Camp NaNo Makes Me Insecure

It's the first Wednesday of the month and that means it's time for this month's edition of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. They are a great group of very supportive people who are working hard to make it in the writer world or who have and are sharing their success to inspire. It's a place writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. So glad to have you join me and feel free to hop over to their link and see what other's have going on.

The thing I am most insecure about today are my fears about Camp NaNo. That's not to say I don't have a lot of other things chasing it down, but it is firmly in the lead. I have been planing to write The Most Magical Place story for a while. Other things came between us and I even lost a huge amount of previous work from my first ever NaNoWriMo attempt back in January. (Same old PSA always remember to back up your writing often.) I thought about just moving on and tried to make that happen, but I kept thinking about those characters and wondering what they would be doing next. So here I am back with them. I was aiming for about 55 scenes total, but only have 34 planned in detail and it is almost go time. The other thing about Camp NaNo that is worrying me is that I have not yet made it across a NaNo finish line. I always have the best of intentions, but follow though is not my strong suit. There is a huge drawer and several closets stuffed full with half finished craft projects that will attest to this fact.

I am still working deciding what my ROW80 goals will be for the upcoming 3rd round. I should have put more effort into them by now, but I have been so distracted. Of course I always feel distracted. I saw a post today that said something like: I was trying to get my ducks in a row, but then I realized that I have too many ducks. This is me dead on. I need to decide what to cull from the flock and what to nurture, This means also deciding what is most important to me. Nuclear family and homeschooling are top on the list, but I want to put writing very closely after and have let things other people want push it further down the list. Now to figure out how to eliminate or at least reduce the guilt of telling people and things NO.

Well, I am off to start my Camp NaNo. Wish me luck.

Failure To Flash

Not only did I not flash on Saturday, I didn't even post. The last few days have been a whirlwind of late nights and early mornings where it seems that nothing is getting done. I mean, I am getting things done, but not the things I wanted to do.

I mentioned before that I was reading Harry Potter to my 7 year old. We are near the middle of The Prisoner Of Azkaban and it is so much fun to re-experience the books with someone who doesn't know what's coming next. He's so mad right now at Sirius Black for betraying Harry's parents. Very entertaining.

I am now also reading to my 14 year old because she was jealous that I was spending time reading to her brother, but not to her anymore. She is perfectly capable of reading the book she has chosen, but it's about spending time together. Which has been nice.

I'm working on getting down exactly what my ROW80 goals will be, but I have cut a few things I was planning that I am now thinking will not get done and just cause stress. I know I will need to have July and  then the rest of the round goals. Have you decided on your goals for round 3 yet?

I have still made time every night to plot, often resulting in crawling into bed at 4am, and am weaving in the romance plotline. The romance is my favorite sub plot. I love this post about using the 12 stages of physical intimacy to build tension. My placement was feeling wrong. It was rushed then there was a big lull and then bam rushing again. So I went back and now it feels more spaced out and natural.

I am really excited about Camp NaNo and am feeling confident that I can meet my goal of 25,000 words. My plot still has bare spots, but last night I finished plotting the end. I have been very worried about the final confrontation, but am feeling more calm. What is your favorite sub plot to weave into your main plot?

Now I'm off to see what my ROW80 friends are up to.

Photos by Pixabay.

And That's A Wrap Plus Flashing

So this is the end of the 2nd ROW80 round for this year. I had a ton of trouble meeting my goals as the round started. I didn't get my crap together for the first 38 days because I have always loved snails and making slow progress. (Where is that sarcasm font people are always taking about?) However, I seem to be on track now. I am sad to see this round end. I don't get nearly as many visitors or have fresh posts when I hop around to say hello, but we will be starting up again on July 6th. Of course that is a Monday and we usually check in on Sunday and Wednesday so I am mildly confused, but that is what it says on the ROW80 site. I think this may have happened to me at the beginning of this round as well.

Still working out exactly what goals I will be pursuing for round 3. Like I mentioned on Sunday in July I am participating in Camp NaNo at 25,00 words. So that's 834 words a day. I will admit I am worried about finding the time to sit down, but that always seems to be my problem so I probably sound like a broken record. As it stands now I do a lot of my writing things late at night and that whole getting up in the morning thing is much harder when I have been up late.

A cool thing that was posted in one of the writing groups on The Facebook is that Saturday June 27th is National Flash Fiction Day! I am planning to flash that day and share the results. Anyone interested in joining me? I love flashing as a group. Yea, I meant that exactly the way it sounded.

ROW80 Rundown:

1. Spend 2 poms on plotting using Hiveword.
Sunday and Monday I spent at least 2 poms plotting. I wanted to look something up so I hopped over to TV Tropes and I got distracted and lost about 6 hours of my life. It was after 4:30 before I put the phone down and tried to sleep.

2. Spend 2 poms on posts for this blog.
I am honestly not sure. The post is going out late again and I can't remember working on these poms like I wanted to the past few days.

3. Spend 1 pom on social media for blog posts.
Mostly no, I want to get better at this and stop having to say that I didn't make it. I think I need to set an alarm on my phone reminding me to search Twitter and see what I can retweet when I don't have anything cool of my own to post.

4. Spend 1 pom on visiting other ROW80 bloggers.

I don't remember how many blogs I hopped to, but did visit every day and spent at least a poms worth. My ROW80 friends are really up to some interesting stuff.

Pics by Pixabay.

Late and Short, but Terrific

OK so everyone knows Sunday was Father's Day, but it was also my 14th wedding anniversary. I was a little busy and completely forgot to post. I am getting so excited for Camp NaNo to start. I am aiming for 25,000 words. I don't have much to add besides the check-in so I'll just get to it.

ROW80 Rundown:

1. Spend 2 poms on plotting using Hiveword.
I was able to make time to work on plotting the story every day since Wednesday. I made a few breakthroughs with a scene I was having trouble with and identified a few magic things that need to be added. This is definitely a win.

2. Spend 2 poms on posts for this blog.
Spent a little time on this, but certainly not 2 poms worth. I am changing this goal for the next round for sure. Most nights there just isn't enough to do to need 2 poms. Though now that I think about it I need to decide on my goals for round 3.

3. Spend 1 pom on social media for blog posts.
I posted a few times, but not everyday. However, I am happy to have made progress.

4. Spend 1 pom on visiting other ROW80 bloggers.

I visited every day but Sunday. I was able to visit 10 people and left comments saying hello at most of them.

Coughing With Jazz Hands

I want to thank the amazing ROW80 community for lifting me up when I was too down to get back up myself. The last few days I have made way more progress than the rest of the round put together. Of course the reason I've had the time is because I've been in bed for most of the last 2 days. Being sick has been no fun, but at least I was able to still be productive with my phone. Yay smart phones. I haven't had a chance to look back over what I added yet. Hopefully it isn't just mad rantings between Nyquil knock outs. I'm hoping the momentum sticks and I am looking at the coming Camp NaNo thinking why not torture myself. 

ROW80 Rundown:

1. Spend 2 poms on plotting using Hiveword.
I have easily spent 6 poms plotting on both Monday and Tuesday. I am so excited that I'm doing jazz hands. They make it very difficult to type, but sometimes the only response is jazz hands.

2. Spend 2 poms on posts for this blog.

Yes, I spent time on Monday brainstorming topics that I would like to research and possibly post about. This was kind of accidental because it was one of those research cascades that end up opening a billion tabs in my browser. On Tuesday I started working on this post.

3. Spend 1 pom on social media for blog posts.

Still haven't hopped back up on this horse, but I'm so excited about the increase in plotting production that I'm not all that worried about it at the moment.

4. Spend 1 pom on visiting other ROW80 bloggers.

Sunday and Monday I made it around, but got so distracted plotting on Tuesday that I forgot to visit. I think I stopped by 6 blogs.

Photos from Pixabay. 

Poms Under Fire

This is obviously a coordinated strike on my writing time organized by my family. Also, just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get me. I have been struggling hard to make myself sit down and write. There are a billion things on my to do list and every time I scratch one off two more grow back in it's place. I actually screamed at my to do list notebook,  "You are not a freaking hydra!" Then I realized it might be time for a nap.

Please leave me a comment and tell me a time you did something so bizarre you just had to put everything down and quit for a while so I don't feel alone. Make sure to let me know where you are visiting from so I can follow you back.

ROW80 Rundown:

1. Spend 2 poms on plotting using Hiveword.
Even while under assault by my family I managed to sit down Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I didn't make a lot of progress, but at least I was able to write some.

2. Spend 2 poms on posts for this blog.
I only worked on a post today.

3. Spend 1 pom on social media for blog posts.
Nothing, I didn't even try. I totally forgot and the days seemed to have less and less hours as today neared.

4. Spend 1 pom on visiting other ROW80 bloggers.

This has become much easier now that I have a dedicated time to be spent and not a quota of people visited. I spent more than 1 pom because there were Insecure Writers to visit.

Photos by Pixabay. 

Tricky Like Jareth

Today has been like the Labyrinth. Where everything seems possible and nothing is what it seems. I had so much planned for today and got a ton done, but not anything I planned.

How dare you sneak up on me Wednesday!

Today has been such a handful I am ready for a nap, luckily it's almost my bed time. I think I've got one  more pom in me before I head that way.

Is it stressful for you when things don't go as planned or do you just roll with it? I would love to be a go with the flow kinda gal, but I have always hated when my plan was totally disrupted. A slight change or modification I am fine with, but throwing it totally out the window makes me nervous and stressed. Leave me a comment and don't forget to let me know where you came from so I can follow you back.

ROW80 Rundown:

1. Spend 2 poms on plotting using Hiveword.

Monday: Plotting galore! I added 2 new characters to my Hiveword. They aren't completely fleshed out, but I am getting there.
Tuesday: I worked on items. What is a fantasy novel without magical items? I'm a little worried about the amount of items I have to keep track of. I am already to 11.
Wednesday: No work on The Most Magical Place today, but I have plans for tomorrow night that I am very excited about.

2. Spend 2 poms on posts for this blog.

Since I allotted time to working on posts everyday I put in the things that are regular parts of the post yesterday. As for today, like I said, nothing I had planned happened and here I am at 10 at night still trying to get this post out.

3. Spend 1 pom on social media for blog posts.

This is still hit or miss, but I have done better than last week. There are so many awesome authors posting cool stuff that pops up on my feed. I need to get back over there and learn something new.

4. Spend 1 pom on visiting other ROW80 bloggers.
I was able to visit Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Today isn't over so may make it today as well. Look out here I come.

Photos by Pixabay. (Can you believe they had that awesome labyrinth.)

Jam Packed Like a Tiny Clown Car

What the heck am I doing? Last night I was making a list of characters to be sure I didn't forget to make an entry on Hiveword for any of them. I realized I easily and quickly reached 18 without including the extras like the people who are also in the restaurant with the heroes or even there server who has a few lines of dialog. Trying to recall them all made my head feel like top. I started wondering how many characters is too many? The interwebs didn't have a clear answer probably due to the fact that the question is highly subjective and dependent on many variables. I found a lot of posts with guidelines and recommendations with a very similar disclaimer at the end saying that most everything they had just rambled on about doesn't apply if you are writing an epic fantasy. That made me think am I writing an epic fantasy? I don't know, but I received wise advice from author Elise VanCise. She said, "Don't worry about length. Just write the story and then worry about breaking it up if it is necessary later." I find myself so worried about things like genre, themes and how many characters that I am not getting much else done.

On the up side I did have a breakthrough with the antagonist. I now know what he looks like, how he effects the plot at the 2nd and 3rd plot points and some back story. It all came to me at once and I was struggling to get it down, but I believe I have succeeded. I am really looking forward to seeing exactly how he decides to torment my heroine.

ROW80 Rundown:

I am just starting the pom thing. While the theory seems easy and I was excited it also relies upon you having uninterrupted time to concentrate. I have none. My poms are littered with me saying, "Please stop singing by my head," and "Can you please smack each other in another room." My bed time isn't much past Gwen's so this has been a struggle. For instance while writing this post about 15 minutes in I had to stop and handle a situation that no one else was able to handle and couldn't wait. Mostly because some people feel reading directions is optional. While writing that sentence I had to stop a fight. I am starting to feel like this can never get done.


1. Spend 2 poms on plotting using Hiveword.
Thursday: 2 poms attempted. They were not as successful as I would have liked and that led to some discouragement.
Friday: 2 poms attempted and 1 was successful. The other not so much, but we move on.
Saturday: Dearan's birthday and most pom activity was put on hold. I only attempted 1 pom and it was very productive. This is when I pinned down my villain.
Sunday: Today is off to a rocky start and I am now grumpy.

2. Spend 2 poms on posts for this blog.
Other days I didn't have much to say here, but I may start putting stuff in as it happens. I think...that I was interrupted again and now have NO idea what I was planning to add.

3. Spend 1 pom on social media for blog posts.
I mostly spent this on Twitter and am not sure which days I was successful and which I wasn't.

4. Spend 1 pom on visiting other ROW80 bloggers.
I was able to visit 7 of my fellow ROW80 bloggers and that was awesome. I really enjoy this part of the blog hops so glad I was able to get around so much. Take that how ever you like.

What do you say to family to convince them to give you a few minutes peace or be able to figure out what they should be doing without you having to detail every step? **Edit** Someone has recommended Duct Tape. I may or may not be considering it. Leave me a comment and don't forget to let me know where you came from so I can follow you back.

Photos by Pixabay.

Mother's Day and Overwhelmed

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. Today I am heading over to see my mom with the kids and husband in tow.

Short and sweet is all I got today. I am feeling unbelievably overwhelmed by the stuff that is going on in my life right now. I have still been making time to devote to the story by plotting in Hiveword, but not nearly as much as I would like to.


ROW80 Rundown:

1. Write at least 500 words per day on plotting or blogging.

Monday: 278 words

Tuesday: 324 words

Wednesday: 298 words

Thursday: 195 words

Friday: 324 words

Saturday: 363 words

Sunday: 272 words on this post.

2. Check out at least 5 posts from each new ROW80 linky before the next one comes out.
Nope I've been a bum. I need to get around...Wait that didn't come out right, but you know what I mean.

3. Use Twitter at least once per day.
I only tweeted last week when I posted here.

4. Post on my author Facebook page at least 2 times per week.
So much no and I am now beating myself up.

5. Read 5 books in round 2.
Still working on The Wahls Protocol.

In conclusion I have made basically no progress. I am planning to reevaluate my goals, not just the writing ones. I will get back to you. Leave me a comment, but also make sure to let me know where you are visiting from so I can follow you back. How do you decide when to chop goals? What things feed your strengths?

Photos by Pixabay.

Using Lightning as Book Ends

I missed the midweek check- in, but I don't really feel guilty. I was about to work on the post and when I had a flash of inspiration for the backstory of one of the characters in The Most Magical Place, the very same character that I'm attached to and is slated to die. At least she lived a good life. Hmm, guess I need to write her eulogy as well. Oh and for my own curiosity I need to research shipping a deceased loved one from the US to the UK, fun times. I just want to make sure it isn't a giant problem that could cause a new plot bunny in the story. The odd things you Google when your plotting a novel. What are some of the weirdest things you've researched while planning or writing a story?

ROW80 Rundown:

1. Write at least 500 words per day on plotting or blogging.
Monday: 429 on Hiveword.
Tuesday: Nothing and lots of it. Too much running around and then I passed out before midnight.
Wednesday: 1683 on backstory in Hiveword.
Thursday: 631 entering details of locations on Hiveword.
Friday: 485 still working on locations.
Saturday: 813 entering and describing items. There are a surprising amount of significant items, but it's a fantasy novel and they seem to have a plethora of them.
Sunday: 508 on this post.

2. Check out at least 3 A to Z posts per day.
A to Z has ended. I really enjoyed the part I was able to participate in and plan to do it again next year. Hopefully I'll make it to the end next time around.

3. Check out at least 5 posts from each new ROW80 linky before the next one comes out.
That goal came and went without me hopping around to visit you guys. I hope you're all doing well.

4. Use Twitter at least once per day.
This is hit or miss, but I'm still planning to  persue it in my day.

5. Post on my author Facebook page at least 2 times per week.
I didn't make the check-in so didn't bother to post on the Facebook either. I am feeling kinda worn out this week.

6. Read 5 books in round 2.
Still plugging along in my book. I also started reading Harry Potter to my 7yo son. He can read, but Harry is a bit above his reading level and he really wanted to consume it again. This is the first time I'm reading it to him. We usually listen to it on audio book as a family. I don't know if he's ever sat through the whole thing before. He did well, but started to get fidgety about 2/3 into the chapter. With my daughter we would read for 5 hours straight, but he needs more activity.

Photos by Pixabay.

Organizing and Focusing

The last few days I have mostly been focusing on getting things organized so I can make the official layout of my plot. With how scattered everything is it's probably a good thing I didn't push myself to participate in Camp NaNo this time. I have lots of ideas written down and even a little fleshed out, but haven't ever finished writing each scene name/idea into an outline. So that is where I am planning to put my energy. I have been entering stuff (scene names and descriptions, characters, items, settings and plot lines) into Hiveword and I didn't realize how many characters I planned on having in my novel.

ROW80 Rundown:

1. Write at least 500 words per day on plotting or blogging.
Thursday: I wrote 631 words in Hiveword describing/plotting a scene.

Friday: Not sure exactly how many words I added because I was adding characters and items to be used in scenes.
Saturday: I was feeling really sick so didn't do much except read and sleep.
Sunday: 397 words on this post.

2. Check out at least 3 A to Z posts per day.
I made it to 6 so far, but there is still time left in the day for today's visits. So much interesting stuff out there to read.

3. Check out at least 5 posts from each new ROW80 linky before the next one comes out.
I did this on Thursday and Friday. Yay for making a goal!

4. Use Twitter at least once per day.
I have no idea what the heck I'm doing with the Twitter thing. I have basically been ignoring it. I really like Twitter and am not sure why I have been not even looking at it. I will have to try harder.

5. Post on my author Facebook page at least 2 times per week.
I am back to just posting check-ins and am on track with this goal.

6. Read 5 books in round 2.
I'm reading my new book, The Wahls Protocol by Terry Wahls, M.D. This is the first nonfiction and not funny book I have read in a while. The information is interesting, but her writing style is repetitive. If I wanted to read the same thing 10 times I would reread the chapter.

Photos by Pixabay.