Breaking 10,000

Well, I close the day just across the 10,000 line--10,020 words, to be precise. I just got through writing a hard scene--after Lorelei returns to the Valkyrie encampment, the Cadre attacks, killing everyone but her and one other. Not a happy scene. Not a good time.

Lorelei and Miia are now traveling overland toward parts unknown. At least next they run into Malcolm, who should bring some much-needed levity.

Moving at a Medium Pace

Well, having a slow day at work can come in handy sometimes. Between time I was up last night, too congested to sleep, and a longish break, I've added another 1500 words, and am clocking in at 6,711. The pace to write 50,000 by November 30 is 1666 2/3 words a day--I'm happy to say my pace is 1677.75--meaning I should complete my 50,000 words by 11:54 PM on the 30th.

Actually, I'm quite happy with my production. Tomorrow should give me the chance to add another 2,000 words or so. I'd love to actually get to 10K by tomorrow. I don't think that's outside the realm of possibility.

What's actually making me happy is that I'm actually liking the story thus far. I think there's something worthwhile there--and looking very much forward to the next couple chapters, which will include an all-out assault on Lorelei's home, a flight to Neri, and an uruisg who has short-man syndrome to the nth degree.

3,552, Beyatch!

Well, that was fun! I topped out the day at 5,285 words total--meaning I produced 3,552 of those today. Not bad! Better yet, I'm back on pace to finish on time. As I said in my first post here, it's not the end of the world if I miss the target--but I'd rather hit it.

Off to sleep--I suspect by this time tomorrow I'll only be around 6,000 words or so, but my goal of 12,000 by Sunday at midnight appears at least theoretically possible, so that's a good sign.

Brief Timewasting Stuff

Well, give me an hour and I can add 1000 words. So far I'm at 2,882, my goal of hitting 5,000 by the end of the night seems well within reach. If I could only breathe out of my right nostril, it's be great!

At any rate, just because Flash linked to me (thanks!), here's a look at the names of four of the Dramatis Personae:

Lorelei Voss, a Valkyrie Apprentice

Miia Aalto, a Valkyrie Apprentice

Malcolm MacChaluim, an Uruisg

Prof. Zvonimir M. Pasternak, a God-Teacher

I'm actually pretty proud of "Zvonimir." The name just sings, don't it?

All right, enough time wasted; back to it.

Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of--but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.

Well, so far so good. I'm about 1700 words in, which doesn't sound like much, but the first two days of the month have been nights where I care for my daughter; that I got anything in is a pleasant surprise. Tonight should be a good night for writing, save that I feel miserably sick; that won't stop me, though, as I write well when loopy on the cold pills.

At any rate, the numbers so far: 1733 words, 48,267 to go. That's behind pace by about 1500 words or so, but assuming I can put in a couple hours tonight (and there's no reason I can't), I'm hoping to be around 5,000 words by the end of the night.

Welcome One and All

Hello, my name is Jeff Fecke. You may know me from my main blog, Blog of the Moderate Left, where I expound on stuff now and again.

I've put together this blog specifically to talk about my experiences during the 2005 National Novel Writing Month, which challenges people to try to produce a 50,000 word novel between November 1 and November 30, 2005.

Why do I want to blog this? Many reasons:

1. It's a timewaster. As any good writer knows, you need timewasters. If you don't waste time, there's no challenge.
2. It's a potential feedback generator. Note: I'm not suggesting it will actually generate feedback, only that it potentially could.
3. It lets me restate what I'm writing in another way. This one is the most important, and the real reason I'm doing this. Stories have a way of taking on internal logic and running away, especially fantasy stories. That's not good. By occasionally writing out what I'm thinking, and why, I give myself the opportunity to see things from a perspective outside the story. That's important.

At any rate, if you're still reading, good for you. Here's the opening scene, which you may mock at will:

She ran down the hill with reckless abandon, feeling the summer sun beat down on her auburn hair, the solid ground beneath her feet. She knew this land; it was her home. She had run down this hill dozens of times. Gracefully, she spun at the end, and looked back up the knoll to her house.

She furrowed her brow. That wasn't right.

The home was altogether different from any she'd ever seen before, a strange shape, a strange color. It was like no house she'd ever seen. And yet she knew it was hers.

She began to walk up the hill again, slowly this time. She reached to her side for her sword, and found it was not there—only an odd, rough fabric altogether different than the leather and mail she was accustomed to.

She quickened her step. This wasn't right.

And yet, somehow she knew it was.

As she approached, she saw a woman tending to a garden. The woman's clothes were as oddly off as the rest of this place, and yet, when the woman looked up, there was recognition in her eyes.

"There you are!" the woman said, smiling. "Go on inside, dear. Brian and your dad are getting dinner ready."

Lorelei looked at the door. This felt so much like home to her. But she knew it couldn't be.

She didn't have a family. She never had.