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Dear readers,


... I have nothing to say.
I have twenty-something stories to choose from for NaNo, all of them are at similar stages of development, all of them have my interest equally, and all of them require something I don't have.
So I'm throwing all of those stories into a safe little treasure chest where I won't forget them, and I'm biting the bullet and writing Roslyn this November.
I am also co~writing a different with my sister, Liana. I'm hoping to get 50k on both stories, but if not I'll just count the words together.

So yeah, there's no banner for this post, there's no real content for me to give you, and there's no excuse as to why I'm posting so late (except for being sick, working, and not getting a lot of sleep but pfffff, those aren't good excuses).

This is all I've got to say:

I am writing Roslyn for NaNo, which I am currently having problems with. I am hoping to just skip over those problems, and write past them.

Before November 1st I have to catch up to a certain point in my story, or else I won't be able to begin right away.

On November 1st, in the afternoon, I will not be able to write because I have family business.

The desk I'm building is not done yet, though the base is. I will be writing by either using the base and halting my work on the desk, writing mostly by hand, or writing on the floor and using a milk box as a desk (as I am currently doing).

I have to balance NaNo with work and school.

And other then that, there's just one last thing; my posting schedule is going to be totally irregular and wonky.


This NaNo is going to be a hard one, for sure. But I'm here for it, and I have every intention of getting 50k words. I'm not going to let something as pesky as reality get in my way of achieving my goals!

I hope you'll be joining me on this journey, and I hope you won't let life stop you from trying.


           Yours,


                                 ~ Edna Pellen

Preptober (Part 2)

Hello hello hello!



Here's the post about actually writing-related NaNo prep that I mentioned.
If you didn't already, please go read the post from September 30th so you'll be up-to-date on my Preptober schedule and whatnot.
And if you read it but didn't go through with anything on it... well, that's okay. Though I do really recommend doing a few of those things before you get to the things in this post. It seems to work out better that way. :)

On with the (hopefully) helpful part of the post!



#1. Schedule your writing-out days

Are you going to attend a write-in? Go out to write at a coffee shop or park? Great! Make plans for that now. Take a good look at your calendar and start making plans. Find dates when you don't have any school, work, or days when you can secure babysitters for your wee ones.
Maybe you make it a weekly thing, like every Wednesdays or Saturdays, and tell people who might try and schedule something with you. That way everyone knows you'll be doing very important writerly things that day.
Also, plan the dates and times according to when you're most productive. And that can go either way, write out when you're least productive, or makes sure you don't do it then. Whatever's right for you and will get those words flowing onto the page!


#2. Find when you are most productive

I'm most productive either early in the morning (5-9 am) or late at night (6 pm-12 am). I'm probably most un-productive midday, so that's the time I use for a break (if I need one) or just time for doing non-writing related things.



#3. Decide on your story

I um. *Coughs* I haven't entirely figured this one out yet. You see, I thought I was going to work on the second draft of Roslyn, but then I remembered I have another story I haven't really given any attention yet. And then, to make matters worse, I randomly came up with two more stories that I really like on the 30th. So. Yeah.
Don't be like me; go figure out what story you're going to write. Maybe you're writing two at once, but whatever the case, figure it out now or forever hold your anxiety.


#4. Outline

Now, I know pantsing is really fun and free. But please, indulge me.
I myself am a planster, so I'm both. And this method is sort of the in-between outlining option that I think I made up, but I'm very likely wrong.

When you have an idea, write it down as simply as possible on a flash card. Title it in ink or marker, then write the description in pencil so you can change it if need be. Every idea you get, write it down like this.
You can pin these cards to a bulletin board, or sprawl them out on the floor or even just keep them in a stack. But the reason I really love this method, is that you can physically rearrange your outline to fit with the plot and your preferences. And it can keep growing, so you don't have to worry about the outline not making sense just because you wanted to add something. All you have to do is rearrange a bit, and maybe add a few more cards!

I personally don't suggest numbering them, because you never know when you'll want to change the order. If you're worried about losing a order you really liked, just take a picture of all your cards. :)


#5. Gather facts now

If you've already done your outlining, use the events in it to start thinking about what things you will need to know to write your story. Make a list, then start researching and taking notes. It's not fool proof, you'll probably still end up with somethings to fact check when it comes to actually writing, but it should help to some degree.
And if you aren't sure what to research, just take a look at your story's general theme. For instance, if your story is a murder mystery (as one of mine happen to be), you'll probably want to know things such as...

• How much blood can the human body lose
• How to pick a lock
• What wound channel can you expect from a 45 asp cartridge?
• What is the average length for a knife
• How to look innocent
• How to read body language
• How long can a human hold their breath under water

So just use your instincts and story's theme as a guide.



#6. Find music

Finding music that matches the story your writing is not only rewarding, but super fun. I've got a handful of playlists that are full of songs matching my story. Roslyn only has a few at the moment, but I plan on fixing that.
For inspiration, I'll use both songs with lyrics (that match my story's themes and characters) and instrumentals.
For listening while writing, I only use instrumentals and ambiances.

I also don't mind saving songs that have a singer that sounds like a character just for the sake of the voice, though those don't usually go in the playlist with the others. If they do, the go the top so I don't have to listen to them if I'm binge-listening for ideas and inspiration.



#7. Consider getting a accountability partner

Friends that have no problem yelling at you or ignoring you until you start writing are great. Find them, keep them, and be one of them.
Maybe go the extra mile and get a accountability partner, if you have a really hard time with the commitment.



#8. Keep 3 of your favorite books on hand

This is for when the block hits. And it will hit.
Reading a book you already know and really like keeps you sort of productive, and refills your creative tank while not sucking you in to the story too much. You might get too involved in a new book, so old books are best.



#9. Have a back up story

This is really helpful when your original story just isn't working.
Having a back up insures you'll always have something to write. As a NaNo Rebel, I have no problem counting both of the stories word counts together, but if you find that to be too far in the cheating game, you can completely switch stories.



#10. Consider disconnecting from the internet

Literally, physically disconnecting. Unplug your router, stick with no-wifi writing spots, or maybe write by hand. This way, your distractions are limited.
I honestly wouldn't blame you for skipping this, seeing as you might want to update your word count on the NaNoWriMo site, talk to other writers, or keep in touch with family and friends.
But if you can still do this for maybe two days out of each week, or at the very least stay away from social media, it could be a huge boost to your word count.



And we're done!

Many apologies for another late post. I went on a three-day trip and forgot to post this before leaving. And then I got sick again. It looks like it's the flue, which is just wonderful timing with NaNo coming around. Hopefully I'll be able to continue plotting, despite my brain being mush at the current moment.

Until we meet again,


                                        ~ Edna 

Preptober (Part 1)

Hello, dear reader!


The leaves are changing, pumpkins are being sold, harvest time is approaching, the days are growing shorter, and the wind is growing cold (unless summer is being defiant and refusing to leave, as is my case).
It's fall! Beautiful, wonderful, long-due fall!
And that means October is coming. And that means November is coming. And that, dear reader, means NaNoWriMo is coming!

Last Saturday, I released a playful list of "helpful" things for Preptober. But now, with October just a day away, I'm sharing my real list. Well, part of it anyways. The other half will come out later.
So, let's get started!

(For those of you who don't know, NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month, and the challenge is to write 50k words (a novel's worth) in the thirty days of November. It's fun, stressful, terrifying, and rewarding. I highly recommend you try it sometime.)



#1. Clean the House


I know, it's cliche and over used, but it really is a good idea to get the whole house clean.
Whether you're a teen writer or a adult writer, a clean environment will help keep your head clear.
And if you deep clean the whole house now, you'll have much less to worry about and do during November.
So save your future self some time, stress, and energy that could be put towards writing, and get everything done now.


#2. Change out Everything


Batteries in the smoke detector, your desk light, light bulbs, batteries in your flashlight (so you can make a midnight tea/coffee run to the kitchen without disturbing the night), your clock batteries, everything.
Get these things done now, because (again) you don't want to interrupt the flow of writing to go but light bulbs when yours starts flickering like mad.


#3. Stock up now


Buy your tea (or coffee), spare pens, notebooks, flash cards, etc, now. Getting these early prevents the rush later and the risk of forgetting something.

Here are some items you might consider buying to aid you this November:

• A electric kettle
  
  For my fellow tea-drinkers, this is a worthy substitute to a classic kettle. All you do is keep it plugged in and full of water. It's like a coffee pot, but it's all one piece and doesn't need filters.
  These are generally small, can be kept at your writing station, and are far quieter then a kettle (or worse, the BRRRRRR and BEEPBEEPBEEEEEP of the microwave).
  
  
• Instant coffee
  
  Nasty though it is, instant coffee is fast, quiet, caffeinated, and goes a long way.
  If you have a electric kettle, you could keep that and the instant coffee by your writing station and have a cup without the hassle of making a pot at a time.
  
  
•  A space heater + fan
  
  
  Depending on where you live, you may want either a small heater or fan (or even both).
  Writing with a blanket around your shoulders is hard. It gets in the way of typing and makes you more likely to get sleepy (if you're writing at night).
  And if you're writing in hot temperatures, it really is torturous to sit there trying to come up with words.
  
  
• Head phones
  
  No, not earbuds, actual headphones. They block out more sound, and if you listen to a ambiance it's far more effective to get you "in the zone".
  
  
• Fingerless gloves
  
  These are meant for when your hands get stiff and cold while writing. Make sure they're tight, and comfortable, before settling on any pair for your writing purposes.
  For mine, I just cut the fingers off a pair that fitted my hand weirdly. Cutting the fingers off actually helped them fit better, and so they're the perfect pair for writing.

#4. Get your writing space ready


Set up your candles, stack papers, organize your notes, have pens on hand, and all that stuff.
But also, if you don't have them already, get around three items that inspire you. I have a oil lamp, a pocket watch, and two small (very common and very cheap) amethysts that are dyed green and purple.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to make the item you chose be something relating to your story. For instance, if your character uses knives a lot, having a knife displayed where you can easily see it might help you think of them.
Or, you can just go into a cheap store and find something you like and use it as a prompt. Whatever sails your ship. The point of this is to have something to stare at while you space out and work through your story.



Thank you for reading! Part two to this post will be more writing related, about plotting and planning and prepping. But I really do believe that the first step in preparing for NaNo is making it so you won't have any of the above things to worry about while also brain storming and prepping.

I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have anything to add to this, I'd love to hear from you.


     Yours,


                   ~ Edna 

Preparing For NaNoWriMo: A Parody

NaNo is coming swiftly, and with it, comes all kinds of stress and excitement.
Below is a list to help you make your way through these remaining days before the true chaos is born.


Octoer 1st:

Be completely relaxed. No need to worry or panic at all, the month has only just begun. You've got plenty of time. Not sure what story you're going to write? Eh, don't even try to figure it out. It'll come when it's ready.
Besides, you probably won't even be able to think of anything because you have so much time, you want to do something else.
Go do that something else!


October 3rd:

Oh man, you missed a day! Oh well, better late then never amIright?
So to start off, go buy a bunch of junk food. Just a ton. All the junk food. Don't worry about spending money on so called "important" things like binders, notebooks, pens, etc.
Also, make sure whatever you get is at least 50g of sugar per serving, and then neglect the serving size entirely (I mean, we all do that already).
You want as much sugar as possible so you can get a sugar high and write as swiftly as the wind.

(Don't worry about sugar crash, I hear those are just myths.)


October 7th:

Plan on no sleep. None. At all. Sleep is for the week. Are you even doing NaNo right if you get +4 hours of sleep? No, no you are not. Coffee and energy drinks are your friends. Stock up on those.
You know what? Might as well stop sleeping now, so that you're adjusted to the schedule when November hits.


October 18th:

Still haven't come up with a story? That's okay! Because guess what! It's only the 18th, you'll be just fine. 


October 29th:

Now you should clear your writing desk off. No slackers here! We're gonna be prepared for NaNo!


October 31st:

Still no story idea? Oh well, pressure generally gets ideas flowing pretty quickly. You'll surely find something for NaNo before tomorrow!


October 31st (11:59 pm)

Now you're a minute away from the most important day, the day all your hard work amounts to something, the day you begin, the day you play to win. All your training has led to this moment. Get ready! Now is the time you write the fastest, best, most fluent story you've ever written!


November 1st (12:00 am):

Just kidding. Now is the time you panic. :)



Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post of me poking fun at all the procrastination that goes into preparing for NaNo.
On Monday, I'll be posting the real Preparing For NaNoWriMo post. If you couldn't tell, this one was purely a joke.

From now until December, the majority of my posts will be NaNo related, seeing as that'll be where most of my time is going.

I hope you have a excellent weekend (or what's left of it)!


                   ~ Edna

My Dramatic Return

Greetings once again, dear readers!


I have returned from my brief hiatus. Proper repairs were made, and now I not only have the ability to post, but I have a small pile of posts (some finished, some not) that I worked on throughout the time I was away.
It is my hope that I will now be able to maintain a regular posting schedule, but as of yet I am not sure. Please be patient in the mean time while I try to get everything sorted again. I also have yet to make banners for most of the posts, so that will take some time as well.


Upcoming post peaks:


~When Should You Share Your story?~

A post on when the appropriate time for sharing your story, novel, or general writing, based on goals, editing, and development.


~What I've Learned from Writing~

The various things I've learned from the random research writing leads me to.


~The Obligation of a Writer~

Writers all have a shared obligation, all artists do, really. This post speaks of the details.


~Where Your Focus Should Be~
Where the busy part of a writer's mind should be focused on; what's the most important thing?


~My Pet Peeves (Reading)~
We've all got those little things that annoy us to no end. This is a list of my reading-related peeves.


~My TBR~
I've done me TBaR list, but this is my actual TBR. Books I really own, and have been meaning to read for far too long.


~The Extras~
Have a handful of random plots, characters, creatures, and places? Things that just don't fit anywhere? Here's some ideas of how to sort them!


~My Favorite Blogs~

Blogs that I read and recommend.



I hope to see you soon!

        Yours,


                             ~ E.P.