Tag Archives: the cure program

Time to get writing

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I just had sort of a revelation: Even though I opted out of NaNoWriMo this year, I still should have tried to write about 2000 words a day to finish The Cure Program. I guess it’s kind of realistically impossible to cram my days with all the things I try to schedule myself for, but still. I haven’t touched The Cure Program in a few weeks, even though the entire point of opting out of NaNo was to finish last year’s novel.

Now that I spent all of last night working on the Letters of Love website — I managed to mess up the WordPress installation there while trying to move it to a new directory — and have no energy to do any homework today, I think I’ll spend some time doing some actual writing. I think I deserve it, after this week. At least, my novel deserves it.

I hit a roadblock when I was last working on it, but Professor H. — my editor — offered me some suggestions and I think I have a way now. At least, I have something to try.

Panera Bread robots are taking over the world

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Right now it feels as if every molecule in my body is aching. My arms are feeling better but now my legs have that same toothachey radiating pain. It’s kind of hard to concentrate on writing like this.

I attended my very first NaNoWriMo write-in today, at a local Panera Bread. I’ve come to the conclusion that everyone who works here is a robot. They are abnormally polite and even the way they speak is odd. They’re just so proper and… weird. Dexter, the guy who was sitting across from me during the two hours I was writing, thought the same thing.

Anyway, when I first walked in I was really nervous. I’ve never purposefully gone to a place to meet with strangers before. Everyone was really nice though, and even though I can’t remember any of their names — sorry, guys — I had a good time writing with them. They didn’t seem to mind that I am officially a NaNo-dropout, even though I barely got any real writing done. In the whole two hours I was supposed to be writing, I wrote five paragraphs. The aching is starting to come back, too, so I think I’m done for the day.

I emailed Professor H. with a synopsis of the block I’ve hit (I’ve been writing chapters for a different character instead of continuing with the rest of the novel because I’m stuck). Hopefully he can help me out.

Well, I am off to go get some things at Wal-Mart and maybe some things at Michael’s (the craft store, not my boyfriend) as well. I’ll update with something better later, if it’s physically possible. ):

Finally, I am going to finish something

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I’ve decided to get back to The Cure Program full-time. Well, as much time as possible. I’ve also asked Professor Harding to edit it for me, and he’s agreed. I need to have it finished by xmas break so that he can look at it. In the meantime he is going to help me with the parts I’m stuck on. The bad side of this is that I am dropping NaNoWriMo this year.

I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo since 2005. That year, I finished writing a novel for the first time — but did not make it to the 50,000 word mark. Up until then I had started several novels and left them in limbo. In 2006 I quit because I wasn’t happy with what I was writing and I didn’t have the time (it was my first semester of college). In 2007, I won but didn’t finish the novel. To me, I have won twice. I have already gotten the full NaNo-experience, and I think it is more important to finish The Cure Program rather than let it collect dust. I don’t have time to do both. I need to jump on the opportunities that I have: my professor will be available at the end of the semester to edit for me, and the genre I am writing in is apparently very hot right now.

So, during the month of November, I will finish my baby. I will finish writing it and prepare to begin the editing process. In December or January, I will start contacting agents. Thumbtacks will get written, just not right now.

I do, however, plan to attend the write-ins for my NaNoWriMo regional group. That way I’ll have specific time set aside to write, and I can get to know some other writers in my area. Hopefully they won’t mind hanging out with a NaNo-dropout. :D

Priorities

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I need to follow Miss Britt’s lead and prioritize. (If you want to skip my boring to-do list, help me figure out why we beat ourselves up!)

I have a long list of projects. Every time I turn around, another one pops up and insists on being completed as well. (For example, as I plan this year’s NaNoWriMo novel an old WIP pops up and begs to be completed.) I have priorities and I have things that I think are priorities. The question is, which are which? Continue reading →

Be careful what you wish for

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Between Tuesday and a few minutes ago, I’ve written three poems and revised “Death Magnetic” for Creative Writing. I also wrote up critiques for two classmates’ poems (two apiece). I am only halfway through one of the three chapters assigned this week. Class is at 5:30 tonight. Sigh.

Anyway, I posted “Nerves”, “But, Uh and Um” and “Headache”. I would love some constructive criticism on any of the poems I post, because every little bit helps (and I’m pretty sure I suck at writing poetry, so if someone could confirm that maybe I won’t have to write anymore of it).

I woke up at ten this morning and worked on The Cure Program for an hour. (Okay, less than an hour, but I was also researching different things as I wrote. Besides, Twitter doesn’t update itself!) I’m actually really pleased with the way it’s turning out. A seemingly minor — yet important — character has suddenly taken on a vibrancy of her own and has demanded to be given nine more chapters in the novel.

All I want to do is write — everything but poetry — and read. Funny, I wished that I could write more and now that I am I wish I could have specified. Heh.