Official NaNo Winner

Close, but enough with 50.131 words!

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Happy accident!!! This is my 100th post! *big-smiles*

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One-Minute-Writer: Week 47

(Note: These are writing prompts of "One-Minute-Writer-Blog")

Monday, November-22: Paycheck. What do you love doing that you wish you could get paid for?
Obviously I'm not the only one, who wants to be paid for writing! But this also includes the pressure to deliver something that is worth being paid for. What about getting paid for sleeping? I'm do it regularly 8 hours a night, I don't mind overtime with a little nap. And during the day, I can be productive and creative and professional with no pressure, just working for the sake of working and having fun!

Tuesday, November-23: Hope. Complete this thought: Today I hope ...
I hope the crossover of all 3 CSI teams on today's TV program is as brilliant as it sounds! :-)

Wednesday, November-24: Search. What is the last thing (or one of the last things) you searched for on the Internet?
Ah, the last real research was for my NaNo-project, where I needed some basic information about sailing ships. And these days I'm consulting in the name of Santa different wish lists, like Amazon, for possible Christmas presents.

Thursday, November-25: Thanksgiving. Write a brief poem of thankfulness.
T ... for the time given to me.
H ... for the heart beating passionately.
A ... for the art I experience.
N ... for the novel I'm writing.
K ... for the kindness I receive.
S ... for sharing everything with me.

EDIT: Another win as Daily Winner! *yeah*

Friday, November-26: Turkey. Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "Turkey".
Your 'Blue Cruise' starts in Antalya. Our route along the coastline brings you to beautiful ports and historical places. Your floating home offers comfortable cabins and the cook provides you with excellent fresh cuisine. You can join the crew in sailing or you go snorkeling, fishing or sunbathing while you're on board. A 'Blue Cruise' is the best way to spend your holidays in Turkey.

Saturday, November-27: Alarm. Complete this thought: I wish an alarm would notify me whenever ...
I don't like alarms and I'm always on time. So, maybe: I wish an alarm would notify me whenever I should be more relaxed or more spontaneously or more easy going.

EDIT: *WOW* Two wins in one week! I'm good!

Sunday, November-28: Happy. Complete this simile: As happy as ...
As happy as a cat. Sleeping. Eating. Cleaning. Sleeping. Staring at something for hours. Sleeping. Chasing something. Sleeping. Some more eating. Sleeping. It's good to be a cat. *meow*

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Week Four With NaNo

I made a little NaNo-writing-break ... to write. How crazy is that?

One last note about my accident. On Tuesday I received an email from NaNo-Tech-Support, that they *quote* don't save any backups of any files that are uploaded *end-quote*. It doesn't matter anymore, I'm at peace with that ... in the meantime I've re-typed all the missing parts. I won't say, that it's better, but anyway I typed more words than I had before! And it's all about words in NaNo, isn't it?

Okay, countdown for NaNo has begun, three days left. Since Friday afternoon I'm sitting on my computer, typing and typing and some more typing. When I close my eyes or make a little break (off from computer) I still can see this white screen and that blinking cursor, waiting for some more letters form into words and sentences. Sentences become paragraphs and chapters, filling more and more pages. And in the end, hopefully just a bit more than 50.000 words.

At the moment I'm feeling like that Little Engine: "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." On Wednesday I'll let you know, if I reached the top of the NaNo-mountain!

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Continue with: Official NaNo Winner

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Wreck This Journal: Pour, Spill, Drip, Spit, Fling Your Coffee Here.

(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")



1. A layer of filter bags covers all the holes from the "Burn-Page" on the left and the "Poke-Holes-Page" on the right.
2. Left page: I glued the sketched lines and covered the page with ground coffee (coffee powder). After removing the surplus powder I was truly surprised how good everything is readable.
3. Right page: I went for a cup of Latte Macchiato in my favorite cafe. Maybe I should have ordered something darker!

Oh, and btw: *sniff-sniff* The smell of that page is AMAZING!

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NaNo, Lucky Number 3?

I don't think so!
Third NaNo-week started with a blast, with one of writer's worst case scenario. Instead of reaching the magical margin of 25.000 words, my computer made a funny thing and killed my precious NaNo-word-document! *sniff* I can't believe it! God damn it! How could that happen???
Well, I'd had a back-up, but only from Friday ... the whole hard work of the weekend gone! Almost 6.000 words! LOST!!! How could the world be so cruel!?!?!?! Okay, that's maybe better than losing everything, but it's still very hard! It feels like losing a part of yourself. *sigh*
Stubborn as I am I didn't want to accept the loss. I tried everything to recover this stupid document ... nothing worked! I even contacted NaNo-Tech-Support, if there is maybe the slightest chance to get back my uploaded work. I didn't want to believe, that they only count the words and the text vanishes into nowhere. Well, I haven't gotten an answer, obviously I really should accept the loss. *double-sigh*
Within these days I was caught between two feelings: One, that this accident was too severe to finish NaNo successfully, even too severe to continue writing at all. Two, the ambitious part in me still wanted to fight and overcome this obstacle. The race is not over yet!
Obviously the pugnacious part had won, because I continued writing. But I couldn't rewrite the missing parts, it felt like re-animating a dead fish! Instead I edited my beginning, added a new scene there and continued the story at that point, where I'd left it before the accident. While editing I registered something interesting: That there are two voices telling the story. There are parts, where I can hear myself and there are parts, where I can exactly hear my heroine's voice. So, another note for editing, make everything sound like my heroine!
Okay, finally on Thursday, I could proudly announce that I'd cracked the 25.000 word mark: 25.313!
Now, with another weekend gone, word-wise I'm still behind, far behind, but I still hope for a big energy rush for the final week, the grand finale, the final spurt. Well, I'll let you know, how the story ends!

Just one simple question for you: When have YOU made your last backup?

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Continue with: Week Four With NaNo

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One-Minute-Writer: Week 46

(Note: These are writing prompts of "One-Minute-Writer-Blog")

Monday, November-15: Cake. Write for a minute using this prompt: piece of cake.
Piece of chocolate cake, piece of strawberry cake, piece of Black Forest cake, piece of Vienna Sacher cake, piece of apple cake, piece of ... Sorry, I have to go to the pastry shop. NOW!

Tuesday, November-16: Broke. Write about a time you broke something.
I would prefer to blame my computer, that broke something!!! *howl* Instead of reaching the magical margin of 25.000 words, my computer made that funny thing and killed my precious NaNo-document last night! *sniff* I can't believe it! I have a back-up, but only from Friday ... the whole hard work of the weekend gone! Almost 6.000 words! LOST!!! How could the world be so cruel!?!?!?!

Wednesday, November-17: Selfish. In what way are you selfish?
Some people might interpret my behavior, my thoughts, my opinions as selfish, but I wouldn't call it so, I'm just very, very stubborn. I simply do, think and behave the way I feel best. Period.

Thursday, November-18: Leaf. What is the dead leaf thinking as it falls to the ground?
Nothing! It's already dead, isn't it?

Friday, November-19: Glove. Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "Glove".
»I love my job!«, she whispered with a wistful sigh. In moments like this she felt like a little child on Christmas Eve. The situations were quite similar. In front of her on the table laid a parcel the size of laptop bag. Carefully she removed the packaging and opened the lid. Now her hands, covered in white gloves, reached inside the box and lifted the content slowly on the table. Only with her fingertips she removed devotedly the white paper. There it was: the most wonderful book. The only remaining first edition of a famous writers. Within the next weeks it was her job to work with this little treasure. She will repair some water damages and fine cracks, try to enlighten some of the fine illustrations and restore the beautiful red-brown leather cover. She would be the only person, who would really lay her hands on it. With glittering eyes she looked down and said: »I love my job!«

Saturday, November-20: Klondike. What would you do for a Klondike bar?
Well, according to google images 'Klondike bar' is kind of a chocolate, right? Then I should better try one first, before I commit a crime or something else reckless! :-)

Sunday, November-21: Frugal. Write about an area in which you don't want to be frugal.
I know, I've written the same on last Thursday's prompt Never, but you can see how important this is for me:
Without dreams, what's pushing us forward? Without the thirst for something knew, what the use of living? So, I don't want to be frugal in dreaming and learning.

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Wreck This Journal: Draw With Glue.

(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")



I'd picked up the idea with the skull from another WTJ-page here on flickr and made my own version. With the result of a total glitter glue overkill! *g*

Steps:
1. I made the outlines with a black pen and used black (and some yellow) watercolor for the background, let everything completely dry.
2. Then I began with the silver glitter glue on the background, used my finger to dispense the glue regularly, let everything completely dry.
3. Doing all he inside glitter glue colors in 2 sessions, each time one night of waiting - used a looot of glue, hoped for some 3D-effect, but after 24h everything was flat!

Actually, all the work was more waiting than really doing something! ;-)

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Week Two With NaNo

On my honor, I've never consumed any illegal drugs in my whole life. But I'd made the acquaintance with a little hangover after consuming a little too much alcohol. You know, as long as you party, you feel so brilliant, everything is so amazing, you are the queen of the night ... but then the other morning, when adrenaline and euphoria are gone, you feel weird. You are much too tired, because you haven't gained enough sleep. Your head feels alien like, not belonging to the rest of your body. Your thoughts are burnt out.

THAT'S like exactly how I felt the first days after my writing rush last weekend. Remember? I've told you in my last weeks NaNo report!

These first days I was having a vaguely imagination, what I wanted to write (I already have the outline of the plot), but then I was sitting in front of my computer, my fingers ready on the keyboard and staring at that stupid, blinking cursor, that seems wanting to tell me something, what of course it not did! You might imagine, that I did not write too much. Luckily I'd had a little 'word buffer', speaking I haven't counted the words of my already existing little story outline. Without them I would have panicked completely. 1.667 not written words a day sum up really fast to a real horror number!

The rest of the week I tried to find my balance. A 'healthy' way for me, where I do a good average of daily writing AND feel fine.

Sunday night MS Word count said 22.263 words, NaNo Total Word counter granted me even seven words more, I have no idea, where it got them from! Anyway, suggested Cumulative Word Count for Sunday was 23.334. NaNo Stats include a point called 'At This Rate You Will Finish On'. I improved from December-09 to December-04.

Okay, I'm still behind and no word buffer anymore! But then I think that today or at the latest tomorrow, I'll reach the 25.000 words mark. That's half (!!!) of the required words, but at that point I've told only a third of my story. When signing up for NaNo, one of my fears was, that my stories wouldn't have book length potential. Now, I'm pretty optimistic according to that!

Well, I think I'm ready to face the second half of NaNo. I've found my rhythm!

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Continue with: NaNo, Lucky Number 3?

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One-Minute-Writer: Week 45

(Note: These are writing prompts of "One-Minute-Writer-Blog")

Monday, November-08: Who. Who are you?
I am the image of a person, that you can see from the outside.
I am the figure of a personality, that you combine from my point of views, my interests, all the things you know from me or believe to know.
But is that really ME?
I don't think so! I myself am not always quite sure Who I am, how should anybody else can?
I am what I am, sometimes more, sometimes less, but always a unique me!

Tuesday, November-09: Worth it. Write about something in your life that's worth it.
Dreams. I have a list of dreams. A list containing points, that afford quite some time or a lot of money or plenty of courage or all of them. Like backpacking in India for at least three months. This dreams are so strong, no matter how worse I feel or how bad a situation gets, if anything else seems to fail, I know I can continue, just because I want to make these dreams one day real. This list is my most worthy inner mainspring.

Wednesday, November-10: Fear. What do you do when you're afraid?
Ah, depends where I am, who's with me and what I'm afraid of! I scream and giggle watching a horror movie with friends. I shiver and search for a big newspaper to kill that horrible spider. I try to wake up from my worst nightmares and search for the warm embrace of my partner. I pull myself together and face the 'enemy' called boss. I close my I eyes, clack my read shoes and say 'There's no place like home'!

Thursday, November-11: Never. Complete this thought: I would never ...
I would never stop dreaming or learning. If I ever do you can call myself (brain)dead!

Friday, November-12: Jar. Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "Jar".
He was dozing, the sun warming his coat. Suddenly his long whiskers began to twitch. A tiny little bit he rose his head, wrinkled his nose and took a deep breathe. Yeah, there it was again. This wonderful whiff in the air. So warm and creamy, watering your mouth. He got on his four legs, gave his slender body a soft stretch, arched his back and gave his talons a little exercise. Well, well, well, some short strokes with the tongue for the looks and then strolling elegantly to the barn's backdoor. There it was, every day a wonderful jar of fresh milk. Yeah, live treats you well if you are a cat.

Saturday, November-13: Six Word Saturday. Describe your life in six words.
NaNo can completely suck you up!

Sunday, November-14: Books. How do you treat the books that you read?
I love books, they are one of my most precious gifts. I would NEVER (Oh, that I could have also used on Thursday's prompt! *g*) hit on the idea to treat my books badly. My books have no scribbling, no stains, no dog ears. As far as avoidable, my paperback books have an intact spine. Even my exercise books are treated well with fine notes and neat post-its. Books, I don't use or like anymore, were sold on Ebay or given to friends. If I kept every single book, I would soon get lost in my own apartment.

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Wreck This Journal: Drip Something Here. Close The Book To Make A Print.

(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")



Intentionally it was supposed to become the classical butterfly ... well, obviously the paint didn't exactly behave like it should have. Anyway, I like the colors!

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The First Week With NaNo

All right, here we are, the first week of NaNo Writing Month is over. Let's make a short pause and muse a little over my experiences.

Sunday night count said 9.983 words. Sounds quite good, don't you think so, too? It's a 1/5 of the required total sum.
But a 1/4 of the time has already passed ... ah, you might have guessed the problem?!

My start was quite slow, but I gained some speed until Thursday. Then I came to a particular scene. I could see it happen straight in front of my eyes, but I was simply not able to find the right words ... or any words at all. This problem kept me thinking all Friday long! I had written not a single word on that day! *aaargh* How frustrating is that!
After a rather restless night I remembered what children were told for writing a test: "If you have problems with an exercise, you'll better stop and continue with the next one. Is there some time left at the end of the test, have another try with the problem!"
On Saturday then, I skipped the scene and left instead another beautiful yellow note in my document. I started writing somewhere round 03:30 p.m. and wrote and wrote ... and suddenly my clock showed 07:00 p.m.! When did that happen? This was close, there were still some urgently needed groceries to be done! After providing my body with some nutrition (it's strange, how fast you forget to eat when you're caught by writing virus!) and a little TV break, I continued writing. I felt like being fallen into a writing rush! It was a good writing day!
My weekend was technically speaking good, but I'm still missing my lost Friday. I hope to catch up within the next three weeks and hope for a 50.000 words happy end!
And maybe then I could also find some answers to my steadily growing yellow notes, that 'decorate' my text or my personal questions, like: "When is the best time to let someone else read your piece of work for the very first time?"

Until then: Good night and good luck to all the writers out there! May the force be with us!

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Continue with: Week Two With NaNo

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One-Minute-Writer: Week 44

(Note: These are writing prompts of "One-Minute-Writer-Blog")

Monday, November-01: Trick or treat. A day late... What was one of your favorite treats as a kid? Or: Write about a trick you played when you were a kid.
My Mom was a fabulous cook, her pastry and cakes and cookies made you lick all your fingers. It's hard to choose just one, because everything was so delicious. Thinking of coming Christmas time, I'll truly miss her Christmas cookies. There were filled gingerbread and rum-coconut-cubes and orange-sticks and … I could almost smell the kitchen filled with spices, feel the warmth of the oven and see my Mom standing on the kitchen table. This is the real magic of Christmas, you'll never forget, no matter how old you get!

Tuesday, November-02: Street. Rename the street where you live.
Oh, now and then I call my place "World's End". Every time I wished for a faster internet connection or a far distant cultural program or a not available product or whatever lack of needs!

Wednesday, November-03: Worry. What would you like to stop worrying about?
My brain seems to be very good in thinking ... and worrying. This might be good, when you consider different possibilities or find the right present or ponder over a problem. But it's NOT helpful, when you try to get asleep and your brain is still working and worrying about God and the world and a thousand other things. So please, let me stop worrying there, just a few minutes would be fine!

Thursday, November-04: Cut. What would you like to cut?
Thinking on yesterday's prompt: My head maybe?!?

Friday, November-05: Link. Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "Link".
During this month my rice krispies are very, very busy, even a brief bit of fiction is too much, far too much. So, to let you know, what my brain keeps so occupied, just follow this link: NaNo Writing Month!

Saturday, November-06: School. Describe a particular room or area of a school that you attended.
You know, in Germany we don't switch class rooms. Students stay in one room and the teachers come there, exception are, when a lab is needed (like chemistry) or for sports. So, when I think of my school time, no room or area comes into my mind. I remember people, extraordinary teachers, my best friend or dear class mates!

Sunday, November-07: Talk show. You're starting your own radio or TV talk show. What will it be called, and what will the theme/topics be?
I don't like to watch talk shows, so why for heaven's sake should I like to host one? IF I should really think of any type of TV show, it would be something like "Art Attack", but for adults. A creative show for scrap bookers, art journalers or any other artists. There is nothing like that on German TV horizon.

EDIT: Another win as Daily Winner! *yeah*

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Wreck This Journal: Find A Way To Wear The Journal.

(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")



Obviously I made it the other way round: I dressed the journal! ;-)

Well, I have two left hands when it comes to sewing - so I cheated a bit. I made a paper shirt and glued the green fabric on the pattern. On top some glitter stones - Done! :-)

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NaNo Writing Month

There wasn't any full moon I could blame. Maybe I was still disorientated because of the time switch. Last night I was completely demented, totally mad, absolutely out of my senses ... I've registered for NaNo Writing Challenge!!!

OMG, what have I done?!?!

You know, it's one thing to write on several projects without any pressure or special purpose. If you write it will be fine, if you don't write it will be fine, too. But it's a whole different thing, when you sign in for a challenge, where literally every word counts. Listen, we're talking of 50.000 (!!!) words. This number is quite frightening for me, because - according to my word count statistic in MS Word - these are more words than I have written TOTALLY in my blog. Means, I should write a lot more words within one month than I've written since March!

With that going hand in hand, there is my fear of failure ... the fear to find out, that I'm not able to write more than just a short, short scene/story ... to discover that I'm NOT a writer?!?! What then? You know, somehow NaNo seems to be kind of a test for my writing qualities. Has one of the stories I have in mind the potential for 50.000 words? Are my rice krispies creative enough to produce enough scenes/ideas to fill out all those pages?

All good things come in threes ... obviously fears also! Usually when I write something I focus on perfect words, accentuation, intonation, syntax, etc. Everything has to be 'perfect'! And now ... for the first time in my writing life I try NOT to focus on these! I've already started (425 words thus far) and I don't have the slightest glue, what I'm doing ... I just try to write down the scenes, that came into my mind and flow out of my head onto the paper, without knowing, IF they are fit in the story at all! I just write ... or at least I try! This is so weird!!!

So, to you all out there: PLEASE, Wish me luck!

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Continue with: The First Week With NaNo

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