Nano last days

The last week of NaNoWriMo has been a whirl wind of writing, with little or no editing. But I have won NaNoWriMo according to their rules,  but the Red Book Expose is not finished and I did not finish editing Cave City. But I have learned a lot this month.

What this NaNo has taught me.

• One that sometimes the book you think you are going to write is not the one you end up writing. 
• Two that sometimes your mood effects your writing and other times your writing effects your mood.
• Three that success and failure have many definitions, but what really matters is trying.  Though I think I knew this,  it was nice to have it reinforced.
• Four that Portland has any amazing writing community, that is not only encouraging but can offer a wealth of advice.
• Five sometimes your hardest critic is your self,  layoff a bit and things will fall into place.

This is just some of the things I have learned this NaNoWriMo,  but the one thing I am taking away that is more important than any of these,  is the Fact that I truly do love writing, and in reality this is what I want to do with my life.  Now the goal is to figure out how to make that happen.  What does making writing my life mean.  I think the next year will tell me just that.  '

I have decided to take NaNo on a yearlong journey.  That's correct,  for the next 12 months, my goal is to edit, write or create 50,000 words every month for a grand total of 600,000 words in the next year.  Well, I have 52,434 of those words done.  I think this will help me learn what I want to do with my writing.

So the rules,  as life needs rules. 

1. The only words that count are words for fiction writing, be it a novel, short story, poem, lyric.
2. Any words I write for work, that is not related to a writing project will not count.
3. I will blog about my experiences over the next year. This blog will keep me accountable for writing,  and what I am counting towards my goal. 
4. I will also work on writing short stories, which I will submit to journals for publication.
5. I will put myself and my writing out there.
6. I will look to the community I have found for encouragement and support, and I will offer that encouragement and support in return. 

Over the next week I will add more rules and formalize my goals for this year.  I hope that people will give me feed back on what rules I should follow.  And if they think this is crazy, which I am sure it is.  Can anyone keep the frenzy that is NaNo going for a whole year.

I am sure of one thing, no matter what I will be a better writer for even attempting this,  and in reality that is the real goal, to improve your craft, to move from amateur to professional.  I began the journey almost 2 years ago, I started writing to relieve stress and found my passion.

The Red Book Expose is not what I intended when I started,  but I think that there is a lot there that I can use.  But it has a long way to go before it is finished.  As I look back on a project that I was doing just to improve my writing skills,  I realize that there is a story there to tell, the story is dark and funny and hopefully poignant.  I realized from listening to the story of my friends that work in the service industry that our lives or put forth as a commodity that opens us up to being used for the benefit of others,  but also opens us up to meeting great people and helping both those in need, and those who are needy.  But we serve, some do it for a paycheck, some do it because they like it, some do because they are good at it,  but for the most part people that serve do it because a small part of them want to make a difference in this world. 

Excerpt  Red Book Expose 

Americano and workbook in hand I return to the front desk, to find the guest from 174 pacing in the lobby.  Great.

“Hello, ma’am,  Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Yes,  can you make him stop.”

“Can I make who stop what?”

“The man, he is screaming and yelling at the woman.  I cannot take it anymore. She is crying for help.”

Looking at the women,  she is on the verge of tears, desperation oozes from every pore of her being, “Ma’am, where is this man?”

Looking at me the small woman seem startled “You believe me?  It is the man I complained about earlier, in the room next door.”

Picking up the Red Book I flip to the page from a couple days ago.  “Well, I see here that you did make a complaint twice about someone screaming at you.”

“He is not screaming at me,  He is screaming at the girl in his room. He won’t let her leave.” 

Looking at the women I wonder if my caffeine consumption had driven me stark raving mad, because I believe her,  and realized for the first time she might not be as crazy as we thought.  “Ok you stay here,  I am going to go up and check.”

The woman begins to wring her hands,  her eyes darting about this way and that “But he will know I said something, he will hurt me and you.  You can not go by yourself.”

The terror was clear on her face, “I am just going to check real fast. I’ll be back down in a minute.  Wait here.”

I leave the woman clinging to the front desk,  and walk towards her room,  before I am even in the hall way by her room I hear the yelling,  and then a blood curdling scream.  I stop dead in my tracks frozen, should I go knock on the door, maybe there is a reason for the scream.  My feet carrying into the hall and before I know it I am in front of the door. Yelling rattles the world around me,  I shrink from it. Why in hell has no one said anything?  Knuckles hovering an inch from the door, the scream echoes down the hall.  Turning, my mind made up this is a police issue. 

Unfinished projects=4 (added Red book expose)
Words Written=52,434
Words Edited=0  ( I have decided that none of the editing I did during November will count toward my year goal)

So here is to a year of writing madly.  Let the journey begin.