawkTheWriter

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”― Winston Churchill

Photo credit: Thomas Hawk via Visualhunt.com / CC BY-NC

The last few days have been rather daunting. Research that doesn’t quite pan out. Distractions and more distractions. Low word count. Questioning my sanity in making this decision. Knowing that the only way out is through.

So, I will soldier on. When I look behind me I know that there is no going back. The answer is in the writing and I am determined to find it.

What do you do to get past these slumps?

Word count for November 17, is:

800 words. Seventeen-day total 34,300.

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

NaNoWriMo Day 15

November 16, 2016 / JoHawkTheWriter / 3 Comments

ancient-lamp-with-silver-jug-and-books-on-table I have been working late into the night doing more research. So of course the word count is suffering today. Details, details, details.

Word count for November 15, is:

1,200 words. Fifteen-day total 32,200.

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

NaNoWriMo Day 14

November 15, 2016 / JoHawkTheWriter / 3 Comments

Photo credit: biscorogus via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Over the last couple of days, I became an involuntary volunteer. I was nominated to puppy sit. Now if I had been asked, as is normally the custom with this type of thing, my response would have been “no thank you”.

Don’t get me wrong, I love animals. The unfortunate problem with some pets are the owners. This puppy just turned a year old and unless you are holding a treat in front of him, he does not know the meaning of the word “sit”. “Come”, and “stay” are equally foreign to the pooch.

I know it is a lot of work to train a puppy. After adopting a Shetland Sheepdog at the age of six months who was barley house broken, I have learned a thing or two. Still, by the time the Sheltie was a year-old I could walk her off lead with no issues. Well, except for the time we flushed a nest of baby bunnies. She was so disappointed that she was not able to herd them all back together.

She knew “sit”. “Stay” was a real challenge for her, but she was good for about twenty-five feet. Of course, she was never happier than when I called “come”. Walking her was a joy, as I knew that she would always be to heel.

Walking this puppy is an arm wrenching tug of war, who by the way, must weigh in around sixty pounds. By the time he left he was doing better, but without daily, consistent, reinforcement, it will soon be forgotten.

It is the same with writing. Do it daily. Be consistent. Let the process reinforce itself. “Sit”. “Stay”. “Write”. As I do this every day, it is starting to transform from a tug of war, to joy. Prepare yourself though. There will be the day when you flush a nest of baby bunnies, or find yourself volunteered for something you were not expecting.

I hope you are finding it to be the same for you.

Word count for November 14, is:

2,500 words. Fourteen-day total 31,000.

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer