Posted on October 31st, 2011 at 8:14 pm 1 Comment »

So it (almost) begins…

Other than this post I’ll not be thinking of NaNoWriMo.  Tomorrow is when all the fun begins and despite not having a proper coherent story I’m refusing to fret.

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Posted on October 27th, 2011 at 10:50 am No Comments »

Today, at some point, I’ll be planning the NaNoWriMo for this year.  Was going to do it earlier in the week but loads of distractions got in the way.

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Posted on October 1st, 2011 at 10:16 pm 1 Comment »

Err, yeah.  Desert of Zin is back online.  Whoo.  I can almost feel the ripples of excitement coming through the ether…

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Posted on March 13th, 2011 at 12:18 pm No Comments »

Yeah, as the SVQ is out of the road, and after a week off from things I would really had to do, I cracked on with my writing yesterday.

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Posted on November 19th, 2010 at 10:47 pm 2 Comments »

I’ve got two weeks off work.  I’m not going anywhere nice, this was one of those ‘use your holiday time or lose it’ moments, but I have every intention of getting the best out on my time.

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Posted on November 14th, 2010 at 10:41 pm 2 Comments »

It’s Not National Novel Writing Month.  I have officially decreed it so.  :)

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Posted on November 10th, 2010 at 8:31 pm No Comments »

Hmm, bit of a problem.  I’ve written next to nothing for the last three days.

For the life of me, I just can’t find the inspiration or the words.

Maybe It’ll be different tomorrow.

- Alistair

Posted on November 7th, 2010 at 10:37 pm No Comments »

Expected target : 11669

Actual wordcount : 11669

Saturday was a writing lite day.  Wasn’t too bothered about it as Aurora has overnight with Ruth’s parents and I was having a day of films, beer and veging out.  Bliss.

And today has been a fine day of catch up.

The last few days I’ve been really down about the whole experience but today, with the usual NaNoWriMo magic, i’ve really enjoyed the writing.  Everything has fallen into place.

- Alistair

Posted on November 5th, 2010 at 11:19 pm 1 Comment »

Expected target : 8335

Actual wordcount : 8533

Wow, it was a struggle today.  Just got through the morgue scene despite not having any actual knowledge of the real world process and any actual medical expertise.  Anyone out there with a medical background want to help me not dig myself into a story grave?  ;)

Other than that I’m a bit concerned that I’m running out of steam already.  Still on track but boy, it was hard.

Also, I’m aware that these posts are ‘wordcount, wordcount, complaints about the strain’.  Hopefully tomorrow afternoon, I’ll take a break from battering words into place long enough to share a bit more about my process this year.  But tonight I’m just too damn tired.

See you all in the morning…  :)

- Alistair

Posted on November 4th, 2010 at 11:47 pm No Comments »

Expected target : 6668

Actual wordcount : 6748

On track.  Little time to write, so I’m not altogether sure how I’m doing it.  I have a few day’s off now so I’d like to get a bit ahead.  Gain a bit of ground…

- Alistair

Posted on November 3rd, 2010 at 11:48 pm No Comments »

Expected target : 5001

Actual wordcount : 5032

Caught up again.  :)   Have a few days off over the weekend so I’m hoping for good writing time then.  And Aurora is staying overnight with in-laws Saturday to Sunday so peace to write!  Whoo!

It was a struggle today, but not a words struggle.  Just a ‘finding time to write’ struggle!

- Alistair

Posted on November 2nd, 2010 at 11:18 pm No Comments »

Expected target : 3334

Actual wordcount : 3151

Not brilliant but not bad considering.  I left for work just before 8 this morning and got back tonight just before 10.  Not conducive to writing but I’ve spent the last hour and a bit copying what I’ve managed to scribble down in a notepad today into yWriter.

More time, and writing, tomorrow.

- Alistair

Posted on November 1st, 2010 at 10:28 pm No Comments »

Expected target : 1667

Actual wordcount : 2004

Been tough today.  Aurora caused a sleepless night but the WriMo was started early as a result.  I had a notepad at work today for break/lunch/spare-time scribbling.

I almost crashed when I realised that I was really labouring.  A post on Twitter got a response from Mr Push with some well timed encouragement.  That and realising that the story I was trying to tell was too serious.  Once the mood was lightened a bit, the words came.  :)

- Alistair

Posted on November 1st, 2010 at 2:51 am No Comments »

In less than perfect circumstances my WriMo has officially started!

Aurora has been up since 1.30, upset and unwell, and there’s little chance of me getting sleep any time soon.  Best make use of the time awake.  Certainly I’ll be knackered once I get in from work tonight so any waking time is potential writing time!

-Alistair

Posted on October 26th, 2010 at 10:53 pm No Comments »

(Inspired by this post.)

I’ve been capturing notes dilligently today, while I’ve had downtime at work, and with days to go before the start I’m happy with what I have.

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Posted on October 25th, 2010 at 6:59 pm 3 Comments »

I know it’s only the 25th (only the 25th?  It starts a week today!) but I’m already dead keen to get cracking at this year’s NaNo.  I spent some of the day today working on ideas.  I’m still going to do the same story I rattled on about before but i’m working on some of the side plots at the moment.  Something to pad it out and make it less one-dimensional.

I’m not sure if they’ll work but if I can get away with the main story (which I’m still playing close to my chest) then I can really justify anything.  Some of these sub-plots should be toffee…

(If you’re interested in what I’m doing, the project is called NaNoWriMo.  Head over and check it out.)

-Alistair

Posted on October 3rd, 2010 at 2:40 pm 1 Comment »

Less than a month to go until NaNoWriMo and I’m getting that familiar itch.  (no, not THAT familiar itch…)

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Posted on September 12th, 2010 at 10:00 am 3 Comments »

I logged on FaceBook this morning to see a friend had posted about the rapidly approaching NaNoWriMo.  Apparently we have six weeks until it begins.

Aww, hell.

I’m of a thinking that I might be body-swerving the nano this year.  But then in six weeks a perfect idea might fall into my lap which just demands attention.  Or not.

Too much to do and never enough time.

- Alistair

Posted on January 13th, 2010 at 8:08 pm 2 Comments »

In an effort to balance my last doom and gloom post, here’s a list of things I’d like to spend my time on as baby and wife allow.

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Posted on January 2nd, 2010 at 1:18 pm 1 Comment »

So, happy new year!

It’s been a ‘interesting’ year, full of ups and downs.

It started well, with me riding high off the relative success of last year’s NaNoWriMo.  It was an important milestone with my writing, the first time I ever got around to actually finishing something in a short time that I even remotely liked.  So, that was Planet Of Snakes (a sequel to the unfinished Desert Of Zin) and very happy I was with it too.

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Posted on December 7th, 2009 at 7:52 pm No Comments »

Wow.  It’s been over a month since my last post, and life has been hectic.

Let’s see.  What has been going on in the life of Al?

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Posted on November 1st, 2009 at 10:47 pm No Comments »

Expected target : 1667

Actual wordcount (2009) : 2564

Actual wordcount (2008 – for comparison) : 3929

Been a good day, I’m liking the story and I think it’s shaping up to be a good month.  Not quite the rampage of the first day last year, but I had a plan then.  I’m going into this one blind… ;)

- Alistair

Posted on November 1st, 2009 at 10:47 pm No Comments »

I’ve been away for the last few weeks.  On a wee holiday up east of Elgin at my in-laws.  The in-laws weren’t there leaving myself, Ruthy, her sister and the dog to deal with the bloomin’ awful weather.  Oh well, at least I wasn’t at work.  Small mercies and all that.

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Posted on September 28th, 2009 at 10:27 pm 1 Comment »

Working steadily away here, but time for a wee break…  ;)

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Posted on September 26th, 2009 at 6:00 pm 4 Comments »

Well, it’s been a busy week with work and home stuff.  Loads to do in the office with the audited accounts coming in and at home I’ve been doing more prep for the arrival of baby.  All very excited for that.

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Posted on December 23rd, 2008 at 10:30 pm No Comments »

I’ve begun the editing process and as it has given me a chance to read what I wrote for NaNoWriMo this year I’m more than quite happily surprised at how good it is initially.

Well, that is until I get to the desperate days after the first week when I was just typing any old crap to get the word count up…

Still, the process continues interrupted only by the festive season where I will be too busy eating and drinking more than I know better to…

Oh, dear…

Posted on December 10th, 2008 at 11:13 pm No Comments »

Oh yeah, totally forgot to post my final count for NaNoWriMo 2008.

I had 53950 words!  Not bad, eh?

Nope, not bad at all.

I would talk more but i’m enjoying a cool beer (first Leffe and now Hoegaarden) after a crappy week.

(And my confession is that i have not touched any writing since the end of NaNo, but rest assured I’ll get back to you with The Plan.  Oh yes.)

Posted on November 30th, 2008 at 9:33 am No Comments »

So, here we are.

My word count is currently 53109 which means I have beaten NaNo for this year.  Result!

But the story is not finished yet.  And that’s my plan for today once I get back from church.  The aim for today is 7k or the end of the story, whatever happens first!

And then it’s time to down the tools and take a few days before returning to finish DoZ book 1.

Ah, the joys.

Posted on November 27th, 2008 at 10:45 pm 6 Comments »

Day 27 Expected target : 45009 (rounded up)

Day 27 Actual wordcount : 50077! (50030 as read by the NaNoWriMo site counter!)

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Posted on November 24th, 2008 at 10:38 pm No Comments »

Day 24 Expected target : 40008 (rounded up)

Day  Actual wordcount : 45144!

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Posted on November 19th, 2008 at 12:45 pm No Comments »

It’s back!

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Posted on November 15th, 2008 at 11:55 pm No Comments »

Day 15 Expected target : 25005 (rounded up)

Day 15 Actual wordcount : 27183

So, what stopped me from getting to 30k tonight?

That would be chinese food.  Ah, lovely.

But 27k is a fine number to finish the day with.  And there will be more tomorrow.

Posted on November 15th, 2008 at 6:03 pm No Comments »

Day 15 Expected target : 25005 (rounded up)

Day 15 Actual wordcount :26685 (so far)

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Posted on November 10th, 2008 at 9:37 pm 4 Comments »

Day 10 Expected target : 16670 (rounded up)

Day 10 Actual wordcount : 16490

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Posted on November 6th, 2008 at 10:20 pm No Comments »

Day 5 Expected target : 8335 (rounded up)

Day 5 Actual wordcount : 12141

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Posted on November 4th, 2008 at 10:46 pm No Comments »

Day 3 Expected target : 5001 (rounded up)

Day 3 Actual wordcount : 8010GuildWars

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Posted on November 2nd, 2008 at 11:27 pm No Comments »

Expected target : 3334 (rounded up)

Actual wordcount : 5682

Not as well as I would have liked but today’s output is still more than my daily amount of 1667 words.  And my actual wordcount is better than I’d have expected.

So, still doing well but right now I’m beat.  Time for bed and more writing tomorrow.  Looking for big numbers of words then.  I’m hoping to beat the 10k mark by tomorrow night.

Here’s hoping…

Posted on November 1st, 2008 at 11:56 pm No Comments »

Expected target : 1667

Actual wordcount : 3929

Whoo!  I’ve done well.  Very well in fact.

I can’t say much for the quality of the work but that’s not important, the wordcount is high.

And the meet ups are cool, writing with other like minded folk works really well.  And they’re a cool bunch.

More writing fun tomorrow.

Posted on November 1st, 2008 at 4:21 pm No Comments »

It’s not long after 4pm and I’m currently sitting in the 13th Note in Glasgow hard at work on this years project.  There are about ten of us left and it’s been  quite the communal writing experience.

So far i’m on 3162 words and going strong.

Actually that’s a big fib.  I’m starting to flag.  but 3162 is a fine first day count.

Anyway, back to the grind.

Posted on November 1st, 2008 at 1:06 am No Comments »

AAARRGH!!!

Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 6:21 pm No Comments »

Didn’t get the Deathwing Terminators finished.  :(

Did get housework done, some work on The Fracture and a few key upgrades to the site.  :)

So an overall success.

Got a meeting with fellow NaNoers tonight.  A pre-NaNo meet.  I’m quite excited.

And I bought the wife flowers today because of a top class image she’s done for the site (which isn’t up yet).

Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 11:41 am 4 Comments »

Six days left until NaNoWriMo.

I’ll share a bit of info on what this years NaNo will be.

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Posted on October 25th, 2008 at 11:50 pm 1 Comment »

Everything stop!

There are seven days until NaNoWriMo 2008.  And am I excited?

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Posted on December 29th, 2007 at 12:02 pm 3 Comments »

Mixed success.

Just over 13,000 words. A far cry from 50,000 but it was fun trying.

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Posted on November 26th, 2007 at 6:58 pm No Comments »

Had a day to myself today. Since my hours have been cut at the After-School care, I thought I would take the morning off and get some writing done.

This year’s NaNoWriMo progress has slowed to a crawl, but that was to be expected.

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Posted on November 7th, 2007 at 11:43 pm No Comments »

Day seven? Surely not!

It has been a long haul today. With church work, the after-school care and Revolution in the evening, I only got in about 8ish.

It certainly has been a long day. And all the longer with 1667 words waiting to be written.

But despite my lack of enthusiasm for the WriMo today…

1802 words today.

6863 words in total.

Posted on November 6th, 2007 at 10:55 pm 4 Comments »

Bet my daily target today.

To make the 50,000 words in 30 days it’s advisable to do 1667 words a day. Today I bet that target. And I’m feeling damn good about it.

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Posted on November 5th, 2007 at 10:30 pm No Comments »

3351 words.

Hmm, yes.

Still not making my minimum daily target of 1667, but I’ve written more today than on any other individual day.

As long as I keep that pattern going, everything will be fine.  ;)

Posted on November 5th, 2007 at 5:29 pm No Comments »

Nope.

Day 4 came and went.

Ruthy passed her flu-like badness on to me and the weekend was very much a shambles.  However the has been some Day 5 progress.  Not much, but any progress is good.

Posted on November 3rd, 2007 at 11:45 pm No Comments »

Another day, another few hundred words.

Sore throat, headache and general feeling of blah hampered today’s progress. But Ruthy has returned from her big adventure so there will be plenty of cracking the whip to keep me going.

The highlight of today’s additions is introducing a donner kebab to a Science Fantasy setting.

2095 words.

Posted on November 2nd, 2007 at 11:45 pm No Comments »

NanoWriMo Day 2.

Not much time for writing today. Still encouraged. Get there eventually… :)

1225 words.

Posted on November 1st, 2007 at 11:27 pm 2 Comments »

Well, NanoWriMo Day 1 is almost over.

Difficulties include getting started, getting that initial sentence down.

Total for the day?

838 words. Not brilliant. But not bad at all…

Posted on October 31st, 2007 at 1:17 pm 2 Comments »

I’ve been a bit cagey about this years WriMo.

I’ve not really spent any time thinking about it and my intention was to give it a miss this year.  With everything that’s gone on recently and with loads of guff happening at work I really couldn’t be bothered.

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Posted on December 3rd, 2006 at 7:20 pm No Comments »

Yes, well.

I wasn’t as successful as I’d hoped to be.

Nevertheless I’m still plugging away at it.

:)

Posted on November 6th, 2006 at 11:39 pm No Comments »

Target: 10000 (rounding up…)

Current Word Count: 6376

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Posted on November 5th, 2006 at 10:14 pm 8 Comments »

Target: 8334 (rounding up…)

Current Word Count: 4721

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Posted on November 2nd, 2006 at 11:00 pm No Comments »

Target: 3334 (rounding up…)

Current Word Count: 2687

Okay, so I didn’t reach the daily target I set myself but that’s fine.

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Posted on November 2nd, 2006 at 10:42 am No Comments »

There’s a thing about writing that really makes me feel alive.

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Posted on November 1st, 2006 at 11:25 pm No Comments »

Target: 1667 (rounding up…)

Current Word Count: 1727

Yeah!

I’m on fire!

Posted on October 31st, 2006 at 8:50 pm No Comments »

Whoo!!!

I’m all planned up!

Let’s go!

(Whoa, who’s wearing his keen pants…)

Posted on October 12th, 2006 at 8:27 pm No Comments »

Yeah, I wasn’t going to bother with NaNoWriMo this year. I’ve been totally scunnered with my writing and the thought of forcing myself though 50,000 words in a month is less than appealing.

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Posted on December 5th, 2005 at 11:59 pm No Comments »

And this year it will be….. (drum roll please)…. 13,000 words.

And the target was?…… 50,000 words

Which leaves just HOW MANY remaining?…… 37,000.

So, it seems, both a failure (not completing the 50,000) and a success (writing 13,000, which is a personal best for me). I’m not discouraged though, as the story has only really just begun. ;)

Posted on November 13th, 2005 at 5:06 am No Comments »

or “it’s after five in the morning and I’m fecked”.

Okay, so I didn’t get anywhere near as many words done as I would have hoped but I’m up to 10,700 which isn’t terribly bad.

I’m at the begining of a new scene which has echos of a previous one so it should be easier to write. Or, at least, that’s the plan.

Anyway, enough of this carp, I’m off to bed. It’s been a long day. No point in making it even longer…

Posted on November 13th, 2005 at 1:29 am No Comments »

Or at least that’s the plan. :)

I rattled off a page and a half of A4 before the hangover and resulting de-hydration from my “only a few pints” night on the piss friday night made the prospect of writing anything else a step closer to a place closely resembling hell…

But right now, at just before half one in the morning, I have that all important second wind.

So now, as the good lady goes off to bed, I’m going to get down to my pants, break open a beer and get some damn writing done.

See you all on the other side of dawn… ;)

Posted on November 10th, 2005 at 12:13 am No Comments »

Target: 15003 (or thereabouts)
Current: 8000

So I didn’t make my individual target for today or the target by day 9. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow.

And there’s the all-nighter I intend to pull on Friday night. In fact I think I might just see if I can write all the way through the weekend, stopping only for church, food and pooping.

I can get all the sleep I need at work on Monday. It’s not like I have to do anything else (except work, of course).

Posted on November 9th, 2005 at 7:37 pm No Comments »

… because I’m not going to get any writing done if I don’t.

It’s like a magnet, pulling me away from achieving what need to get done.

And I need at least 2000 word done tonight…

Posted on November 8th, 2005 at 11:31 pm No Comments »

Every year since 1999, in the month of November, many budding authors have tried their luck at NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month.

The aim is to write a 50,000 word novel, or 50,000 words of a novel, in the 30 days of November. Aye right.

Or is that aye write?

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