Keeping on with this break thing…

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Hello

This self imposed writing break of mine is working out quite well. I like having not much else to do other than watch TV or play on my Xbox. It also helps having Christmas to distract me as well. I’ve pretty much bought all the presents I want to buy for my nearest and dearest and only have a few more things to buy. I’m even more organised than I was last year. Big smiles about that, I thought I’d be worse.

But, with all the thoughts about Christmas and all things in that area taking up most of my head space, those lovable writing thoughts keep floating to the surface.

I’ve been making notes as I usually do when this happens and the few notes I’ve made over the past week have been about a story I finished a few years ago and did a small amount of editing on. I was hoping to start editing the NaNoWriMo story I wrote last year but now I’m thinking of editing a the one from a few years ago. Or maybe another one. Or write a new one. As dilemma’s go, it’s not so bad really.

Ok, I’m going to get back to my break. Hope all your writing is going well and your enjoying your December so far.

Good Pie

Taking a break. Well, only a little.

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Hello again

After the awesomeness that was nanowrimo, I’m going to do what I did last year and take a break from writing any stories. I found that doing this and coming back to writing my stories after a month off, really revitalised me. I got straight back into it so I’m thinking, why break a successful formula?

Because it could be better, that is why.

In my month off, I’m planning on getting back into writing on this here blog and to reading more stories on the websites I’ve neglected over the past few months. I think it will be a good change of pace and although I do and always will like to write, I think my back and my mind will benefit from it. Because….

My mind can rest and take in others work and help to get it back into sharp and creative condition heading into 2014.
My back will love it as I tend to hunch over my laptop as I write and cause it to hurt.

Anyway, I’m going to get started on my grand plan but before I go for now, just one more thing,
image

This was my set up for when I completed nanowrimo. And I ask of it applies to you…how did you prepare for and get on with your nanowrimo?

Bye bye

The reason I’ve been so quiet (if you noticed that is)

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Hello

Just a quick one, I’ve completed NaNoWriMo for the second year in a row! I’m really happy and have ordered a t-shirt to celebrate. Its a bit geeky but it also contributes to this brilliant challenge and helps to keep it running.

So, here is a synopsis of the story I have possibly given myself a back problem partly writing;

My novel, which isn’t finished yet but is well on its way like last years, is about a government that rules with an iron fist. They will let you live your lives but if you get caught talking or doing anything against them, and they are listening all the time, you will be killed or ‘removed’. This government has made the UK a very rich UK. It has also, since the now Prime Minister took over, discovered that a chemical runs through most human beings bodies that, if it’s in a high quantity, will cause that person to commit a crime. The higher the chemical level, the worse the crime. This can be removed however and the remove-ee (not a word) can re enter society and never commit a crime.

In order to make sure all those that should, in the governments eyes anyway, have the chemical removed do have it removed, they want to create an End Solution. Someone who can smell the chemical and suck it out of someone on the spot like a vampire. The End Solution ends up, after years of experimentation, being created but by accident. Now, the End Solution, a once normal, middle of the road man, is now a super charged, walking deterant to crime. Will he help the government or will he go out on his own? Will his friends find him before its too late? Will the Prime Minister get what he wants? Will the Government be brought o its knee’s? will he go for pizza?

Who knows? I only roughly know myself. If you would be interested in reading a snippet of this, let me know. If not, I’ll post a snippet at some point so you’ll see it anyway.

And now, this…

2013-Winner-Vertical-Banner

 

Cheers

My nano progress. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

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Hello

My progress so far is pretty good with this years nanowrimo challenge. I’m a little behind on my word count (which is 18,000 I think so far) but I have some time off work so I’m going to catch up. I’d be fine if I didn’t have a daft amount of good things going on so far this month.

My flat mate managed to apply successfully for tickets for five of us to go to the Manchester United vs Arsenal game on sunday (which we, United, won) and then this meant we had to go out and celebrate. That’s sunday without writing but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Then I went to visit my sister, brother in law and nephew in the Sheffield on monday and Tuesday. It was a brilliant two days and I’m so glad I got to know my nephew a lot better. But alas, no writing. But alas, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

These are excuses I’ll grant you that but all it means is my focus is a lot stronger on catching up on my word count.

Well, that’s my nanowrimo progress so far. Hopefully those of you taking part are doing well and enjoying it. I know I am.

Good pie

Friday Funday: Great Novels Remade by Cats

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Hello

Thought I’d reblog this as:

1. Its pretty awesome.
2. It reminds me of a game I play every so often at work. The game involves replacing one word out of a film title with the word cat.

For example, iron cat, the cat, the bad and ugly, cat on the hot tin cat and so on.

Bye

The Bewildered 20-Something Writer's avatarThe Bewildered 20-Something Writer

Happy Friday dear readers! I hope your last work day before the weekend is going as smoothly as possible.

A few years back, Buzzfeed put together a list of some of the best Photoshopped book covers of all time, altering classic novels as if they had been written with cats in mind. These fictional works of kitty fiction (how meta) feature adjusted titles and book covers, and the writers over at Buzzfeed even included brief synopses. All of them are great, so be sure to check out the entire list here, but in the mean time, here are some of the highlights. Enjoy!

Crossing between London and Paris, this Dickensian story of disparate lives of alley cats versus aristocats paints a stark portrait of feline famine in prerevolutionary France and the inequities inherent between tabby cats and pure breeds.

Catsby, being a cat, doesn’t really care all that much…

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As with last year, nanowrimo for the win.

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Hello

So nanowrimo is in full swing. And I’m getting back into it easily enough. I was worried I’d struggle but its getting easier as I find my routine.

I’m also enjoying how my story is moving along. As with last year, worry crept into my head as I wondered how to move my story along.

But as I wrote, as with last year, I found myself crafting a story I’ll be proud of.

I’m also enjoying coming up with new characters as I write. I’ve managed to work in a bounty hunter somehow.

For all those who are taking part in nanowrimo, I hope you’re having a good time and continue to throughout the month.

Bye bye

Oh Dear. There’s blank spaces at the end of my calender.

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Hello

After a week of barely reading I managed to make up for it by finishing 1984!

All in all it was a brilliant read. Initially I thought it might be a struggle as its not lay out in chapters as such but in three different parts each with several different sections broken up with a roman numeral. These would come in the middle of the page so, as is my way of reading, I would have to read until the end of a sentence at the start of a page. I don’t like to stop half way through a page but sometimes, only due to the tram getting to my stop, would I be forced to do so. But anyway…

Once I started I realised that it wasn’t going to be a problem. It is not too easy to read but not to difficult either. The balance is spot on and everything from the descriptions, dialogue and how the story pans out is well paced and planned out. I may read it again. I was also struck by relevant reading this book was to my NaNoWriMo challenge attempt.

The story I’m going to write is about a non to distant future which has a government ruling over it with an iron fist. It’s not as brutal and astonishing as Big Brother, nor is it the main focus of story, but it does play a big part in how the story will progress. The main character in my story was a creation of the government. The government in my story does allow the people its runs to live relatively normal lives. They only intervene when they think anything close to them, mainly their policies and ‘weekly and monthly reports’, are questioned. Which will turn out to be a fair amount as the story goes on and their creation starts to find out more about them. I’ll stop there as I’m in danger of giving to much of it away.

Ok. So, I checked my calendar yesterday I there were two blanks squares at the end of it. Which belong to the next month. Which is November. Which is NaNoWriMo. Oh dear.

I’m not that scared really. But, I know I’ve got something planned on Friday and Saturday but I make sure I start NaNoWriMo off well and keep it going. And I hope everyone else who is taking part who has given this little blog of mine a glance, does the same.

Laters

Does it have to be a novel?

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Hello

I took part in nanowrimo last year and successfully wrote 50,000 words of a novel I ended up finishing the following May.

I remember reading last time round that 50,000 words of a novel is good enough and it doesn’t have to be a the total word count for it.

So, should I aim to finish my novel in November or try and get as close as I can?

Cheers

Now for the preperation.

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Hello again

 

Following on from my post on 15th October, I had a bit of a patchy reading week. I’m still reading 1984 and will hopefully finish it in, at the most, seven days’ time. If not before. I put this patchiness down to being nominated for my first blog award. See https://johnrsermon.com/2013/10/18/ive-been-nominated-for-my-first-blog-award/

Now, I am very happy to have been nominated for this award but it didn’t half take a while, and a fair amount of reading minutes, out of my week. Though, I don’t regret any of those minutes. I accepted the award, did what I was required, and nominated a few blogs as well. All in all a 100% successful use of time.

But, it wasn’t reading.

I managed to get some reading done before bed on a few nights and to and from my girlfriends flat. I did have an awesome weekend in Leeds with my mates as well. I took my book with me with every intention of reading it but alas it was not to be. Standing up on the train to Leeds and then starting on the beer pretty much straight away meant it wasn’t going to happen. And the resulting two day hangover didn’t help either.

But, another lovely writing thing is drawing ever closer and I ask myself…

What about my preparation for NaNoWriMo?

I already know which story I’m going to write and I’ve made enough notes to keep me going. And I reckon I’ll make notes along the way or even plan out each days writing. I remember when I did NaNoWriMo last year and how I made a few pages of notes on each of the main characters, and some notes to cover the plot, and just got to it. I found this to be easier and I rarely stumbled or found myself stuck for something to write. I just hope I don’t worry too much about it and ruin my chances of completing it.

Well, that’s me for now and I’ll leave you with a question.

If you’re taking part, how are you preparing for NaNoWriMo?

Bye