NaNoWriMo 2019: Going Dark

Posted on November 7, 2019 by A. Elizabeth West

This isn’t working, folks. Not the book, but blogging the process. I keep thinking about what I’m going to say here rather than there. I’ve barely begun and already it’s tanking my concentration.

The story is a bit more complicated, and it’s a new genre for me. So for now, I think I need to go dark on blogging about it. That does NOT mean I won’t pop in here to let you know how it’s going, or if I wrestle a writing-related bear and want to discuss it. Or if anything else happens.

It’s been a few days now since the big move. I feel much better than before. The brain fog was real, and the extra pressure of word counts did not help at all. I didn’t just move; I upheaved my entire life.

I don’t know if doing this will be very very good, or very very bad, but it had to be done. Trying something new is scary.

Image by WikimediaImages from Pixabay

So NaNoWriMo 2019 is done, and I’m just gonna write. See ya later.

NaNoWriMo 2019 Day 5: Crash and Burn

Posted on November 5, 2019 by A. Elizabeth West

Y’all, I just feel terrible.

I know it’s from a commercial moving site, but this post describes exactly how I feel right now. Everything hurts. Everything. And I didn’t do the actual moving work.

Worst of all, I will have to do this all over again when I find a job and a place. I just can’t even think that far ahead right now. Selling the house put so much extra stress on me that I suspect it made things worse. Or maybe it’s because I’m not a kid anymore.

My mom and I went out to run errands today, and she was trying to show me where stuff was. Nothing she said made any sense. It’s doubtful I’ll be able to remember it without googling a map.

Hmm, I thought she said turn left but I don’t think this is quite right . . .

Anyway, I’ve been slowly getting back into the story mindset I had before the move, when I wrote the outline. There is no way I will make the NaNoWriMo 50K goal, but I might be able to finish the book by January.

I AM NOT GOING TO QUIT.

NaNoWriMo 2019 Day 4: Move Complete

Posted on November 4, 2019 by A. Elizabeth West

First, let me say that the move went pretty smoothly. Dad engaged a couple of Mennonite dudes and they showed up at 7:00 am this morning with a trailer, loaded all my stuff, drove for three hours, and then dropped it off in two different places. Thanks, guys. Thanks, Dad.

I would post a pic of him but he would kill me, so please enjoy this picture of my former neighbor’s cat. His name is Charlie.

Photo by Elizabeth West

Second, I am totally dead. In order to be ready, I had to get up at stupid o’clock after not sleeping very well. It’s going to be a really long day for the Mennonite dudes; they probably aren’t even home yet and they started earlier than I did.

Third, there will be no NaNoWriMo’ing today; I am so tired I can barely type.

Fourth, I was not selected for Pitch Wars, so I guess that’s it for Tunerville currently. I have feelings about that; I spent so long with it, but I’m too tired to unpack them right now. At least now I can concentrate on the new book.

For the time being, I’m literally the nerd in her mother’s basement until I find a job in the nearby bigger city or somewhere else. Thankfully, I’m in my own comfy bed.

Image by LUM3N from Pixabay

I’m not going to miss Old City, but I will miss people, and I guess I’ll miss my house. It was kind of annoying, but it was home for quite a while. I cried a little about leaving it. But someone new will live there now, and he’ll probably fix it up. It needs someone to love it and improve it. I needed a new start, and a bigger job market.

So I’ll be back tomorrow, hopefully with a word count.

NaNoWriMo 2019: Day 3 of the OMG I am Dead

Posted on November 3, 2019 by A. Elizabeth West

Today’s word count: 0.

Spent all day packing and cleaning. Am too tired to breathe. Every part of my body hurts. My hair hurts.

Tomorrow, very early, I move. I’m not doing most of the work, so hopefully by the time I drive 200 miles, unpack some stuff, and rest a little, I’ll be able to crank out some pages. I’ve got a long drive to think about it.

This is my last night in this house. Though I won’t miss this city, I think I’ll miss the house a little. It was super annoying a lot of the time, but it was home for quite a while.

If I could have made a life here, I might have stayed, but there was just no way. Obviously, I don’t belong here. Well, if I get everything I ever wanted, I’m not going to complain!

Come on, universe! I’m ready!

NaNoWriMo 2019 Day 2: Slow Going

Posted on November 2, 2019 by A. Elizabeth West

I think I wrote about 149 words today; I don’t think the next two days are going to be very productive.

I tried thinking about my story while packing, but then I ended up thinking about packing, sorting, and why I can’t seem to get rid of 87,000 t-shirts. Balls!

This song has been stuck in my head all day. You’re welcome. :)

NaNoWriMo 2019 Day 1: Uh Oh

Posted on November 1, 2019 by A. Elizabeth West

I’m behind already. Well, the same thing happened last year and I hit the target, although I did start with 15,000 words already written.

Today, I signed the closing paperwork on my house, a rather emotional event. Then I came home and did some packing. I only have two days before I move — most of it’s already done. All I have to do is:

pack my dishes and the things I’m actively using
put all the rubbish in the bin for one last pickup
take some stuff nobody wants to the thrift store
drink a gallon of milk (it won’t survive a three-hour drive)
clean
and do some large loads of laundry.

I’m also leaving a bunch of stuff for the buyer. He’s getting all the appliances, some furniture, and a few things I don’t need anymore or can easily replace later (cleaning stuff, snow shovel, etc.). None of it’s junk; it’s all stuff he can use.

The Catalyst is a working title. I don’t know if it will be the actual title. But! I did finish my outline last night, so I sort of know where this story is going, although I have no idea what will happen.