Hey Kids,
Routine is something I have always struggled to achieve.
I’m not sure how people do it. From what time I sleep, go to work, or even eat; I’ve never had a routine.
I want one. At least a resemblance to one. Without it, my writing time has disappeared.
Now, to create something I cannot imagine, experienced, or even witnessed firsthand.
Go.
Post 335
Hey Kids,
Tonight, here’s a very short excerpt from one of the short stories I wrote during November. It was a fun story to write. Enjoy.
“Dead Cold”
It took two days to get there. I did not sleep and I did not eat. The memories of the gun shot, the blow to the back of my head, my dead horse, and my stolen gold consumed any thoughts of stopping. Had they been satisfied with a simple hold-up, I would’ve given up the gold without much fight. I know things don’t work like that out here, but I would’ve done it. I’m a coward like that, at least I was. They purged those feelings and rage now filled that space. Hate surrounded it. It was not hard to keep walking. The cold had ceased to exist, my body burned hot, as if fueled by the fires of hell.
The sight of the town first came into view around mid-day of the second day, yet another ten hours would pass before my feet first crossed into its boundary.
I could practically smell them. Like a predator in pursuit of its prey, I knew what they would do before they did. I felt no rush. They felt comfortable, safe. They did not know the wolf was at the door.
Day 289
Hey Kids,
50,000 new words written.
I finished my NaNoWriMo challenge.
This was a challenging one with so much going on, and then starting a new second job on top of that!
Maybe to some, the deed doesn’t seem to great.
To me, it’s something many people start out saying they’re going to do it, and then a only a small percentage actually realize it.
*patting myself on the back*
NaNoWriMo: 50,000+/50,000
Day 280
Hey Kids,
I knew the NaNoWriMo thing would be tough to do this month with so much going on, but I decided to jump into it anyway.
Everything was going great, until this past week when things got a little hairy at work, I began a new second job, and Thanksgiving made its appearance.
The plan was to work ahead, in preparation for this week in particular. I didn’t.
The plan was to finish early in the month and avoid this whole week entirely. It didn’t.
The plan was to make sure there was no way I could fail at achieving 50,000 words written before November 30th. This plan is still alive.
I hate to fail. Especially when everything is within my possibility. I am responsible for falling behind. I will be responsible to hit the mark.
Failure is not an option.
NaNoWriMo: 44,078/50,000
Day 278
Hey Kids,
Write, write, write.
That was the order of the day today.
We had a bunch of things to do this morning, and it included getting into the gym for a quick work out but after lunch, it was time to write.
I feel behind 500 words on Thursday night and then failed to write at all on Friday.
I know that for some, coming up with 3,800 words (the amount I started out behind) in one day doesn’t sound like a huge task. However when you figure those words have to fit into a 50,000 word goal, it is tougher than you think.
In comparison, Stephen King, whose work is nothing but prolific, writes about 1500 words per day. 3,800 words all of a sudden sounds like a bunch.
I failed to reach that number. Instead I finished at 2700. I’m still behind, but if I can put down an equal effort tomorrow, I’ll be caught up.
The trick is not to get behind and if you do, it might take a few days to make up the difference. And if you do fall behind, it’s better to do it in the first two weeks of NaNoWriMo than in the last two.
Wish me luck.
NaNoWriMo: 22,222/50,000
Day 264
Hey Kids,
Day two of NaNoWriMo is passing into tomorrow and I’m still on track. I finished Chapter two this evening and might go back to work a little longer after I finish this post.
Today was a challenging day for me. I realized once again how poor I am. I’m not dirt floor poor but it sucks when you realize the money is too short to cover all the bills. Now I have to ask, what bill collector gets the meanest, who charges the most on penalties, and more importantly, who can shut off what service.
But that’s life in the lower middle class these days.
It’s OK. I know things will get better. It’s why I keep working and earning. One day it’ll pay off.
I believe if you work hard, for you, whatever you do, for the sake of your benefit; it pays off. Maybe not always in being a millionaire but it makes you a better person.
I’m working at my computer and all around me others sleep. I don’t wrong them, but this is how I know I’m going in the right direction. I’m doing something worthwhile and that is why I’m still doing it. And one day I hope to do this fulltime.
Until then, I’ll keep plugging away at the day job, the blog, and my writing projects.
The only one that can quit and fail me now, is me. And I’m not going to let that happen.
NaNoWriMo: 3400/50,000
Day 252
Hey Kids,
NaNoWriMo
National Novel Writing Month.
This event is held every November and the rules are simple.
Write 50,000 original words between November 1st and 30th.
It’s an average of a little less than 1700 words per day for 30 days.
If you submit 50,000 words before midnight on the 30th, you win. If you don’t, you don’t.
Or as I see it: if I don’t, I lose.
I participated in 2010, 2011, and 2013. All wins. I considered myself too busy last year. Maybe next year, I said. It wasn’t worth the risk of losing.
Again this year, I began to say the same thing. Way too busy. Too many irons in the fire. Two books in the process of editing. No way to get more writing done. I don’t want to not win.
It sounded familiar. I was losing without even trying. I’d rather not win by not writing enough than lose by default.
So I’m in. I started today and have about 1400 words written so far. I’ll get back to it tonight.
I have no intentions of losing. And at the end of this month, I’ll have the base of a new novel.
“If it needs to be done, do it.”
I’ll keep you up to date.
NaNoWriMo: 1455/50000
Day 251
Hey Kids,
I make no bones about it, I enjoy Mark Twain.
I haven’t read every piece he ever wrote, but I have a lifetime to get them all done, but suffice to say that those I have read, I enjoy.
I like the man Twain as well. Maybe a bit bitter towards the end and with good reason, his humor still resonates with me, his descriptions I love, and the way he wrote dialect- pure genius.
My favorite book of his is Life on the Mississippi. I know it’s not the popular choice, but it’s the one I can pick up again and again. Roughing It ranks pretty high up there with me too.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, however, is known to be his masterpiece. I would not ever try to dissuade anyone from that opinion. It is within the pages of Huckleberry Finn that I believe most will find and recognize that their humanity and ability to see the humanity in others rises above any feelings of race, prejudices, and environmental indoctrination one might have received.
Twain, I believe wanted to paint the picture of how it was, and at the same time how it could and should be. I believe it transcends just the question of race, but includes any point of difference we come across.
In an age of re-doing all the movies ever done, why doesn’t anyone look to make a movie from Twain’s Masterpiece? The Disney version was OK as a kid but I can tell you, I never learn the lesson that I think Twain intended.
In a time, at least in the USA when maybe we need a refresher course on looking beyond the tone of skin, of understanding another’s point-of-view, and of being tolerant of our own history; maybe Twain still has something to say.
After all I’ve said about remakes being of the devil, in this case I’d have to say:
“All right then, I’ll go to hell.”
Day 178
Hey Kids,
I’ve read a quote attributed to Stephen King. It reads:
“Stopping a piece of work just because it’s hard either emotionally or imaginatively is a bad idea. Sometimes you have to go on when you don’t feel like it and sometimes you’re doing good work when it feels like all you’re managing to do is shovel shit from a sitting position.”
I’ve not been shy to say I’ve been struggling with finding the right path for my current work in progress. I think of quitting but keep plugging at it. I wonder if I can really write, if I’m fooling myself, if anyone even cares.
And then today I received an email from a reader.
“I flew to Florida last week and was mesmerized by your book the whole time! Finished it during the flight and loved it!!! You are a fantastic writer with the ability to describe things such that they come alive in one’s mind. Great Job!”
I think I’ll keep plugging.
Day 171
Hey Kids,
80° Right smack dab in the middle of the summer. July no less. It even snowed in Wyoming.
I know there are some crying foul. My sweetie is one of them. Her Texas blood requires as many 100°+ days as possible and being in Utah, she best get stocked up in July. I, however, am rejoicing in the short repose from the heat.
Writing Pool Side
Today I sat at pool side and experienced a double bonus.
1) Without Hell’s Breathe beating down upon me, I didn’t sweat all over my laptop and mouse, or gum up my touch screen. I got work done and didn’t have to drink 5 gallons of water.
2) There were near no kids swimming in the pool. The last couple of cool days and the very cool night has turned our pool into an ice bath (according to one young fellow who attempted the icy waters). I don’t mean to be a Grinch but I felt aristocratic to be working next to an unused, peaceful pool.
I understand that this cold front will give way to mid to upper 90’s in the next two days and that’s OK. In the spirit of counting my blessings, I am loving this weather!
Day 155
Mike M Jensen 