What's the deal?

In the last week I have hit two writing blocks!  I got around them thank goodness and got a few scenes out anyways but still, give a writer a break!
So between pounding out scenes I had a very interesting week, my car was broken, my oldest daughter broke out in hives and my husband and I decided to grow a tomato family.  And oh how just a day or two can let in big changes, My car is fixed, my daughter we found is allergic to apricots as well as pears, and my tomato plant is ruined thanks to my youngest daughter.  I don't know, just had me thinking about scenes and how every time something changes it is time to move on.  Writing is kind of like life in a sense, I mean if we spill a glass of milk on the table, are we going to; sit and think about how we could have not spilled it or are we going to clean up the mess and continue on into the next disaster?  I don't' know about you but I would just clean it up =).  And so in a way it is just like writing.  When i know I have muffed up a scene, I don't go back and rewrite it, I just continue on and when I am done with my first draft I will fix it.  Just my thoughts for the day.
I have also made a very detailed outline with roughly 50 scenes in it so I always know where I am headed.  I wrote each scene on a note card book that I keep in my purse and when ever the idea comes I just flip to my scene and jot it down. Oh and I have taken out the chapter dividers and decided that I work better with scenes.  So I will write all my scenes out first for my first draft, then I will hide my laptop from my vision and relax for a few weeks while I have the new "I did it" attitude, then I will reread my novel and rewrite scenes one at a time, then separate into chapters and edit and possible have a close friend edit and hopefully publish or self publish...so I know I have a looooong way, but I am working on it.  Slow but steady wins the race =)

So I figured out I do much better on my computer...

I am better at writing with my laptop rather then my notebook.  But I really liked the idea of being able to jot down notes here and there for later, so I got a novel writing program called the 'ywriter'....and I love it!  I ended up with a 908 word count yesterday and it just amazes me how when I write things just start to come together almost naturally. 

I am happy to say that I now have my husband's help in making sure I get to my computer for an hour of writing each night, somthing about being able to boss me around for a change seemed to appeal to him lol.

I once again have a good chunk of usable material, my novel has moved forward again and I once again know where I will be picking up tonight, man why didn't I try this technique sooner?  I couldn't help but think about all the other wonderful things I could do with just an hour a day.  If we dedicate just one; one measly, overlooked ,quick passing hour each and everyday...we could do, learn, accomplish just about anything!

An hour a day makes the dreamer stay <3

How day one went.

Last night around 7pm I sat down with a notebook and wrote nonstop for an hour.  I think a lot of what I wrote is actually usable with a bit of tweaking.  It wasn't easy to write for an hour with virtually no idea what to write about at the time, but once I got things going it got a little easier and ideas starting coming my way.  I was writing about one of my off main chars (that's my new term for almost sorta main char) and his back-story on how he realized he was a psychic...things got sketchy and difficult and extreamly sloppy but now I have a pretty good idea on what to work on and I added in all my side notes in the margins (love my notebook).  I also have a better feel of Greg the psychic, my off main char, and his personality and more importanly...I know what I will be writng about today when my 7pm writing block rolls around.

That's my update...happy writing =)

Well, I appoligize!

I'm sorry, I haven't really been on here as of late...lots of things have been going on in my life and I had a period of insanity.  Things are somewhat better now and I have been writing some. 

Anyways, down to business!

March 15th...today...marks the official starting day to write my novel.  OK I had started on it a while back and have some chapters under my belt, but for the next six months (hopefully it wont take that long) I will be writing everyday!  Sounds kinda grueling and so I decided to make a word count goal for each week rather than each day.  My goal list will look something like this:

• week 1- 2000 words
• week 2- 2000 words

And so forth.  I figure if after I sit at my computer and write, even its bad and sloppy, I can check off my list and feel accomplished.  Its my back up plan for the days I just can't think of anything...though I don't have very many of those, I am blessed with about 30 constant thoughts at all times lol.

So I feel very well prepared in most aspects of my writing.  I have possibly the best outline I have ever written so far at least (someone asked me if it was for a book already written and I still glow with pride from that compliment) and I have some pretty elaborate character descriptions...though most of my chars are going to grow through the story I believe.

I will be diving back into "the apple" tonight and I plan on being there for a while, an extended stay...I will update when I can...wish me luck =)

*Oh and one more thing...I see that a few people do in fact visit my page so why not join and become a fan?  I would love to have some fans and some comments and opinions roaming my page =)

wow! I did it!

I wrote an entire novel summery that not only is interesting but it all  makes sense and the events all co inside together!  YAY!  I will post it up shortly, for now I just had to flaunt my success!  I did it!

Well I got it done!

I finally finished all ten of those Bio's last night and I tell you I had to force myself to sit down and do it but now after all the complaining and whining, I am glad I did it!  I actually have a feel of my character's past and present circumstances, not just my main character but also a few of my minors.  I am sure I will change these up as I go but it really makes them feel real to me.  I mean to see that my character would rather eat at ..., cant live without ..., and is terrified of ...makes me see that he/she isn't a character at all, he/she is a person now.  A person with a family, a past and a preference in things.

I don't know, I just wanted to come lay some light on the situation.  It was still a difficult assignment and one I am glad is over but it really opened my eyes to their world.

I have decided that I will add a love concept into my novel and I am also seriously considering writing it in third person.  Sadly, I don't feel I am ready to tackle a first person point of view novel.  However I strongly feel that this story will not be my last, so I am sure that one day I will brave enough to tackle such a view and skilled enough to make it believable.

I also want to say that today is very special to me as it is my three year wedding anniversary to the man I cannot live with out!

"The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser.  In case you thought optimism was dead"
~Robert Brault

Four pages down, 6 more to go.

My writing group's assignments are getting a little tougher each round.  This week we have to write ten, one page biography's about our character's.  I can tell you that it gets kinda tedious when you finish one page and then have to think of a completely new outlook on the next.  But one detail at a time I am getting them done. 

I have also been wondering if maybe I should add a touch of love into my novel as I know most stories have it in there somewhere.  I know exactly where I can add it, just unsure if I will at this time.  I know that romances in dire situations happen so we will see.

I have been getting to know my chars, something I failed to do in the first Novel attempt ( I plan to finish it someday).  I feel like Johnny Wikk, my main, is someone I have know for years.

Well that's really all I have to report for my Novel in the works.  I plan to make these assignments my priority because one of them will be to sit and write my Novel, but I like the step by step idea.

I hope any of you who are in the challenge are enjoying it and staying motivated.  It is still hard for me to stay motivated if I look at the whole picture, like I could never possibly write something complete and amazing and alive.  But I try to keep faith in myself.  Happy writing!

Johnny's background story

    Growing up in Banning Ca hasn't been easy for me.  The neighborhood can be rough at times.  We have always been afraid to open the door never knowing if the salesman is selling cookies or drugs.  My name is Johnny Wikk and frankly, I have become accustomed to my hometown.  Even though alot of the kids at high school are rough and tough they always steer clear from me.  See my father is a killer, to put it bluntly, they leave me alone.
   
    It is frightening enough for these small town wanna be gangsters to know that my father could have them begging like a little girl in  a matter of mins, but what really gets there hair on end is the unknown.  They dont know if I have the same abilities as him and I like it that way.
 
    My dad, John Wikk, better known as the enabler, can simply turn your fears against you like you could never imagine.  Fear is a powerful tool and he has figured out a way to completely paralyze his victims.  I call it the mental viper strike, because that's what he does.  He injects your fears of the impossible out into reality and freezes your mind so that you cant fight and there is no way out but his way.  Kind of like that clown in Stephen kings "it", penny-wise I believed was his name.  Dad's victims begged him to finish them off. He is the most powerful man in the world when you think about it and I learned at a very young age to be fearless.
 
    I am not allowed to be afraid of anything or he will come for me.  My dad can sense one fearful thought as efficiently as a shark can smell blood in the ocean.  I cant let that happen.  I have a family.  I am here to protect my mom, Jamie Wikk, and my soon to be little sister Emily.  My mom is an angel, even though I am a killers son she treats me like I am just an average teenage boy.  Never once have a sensed fear of me from her.  Yes I have the gift, curse, too.  I can see fear swiftly but I never instigate it.  I am not evil, I am not my father.    
 
    Although I am a lot of out of the ordinary things, I am also just a typical teen boy in a sense.  I have to get up and go to the public school each weekday and I praise the clock at 3:20 each Friday afternoon.  I love pizza and soda.  I have had a few beers but didn't really have a taste for them and I always pass on drugs.  I enjoy reading from time to time and of course as most guys are, I am interested in girls.
 
    I have never had an actual girlfriend, came close once but had to get rid of her because of the danger.  If I had someone of my own then I would have a clear fear of loosing her and he would come for me.  I am not afraid to face him if he ever did decide to come for me because I know one day it will come to that. 
 
    My father is a strong one but he has one weakness, I felt the fear in overwhelming waves from him when he knew he was losing my mom.  Though a sick and evil man, he loves Jamie Wikk with all his heart.  When I saw the girls face in the paper match the girl I saw in our backyard the night before it was easy to figure out who he really was and his fear blazed to life, fear I would tell my mom.  He was safe for a while because when I told her she didn't believe me.
 
    That is so painful to remember.  Nothing is quite like the only person in your life that you love look at you with distrust in there eyes.  It was a scaring moment for me and I never saw her int he same light again.  I love her so much but no longer can i express that to her.  Every time she tries to pull me into conversation all I can see in her eyes is a mother who accused her only son of being a liar.  It didn't take her long to see the truth though.  I really dont know what the breaking point for her was but if I had to take a guess it was just that 6th sense lovers get when they know something is off.  
 
    Mom and I dont talk much now of days but when she put a black and white photo of an alien looking figure in front of my eyes i felt like a family again.  She told me that it was Emily and this picture was mine.  I stared at that picture long after she had left to go do some shopping.  I stared at her for hours and somehow in this house of gloom and silence I can hear laughter.  She will be making the Wikks a family again sometime in mid march, around st patties day.  The four leaf clover is lucky right?  She will need to be lucky to survive here.  Actually no, I will keep her safe.  Her little hands can always find comfort in mine, her big brother.

The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser - in case you thought optimism was dead.
Robert Brault

slow but steady...

I have been wrting small portions of my book a day, a scene here, a description there. 

A year ago today my mom passed away and oddly for the first time since she passed I feel ok about it.  I miss her of course, but I feel like she is here beside me today making me smile with our many memorie as little things pop up into my memory through out my day.  For some reason I just feel proud today, proud to be a wife and mother.  Proud to have a good job I enjoy, proud to have figured out a working budget, proud to dream about the hard achieved like writing and publishing my novel.  Its a good day and I have my mom to thank for it.

Thank mom, I love you.

This month!

I have to say that this month I haven't been writing as much as I had wanted to.  I have had so many other things on my to do list, which as I strike one item off ten more go on it seems.  I will be back into my "butt in chair" mode in Feb.  

This month is just especially hard for me because a year ago my mom passed and although I haven't much noticed my depressive state, most others have.  I also have kids doctors, dentists, eye doctors ( Andi might need glasses).  I have my anniversary, 3 years who would have thought haha.  Its been a bumpy ride but there isn't another man I would rather take that ride with.  I also have my husband's birthday, my sister's birthday, girl scouts...cookies!  Yay!  

So I hope you can forgive me when I say that I just simply can't find the time and energy to write this month, well write a lot anyhow.  I am still writing, just not as much as I had planned, but it is only Jan and I have already written over 10,000 words this month so I think I can slide =).  Have a great weekend and happy writing!

Interview with Johnny.

                I was full of questions as I was escorted into the room to see the prisoner.  When I asked what he had done at such an age to be in these circumstances, I was told that the information was classified.  I have to admit my slight anxiety as I take my seat across from him.  His hands are chained and they sit upon the table in front of him.  He seems relaxed and ready to talk.

               

                “Hello Johnny, how are you doing today?”  I start off with what I feel is a simple question.  He lifts his head and I finally get to see his face.  His eyes blaze with intellect and courage and he holds perceptiveness about him.  I watch as he observes me and I imagine my motives as well.

               

                “I am very well, you see, I woke up here in chains,” his wrists raise, “had stitches in my face and couldn’t remember a thing.  What could be better than that?”  His response was dripping with sarcasm.

                He slams his hands back onto the steel table as I am writing and I jump.  I start to wonder if this boy is someone who enjoys the fear of other people and wait for him to smile at his triumph over me.  At my surprise he gently pulls his hands from the table into his lap with a sincere apology.

                “Sorry, wasn’t trying to scare you.  Sometimes I get a little carried away, but it is so frustrating to be held against your own will and told nothing!  It is heart wrenching to know where people are going…”  His sentence trailed off into whispers as people sometimes do when they speak about painful things.

                “What do you mean where people are going?  I’m not following you Johnny.”

                “Nothing, never mind,” he glances at the guard at the door, “I won’t have your blood on my hands.”

                Clearly something is happening here and I attempt to get more information out of him.  “Tell me about the other four of you.”

                His eyes flash a guilt-ridden look that vanishes as soon as it appears. “The other four of us, you want to know about the other four of us?”  He said slowly, sounding slightly confused.

                “Yes of course, there are five of you in the project right?  Well your one and then there are four more...”  He cut me off right there,

                “Oh, the other four, I see.”  His breath came out in a big relieving gust.

                “Yes the other kids here, who did you think I was talking about?”  I flip through my notebook to where I jotted the case information down this last week.  Scanning the page, my eyes follow my finger to where the number of kids was scribbled.  I read silently to myself, ‘there are five kids in this new government project’.  What did he mean by the other four?  “Johnny?”  He sighs and looks at me, lowering my voice to a whisper, “Are there more kids?”  I ask, unsure if I even want to know.

                Johnny’s eyes slide down to gaze at the corner of the table.  “No there are only five of us.”

                I can see by his actions that he knows something he wished he didn’t, I just have to ask the right questions.  “You mean there are only five of you now, but was it always that way?”

                As his eyes dart back to mine I can see him deciding what to tell me.  He leans his head to the side, glances at the guard and begins shaking his head.  His head swung back to face me and looking me dead in the eyes he said, “No, there was always only five of us and I need to get back to the other four.” 

                I watched as he stood up and dragged his chains to the guard who escorted him out the door.  I sat there writing my notes and remember that look he gave me at the end; he made it so apparent that even a child would have known that last statement was a bold faced lie.  There were more kids here…but what happened to them?

Been a heck of a week already!

Sorry to anyone who came here Monday morning looking for a new post or my interview with my main character, I just have so much to do this week!  But I will post up the interview tonight.  Hope everyone's year is starting off on the right track, I think mine is.

Look for a new post tonight, I promise =)

Needed a day off..

Last night I had planned on finished Chapter 3 of my novel but I was just to worn out and watched a few movies instead.  I will pick up pace over the weekend and get that Chapter out of the way.

I have been thinking a lot about my main Character and if he is real enough and so what better way to make him real then to bring him to life?  I will be interviewing my Main Character, Johnny Wikk, this weekend just to be sure he is who I want him to be.  It will be in his cell of course so this should be interesting and I will post it when finished.

In the mean time, my story will be as always brewing up in my head through my day to day tasks as I figure out what makes him father the worst of them all...

I also wanted to add in that this month holds my Husband's birthday and our three year wedding anniversary so writing may be slow going but not stopped completely...happy writing!

Coming along nicely

Well last night I didn't get to much time to write cause I have a family.  So dinner, tiny pedicures and time with my husband got in the way of my word count.  But I still got Chapter 2 done and a good 300 or so words into Chapter 3.  I think I am making good progress as I can actually see my story progressing.  

I think my dialogue may not be the greatest but all those loose ends I can tie in my first rewrite.  First things first, get the whole rough draft down!

Looking to finish Chapter 3 tonight cause it is a really good chapter and I am excited to write it.

I'll keep you all posted, haha.

"Writer's block DOES NOT exist, I repeat, Writer's block IS NON EXISTENT."

My to do list for the new year....

I was thinking about the new year and well I think I can do a lot more than just finish my novel.  So here is the famous "to do list" for the next 12 months of my life:

• Obviously numero uno will be to finish at least the rough draft of my novel, but I have a feeling that I will have it rewritten, edited, polished and ready for a publisher by the end of the year or sooner.
• I would really like to finish Sarah's (my youngest daughter) one year scrap book and redo Andi's (my oldest daughter).
• I want to spend more time with my kids doing puzzles and playing games together.
• I would like to go more places, just simple things like the zoo and the park, fun family adventures.
• I would like to buy a house, just need to find one!
• I would like to visit my friends and family in California.  I miss them so much.
• I would really like to drink less soda but man is it hard.

So those are my goals but they are apt to change at anytime as I am a women lol.  My novel and spending time with my girls is first and foremost.  I will check them off as I go.
I didn't quite finish my second chapter last night but got about 900 or so words down so I see that as OK.  Happy Writing!

on Writing...

Well, I am about to get started on my writing for the night, really looking to finish up Chapter 2 and set some things in motion.  I just really wanted to put some of my thoughts on all of this.  For one, this isn't my first attempt at writing a book, my first one has a good story kinda but was just a mess and well unfinished at this point in time.  The one I am working on now I am happy to say (very, very happy to say) is already coming along so much better.  For one I actually know whats going to happen!  I am all for seat of your pants writing but when working on a novel, it just isn't the practical approach.  So here I am with my new ideas and now that I know where my character was, what he wants and where he is going...the story begs me to write it.  In fact last night I could barely sleep, I had so much I wanted to write.  I of course have a day job and well needed sleep so I resisted but just having that drive to write makes me feel so great and hopeful and motivated about my novel.  I can so do this!

Thought I would post a bit of my Novel in the works...

  The smell of chalk invades my nose.  My head pounds as I try to remember what happened before I blacked out.  Peeling my face off a steel table my vision is blurry and my stomach turns.  Where am I?  I feel the chains wrapped around my hands and feet and fear grasps me when I imagine what I did to get me into this mess.  "Remember damn you, remember!"

         I open my eyes and see I am not alone.  I swing my head up quickly and see several other people my age all around this big steel table.  All staring at me.  The smallest one, a girl, rubs her chin back and forth on her shoulder while clearing her throat.  I try to pull my hands free to wipe the drool from my face but when I cant, I take her cue and wipe my chin on my shoulder.

         "Thank you"

         "Your welcome"  She shrugs at me and I see that she is chained as well.  I swing my head to look at every other kid, all 10 of them, all chained.

"Why are we here?"  I ask even though I know everyone is probably wondering the same thing.  The boy all the way down at the end sighs deeply and shakes his head.  He doesn't know anything even though he is playing like he does.

         "My name is Cassidy."

         I turn my head back over to the right and that girl is leaning close to me with a smile.  I cant help but smile back.  "Hi Cassidy, I'm Johnny."

         "Johnny what?"

         My smile fades, I hate my last name.  It only depicts who my father is, the famous John Wikk, the sadistic but intelligent serial killer who cant be caught.  "Just Johnny."  Cassidy's green eyes watch me disapprovingly for a few moments and then she muster's up another question for me.

         "Johnny?  Do you know why we are all here?"

         "I wish I did Cassidy, but I cant remember anything."  Her small features scrunch into a frown and I wish like hell I could tell her that everything was gonna be okay.

         "Oh yeah?  Well can you feel anything?  Like how about those fresh stitches in your face?' 

         My head turns quickly to see the boy down on the end of the table smirking at me.  He is all trouble I can tell right away.  "Actually no.  What's your name?"

         "Scoot in closer there Johnny boy.."

         I lean my head as far to the end of the table I can.

         "My name is, Death!"

         OK the mans defiantly lost it.  "Nice to meet you death"  I say with a smile.

         "You think I am kidding?  If you only knew who my father was..."

         "Shit!  That's it!"  I look over to the guy across from me, "Whats your dad's name?"

         "I...I...I don't want to say."

         The kid looked terrified of his forename just as I was.  No one was gonna give up their last name first.  I turned back to Cassidy, "Cassidy, what is you father's name?"

         "I was adopted Johnny."

         Oh no, even though I felt a strong need to protect her from the truth, I knew I had to tell them who i was.

         "Well since no one else will fess up.."  I was cut off my the maniac formally known as death down on the end.

         "My name is Joe Sharp."

         Everyone except for me inhaled in shock.  This idiot really thinks he is the only serial killers offspring in this room when actually I believe we all are.  But why?  Why are we all here?  I look over the guy at the other end of the table, "What about you, whats your name?"

         "Are you F****** kidding me?  I just said I was Joe Sharp."

         The idiots talking again, "I heard you."

         "As in I am the son of Joe Sharp Senior, your know the killer?"

         Sigh, will he ever shut up?  "I am aware of that Joe and you don't scare me"  I keep asking around the table to see who if anyone would just tell me who they are when idiot has to have the last word.

         "Who the hell are you then?"

         I didn't want to answer.  Even though I figured all these people had a killer for a parent, my father is amongst the worst for sure.  I didn't want to scare little Cassidy who hasn't had to live through what I have.  "Like I said, Just Johnny."  How can this animal be proud of having a monster for a parent.  Although he makes me sick, I give him the benefit of the doubt as I have no idea what he has been through to make him so insane.

         I was checking out my surroundings when a door somewhere behind me opened.  I saw all the eyes across me glance up but I couldn't turn to see.

"Good morning kids, my name is Officer Mink and you are all now government property."

         The eyes glaring above me, sunk down into some desperate state of 'please tell me I am dreaming'.

         "Id like to officially welcome all 10 of you to project apple"

         Officer Mink finally made his way around to the far end of the table to the right of me.  He was short, maybe 5'6", had a black police man uniform on with a bald head.  There was a stack of black folders in his left arm.

         "F*** you and your fruit project."  Of course it was Joe that had to insult the officer.

         "Ah Joey,"  The slam of the folders echoed as Mink dropped them on the steel table, "so good of you to volunteer.  Lets see here,"  He shuffles a few folders around and picked one up.  Bouncing it open in his hand he almost looked like he was enjoying himself.  "Son of Joe Sharp I see."  Mink reads into the file and flips a few pages around, "eh, he was just a gunslinger."

         I couldn't help but smirk, even though our parents were nothing to be proud of, Joe's father was just a run of the mill generic shooter.

         "Well I don't have a lot of time so I am gonna make this short and sweet kids.  First off, we only have room for six of you so let me see a show of hands who doesn't want to be here.  Oh silly me, your hands are tied at the moment aren't they" 

         Reaching into his pocket he pulled a key chain from his pocket with a bottle opener attached.  Being a drunk fit his demeanor greatly, as far as I can tell this man was ruthless and without heart.  As cuffs came off, hands went up...everyone's but mine.  I didn't trust this man.  "What will happen to the other four who dont stay here in the project?"

         Mink's eyes locked onto me, good, I want to see his reaction when he tries to lie to me.  "Well they will go home of course."  Gotcha.

         I noticed Cassidy's hand way up as high as she could reach and I shook my head at her.  I hoped she trusted me at least enough to listen to my warning.  'why' she mouthed at me, 'trust me' I mouthed back.  I could feel my body heat up the longer that her hand stayed up.  'please' I pled in a whisper.  Her hand dropped.

         "Whats wrong sweetie?  You don't wanna go home?"  Mink wasn't stupid and saw her hand up a few seconds ago.  He looked at me and if he read my file then he knew he was caught.

         "I just wanna stay with Johnny."  Cassidy leaned her head on my shoulder.  I would protect her from all of this, or as much as I could.

         "Very well.  I will call someone in to unshackle your feet and then we will separate in groups from there."  Mink picked up his files and I watched carefully to see what arm he placed them in, the left.  My heart sank for the other four kids, they weren't going to be going home.

© Copyright 2011 mrsvoelkel (UN: kittymammas at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.

Signing my life away...or just a small portion of it.

 (yes, I actually had to sign this)

Agreement made this third day of January in the year two thousand eleven whereby I, Dani Voelkel do hereby commit myself to writing a minimum of an hour a day, every day, for 180 consecutive days, no excuses. The work will begin on the date set forth in the writing below.

I pledge to work diligently and habitually, even when I’m tired, hungry, cold, grouchy, or lonely, or have to get up early or stay late, and/or even when I’d rather be doing something else. I am entering this agreement with myself because I recognize that the only way to write a novel is to dedicate myself to the project and to put in the necessary (solitary) time. I may or may not enjoy the process, but I also know there’s a little bit of agony in writing. The pain I inflict upon myself shall be my own.

I will begin my novel on the Fifteenth of March in the year Two Thousand Eleven and expect my first completed draft to be finished on the Fifteenth of September in the year Two Thousand Eleven, approximately one hundred eighty days later. No penalty shall be found for failing to meet this mandated deadline, but the reward for meeting it shall be the satisfaction of having written my own novel. I shall blame no one but myself for the delays along the way.

This pledge is made with my full consent and awareness, and under no obligation to anyone but myself.

Dani Voelkel

So I got accepted into the "so you want to write a novel" group on my beloved writing.com and the first assignment was a contract.  not just any contract, this one basically says that no matter how I feel, I will be writing at least 2 hours everyday!  It seems easy enough, I usually do write everyday no matter what, might not be for a whole two hours...but I do get the writing I need done. I think having deadlines in my journey will help IMMENSELY as I am a procrastinator when I feel unmotivated, and in such a daunting task as a novel, I will definitely have times that I want to quit.
But I have my contract signed and as much as I haaaaaate outlines
I have my mind set and ready to tackle that task as well.
So here's to a novel (more importantly, my novel) in a year, or as my contract states...180 days!!

Oh and I think I finally figured out the basics of my story as I do have a rough outline of the events at play...

happy writing!


Join up...the people are great (my handle is mrsvoelkel)   http://www.writing.com/

So this is it! This is the year I will finally finish my novel. I am determined!
First off I want to say...Happy New Year!
Secondly I want to say that I know a lot of you are also hoping to get your novel done this year, I believe in you!
Sometimes when I just can't seem to write anymore I think about how it is going to feel when I can set my laptop aside with the biggest cheesy grin known the man and say "I did it!" That simple moment in time when I achieved what seemed impossible. Then there is the chance of getting published, I mean how amazing will you feel holding the first copy of your book!
Well I just wanted throw in a few words of inspiration for all of you that are in it for long haul...we can and will do this!
Remember,
Only the strong will pen all their ideas down into a mess and only an author will risk making their mess into a masterpiece.
Have a great New Years all of you and if your goal this year is to write your novel, just know that you are not alone!

Now...I have always heard that pounding out that first draft is a grueling process. I have even heard one author saying that they would "vomit" out the first draft. At first that sounded odd to me but as I continue forth on my writing journey I can see that that is exactly what you have to do! That first draft is gonna be the messiest hunk of junk you ever read but you know what? It will have a beginning, conflict with solutions, crazy obscene characters in all their glory and an end. The Novel is complete, far from finished, but complete none the less.
Just have to get out that first draft and you know what that means? yep, yep, "butt in chair". It means I need to just do it, just write it all out, for once I have my rough draft and my story in place, the world (or rather their world) is at my feet and ready to come alive. Well back to writing! It has been coming along nicely by the way, I just have to fight the urge to go back and fix everything. 

Keep writing, or keep writing badly if your in it for the long haul.

I, just like about every other author or author in the works, love to read.  And of course every time I put a good book down, I think to myself "I could write that".  I know they say that everyone has at least one good book in them.  However they also say that out of every one hundred people who start a novel, only 3 will finish.  I am beyond determined to be one of those three!  So I have a great story, I have the basic outline and I have a main character that will take you deep into his cursed life.  I for one am really excited.  Its all about "butt in chair right?" 

So I made this blog mostly for me to just keep track of my progress and keep me motivated but if anyone else out there is writing, as I know many of you are, feel free to join me!  The more the merrier!