Word of the day: “usurp.” It’s so satisfying to say.

Format Change!

You may notice two things different about this blog:
1. I’ve updated
2. It now looks a little like a Twitter page.

Well, I do admit I’ve let this little pet project of mine go stagnant. I mean, I last updated on December 1, and it’s February 12! And it’s 2010! The truth is, I’ve lost inspiration. I like writing for writing’s sake, but when I feel forced to “perform” by coming up with fresh and interesting topics, I kind of freeze up. Hence the two-month absence.

And the second point. As a remedy to my inability to blog like a normal person, I’ve decided to change the format of my blog. I found I’m more amusing and quick-witted in short bursts, so, from now on, I’m going to be posting my brief thoughts in Twitter-esque format, instead of multi-paragraph blog entries. (On rare occasions when I feel the need to rant, I may revert back to the old blog post).

Why am I not actually using Twitter, you ask? Well, Twitter’s great and everything, but I would be way too constricted with the 140-character limit. My new plan is to be brief, but not that brief.

Added perk of this new blog format: now YOU can write on my blog too! Write whatever you like, I’ll approve if it’s not spam, and voila!

Hope you guys like this change.

World AIDS Day

December 1, 2009 - World AIDS Day (AIDS Awareness Ribbon)

Dec 1 – Today is World AIDS Day. I would like to ask everyone to unite for a moment and have a moment of silence remembering the victims of HIV and those currently living with HIV. Also, remember to get tested so we can stop the spread of HIV. Thank you.

For more info, go to: http://www.worldaidsday.org

Well, I did it. (Last NaNo update.)

Looking back, I see that I completely left the blogging world on November 8th, when I updated with my NaNo word count at 13K. My plan was to type up a short NaNoWriMo update every day until I finished. Ha! Silly me, thinking I would be able to do anything but chain myself to my word processor. Anyway, I would just like to say that I DID IT. I finished last night, Nov 29, at 50,200 words. I AM DONE.  I still like my story, I really do. Sure, it needs extensive editing (like that one paragraph where a character goes on a rant that has less to do with the plot and more to do with my own frustrations). Sure, I felt like ripping out my own hair at times. Sure, I felt like lighting my computer on fire around the 21st. Sure, I didn’t see the light of day for 29 days. But you know what? It feels really great. I wrote  a book. My very own book. I even printed out my winner’s certificate and it is now on my wall, thank you very much.

Now we have the great Novel Editing Month in December, but I think I’m going to pass on that and start editing in January. My fingers need a break, and my family does too, I think. Also, I need to start getting ready for the holidays. And a month away from my book will help me see it with a fresher eye.

So that’s about it. I promise I’ll re-enter the blogosphere again with posts that are not NaNo related. To the WriMos that haven’t finished yet, happy last day of noveling! To the already finished ones, it feels great, doesn’t it? Cheers.

Update #5

I just did a 1,667-word cram in a short amount of time. I’m at 13,351 now, and my brain is liquid. Go me? It’s time for bed now, methinks.

Update #4

11,685.  Story is actually starting to sound…good. Wow. I’ve also apparently lost the ability to write full sentences outside novelling settings.

I changed my title, too. 11K in and I finally realize that my title just doesn’t fit. Guess that’s what I get for choosing a title before I started to write the damned thing. Anyway, the story is called “The Gray Iris” now. The plot and everything’s still the same, but the title is different. I made a new avatar/banner combo for nanowrimo.org, too.

P.S. Super hugs to CreateSpace. I just found out about their NaNo winners special and it’s really awesome. Thanks, CS.

Update #3

Hoo, boy. As day five ends, my word count is 10,053. I’ve officially crossed over into the five-digit range. Only 40K to go. Ha, “only.” I’m starting to feel a bit daunted, to be honest. Happy frantic novelling to all my fellow WriMos, and happy Guy Fawkes Night to my UK friends. I burnt a hummingbird in my novel to celebrate.

Whew.

8,375 words as of tonight. Damn, I love being a day ahead of schedule. The safety net is pretty awesome. Carry on, fellow WriMos.

Small Update

Jeebus. NaNo is keeping me ultra-busy, so much so that I’ve pretty much been neglecting this blog completely. I’m giving you this little update to let everyone know that I haven’t left you, and also, that my word count is currently 6,713. I’m pretty proud of myself. I doubled up on the first day, so now I’m actually a day ahead as far as word count goes. If anyone cares, here is my NaNo profile:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/494667

I update my word count on there daily, so you can watch my progress if you’re so inclined. Also, there’s a more-detailed plot synopsis under the “novel info” tab, along with a brief excerpt.

A shoutout to everyone reading who is also a WriMo: keep on novelling, guys! Only 27 more days! To everyone who’s not doing NaNo: NaNoWriMo 2010, baby. Be there or be square.

NaNo: Day 1

Just a quick update: it’s 1:26 A.M. EST on November 1, the first day of NaNoWriMo. I’ve been writing for the past hour or so, and have written the first 1,687 words of my novel. My daily word goal is 1,667, so I’m uber-happy that I’ve already surpassed it. More tomorrow when I’m not sleep-deprived and overly giddy.

(Oh, yeah, and I’ve made a new header in celebration of NaNo!)