atthequillsmercy

Today’s Workout: Editing

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With a rough draft done and Thanksgiving over, I’m back to working out. I decided to keep editing on my desk bike and holy crap, did I feel exactly like I haven’t worked out properly in weeks! I feel wrecked. Good thing I decided to bike instead hopping right on the treadmill for a run. My knees are BURNIN!

I going to do my best in getting back into my regular routine and losing weight on schedule again. Unfortunately, I did gain weight back after missing my Saxenda for a month; I went back up to 217. But now that I’ve restarted, I’m down to 214.

Once I finalize my edits, I’ll have a final word count for NaNoWriMo but luckily, adding more detail and fixing errors doesn’t require as much focus as the original blitz to the end. I can divide my attention by biking at the same time. Because man, I need to get strong again after being so sedentary for so long.

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NaNoWriMo Day 22

I am behind. And, I don’t really feel bad about it because over the weekend, I was doing chores and writing until almost 3 am. Last night, I decided getting some halfway decent sleep was more important.

Only to be woken at 3 am because my nose decided breathing wasn’t important anymore but, whatever. I need to whip out the humidifier…

As as I’ve stated before, I think this story is going to be under 50k words overall. I have the one big fight scene and the conflict resolution and I’m done. As, I’ve said, I may end up adding more words in the editing process (since I have been reading back over what I’ve written and a TON of descriptions need to be filled in and/or fleshed out) and I’m looking forward to that process! I want what I’m picturing in my head to be clear to others when they read it.

I think what I look forward to most about all this is when it’s done, I can start working out again. I sneak in words all day, I go home for a really fast dinner, fast shower, then I’m back at it for a few hours.  This has consumed my brain and time. It’ll be nice to take 30 minutes for a quick run to clear the stress of the day, then go write some more. Or maybe do some reading; since I’m behind on my reading goal for the year. I also need to keep doing needlework so I can use up all the yarn I bought. I guess December will be as busy as November even without this challenge.

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NaNoWriMo Day 19

It is so adorable that in October I thought I would be doing daily updates like it would totally fit into my day while I try to furiously write, work full time, function as a mom, and also a human being all at the same time. Ah, how young and foolish I was a few weeks ago…

Anyway, I beat my word goal today! If you’ve been following me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tumblr, you’ve probably seen me express my prediction that I won’t meet my word goal; not because I won’t hit the 50k word goal on time, but because the way my story is playing out in this rough draft, I may reach the conclusion before I hit that word count. Does that count as a win? Because I think that counts as a win. It’s just how I planned for the story to turn out and I am not going to pad the story with extra words to hit this goal. After editing, it may be longer (because I’ve been reading through my Freewrite drafts to make suure I keep character names straight and things like that) since I know there are places where descriptions can be expanded so the reader knows what the fucking hell is going on. I want this to be a good story, not a 50k word manuscript that will be a good story if I bash my head against it enough.

I am enjoying this story. I like working in this world and it’s characters. I think I may have something pretty cool here and I don’t want to fuck it up with restrictions. So, as I sit here at almost 11:30pm, I think I have a good thing going. This is harder and easier than I thought it would be. I suppose coherent thoughts about all this will have to come together around December 1st.

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NaNoWriNo Day 10: Yes I should still be working out but I’m not

I love how in October I had these grand notions of writng and working out and husting to post every day and how ten days in, I’m blearly throwing up an update that I’m praying will make any sense when I look at it in the morning.

I’ve seen some impressive stats from other authors I follow and I’m tying not to feel bad about myself since I am literally writing whatever words around a full time job and a teenager that “helps” me with chores… So, I’m on a string of late nights, there’s dirty dishes in the sink, and I’d bet money (that I don’t make on book sales) that when I asked for the garbage to be taken out, I will see it wasn’t done in the morning.

At least the words are in the bag!

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NaNoWriMo Day 6: Make Up Day

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I didn’t hit the minimum word goal yesterday buy I caught up to myself today! I had to work today so my workout was to take a walk to get a light lunch but today was all about pushing words out to make sure I’m done by the end of the month.

As I write this, it’s heading up on midnight so, I’m gonna call it a night, brush my teeth from the excess Halloween candy that fueled this writing, and get some sleep.

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NaNoWriMo Day 4 & Quick Workout

While I hit my word goal, I didn’t write as much as yesterday. I’m still going back to change things sometimes; less for typos and more to fill in a thought. I’d rather take time to do that rather than forget what I wante dto fix later. I did start and end in really natural places and I’m loosely following my outline. The chapters aren’t exact but (I think) the story is flowing naturally. That’s the most important thing. And if you want a buddy on the site, here’s my NaNoWriMo profile.

The workouts for the last coupld days have been short since I worked an extra night. It’s a good and bad thing but either way, I did burn some calories and my word goal for the day. And I’m happy with my progress for both.

Since I have been getting my words in mainly in the evenings, I’m going to try and push for writing earlier in the day so I can try to finish off C25K before the end of the year. I’ll try to reprogram myself to think of making time to run as a reward.

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NaNoWriMo Day 3

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Yes, that picture is fuzzy. I’m tired and don’t care.

At this point, I’m actually a little bit ahead of my daily word goal! I had a few stalls; mostly forgetting some new character names that I made up while I was writing. But, I think this is coming along nicely and unlike any other time I’ve ever attempted NaNoWriMo, I don’t feel like this draft will need so much editing that speed-writing was more of a detriment than an asset.

However, even with the limited functions of the Freewrite, I still find myself doing what I can to go back and fix obvious typos that I discover. I just can’t seem to let most of them go. I’m sure once the days go by and the manuscript gets longer, I’ll have no choice and I’ll just have to tell that OCD feeling to shut up and let me work.

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Today’s Workout and NaNoWriMo Update (because it’s late, I’m tired, and not making two posts)

Today, I had to moderate a program that didn’t take me away from my desk so rather than just sit there, I dusted off the ole under desk Wirk bike. I may not be fast but I’m diligent.

And it’s also day two of NaNoWriMo:

I made it! But I will say, I am not a fan of the NaNoWriMo website words per minute counter. Because with how nuts my day can be, yes I can actually write 3 words a minute because I get interrupted. I don’t have the luxury of stretches of time to do nothing but type. I shouldn’t feel judged, but I totally feel judged.

Either way, I feel pretty damn accomplished today. And just in time for my PMS to aggrivate my existing depression and anxiety to tell me hourly how much of a worthless shit I am. I can tell those properly medicated (time to make an appoinement with my therapist) conditions that at least I accomplished my goals for the day! Woohoo!

No, seriously, I feel pretty damn good about this. Bring on tomorrow!

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NaNoWriMo Day One

OMFG, can we talk about how much outlining helped me with this? Now, I’ve basically been a pantser for most of my writing. I have a gerneral idea of what’s supposed to happen in my head and I just go. But the last time I attempted NaNoWriMo… A decade or so ago?

Shit, I’m old…

Anyway, the last time I tried it, I failed massively. Now, I still have the idea in my brain and I have an outline, I’m not rigidly sticking to it. I may have turned into a planner, but I’m not shamlessly sticking to my outline. Stories can be living things that – like children – don’t always follow the plan you laid out for them. They take on a life of their own.

Today was kinda crazy and it took until late at night to get my word goal but at least I didn’t struggle for ideas or anything. When I was able to grab a moment to write, the words flowed just fine.

Be prepared for all my posts to be about this until the end of the month.

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