Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Gearing Up for NaNoWriMo

In about three and a half hours, NaNoWriMo starts. I know I could start now, but I'm a rule follower - at least on day one. 

This evening, I have been sitting at the kitchen table with my laptop doing last minute research for my NaNo novel, only getting up to answering the occasional ring of the doorbell by trick-or-treaters.  On a normal day, I could catch children with a large butterfly net in my back yard.  But it's cold and raining, a very sucky Halloween. 

I found the car for my opening chapter - a 1927 Ford Model T Runabout pickup, one of the last Model T cars made.  I found documentation on how to operate it.  In my story, it has been donated to the church by the wife of a mine operator.  She wants the minister to give sermons to the miners and their families that live in the coal town - word is there's a lot of venereal disease among the miners (apparently there was).  She thinks prayer and song will cure them all. 

The MC in my story is the preacher's daughter.  In chapter one, she meets a young miner who will be her husband.  Later in the story, for reasons I don't want to tell you now, she goes insane.  Her husband becomes the MC for the second half of the story because she's never herself again.

As I sat at the kitchen table, I was determined to nail down the details for the opening chapter, including the particular coal town (which thankfully is long since out of business, so I assume I can use it's real name without worrying about being sued should my odd novel ever get published and be read by enough people to warrant a law suit).  

I tried to bounce ideas off my husband.  But he wasn't listening.  At one point, I made eye contact with him and thought I had him, but he went to get a snack while I was mid-sentence and left the room.  Several minutes later, he served my young one a snack at the table, pulled up a chair across from me, and started talking to me and not about my novel - at which time I felt like I would go insane and never be myself again. 

*Sigh*

So I've got my story ready to go despite the overwhelming urge to completely change gears earlier today and in spite of the thing where my family isn't really going to give me a break.  I just need one to two hours a day without interruption or annoyance for 30 days.  (I am smiling now that I wrote that - it's not going to happen.)

24 comments:

  1. You can do it, Tonja. Even without his help. Maybe he'll make snacks for you while you write?

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    1. I actually cannot do it without an extended block of quiet time.

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  2. Good luck. One or two hours per day isn't too much to expect.

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  3. Good luck with NaNo -- and have fun with it! :)

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    1. Thanks! I've been having problems connecting to your blog today. Will try tomorrow.

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  4. Wow - it's really difficult to write that first word.

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  5. Hope you find time alone to write. My husband has never been good for listening to book ideas.

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    1. I think the newness of it has worn off after three years. My family has definitely lost interest.

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  6. Yay! 1817 words this morning with one sick kid at home and without hurting myself. I reread the first chapter to edit it - I'm going rouge this year and editing as I go.

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  7. Best of luck to you. It sounds like from your comment above that you are on a strong start for November 1st!

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    1. I think if I do one chapter a day, I'll finish. It wasn't stressful at all.

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  8. And I think you can use the name of the town. After all, any resemblance to the place is a coincidence or used fictionally. :)

    Good luck with NaNo!

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  9. You can use a real town name. If you feel uncomfortable about it later, then fictionalize it. That's what I did in my latest.

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    1. I see what you and Cherie are saying. I think that's true for a normal town, but this is a coal town completely owned by the coal company - basically a coal mine and rental homes for the miners with a shared bathhouse and store. It would be like if you lived at work.

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  10. Oh! Good luck with NaNo! Your story sounds intriguing.

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  11. Good luck with NaNo! I'm happy to meet you!

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  12. Nope, I could never start NaNo BEFORE midnight on day #1. It's against the rules and I'm such a rule follower. hehe

    I have to say your NaNo story sounds pretty tragic! I hope you get the time you need to write :)

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  13. Sounds like you're all set, Tonja. Don't worry, my husband's eyes glaze over, too, when I talk about what I'm working on:)

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  14. I know a whole two people who will listen to me rant about my writing, so I feel your pain there, sister. Love your story idea and I would love to read it! I'm rooting for ya!

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  15. I don't imagine you can be sued by a closed down coal mining company, but you could always change the name just slightly. Besides, if it's based on historical fact, there's nothing they could do about it -- especially with the "fictional disclaimer" printed at the beginning of every novel.

    Good luck with NaNo, and I hope your family gets their act together and gives you the time to write!

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  16. I have to pick just the right moment to bounce ideas off my husband. That usually involves a wild hairy guess as to when those five minutes will occur.

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  17. Good luck with NaNo!! You are so brave. I don't think I'd manage 50 000 words in a month!

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