NaNoWriMo

Well, November is National Novel Writer's Month. I went to the NaNoWriMo website and signed up the challenge - 50,000 words in a month. Don't know if I'll be able to do it, but I'm sure going to try! At least it has gotten me motivated! I actually sat down and wrote last night. Didn't reach my goal for the week yet, but I'm trying!

They say just to write, not to worry about revising and editing as you go along, just write. I'm trying but I tend to reread and go back and change things as I go along....

What' s cool is that there is so much support and help for NaNoWriMo. There are pep-talks from authors on the website and I joined a forum where people from my area are planning get-togethers, or "write-ins" as they're calling them and some of them are nearby. Of course, I have four kids to worry about so I can't just up and go, but I'd sure like to.

There's also a writing program for kids. That really excites me as a teacher. My 10-year-old and 13-year-old are writing too. They've each started a story and they're going with it. Maybe not 50,000 words, but they really working. I'm so proud!

Twilight (the cat, not the book)

Well, as I've said before, each of my kiddos has a cat and my 13 year old daughter's cat was named Twilight, after her fave book and movie. She has been missing for a while now, and though she has wandered off before, she usually makes it back within a few days.

My 16 year old son was coming home the other day and rounded the corner down from our house, spotting something black on the side of the road. He came into my room, where I was seeking refuge from all of the little ones running around my abode, and told me that he'd found Twilight. It was a sad day at the Hamner Home. Chelsea has since adopted Dorito, one of the mama cat's newest kittens. We were hoping to find a new home for the two remaining male kittens, but I guess we'll just be getting rid of one.

Anybody need a kitten?

Blond Moments......

OK, I'm not that technologically-behind, but sometimes the programs I'm trying to use do crazy things and once that happens I can't get it to go away. It happens with facebook, twitter, blogs, etc. For some reason, it shows that I'm following my own blog. Explain that one!

I have these blond moments sometimes and I feel so goofy when I figure out that I pushed a button too quick or something. I can usually figure it out later, but.....

Oh well, nobody's perfect.

When I Grow UP

The week is Red Ribbon Week. We had "Dress Up Days" to promote staying drug free. Thursday's theme was "Set Your Goals High and Don't Do Drugs." The students were supposed to dress up as what they wanted to be when they grow up. Teachers participated too, of course, and many dressed as stay-at-home moms. Me? I was a writer. I wore my PJ pants and a t-shirt and my robe. I would have worm my house shoes but I could only find one of them. I should have worn mismatched shoes. I carried around a thesaurus and journal, along with pencils, just in case I got a good idea during the day. If I'd only had a stuffed cat.....

It was fun pretending to be a write all day. I recently read on Janet Reid's blog that if you have completed a novel then you are a writer. She said that it didn't matter if it was any good, or if a publisher didn't like it. If you had completed a novel you were a writer! Since I respect her opinion greatly, I'm going to believe her! So, I guess I wasn't pretending!

Three At The Same Time

So I've got three books going at the same time. Is that normal? I've got a children's book that I've started, a middle grade novel that keeps changing, and a YA novel that is completely taking over my brain at the moment.....

I just need more time. I've got so much going with five kids and all their activities. I need to find something for them to do that keeps them completely busy and allows me time to write. I have to teach and grade papers too, which is the worst part of teaching in my opinion.

My children's book is about the monster in the dryer that keeps eating all the socks. It will probably be the easiest to finish if I'll just sit down and do it.

My middle grade book is going to be about an Apache Legend - updated of course.

My YA is about a teenage medium, with a twist. That's the one I keep getting new ideas for and being consumed by. I keep changing things in my head and I really need to write all of this down.....

Time....

Motivation vs Time

I'm so behind on what I was planning for my rewrite/new book. I'm changing/tweaking/stealing ideas from the first one I wrote to make it better and more appealing, but I have WAY more in my head than in my computer. I'm teaching too and trying to get my students ready for tests and trying to raise five children and making excuses for not writing.

Ok, so when I do have the time I don't have the motivation. I choose to watch Survivor or lay around and read a good book. I'm not sure what to do to fix that problem, but I am working on it. I have to!!!!

OK, so I just needed to vent on that for a while..... Now maybe I'll go actually write something. :)

New Year, New Ideas

Well, we're back in school and I'm hoping to get more focused on my writing. I slacked a lot during the summer, but just couldn't seem to find the motivation. Had another death in the family over the summer, and I think that took its tole on me.

I do have an idea brewing for what I think will be an awesome middle grade novel. My 10 year old son inspired me for this one. I just need to get going on the actual writing of the story. It took me five months to write my 65,000 word YA novel and since this one will be shorter, hopefully once I get going I'll be on a roll and can get finished quickly. Of course then I will begin the hard part: revising and editing. I may be able to use the work that I need to do on my own book to help my students with their revising and editing. Some of them have to take a TAKS Test (Texas Standardized Test) in writing this year and will have to write an essay and revise and edit it.

Updates to come......