Final Write-in of the Season

I'm excited to report that I will be meeting a local wrimo on the South side of the Ohio River this evening for our first and last write-in of the season. Assuming she gets my message about the first coffee shop I picked being Closed on Friday night. I have some vague hope that Wee Hob will write a couple more paragraphs on his story tonight, which for him would be an achievement just as impressive as over 50K words for an adult.

Anyway, 7-? pm EST we will be online for anyone who wants to join in the madness. You don't have to be a wrimo or even writing a novel-- drop by and say hi. My aim id is on my profile page. I'll probably take it off after tonight until next November.

I'll probably write a reflection on the month at some point, too, but I will spare the f-list for today. There are some reflection type questions in the middle school Young Writers Program materials that look helpful-- what worked, what didn't, what was fun, etc. type things, so I will probably fill that out at some point. I will say that a year of writing fairly regularly seems to have made a difference-- I didn't really find 50K words that hard this year, where last I barely hit 26K. (I admit I found 400 hard on some days, and I thank you all again for letting me whine about it.) So, overall, improvement.

Here's the nano widget-- it keeps updating as I add to my count. Cool, huh?


No word yet on my friend, but when it comes it will not be good. Thanks to everyone for the outpouring of good wishes and support. In the cosmic scheme of things, I'm sure it helps.

End of Nano - Final Count, Final Thoughts

Well, that's a wrap. Maybe if I were home, I would be in a quiet space and I could get a few more words on the month. But no. This is better. I have made a new friend. Wee Hob has been written into the friend's novel as a mud-encrusted Druid who just got knocked in the head for I know not what reason. And I am listening to some surprisingly good blues guitar and harmonica. I have beta'ed a story I've been meaning to get to for several days. I have chatted with a friend in Manchester England. I have drunk a celebratory beer and an obscene amount of coffee. And you know what? I think I want to do it again. Soon.

Writing really is addictive. Makes you feel kind of powerful, when it all goes right. Like when I write a program and I suddenly just *see* how to solve whatever the problem is-- when things just click into place. It does require effort, and making the ground ready, and yes, an inordinate amount of whining at times. But when things click-- it's all worth it.

Congratulations to all on my f-list who were writing this month, in whatever capacity. Take some time to pat yourself on the back, whether you accomplished all you planned or not. If you tried, and struggled even one hour, you did something amazing, and there's a little slice of a world, of lives, of truth about the way we are, that all exist because you poured a little of your soul out for it. Take a moment to savor that.

And thanks to all the readers on my list, particularly the ones who take the time to leave comments for all those writer types. Your efforts are like rain on parched earth, giving writers that little boost when they need it to keep going. You are a necessary and integral part of the process, and I honor you for it.

I am entirely too philosophical tonight. Not sure if it's the mix of low light, beer (only one over an hour ago), waaay too much coffee, waaay too little sleep this month, and jammin' blues. But whatever. I'll go with it. Here's the final nano meter for this year:



Tomorrow, while wee hob is serving time at Saturday School (his history grade is now a 42. Not quite the Nine (9) it was earlier, but down a bit from the 88 he had brought it up to. He is falling into the bad habit of "losing" his homework again. Sad thing is-- he does it at school. In his Learning Strategies Class. There's really no excuse for losing it walking the length of half a hallway to his locker...) I will take stock of my stories and start editing them. Probably the sequel to "Lost Boys" first, as I'd like to get that one done by Christmas. Then last year's Nano Novel (hey gillo). Last year, I was writing every day well into February-- I'd like to extend that streak a bit if possible.

Good night, congratulations and hugs to all. I raise my glass to you. (Has coffee in it, at the moment.....)