50,000 Words Day 16

It's late and I want to go to bed but I got my words completed. I needed 2000 today and I got 2026. On Day 16 of my 30 day journey to 50,000 words,I am at 28,232 words. Not bad. My issue at this point is to try and tie up lots of story lines that are only partially completed. Try not to kill of anyone else. Dangerous times back then. I have several characters that are just lines because I have no name for them as of yet. My name list is down to the dregs.

If you are reading this blog for the first time, you will need to know that I am using No Plot? No Problem! novel writing-kit by Chris Baty. My motivation card is motivation for me only today so no sharing...

50,000 Words Day 15

Today I passed the halfway mark. From now on, I need to write 2,000 words per day to stay on track. My total word count today is 2,650. Total words in 15 days is 26,206 words. Hope you enjoyed my little tidbit yesterday. Also, just a reminder that I am writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. I am using No Plot? No Problem! novel writing-kit by Chris Baty. I will give you another taste today. The setting is a farmhouse dining room on a Sunday afternoon. The family has returned from church where something distressing took place.

Cousin Louise was unusually quiet throught the preparation of the meal and right up until we all sat down to eat. Cousin Samuel blessed the food and as he started to say Amen, Cousin Louise started in. "Father, forgive me for any harsh feelings that I harbor toward Aribella Quantz. Help me to find a fresh way of speaking kindly to her. Bless her in ways that only You can. Watch over the Curtis family. Give me strength to help them. Usemy hands, my feet and my mouth to do what needs to be done. Amen." I looked up and Cousin Louise sat there at the table and cried before us. Samuel came around the table and reached down and hugged with all his might. I could hear him whispering to her that it would be alright, that he would help her make it alright. Well, at that poin, no one was eating. We were just staring at the two of them. Cousin Louise wiped her eyes and spoke, "Girls, do remember that Mark 9:42 tells us that even when we give someone a cup of cold water we do it in His name. Matthew 25:40 says "I tell you the truth to the extent you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me... Do you understand what this means?" Norma replied,"Mama we need to help the Curtis Family, don't we?" "Yes, sweetheart, we do." I am going to ask each of you to take one piece of chicken, a piece of bread, a dollop of mashed potates and gravy and then I am going to pack the rest up and take it over to the Curtis family. We have lots more out in the kitchen." Everyone did as they were told and then together, they pack that meal up and added eggs, milk, butter, two more loaves of bread, jars of canned goods set up from the garden. Samuel carried packages out to the carrige while they packed. Cousin Louise then told them that she and Father would drive over to the Curtis' and then when they got back Harriet would need to be packed to leave for home. I spoke up and told her that"I was packed up already." She asked if I minded riding along then, because it would save Samuel an hour or more worth of time. So it was, that I had the privilege of seeing those children tumbling out of the bushes and trees and the door of their little home as we pulled into the drive. Mrs. Curtis stepped to the door and then turned and called to her husband. The two of them, with a baby in her arms, stood solemnly in the doorway looking at us.

Cousin Samuel got out of the carriage and walked around to the back. Cousin Louise climbed out,took my hand and had me climb down and join her as she walked up that rocky, rough drive. "Good afternoon Jacob, Hattie. It sure is a beautiful day. I didn't get a chance to introduce you to my Cousin Harriet. She's been to our house visiting for a few days and now we are taking her back to her home in Burnside. You were on the way and we thought we would stop by for a moment." Jacob stepped out into the yard and went over to speak to Samuel. While they wer talking, Lousie told Hattie what they had brought to them. Hattie sat right down on the doorstep, throwing her apron over her head and sobbed. Louise sat down with her. I took the baby out of Hattie's arms and walked into the yard. I could barely hear the two men talking. Just snatches...need help with crops and cattle...not enough to do full-time...some help...Victor Leach...ten days...work something out... After about fifteen minutes, Cousin Louise called to me. "Harriet,bring that sweet baby back to Mrs. Curtis. We need to be on our way. Samuel, get Jacob to help you unload the back of the carriage please. We have some traveling to do." As Samuel and Jacob hauled more and more food to the house, Hattie set to crying again. Cousin Louise told her that she would see her monday and Samuel said the same to Jacob. We finally climbed back into that carriage and drove away. "Cousin Louise, that was an act of charity wasn't it?" "Harriet, that was God's love with hands and feet. We need to listen to Him when he nudges us."

Okay, I am cutting you off for now, friends. The characters are starting to tell me what their stories are and they are and I am just writing down what they tell me. So, I am not going to bother you with my motivation card today. It is called The Squint.

50,000 Words Day 14

Today, I surpassed my daily goal by writing 1696 words bring my weekly total to 23,556. That surpasses the week 2 goal of making it to 20,000 words. No Plot? No Problem! novel writing-kit by Chris Baty sets a total goal of 50,000 words in 30 days. At day 14, I am almost half way there. I am giving you an excerpt of the as yet unnamed novel that I am writing today. Here is just a taste:

Group singing was led by the Choir Director, Mr Lawson Fletcher. He directed the singing while waving his arms into larger and larger flourishes. His black hair seemed to fly back and forth with the effort. The pianist, Miss Winifred Kierkel was a lively player. She seemed to bounce up and down to the beat of each note throughout the songs. The bird on her hat flapped away. The bouncing caused her anatomy to lead the men of the congregation to think on subjects unseemly. Mrs Aribella Quantz, President of the Womens Mission Society felt it her duty at some point to prevent further sin from happening so she went over and placed her hand on her shoulder. The bouncing stopped briefly, then started back up. The overall effect of the waving arms, flourishes, the black hair flying, the bird flapping away and the bousing up and down were quite a sight to behold.

My motivation card for today is called Keep The Faith: Novelist Amy Bender surrounds her writing desk with a dozen synonyms for the word "faith." Why? It helps remind her that, however confusing her story may seem at the moment, its point will become clear if she jest keeps writing. And it always does. As you enter your fourteenth day of writing, make and post a sign that will help you remember that things are going to work out great in the end.

50,000 Words Day 13

Today is day 13, and I am distracted by sadness for my friend, who is beyond any help from me other than my prayers. she has encouraged me in so many ways and my love for her will last my whole life. Part of her is in this attempt on my part to write this novel. Her encouragement to step outside and stretch myself by her example has made me realize that I am strong enough to do this. My numbers for today are 1667 bringing my total in 13 days to 21,860 words. As I have said before, I am writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. The program that I am using, called, No Plot? No Problem! novel-writing kit by Chris Baty. My motivvation card for today is called, A Lesson From The Deep:

Recent studies of marine mammals have revealed the perplexing fact that baby killer whales don't sleep at all during their first month on Earth. The explanation concocted by scientists is that the whales are at risk of freezing to death in the inhospitable waters until they acquire the blubber that insulates them. As you head through the ides of your novel month, take inspiration from these creatures and know that with each day of writing you're developing the kind of thickened skin and world-wise writing experience that will serve you well for the rest of your life. Even if it just feels sometimes like you're swimming in circles.

50,000 Words Day 12

I still have the flu. Tamiflu is a wonder drug but I am still not well. However, I am writing. For those of you who don't know, I am using the program, No Plot? No Problem!- novel-writing kit by Chris Baty. Today I wrote 1986 words. And drumroll please? My total word count in 12 days is 20,193! That is almost half way through.

By the way my illness has found itself in my novel in the form of diptheria. My motivation card is called Onward!: one of the most famous mountain climbers of the last twenty-five years is Joe Simpson, known not for the number of peaks he's scaled, but for a nightmarish climb gone awry in 1985. As captured in his book (and later the movie) Touching the Void, Simpson shattered his leg on a snowy, stormy descent, and fell hundreds of feet, landing on a ledge overlooking the maw of an ice crevasse. Staying where he was seemed untenable, but the only direction he could go was down, lowering himself into the dark, claustrophobic slit of the icy canyon. getting back out would be impossible. His thought at that juncture: "You gotta keep making decisions. even if they're wrong decisions. If you don't make decisions, you're stuffed." Simpson made it off the mountain with all his appendages intact, and you should take his good advice to heart throughout Week Two. Resist the impulse to sit back and ponder. Keep moving forward.

50,000 Words Day 11 Flu!

I woke up this morning at 3 with the flu! A call to the doctor, a prescription for Tamiflu (Surprisingly, it is 10 pills over 10 days. I thought it was one pill). So I am not writing much here. I did write 1414 words late this afternoon. I am not writing the motivation card down. I don't want to even do this but, I need to keep my promise to myself. Didn't meet my goal but I will dip into my banked words to bring it up to 1667-253 words.

50,000 Words Day 10

Today I cranked out words. I wrote 3187 words! Hurray! I am only going to count 2000 and bank the rest to build my bank account back up. So my total word count is 16,540 words. This week is all about building the plot. The program that I am using called, No Plot? No Problem! novel-writing kit by Chris Baty. My motivation card is called Complain, Curse, Crumple: A friend of mine, who is an EMT, says that people at restaurants choke more often than you'd imagine. According to him, the real danger isn't the choking, it's the bathroom. Because the moment people get a chicken wing lodged in their throats, they do a curious thing: They use the last of their oxygen to politely remove themselves to the bathroom, far away from anyone who might be able to help Heimlich it out.

If at any point you start having difficulty with your novel, the worst thing you can do is suffer silently. Complain in great detail to your support team and anyone else who will listen. Curse your characters and their mothers. Crumple up this card and hurl it in the trash. Let the frustration out. You'll be surprised at how much clearer your writing vision is after a good venting.