Day 4 of NaNo

First, I'm feeling a heck of a lot better.  :D  So, that's a big YAY!!

Second, I seem to have started to 'catch up' to all my friends who are writing like mad men this month.  Mostly, I do this by writing in WW's for a good 2-4 hours.  These sprints give me a chance to make up words and get myself moving.  My numbers go from 300-600, depending on how much thinking vs just writing I can do.

Dictating is AWESOME!!!  Not gonna joke.  Sure, its not perfect.  But I'm hoping if I can get Dragon, it'll get better.

WC: 11,439.  Still about 2 days ahead.  :D  If I can keep that up, I'll be golden.  The idea is to NOT need them for days when I do squat.  At the very least, I need to write 1667 a day.  Doing that will make me happy.

I don't really have a snidbit for you today.  The set up for the story is different and not easy for random writing, except that I'm not sure how you'd really plot it all out without over plotting.  Both the characters, and the ones they play in the game are growing and coming to life before.. Well, all our eyes.

Still not sure how Soul Strippers works into the game, but I'm getting a better idea... Ok, I have no clue.  But, I'm sure there is a reason.

Are you taking part? I'd love to know how many words you've written so far.  Share with me.

Kristy C

Day 3 of NaNo... 0.0 Holy Crap!!!

So, I started the day with a fairly nice Word Count.  3564 words, with 3333 being the daily goal.  A little ahead and not that bad a number to have by day two.  My main goal was just to write about the daily average and keep it up.

Then I sat down to write last night.  I know, only day three.  Sush and liste... Ah, read.

Gave myself 3 prompts.

'I've got my evil goblets, I'm ready now.'
'Waif -- Person (child) who has no home or friends.'
'Soul Stripper'

All three just spoke to me, so I kept them all out.  Gave them to other to use as well.  ^^

4345 word later, I'd started another story and had no idea where or what it was for, just that I liked it.  Don't get me wrong, I WILL get back to the Time Travel Tapestry thing, but this piece just said 'write me, write me, write me.' and lately, I'm going where the prompts take me.  Seems to work with my mind.

This piece is a kinda romance for some gamers, playing a tabletop RPG called Soul Strippers.  I have a vague idea of how the name comes into play.  Weirdest part is that the characters, Lily, Rose, Alex, Jace and Aidan had to come up with their own characters!!  No kidding.  Not a whole thing like in D&D, Pathfinder, WoD or others.  Its loosely based off a few games I know or have played where you don't get to do much character creation, that comes as you play.  :D  Its more fun I think.

But, there is some information they each had to get on paper.  And so now, I'm writing and creating TWO worlds at the same time.

My muse is a bitch.  And epic muse, but a bitch none the less.

Think of it as what they have to be doing in.. The Gamers, The Dorkness Rising or Hands of Fate.  You have the 'normal' world, then the 'RPG world' and they're different, yet connected.  Its all very Shakespeare and complicated... But exciting and speaks to my love of World Building.

So, I'm about 400-500 words away from Day 5's word goal, and I've yet to write on day 4.  :D  Stay tuned for an update on my WC... and the worlds I'm working in.

For now, a sneaky peak at the start of this new story.

“I can’t believe I’m looking through the personals for a date.”  The red head glared at her best friend, before gabbing the paper back from her.  “I mean, really?  Look at these things… ‘Interested in someone who’ll dance in the rain with me, and roll in the hay. Send a reply to…’ Is this for real?” 

“Just because you’re weird, doesn’t mean you can’t find someone worth talking to.  I mean, here’s one… ‘I’ve got my evil goblets, and I’m ready to use them.  Join me on a date with the soul stripper.  No waifs wanted, just a real person who likes fun and dice.’  Good lord, this could be you.” 

Reading it for myself, I chuckled a bit.  “I’ve heard of Soul Stripper.  They’ve said its a pretty good game.  And it says he’ll meet at a gaming shop, so there’s less risk of it being someone who’s just gonna stalk and do bad things to me.” 

“Lilly, he’s still gonna do bad things to you.  It’ll just be in game.  What DM has ever been a ‘nice guy’ for the whole game?” 

“Plenty… Ok, not the whole game, but come on?  Join me this time.  Please?  I don’t really wanna meet this group, or guy, alone.” 

Rolling her eyes, the blond gave in with a smile.  “If it’ll get you out of the house and away from moping about that loser you dumped, sure.” 

Bouncing in her seat, Lilly hugged the other.  “Thanks Rose.  You won’t regret it.”

Kristy C

P.S. OH YEAH!! I learned that I can use dictation with my lovely MacBook Air.  :D  It ROCKS!! And I did most of the 4k I wrote, by talking to my lappy.  It KICKED ASS!!!!

KAC

0.0 Surprise Events

While I was heading over to take a friend grocery shopping, I checked my email and found a surprise in it.

Hello, and congratulations! You have been nominated for a 2014 Arts Award in the category of Imagination. We'd like to express gratitude for your good work for Spokane through the arts, and congratulate you on this recognition.

Needless to say, I was a little shocked by the email.  Looking it over, the thing looked legit and nothing was asking for money or telling me to download anything.  So, there was that.  And in general, I was sure it seemed familiar.  But that didn't stop me from wondering what the heck was going on.

After a little while, I remembered what was going on.  Someone on Fb had posted a link about a group trying to bring out the art in our city.  I'd jokingly asked a friend to nominate me.  I figured I'd be just one of hundreds and not much would come out of it in the end. Once it was done, I promptly forgot about it.

Land us on today, when suddenly I'm receiving this email saying I've been nominated.  To me, I don't really understand how it happened.  Its strange, as these things don't happen to me.  Sales have been sketchy lately, with some shows doing great and others not even bringing a profit.  My book hasn't sold a copy in weeks and I'm trapped at 4 reviews.

Yes, good things have been happening as well, but in the long run... Its just such a crap shoot that I figured nothing would come of my work.  At least, not locally.

I should explain a bit of that last comment.

Plenty of people around town have asked for help in various things.  Be it money, time, product, you name it, they've asked for it.  And I've tried to help as best I can.  Not perfect, and I'm not seeking to say 'That wouldn't have happened without me', but I've worked to help the local community.  The few times I've asked to get help, raising money or rebuilding my supplies after the theft... Well, 3 in the local community have helped.  Most of the help came from people I didn't expect it to come from.  Former customers, friends I haven't caught up with in ages, people like that.  But in the few times I've asked, none of those I've helped have helped me back.

I'm not demanding people repay, that's not how it works.  But when you see one person say 'Oh, help please?' and dozens of people rush to their side and when you say 'Help, please?' no one bothers to show up, it leaves you feeling out in the cold among friends.

Sure, we're all broke.  But I've still helped.  For f***'s sake, I gave a dollar to the homeless guy who cornered me to write me a poem!!

Its about sticking together as a community.  Everyone bitches about how we've splintered and that they don't talk to 'Those' people, or 'they just blocked me one day', but no one sees that they're doing the damage as well.  I've got friends in almost every splinter of the community.  I didn't take sides.  Everyones right and everyones wrong.  I get invited to things and hugged upon being seen, but for the most part... No help to be had when I need it.

Sorry for the vent, but when you look at the local community and that's what you see... Its hard to imagine someone reading what your best friend wrote about you, from her heart [in the lawyery way she writes ^^] and saying 'I like them.  Lets honor her in this.

Its like a little flash of hope in everything.  Perhaps not all of the community is as two faced as it feels they are. [This makes me feel like the Grinch.  “And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”]

Anywho... I've asked a few friends to help me out, as I need head shots to do this thing.  I've actually needed them for a while, but keep putting it off to not be in front of the camera.  I dislike being in front of the camera.  Thankfully, I've had a few people offer to help.  ^^  A few aren't even local, but said they wished they were to help me out.  Always nice to hear.

I'll keep you updated on the event.  Sorry for the rant, but its been bothering me for a while now.

Kristy C