Ramblings from the 'goblinn

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.....)

Check it out: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/126205



I did it. Well, we did. Thanks to everyone who offered prayers, support, advice, hugs, or who didn't smack me silly for whining about how hard it was at times. Now I owe some beta work to lady_clover and I still intend to hit a couple more write ins now that I've discovered them, though I will now be editing, not trying to pull 1667 more words out of my -- you know. I still have to finish all three parts of the novel I've imaginatively titled "Triptych", not to mention give Giles another shot at literary criticism.

But for now, I'm taking lady_clover's advice from the other night and getting a glass of warm milk, some warm jammies and just chilling out. Good night, all.

Thanks to antennapedia one last time for her word widget:



And to ishtaritu for the icon above.

Okay, change of pace. I went and read back through my journal, and you know what? That feeling Neil Gaiman was talking about, and that I have been having the past few days-- the discontent, I can't write anything worthwhile and what the hell was I thinking that I could for anyway-- I've had it before. A Lot. Like, every time I have written anything over the past year.

So, here I am at Bruegger's Bagels in the quaint neighborhood of Clifton, by the University of Cincinnati, and I am getting ready to bang out the last little bit I need to win nano. I have a thermos of coffee that's hot, and when the line goes down I will get snacks. I have good music. I have a wee hobgoblinn here doing "research". I have my nano07 icon by ishtaritu to inspire me. I have a fellow nano-er writing pr0n or something at the next table over (but wee hob can't see that, as her laptop is faced discreetly away from him.) I have others joining me at 2pm. I have 3 hours before I have to leave for mass. I can so do this.

So I will get to it.

ETA: You know, part of my problem may indeed be caffeine poisoning. Today's about the day to check for that, according to the nano boards....

Another pathetic day. Some of it was the joy of redirecting Hyperactive!WeeHob and taking care of some errands that needed to be run. Later, sloth and reading better fics than mine prevailed. I did get some work done rearranging and reordering my original fic idea to see what it is and where it could go. And a few words, as you see.

Tomorrow, I shall get up earlier, get Wee Hob up earlier, forcibly medicate his little self (I didn't today, because it was so late when he got up and I didn't want him up all night again. I have learned my lesson.) And I shall go out to the internetless Starbucks (internetless in the sense of I am not paying T-mobile for the privilege of surfing the internet while drinking overpriced beverages when I should damn well be finishing my word count) and send Wee Hob over to romp with the goblin down the street for a while. In the afternoon, there's a write in. Another on Sunday. I can do this. I just have to get focussed. Or something.

The irony of posting the progress meter when so little progress has actually occurred is not lost on me.... Thanks again to antennapedia for it, though:

Okay, I was bad last night-- a paltry count, mostly because I chatted with a new nanowrimo in the local area, setting up a write in meet up on Sunday, and then I got sucked into another rec on clavally's rec page (Lioness Prophecies). Not her fault-- she recc'ed it ages ago and when I went out I found my login had expired because of some site issues. So when I got the email saying, "hey, you're all fixed" I of course had to go out and see....

I need to get out away from the internetz where I have nothing else to do but force myself to follow these threads of stories-- my stories, not someone else's. That's the goal for the weekend. But now, I have to get ready for the obligatory gathering. Happy Thanksgiving to all. Hopefully I'll get something written later.

Notes and short snippets in 3 different directions. Need to let it all gel now. Am looking forward to the holiday.

Oddly, Wee Hob asked me this morning when we could go to another write in. Apparently snacks and a quiet place to play his game for research were not terrible yesterday. So we will be at Bruegger's Bagels in Clifton this afternoon to meet some other local wrimos. Official time is 2-4pm, but we will probably be there by 1 EST. Assuming there's an aim connection, anyone out there who wants to check in, please feel free.

And I should shower more often (not that I don't shower enough now....) because this morning I got the flash of a scene I can write today. I'm off now to the Ft Thomas Starbucks with Wee Hob to kill time and words until CCD at 11. Happy writing to all.

Oh-- here's Wee Hob's novel synopsis: "A group of boys get sucked into another world by Giant Spiders."

I can't wait to read it.

Okay, I have to admit it-- this word count comes Entirely from an edited (and redacted) version of last night's chat with clavally. And it's all notes, no story to speak of. I was trying to work out what the sequel to Lost Boys was about, and how Dumbledore fits into it.

I'm remembering now how I did some character notes on Giles last year, and how much it helped: My Giles. Maybe I need to do a similar thing with Snape and Dumbledore. I get that I am going to have to make a decision about the kinds of characters I was to work with, just as I did with Lost Boys. But I need some kind of handle on canon before I can strike out on my own.

So, that's what I'll start with today. Looking forward to the write in today at 3.

The progress meter, with thanks as always to antennapedia:



ooo--up above 70%. Wow. This really rocks. Will rock more, of course, if I actually get some word count today.

Better go wake up wee hob. I think first order of business is his laundry. I have a cold and it is still offending my nostrils....

Still, new laptop battery means I can write at Ye Olde Laundomat. Score.

Happy Saturday, all.

Well, last night I wrote the same scene from two different points of view, and I started trying to sort out Dumbledore for this fic. I also took some time at the end of the night to reread some of DH where Dumbledore explains himself to Harry. Certainly gave me plenty of ammunition for why Snape might feel he has nothing to say to Dumbledore, especially one that is only a copy. But it's harder to find exculpatory material that might make a reader (and eventually Snape) desire some kind of reconciliation, not to mention a view of Dumbledore as someone who might convincingly want to, and actually act to, make things right for Snape. Whatever danger I dream up is going to have to be compelling enough to make this happen. But, no pressure or anything. I expect I will have to make a decision about the kind of Dumbledore I want to spend time with, just as I did for Snape, because I find JKR to be all over the lot on him, as well.

Progress meter says:



Well, better get started on what promises to be a sucktastic day of truly epic proportions. And that's before I even open my laptop tonight to write....

Well, okay, this is better. I wrote some notes on where all my stories were, then wrote up the last clear "this needs to happen scene" I had in my mind for the Lost Boys sequel. So, still scary thinking what I have to come up with tomorrow, but I'm pleased with the progress tonight.

And antennapedia's progress meter says:



Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and comments on my last couple of posts. It's been really quiet out here lately. Though I suppose I have been a bit quiet here, myself. Hugs to all, particularly anyone feeling neglected. November will be over eventually....