NaNoWriMo

[thrihyrne]

I haven't written a novel this month. Well, the story I just finished is pretty close, and I'm not one for numbers.

I've just started tallying up the sheer number of words in my Tolkien and Harry Potter stories, and I'm flabbergasted. It's almost as humbling as picking up the Kinko's bag with my hardcopy versions and wondering when the hell I wrote it all.

Good lord/Eru/Merlin. 19 months in fandom. Multiple shinies on my website for my writing, which (thankfully!) has improved since my first story, though that was one of only three that was accepted 9/9 at Henneth-Annun. Multiple reviews (well, a few) at skyehawke for my HP stories.

Why is it that fandom stories come to me fast and furious, and the idea of creating whole new worlds is so incredibly intimidating? Maybe I shouldn't be thinking sci/fi or fantasy, in which the very physics or chemistry of the world has to be done from scratch. But then I think of Left Hand of Darkness or His Dark Materials and simply lament/gush. Lament because I didn't think of it first, and gush because they have made such a huge impression on me in the past couple of years. That and At Swim, Two Boys. And licia_north's "Seabird."

Think I'll just go take a bath. Maybe I'm not ready to be a "real" writer yet. Beyond fanfiction survey papers and the fanfiction that I write, which I do adore, because it's all gap-filling and goes beyond what the author intended.

Am shutting up now. It's 2:30 p.m. I really should have that breakfast. But I want to read 'Countdown' so I can send it to llembas who will knock it into shape.

As a tangent, my mother in law gave me a couple of "the Writer" magazines over the holiday. She's actually had a poem published. What I noticed first off in the magazines, though, was, "I could have written this article," followed by, "Writing contests where you have to pay money??" followed by, "Wow! What obscure periodicals that I could try and write for. Excellent."

Food.

Hot soak.

Am loving my day off. Grey skies. Rain is eminent. Cats are snuggled up sleeping. I'm going to crank up the Beth Orton or Amy's 'Peaceful Mix' and just hang out in the tub.

And then tackle my to-do list. Because you'd know I'd been taken over by aliens if I didn't have a to-do list. Twinfic's done, but needs to be reread and I can't do that in the tub. Grrrrr.

More after soak and food.

Comments

[helveticat.livejournal.com]

But then I think of Left Hand of Darkness or His Dark Materials and simply lament/gush. Lament because I didn't think of it first, and gush because they have made such a huge impression on me in the past couple of years. That and At Swim, Two Boys. And licia_north's "Seabird."

I'm in THAT company?

...where is my jaw? I know it's around here somewhere...

I wish I could figure out a way to soothe your lamenting over writing, but it's probably just a grass-is-greener situation, since I would absolutely love to just write some fun, cool fanfiction. I haven't written any in months and months, mostly because I take myself so damn seriously anymore.

But you... somehow you've managed to take fanfiction itself seriously, yet you still clearly have fun with it. Makes me feel courageous enough to "just write, dammit" (as so many people say). You might not have seen this coming, but thank you for that. So very much. :-)

Enjoy your bath! I'm so glad to hear you had a lovely break!

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Of course you're in that company. You are brilliant.

And just write, dammit. My world would be far less beautiful were you and your writing and artistry not in it.

Spent today at home throwing up. Think a major change is in order.

[celandineb.livejournal.com]

Hope you had a splendid day off (I would be envious, but I'm kinda sorta taking much of tomorrow off, once I finish writing a lecture)! (And be very very proud of getting three 9/9 accepts at HASA - I've never had one of those at all!)

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

WOW! I can't believe you haven't had a 9/9 accept, but that just shows how funky the HASA system is. I'm just glad that I decided to read "Passages" and figured out that you were the same Celandine Brandybuck I had known over at TORn. One of these days I'll meet you in person, and we can gush about fanfic and writing and all sorts of wonderful stuff!

[celandineb.livejournal.com]

That would be great fun indeed! Maybe one of these days... ;-)

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

hurrah for fanfic and large word counts and bathtubs.

and congrats about all your shinies too! and when do you find time to write it all?

(((hugs)))

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the shinies comment! When do I write it all? Hmmm. Late at night. In the morning. During my lunch break. While in Scotland. When hiding from my in-laws. I guess you could say that I write anytime I can. It's most definitely an obsession. That, and knitting.

(((hugs)))

And I need to write you that letter. Spent today at home, puking profusely. Not the most creative day on record. Probably need to move in with my parents.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Three cheers for your word count! :) By the way, you are cordially invited to visit here.

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

(((((massive hugs))))

Thank you for your kind words today, and my condolences to your family. I am *so sorry*.

Thank you also for pimping my story. That's incredibly gratifying. I'm looking at your course syllabi right now, and thinking about how cool it would be to sit in on another of your courses.

Nice icon, too.

Again, I'm so sorry to hear about your cousin. I'm thinking and praying for you.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you SO MUCH, sweetie. I still feel badly for laying that on you yesterday, but I was so grateful for your ear. I woke up this morning convinced it was all a bad dream, but then I saw his obituary in the online version of the Oklahoma paper. It's very hard to wrap my mind around. And yet it happens to people every day, people just as young, just as blameless. Blows the mind.

It was a joy to pimp your work - in fact, I've sent off word on the review to the Daily Snitch, hoping it will bring in more readers who might discover you for the first time. (Does that count as pimping my own pimping? LOL.) Heaven knows your work deserves better, more articulate praise than I can provide. But I was thrilled to do it.

And thanks so much for your kind words about my syllabus. Of course I'd love to have you! And I hope to have the other syllabus done by Monday (yeah, right). I'll send it as soon as I have it. I think it will be a fun class. Well, I will find it fun, anyway! :snerk:

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. My family and I are very grateful.