Check-in: Week 10, Part I

Round 1 Goals:

1. (DONE) Re-read what is written on Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
2. Finish first (and only) draft of Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
   • 500 words per day except Fridays or
   • 3,000 words per week

I probably shouldn't admit this aloud, but other than the entry I wrote on Monday to report last week's lack of progress, I haven't even thought about writing thus far this week. Heck, the only reason I remember to do these update entries half the time is that there's an email from Kait Nolan every Wednesday and Sunday reminding me to do so.

It's probably safe to say that this novel will never be finished. No big loss to the world.

Check in with the people who actually are doing ROW80.

Check-in: Week 9, Part II

Round 1 Goals:

1. (DONE) Re-read what is written on Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
2. Finish first (and only) draft of Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
   • 500 words per day except Fridays or
   • 3,000 words per week

This is the point in the program where I would normally be beating myself up. Having 0 words to report each time I do a progress report will do that to me.

Today, though, I'm not going to do that. Yes, there are still 0 words to report, but this time, I wrote words on a different kind of story. (And no, it's not the kind of story I'm adding to my ROW80 goals.)

I'm a simmer. This just means I like to play The Sims games. Even though The Sims 3 has been the game on the market for the last few years, I'm still also playing The Sims 2. This weekend, I pulled out an old neighborhood from a back-up drive and started playing. It's the 'hood for a website project that lay dormant for more than four years. This weekend, I wrote two entries' worth. (Seven households each.) I didn't count the words, but there were enough of them not to feel all gloomy and morose about having 0 for ROW80.

And no, there's no link -- my coding "skills" are trapped back in the 1990's.

Might there be progress all around the ROW80 globe?

Check-in: Week 9, Part I

Round 1 Goals:

1. (DONE) Re-read what is written on Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
2. Finish first (and only) draft of Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
   • 500 words per day except Fridays or
   • 3,000 words per week

In the comments of the Week 8 update entry, Ryan King offered me a wonderful and helpful piece of advice: Write for five minutes, no matter what. Well, actually, it was more of an order than advice, but his heart was in the right place. It would probably have worked, too, if not for the fact that... yup, I'm gonna say it again... I'm not a writer.

My problem hitting my ROW80 goals isn't that I don't have the time. I'm a slacker loner with no life -- I have almost nothing but time. My problem is more that I don't have the interest or motivation. So what am I doing here? Well, just like 2011's Round 1, my attempt to convert NaNoWriMo enthusiasm and momentum into something more lasting just... fizzled out.

Last night, I attempted to follow the advice. Er, order. I opened up my document with the intent of writing for five minutes. No more, no less. I quickly retraced the last few paragraphs to remember where I was in the story and asked two questions:

"So then what?"

"Who cares?"

It's that second question that's the killer.

Thus far this week: 0 words of 1,500. (Or 0 minutes of 5.)

Sorry, Ryan.

These other folks need no apology.

Check-In: Week 8

Round 1 Goals:

1. (DONE) Re-read what is written on Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
2. Finish first (and only) draft of Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
   • 500 words per day except Fridays or
   • 3,000 words per week

I missed the first update of the week, so we'll call this the Total Week 8 Update.

0 words of the 3,000-word goal. Again. (I make no delusions about writing today. It just ain't gonna happen.) I've pretty much quit. Again.

But these folks ain't quitters!

Check-in: Week 7, Part II

Round 1 Goals:

1. (DONE) Re-read what is written on Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
2. Finish first (and only) draft of Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
   • 500 words per day except Fridays or
   • 3,000 words per week

Somewhere along the way I forgot yesterday was Monday. That's why this check-in is even later than usual. (And it's later still, because Blogger wasn't playing nice with the web browser at work. Stupid outdated browser that they won't let us upgrade.)

I ended the week 0 for 3,000. If nothing else, at least I'm confirming what we all knew: I'm no writer.

On the other hand, most -- if not all -- of these folks are writers. Cheer them on!

Check-in: Week 7, Part I

Round 1 Goals:

1. (DONE) Re-read what is written on Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
2. Finish first (and only) draft of Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
   • 500 words per day except Fridays or
   • 3,000 words per week

I'm 0 for 1,500 so far this week. Here's a clue, flick -- If you want this book finished, you need to write it.

Here's what the real writers are doing.

Check-in: Week 6, Part II

Round 1 Goals:

1. (DONE) Re-read what is written on Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
2. Finish first (and only) draft of Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
   • 500 words per day except Fridays or
   • 3,000 words per week

The week ended at 500 out of 3,000. Did I mention I'm really not a writer? I know I did. And it's so... so true.

And the linky, in-line this time:

Check-in: Week 6, Part I

Round 1 Goals:

1. (DONE) Re-read what is written on Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
2. Finish first (and only) draft of Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
   • 500 words per day except Fridays or
   • 3,000 words per week

I wrote! Not nearly enough, mind you, but it was words. As of last night, I have 500 of the 1,500 words I should have. Motivation is still an issue.

Check in with the rest of the ROW80 gang.

Check-in: Week 5, Part II

Round 1 Goals:

1. Re-read what is written on Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
2. Finish first (and only) draft of Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
   • 500 words per day except Fridays or
   • 3,000 words per week

Well, flick? What do you have to say for yourself?

Um... I love chocolate?

Wrong! Look at your word count for week 5!

It says zero.

Exactly! And what's wrong with that picture?

Yeah, yeah. It means I didn't write at all this week. Cut me some slack; I've been sick!

That excuse only goes so far. You said so yourself in the last check-in.

Fine. You want me to admit I'm lazy? YOU GOT IT! I'm lazy!

Just so we're clear.



To be brutally honest, I just didn't feel like writing. The sickness reported in the last check-in eased up tremendously. I still have remnants, but it's not so bad now.

I'm also suffering from what happened the last time I did ROW80, in its inaugural round. As reported in March when that round ended, writing is a low priority in my life. I'm not a writer. I acknowledge that freely. Even so, I enjoy the madcap pace of November writing, and somehow keep manifesting the delusion that I can transfer that into other parts of the year.

We might have to call in Kevin Costner to motivate me. There's nothing like the threat of having to watch what is reportedly Costner's worst movie ever (Waterworld) to spur me into doing what needs doing. For the record, I despise Kevin Costner.

If week 6 produces no writing, that may be the thing I need to get the words going.

We'll see.

Here's the Blog Hop for this check-in.

Check-In: Week 5, Part I

Round 1 Goals:

1. Re-read what is written on Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
2. Finish first (and only) draft of Untitled NaNoWriMo 2011 Project
   • 500 words per day except Fridays or
   • 3,000 words per week

Hrm. Let me rummage through my Book of Excuses. ...used that one already. That one is just ludicrous. Oh, here we go! This one is actually the truth.

I've been sick for the last week or so. The reason this is more an excuse for not writing than a reason is that it hasn't been a debilitating illness. (I wrote Friday night, after all, when it was in its opening volley.) It hasn't stopped me from going to work. Or watching TV. Or checking my email every five minutes. I've even played Star Trek Online, for crying out loud! (Free-to-Play MMORPG? Yay!)

The good news is I'm on the upswing. I'm still congested and coughing (the cough is always the last thing to go), but even my coworkers have told me I sound a hell of a lot better today. (And just as I type that, I lapse into a coughing fit. Ain't that always the way?)

I can make no promises -- that's not my way. However, I can attempt to make it up in this second half of the week -- 1,000 words each of Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday? Maybe? We'll see.

These folks prolly aren't giving out excuses. Go cheer them on!