Why NaNo Ate Malia's Soul

[Malia]

Since there are already three threads instead of the one I saw the last time, I'll start to keep track here too. It's kind of an apology for writing in German ... although in theory I know that I don't have to apologize. ^^°

Day 7 - Word Count: 11k-something (I suppose it's 11.771)

Yay weekend! Started the day with a bit of frustration, because I haven't been able to write for three days (due to school), but also high expectations, because I met with two fellow WriMos who actually live in the town where I go to school. They're great! (I wrote about them in my latest blog entry.)

Aaanyway, got home with more frustration, because I haven't been able to write anything during the meeting. Now, after laughing so hard about Nanoisms that it actually sounded like crying, I think I can do a few more words. I've already written the daily wordcount of 1.700 words, but I want more - to catch up and get ahead again!

However, I think I can do that tonight or tomorrow. And I'm so glad I haven't agreed to go ice skating with my best friend. So glad! This month NaNo comes first, and she has to accept that.

* My goal for tomorrow: 15k, 20 would be even better

[Malia]

Day 9 - Word Count: 16.093

Listening to "Every Breath You Take" by The Police, I actually feel a bit better than before. Although I managed to write 3.555 words yesterday, I can't really get back into the flow and enthusiasm again.

Guess I have a problem somewhere that prevents me from enjoying writing. Maybe by soul is fighting against the idea of an organized and beautiful plot that I blame my mind for. Yesterday I could somehow avoid the problem or break my mind's control, because I really like the scene I wrote. My protagonist decided to fall in love with the guy she met at the train. After he prevents her from falling and kisses her (accidentally, of course!), they sit down at a rooftop, he tells her about vampire history and the bloodlines and she nearly kills him while exploring her new special ability. Man!

I just want to write something as exciting as my protagonist did yesterday. I think she came alive - but I'm also afraid that I won't be able to keep that level of excitement, afraid that I don't continue at all and fail miserably after the first week. Well, I just have to get going anyway! And soon too!

* Goal for today: daily wordcount of 1.700 words, or a couple 100 more

[Malia]

Day 11 - Word Count: 18.436

Hehe, I like Russian music. It makes you switch into rebel mood and write some more words because that just can't be the end of the day! I have time, and I'm awake, so I'm going to write until my brain is numb!

(Actually Leningrad is a band that sometimes is forbidden there, sometimes not, according to my Russian teacher. Regardless, I like how the typical Russian soul sounds like.)

However, I feel the week two blues too, as it's called on the boards. There's no drive, no motivation and I'm a little bit behind when in fact I want to be ahead, but I guess it's a good thing to keep writing. Even if it's a pain in the head, even if I curse the characters and the story and myself for coming up with them!

It's also kind of unfair and hard that so many alternate plots and characters come to my mind these days. They make me want to start all over again with a different idea that might work better ... but I stay with what I've got. There's no sense in a new beginning, and I won't reach 50k if I do. Actually, I think I did a fairly good job today because I worked a new character into the plot. She is the reason, without her I won't continue any more. My old heroine is just like myself which is hugely annoying! It seems that I always make the same mistake - at least the third time I can remember.

* Anyway, goal for today: 700 words to reach the daily word count

EDIT: Just reached my daily goal! Yay! I've written even more than 2000 words all in all, and I stand at a wordcount of 19400 words. And I love the scene and subplot I've just begun.

[Malia]

Day 14 - Word Count: 19k-something

I'm stuck, so incredibly stuck! Haven't written for two or three days because I don't like the story and don't want to continue something I don't like. There are absolutely no ideas how I could continue and turn the story into something interesting and exciting to write about. I've had a short talk with a friend yesterday, and she told me just to write what I like. We came up with some crazy cliché ideas, so that's good.

However, my problem is that I don't know how to fill the gab between the hugely tragic ending and the point I stand at now. Where is the connection? It seems that I've lost it and can't find another one.

But after the break I feel like I should start to write again. I want to have half the work done until Monday! Still, this goal and challenge of 50.000 words mean a lot to me. I've thought about giving up, yes, but I won't. I certainly won't! I've come that far and I'll finish this.

At least I have more free time now, so I should seize that.

*today's goal: getting into the flow again, writing 2.500 words (if possible)

[Malia]

Day 15 - Word Count: 23.058

I'm proud of myself. I managed to write a significant amount of words today after doing a bit of studying for school and before having a shower and watching a film with my mum (Lord of the Tides in English?). Now I should go to bed instead of rambling about how proud I am of myself. *coughs*

The solution for my problem was very simple: Someone sent me a NaNoMail with a simple, but useful tip for writer's block: Don't continue your novel for that day, just write down very roughly what could happen next. That's what I did, and I kept writing down the consequences and imagining cool scenes in my head until the story was finished. And surprise, surprise: I managed to get to the end I wanted all the time!

Now I just have to write that down. I'm a bit worried that it'll be too short a story for reaching 50k, but I don't want to think about that at the moment.

The character that has kept the story going for quite some time now is Hanako, a 'geisha' type woman with typical japanese beliefs and opinions. She thinks that she has to be perfekt in order to command all those people that are loyal to her. Although she has a lot of flaws, she only shows them to one person, her 'lover'. She drinks his blood because ... well, her special ability makes her like vampire blood more than human one. Of course, the worst that could possibly happen was that he falls in love with my other MC, a young vampire girl named Hikari, and tries to flee. Of course Hanako finds him and drags him back to her cottage first. He will suffer. The girl will suffer. Etc.

But what I really love about Hanako is her beautiful fury. For the last few pages, she has been in a fury because he ran away. He betrayed her for ... a greenhorn of a vampire, so to say. *g* She was so ... angry and she nearly lost control because of that. God, she nearly killed him as a punishment!

Anyway, I hope that writing from Hikari's perspective doesn't get boring again. What is planned is gonna be fun, fun, fun! I'm really looking forward to writing this novel again, and I'm almost halfway through! Now I certainly won't give up any more.

* Goal for tomorrow: reach the 25k mark

[Malia]

Day 18 - Word Count: 27.738

It's flowing ... I finally manage to write my daily amount of words before I'm satisfied and go to bed. It's not very impressing or anything, but I find myself being much more comfortable with that than with the mad mixture of speed-writing and writer's block that could be called a summary of the first two weeks.

I also find myself thinking about my writing style. Usually it's short and precise, only describing the most necessary facts about environment, clothing, etc. That comes from the fact that I have been writing short stories for a long time. Your style adjusts to the flow sooner or later - depending on which genre(s) you choose. Since I haven't thought much about what I write before (was focused on grammar and the "melody of the sentences"), I can't exactly describe what my writing style consists of. However, I think that there are large parts of philosophy, description and thoughts in it. My characters ponder over almost everything when I can't think of a better plot I want to tell. I think that's one of the main weaknesses I need to scratch out when I correct the manuscript - if I even correct it.

Wow ... I really think that I might reach 50.000 words this year. It's my first NaNo, so that means a lot to me! Although I have no idea what I should do with the book when it's finished - I'm sure that I'll know soon enough. It's not yet finished, after all.

Well, that was just a little rambling about how things are going and what I'm currently thinking about the whole project. (Btw, Hikari is still interesting enough - going on a shopping spree is excellent material for girls!)

* Goal for today: write 2.000 words, maybe reach 30.000 word mark (although that would probably take too long)

[Malia]

Day 23 - 39k-something

Just a quick note: I did it. I'm caught up, and even 1k or so ahead! Now I can be calm again, and I'm sure that I'll make it in time. This is incredible - considering the fact that this really is my first NaNo!

The words are flowing now, the characters are being nice and tame (and if they're doing things that weren't planned, I don't even notice it any more) and I have fun with what I'm writing. I think that story won't be finished at 50k, but that's absolutely fine. I'll continue writing until the end has written itself.

The part I'm now writing is just about a party night, having fun and stuff. Actually Hikari is about to forget the nice boy she is fighting to get back and falling in love with the handsome, cool guy next door, so to say. I'm curious about how that'll turn out ...

Anyway, everything's fine here.

* Goal for tomorrow: writing 1.700 words, likely a couple 100 more