...50,595 words. I am shocked.

Got serious writer's block on Monday night -- I only got slightly over 1000 words done, and then I got stuck. I really, really, really wanted to introduce a new location, one that I'd created months ago, so I did. And then didn't have anywhere to go. The scene was cute, but it didn't do anything to advance the plot or characterization, and I was afraid I was going to have to rip it bodily from the story and give up the word count as lost.

I thought about it that evening and the next morning and nothing came to me. So I grabbed my (paper) notebook and walked down to Insomnia. I found writing there difficult because of the noise and distractions, but I thought I would at least be able to get out ideas on paper, since I didn't have to worry about style or flow or complete sentences.

About three blocks from Insomnia (remember, this is a 1.5 mile walk), it came to me in a real "Duh!" moment. It's like the characters went to this pub and then were just waiting for me to get back on the computer so I could continue their discussion. Well, I was already almost to Insomnia, so I figured I had to have a coffee, sigh, so I might as well get it over with. >;-)

And as I sat there, another idea came to me that solved a problem I'd had for weeks: how to work in the oddmen (formerly "greymen"). Woot! So I sat there with my triple-shot decaf Americano and wrote out 2.75 pages longhand, then came home, transcribed that, and ended up writing 2216 words total for the day. On track again!

44,196 words total. Zowie.

Work all day. Didn't get to write until later evening, but managed 1862 words. As of yesterday, I was 63% through the month but 72% through the word goal. So, still good!

More work today, I don't know how long, but I'm not sanguine about finishing up in good time because for one of the projects Leslie wants me to "help" her sketch, which means she hasn't decided on a final design. Yee-haw! I have coffee with Da Goils^tm, though, so I'll have to work around that. Sigh. ^_^

Only 1005 words yesterday. I went to Insomnia in the morning with my knitting and Kindle, since I figured I'd have all afternoon to write. Ah, mais non, mes amis! I got a little writing done after I got home, but then Leslie called and I had work for the rest of the afternoon. Will have work today, too, plus a dentist appt. in the afternoon, which, because our dentist is in NEWBERG (long story), means three hours shot. And Knit Night tonight. Don't know if I'll get much done at all, writing wise. Good thing I'm ahead, eh?

Ah, I see Peter's done with brekkies, so it's off to work.

Friday: 3185 words
Saturday: 2139 words
Sunday: 2005 words

Current total: 30,039 words

I'm halfway through the month, but more than halfway to the 50,000-word goal! Wow! Of course, I may be 3/5 of the way through the word requirement, but I'd be surprised if I was much more than 1/4 of the way through the story... @_@

I got a little burned out yesterday. I have a job this morning, so we'll see how much (if anything) I get written today. But that's why I've been working so hard on days when I'm on a roll -- to give myself some wiggle room for days when I have work or when my brain has gone out and left no contact number. Oh, and Thanksgiving...

3222 words yesterday (and that was even though I didn't write in the afternoon because of the knitting group at Insomnia), 22,687 total. I am nearly halfway!

3230 words yesterday -- got an a roll in South Fell. And dialogue. I love dialogue. So we're up to 19,455 right now. Whew!

16,224 words, not quite (but almost) a third of the way through. I got work yesterday that took up essentially all of the afternoon, leaving me at only 1400 for the day, but I worked again in the evening for about and hour and a half and brought the day's total to 2324. Go me!

I've also started writing down ideas in the notebook I drew the map in. I was afraid, at first, to try to think the plot too far ahead, I don't know why. Maybe I thought I'd spend too much time puzzling and tweaking and not enough writing. I'm still not too far forward, other than the overall shape of the story in extremely general terms, but it did help to get a few ideas down before I forgot them, which has happened before.

I'm hoping to have more time to write today, because tonight is Knit Night (I must wear the new sweater! ^_^), so I won't have time in the evening. I'll have to check up on that draft I sent to Aleta; with any luck, it won't need many changes.

Onward!

Another 1900 words yesterday. I'm at 7800, but only because I'd already written the opening scene (all the way to going to Kep's office) and another that gets us from Jemeden's name to lunch in Mercy Square. Now I'll have to do some real writing. 0_o!

I actually did some writing last night -- about 2000 words total -- in honour of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I know I won't be able to finish anything substantial in one month (hell, it took me until the 5th to write anything at all), but I'd like to use NaNoWriMo as an excuse to at least get something down. I finished the first day of the story, which might also be the first chapter, though it seems short for that. Next I'll send Eschi wandering down into Mercy, where she'll run into Jemeden -- segue into something already written for a few pages -- then escort him back to Great House. Somewhere in there, probably before meeting our co-protagonist, she's got to start ruminating on the Grey case, which means I have to start fleshing out the evidence. And what is Jemeden doing In Between anyway? Will Eschi go back to the office, or will she send for Kep to meet her elsewhere? I guess day three will be the first foray into Grey itself, but after that it's all pretty vague. For one thing, I have to find ways to have Eschi keep running into Jemeden. What are Whisper and Rhenn doing all this time and how do they help with the mystery? How do I work in The Stag Rampant? And the gold Demon?

It's weird for me to try to write this way -- just plow on without going back (too much) to rework sentences and paragraphs. I'm much more used to having just a scene in mind and spending waaaay too much time over it. I know that what I wrote last night, though serviceable, won't stand up to close examination, but I guess the point is to get the ideas down, yes? Still, I can't help thinking that I'm missing a lot trying to write this fast. ^_^;;

Oh, well. Not going to get much done this morning, as I am going downtown to FINALLY take Doug out to lunch for his birthday and maybe see the new exhibits at the museum, assuming my foot doesn't give me too much trouble (I seem to have pulled something in my left arch, but it seems better today).

I guess I better get going, eh? Caio!

Happy Birthday, Beloved! I love thee!

Schrödinger’s Rapist: or a guy’s guide to approaching strange women without being maced.

This article's tone may be a bit harsh at times, but the core message is sound. I think it's difficult for a lot of men to realise just how scary it can be to be a woman in this society. I don't walk alone at night if I can help it; I don't like taking the train home late at night. I lock my car door as soon as I get in. If I'm in a dubious neighborhood, I look for places that might be safe shelters. And, because most men don't live with this kind of constant hyper-awareness, they don't understand why we might not want them pushing into our personal space. "Hey, I'm a nice guy! I won't hurt you!" Yeah, well, if I don't know you, how do I know that?

Obviously we all -- men, women, other -- should be respectful of each other's boundaries, but in the case of men and women, there is a long, long, LONG, history of rape and violence that makes women in general more sensitive to violations of those boundaries.

Nobel jury speaks out in defense of Obama prize.

And you know, we really should put ourselves in the positions of other countries -- think of the contrast btw Bush and Obama. The whole world, practically, breathed a big sigh of relief.

Travel & Leisure magazine awards the Portland Building the dubious distinction of being one of the ugliest buildings in the world. In the world, folks.

Thanks, winterbadger!

Your result for The RPG Class Test...

Wizard

19% Combativeness, 20% Sneakiness, 76% Intellect, 14% Spirituality

Take The RPG Class Test at OkCupid

Get ready for 21 September: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FmEIP46B-E&feature=related

Thanks to my friend Aleta, who posted this on Facebook.

Rest in peace, Mary. Thanks for everything you've done for us.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090917/ap_en_ce/us_obit_mary_travers

This heat pump guy has really set my teeth on edge -- but at least he's very thorough.