So I’m beginning to wonder about myself. I’ve been having all these CRAZY dreams lately. I’m running or I’m chasing, but they are all about me getting murdered. Not good right?! In each dream, someone’s trying to kill me and I’m trying to figure out who did it. So far, the hubby is NOT on my list of suspects. 😉 One of these dreams centered on me trying to prove to the police that it wasn’t him before I croaked. GEESH! I don’t think I should go into any details, but apparently I watch WAY too many detective shows on Netflix. Scary stuff! I told my coworkers about some of these dreams and that also brought up some interesting discussions. Did I mention that I seem so normal? Yeah, well people tend to look at you strangely when you talk about having detailed dreams about solving your own murder unless they know that you write in your spare time. It’s one of THOSE things.
The good news is I’m getting some GREAT plot ideas for NaNoWriMo. I wanted to wrap up my WIP before NaNo started, but if I don’t then I don’t. For those of you who don’t know what NaNoWriMo is, it’s a writing contest where you compete against yourself. It’s a marathon for writers. You try to write 50,000 words in a month. That’s roughly 1667 words per day. You don’t worry about spelling or grammar. You write. Last year was my very first NaNoWriMo. I started out a little rough, then things got easier, and finally I was really struggling as I tried to pull together all the threads of my story. I made it in, just in time. It was one of the best writing experiences I’ve ever had! There was support from other writers. My friends at work kept encouraging me. Writing is normally such a solitary thing for me. For one month, I was a part of something bigger, a community. I got in my 50,000 words, but that particular story still needs to be finished. I like what I wrote so far, but I wasn’t able to tell the whole story in one month of work.
This year I have a couple of plot ideas. One is a romance. The other is a murder mystery. You can probably guess which story is going to win out based on the dreams I’ve been having! Neither story is about vampires. NO I’m not planning on combining the romance story and the murder story together…though the thought had occurred to me. 😉
I wish I had the discipline to be able to write NaNo style ALL the time. I suppose that must be how the best sellers keep cranking them out like the word version of a meat grinder. I can’t do that. I normally write when the muse hits me, or when the time permits me. I don’t think I could write with that intensity all the time. I’d like to say that my writing wouldn’t be as good if I always wrote this way, but that’s not true either. I noticed that last year’s NaNo Novel had some really great descriptions in it. Descriptions are often a weakness of mine. I’ll admit it. I put them in so I would have more words, but when I went back and read them, I thought, “Whoa! I wrote this? This is actually good stuff. Where did that come from?” LOL It’s funny, but when I wrote with complete abandon, just trying to generate as many words on a page as I could in a limited amount of time I had, I wrote some of my best writing ever. Maybe there’s a lesson here. Maybe by trying so hard to say the right things, or to word things the correct way, I’m actually hindering myself creatively.
JH
JULI HOFFMAN 
I was going to say your dream sounds like a book. I swear all my best ideas come from freakishly weird dreams. 🙂
I *love* Nanowrimo! My first NaNo was the very first time I finished a book. I can’t tell you how good that felt. I agree with you on the mysterious hidden gems in the midst of the pile of crap though. You get in the zone, and the strangest things happen. 😀 Once I applied the NaNo “method” to real life, I stopped getting writer’s block. Of course, editing is hell. 😉
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@Claire The closer it gets to November, the more excited I am. I know a lot more people who will be NaNoing with me this year. YAY!!! As much fun as I had last year, I think this year’s NaNo will be even better 😉 I already started to reset my NaNo profile. I just have to reset my photo. I feel like a big kid!
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Well ..congrats on your writing…I know it makes you happier than shed building….However, My day & night has been interesting & I need to get on wordpress too..tell me how please…My Grandson has widened his love circle I am happy but a bit bittersweet…Today at breakfast he went & hugged Grandpa for no apparent reason & a few times..than Uncle Rob..It was sooo sweet.had to photograph the moment..also thanked the waitress…But he still has to sit behind Grandpa driving so he can see his Grandma.ahhhh love it .He informed me he does this with his Mom also…So apparently I haven’t lost him to Grandpa & Uncle Rob totally. He than announced boy Rob never yells or gets mad , I said well not very often but I saw him furious only once & it was pretty wild BUT VERY JUSTIFIED as I agreed with him & so did Grandpa…We promised dominoes next time when Rob comes down to stay…we will keep alex till 11:30 pm as Rob , Tom & I like to sleep in till 11 :00 am & he is up at the crap of dawn .
He than started singing his favorite song DYNAMITE by Taio Cruz…I pulled up the video on u tube BUT than on sponge Bob even funnier. I love music soo I was impressed until he told me NO girl can sing as good as Dynamite…I did prove him wrong by playing KDLangs Hallelujah..till he said oh yeah I know this song it’s from the Shriek movie…
He then kicked Grandpa Tom off HIS couch…pulled up his sleeping bag aunt Peggy & I made & began to watch THE BEE MOVIE….I reclaimed a piece of the couch with his feet on me & Chewy passed back & forth wanting four places to lay (the couch being one)…Grandpa took my chair & all was well WE MUST HAVE J make 2 copiies of # 1 CD of the BEE Movie OMG soooo funny Grandpa grilled hamburgers for dinner Alex ate 2 .Alex also read for a very long time (no questions it will be a surprise for his Mom & Dad & did many new words…but a secret…The neighbor asked is he yours or Toms ? I said well he actually Toms ..BUT truly he is MINE…If you have listened to the new S Crow song …Angel Mine , It was written for my Tom & my Alex. Their is nothing more loving than being able to have a grandchild you adore & who loves you back…Blessed to be called Grandma K.
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I’m glad everyone had a good time! 🙂
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I dreamed anime last night. Oh, and that we were going through my Grandpas’ stuff after he died (in the wrong house, mind you, and we never did it, anyway because my aunt and uncle did it and sent us stuff because we couldn’t get together on the dates… long story) Yours sound more exciting.
I’m planning to do NaNoWrimo this year and work on book 4 🙂 I even posted it on my website already so I can’t back out, LOL! I’m with you, though. if I could write that way all the time I’d have so many books done by now…
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Anime dream? Strange stuff! 🙂 I can never seem to have a “boring dream.” They’re all very detailed.
Glad you’re joining the rest of us crazies this November! Welcome to the dark side! 😉
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