What You Don't Have

BUT ARE THANKFUL YOU DON'T

We are constantly reminded to count our blessings, to be grateful for want we have. As we read the news and watch the news on TV maybe we should also be thankful for what we don't have.

What things are you grateful aren't part of your life right now?

Of course each of our lists would be unique.

I'm very glad that I don't have to use that old typewriter anymore. I'm really glad I don't have to completely retype every time I make a mistake. Computers are so much better.

I'm thankful for a lot more that I don't have...that old Ford Falcon...the green VW bug...the swamp cooler that sat in the middle of my room.

These are pretty superficial. There are other things that are pretty personal dealing with health and family. As I think about all the things that could be wrong in my life, I'm very grateful that I have other things that are good and right.

SoCNoC Update

HALF WAY THROUGH

You probably can tell by the lack of blog posts that I've been giving this Southern Cross Novel Challenge an honest effort.

I'm a little behind on my projected word count. I should be at 25000 words, which is half of the goal. I had to pause for a little while to do some thinking about the back story because I found myself spinning wheels, writing the same scene about four times which I didn't realize I had done until I read it. (Different characters, but the same scene. Really--the same scene... different dialogue, but saying the same thing--practically.)

So as I take a needed breath to see where I'm going, I see that I've learned some valuable lessons.

I really can put out a lot of words every day, but I have to banish the perfectionist editor. He's locked outside yelling to get in, but I'm diligently ignoring him.

I really do have to have to get rid of the time wasters, like TV and the phone and movies in the afternoon... with my sister... ummmm.... yeah.

And I have to tell myself that there's time for one more paragraph before bed instead of watching Top Gear. You have to know what a sacrifice that is.

There's no not writing just because I'm not in the mood. Most of the time, after a paragraph or two, I can be back into it. And if not, I have something to edit later. I can't edit what's not there.

Food is necessary to keep the brain fog from rolling in. A walk will clear my head if a late lunch doesn't do it.

I need a glimpse of some kind of road to keep me from writing in circles.

Writing in the middle of the night sometimes works. But sleep works better.

And no matter how hard it is, I can keep going because there's an end.

That's the great thing about challenges.

Southern Cross Novel Challenge

SO YOU SKIPPED NANOWRIMO

The total collective word count for the 2009 NaNoWriMo was 2,427,190,537. But if, like me, none of those words were yours, don't despair, we have a second chance.

You can enter the SoCNoC Challenge. (pronounced "sock-nock)

The Southern Cross Novel Challenge is a yearly event held every June. The southern hemisphere's version of National Novel Writing Month, June [comprising thirty days total, including one long weekend] was selected as the month for this challenge because it is considered the equivalent of the northern hemisphere's November in terms of weather and temperatures. This challenge is hosted by Kiwi Writers, a New Zealand-based writing group which houses members primarily based in New Zealand and Australia but stretching as far as the United States and Canada. SoCNoC is the largest writing competition in the Southern Hemisphere.

The rules for SoCNoC are simple. The goal is to write 50,000 words on one or more novels during the thirty days of June, and participants are allowed to work on an existing novel or on multiple novels. Even compilations of short stories or poems are allowed. The challenge runs from 12:00:01am on June 1 until 11:59:59 on June 30, both according to the local time of participants, and any genre and any language are accepted.

However, for the best possible experience, the staff does recommend that a new novel is begun for the challenge. They encourage participants to aim to finish their novels at both 50,000 words and at midnight [local time], June 30, when the challenge ends. [Wikipedia]

I know I'm a day late, but I'm doing it.