W.I.P. National Novel Writing Month

 

Welcome to November 2020!

Or, writing 50,000 in 30 days and trying to keep everything in order and have something coherent come out of it all.

I participate in National Novel Writing Month each year. Usually it’s where I can get thoughts down or other random ideas that have crossed my mind. This year I began trying to finish some chapters for a novel (the idea ran out) so I began another (which ran out). Now I am re-editing and re-writing some old pieces of work which still counts. So, here is a little tidbit of what I’ve been working on.

The day she went off to college was the best day of her life.

She was sad to leave behind friends, they were all sad to go their separate ways, but it was a new beginning. A new time to escape from their little town and move on to different things, to see what the world would become for each of them – graduation day was full of mixed feelings.

While everyone spent the weekend preparing for a summer full of fun, relaxation, expensive trips, or travelling, she spent it packing all of her belongings.

In spite of the mess she usually had around her, she’d gotten rid of everything that was absolutely necessary. All the small things that could be given away she sent on their way to others who would appreciate them better. By Sunday she had everything she needed to begin her new life away from home.

“Hey, why are you still up?”

She glanced up at her mom. For some reason she wasn’t finding it difficult to feel sad about leaving.

“Just making sure I have enough room for what I’m using tonight.”

“You do know that even college students come home on occasion,” her mom sat on the bed. “I’m trying to understand why you’re packing as though you’ll never come back.”

She sat down beside her mom.

“Yeah, I guess I could leave some stuff –”

Her mother shook her head, “No. You don’t have to explain Catherine. Sometimes we need to take that plunge, pack up, and move into what the world has to offer you.”

They shared a side hug.

“I guess I’m a little sad you’re moving a couple states away and not staying closer.”

Are you participating this year? If so leave a little blurb with what you’re writing.

W.I.P. NaNoWriMo Excerpts

Here's a little few snippets from what I did last month. Enjoy!

(Critiques are welcome!)

The following morning I was all packed.

I was fully ready to be off this vessel and back on dry land. Sure, I’d finally gotten my sea legs, but there was nothng that could beat walking on your own two feet without the threat of being heaved to.

“Does this mean you’re holding him to his word on this one?”

Mary came into the room. She had managed to keep herself, and three children packed and tidy the whole trip. What was it like to have that kind of stability in your life?

“Why not,” I folded a nighdress, trying not to cringe. I hated wearing those things. “We’ve at sea long enough. And there have been plenty of ports. I don’t know why he’s being so picky.”

She sat down I the chair by the desk.

“Perhaps he’s waiting for family?”

I took in a breath.

Did this mean she was confirming that he and she were – no.

“It would be interesting to finally meet his family.” I did my best to be vague. I didn’t want her assuming she was jealous of their relationship. I could get a husband risking everything for his wife. “See who his wife is.”

I put it out there, hoping she’d confirm it.

She laughed, “Well, I’m surprised he hasn’t told you.”

Please just end the misery!

“Told me what?”

Her eyes twinkled. That mischievous glance that I’d seen her give before.

W.I.P. National Novel Writing Month 2019

Well.

Back to the month of something in the air that drive us all to write over 50,000 words.

Here's a snippet of what I'm working on, how about you?

“Take those two away.”

The voice of the Erlkonig startled her. She turned. Watched as the Guard escorted the two offenders of magic away. She couldn’t call them parents at all – they hadn’t raised her. They hadn’t been there her entire life until they wanted something from her. Of her.

They tried to put up a fight. Without magic, they were nothing.

That could have been me.

The thought haunted her.

If she had been raised by these two, she would have wound up on the other side of the coin. Between light and dark she was already walking along the grey line. She knew going to the dark side wasn’t an option. Yet, there were also repercussions for going too far into the light.

Her parents had gone to both extremes.

When the sounds of protest from them faded, she was left among a crowd. While they were all friends, it was still too much.

The power the book had blasted had drawn out everyone within the town boundaries.

“Miss Smok?”

Her name cleared some of the daze in her eyes. Her mind was still foggy. There was a haze that was trying to clear.

Shaking away the cobwebs she saw the forest.

Across the field she watched someone emerge from the shadows of the trees. They stumbled slightly, as though the legs were unfamiliar on land or with the land. They stumbled a while before straightening and looking up. At her.

What are you up to this month? Leave a comment below.



EDIT: I posted this on Monday.....do I get points for being early?