Things I'm Adding to My Nano, to Meet the Count:

I feel sooo ashamed, but at 46 K words on November 25, I was forced to add some old drafts stuff to meet the count because on Nov 25 I got a huge translation assignment with today's deadline, and all these last five days I've been busy with it and only it, sleeping 3 hours a day (7 am till 10 am). I know I'm a cheat, but at 46 K, as I've worked through November like an idjit without missing a single day, it felt like an awful shame to lose being so close because of that friggin' assignment.

I still have the whole of December to finish the book and give it to myself as a Xmas present (the only one I'm getting)! But I don't feel I deserve the banner. It's a sweet and sour "victory". This half-novel is the best stuff I've ever written, so in a way, I've made it.

Fresie said:

This half-novel is the best stuff I've ever written, so in a way, I've made it.

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You deserve the banner. It's yours.

If you feel like you're cheating by adding old stuff to it, then add the translation assignment stuff. You did it during November, didn't you?

Congrats on doing what you've already done.

AnnieColleen said:

Doesn't that count as...writing the story?

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True but I'm a perfectionist with the writing. The story structure HAS to be perfect. I can't use slang or rambling if it's not allowed. I need to write what I SHOULD write, and not always the stuff that I "want" to write. I went over stuff many times, changed things and took stuff out, elaborated in the areas that needed it.

Anyway, I added a Prologue and wasn't happy about it. At 40,439 words, I'm calling it finished. If I add any other words, it'll only be because I feel it should be there, and not just because I'm under pressure to add filler to reach some word count.

If you're done, you're done, Dawn. Now go eat some chocolate, and take a break, then back to the keyboard to write something else.

Sounds like you got what you need, then. Good luck with it!

Oh, gosh. Thank you so much. I was worried my post sounded rude or defensive. I am glad it didn't hurt anybody's feelings. I wasn't trying to be rude....

I'm just cranky and sore. :/

Thank you!!!

We don't have chocolate but I rewarded myself by watching a movie. Something I haven't been able to do during this writing spree! Chocolate tomorrow, though. Oh, and muffins, too.

I like what you say, Ruth. "If you're done, you're done." So true. That's good advice to writers who do Nano and don't finish their stories at 50K.

Not a problem. I was just confused, is all.

Chocolate and muffins, mmm! Hope you feel better.

Yeshanu said:

You deserve the banner. It's yours.

If you feel like you're cheating by adding old stuff to it, then add the translation assignment stuff. You did it during November, didn't you?

Congrats on doing what you've already done.

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Thank you so much, Yeshanu, for you kind words and support. You're such an inspiration for all of us, and especially for me. What you said is very important for me. Thank you.

(Yeah, I guess, a 73-page IT equipment market research report would look just right in the body of my historical drama! )

Add a character who lives in a tent. Give him ginormous manboobs.

Oh wait. Sorry. I was reading your diary again.

I bet you get a black eye running for the bus, though.

Why didn't I see this thread A MONTH AGO???

The first thing I'd do is change my title: "The Pluto Encyclopedia And Meta-Encyclopedia: Everything you ever wanted to know about Pluto, the first Manned Mission to it, the scientists/astronauts involved, their biographer, and lots and lots of other stuff you couldn't give a flying crap about."

And include the title in the text. Yeah, I didn't do that this year.

I'm reminded of the end-of-season mid-season slogan for the Atlanta Braves before 1982: "Wait till NEXT year!" I haven't been keeping track but they probably need to bring that one back.

Have each alternating chapter be a Spanish translation (via Google Translator) of the chapter before it...

dclary said:

Braves had a really good run of what? 20 years going to the playoffs in a row, with like, one world series to show for it?

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Woops, I meant 1992, not 1982 when it started so it was somewhere around 10 years of getting to the playoffs. I remember 1992, a friend ran a computer repair shop, and he had a customer or two who would give him things like free Braves tickets (back then they could hardly sell them - I heard of games with under 4000 paid attendees in a 50k seat stadium). He invited me and a couple other friends to a July game, but at 4PM before the 7PM game there was a huge thunderstorm so we decided not to go. It turned out the weather cleared, they played the game, and the Braves won. Later that summer lots of people in Atlanta started to notice the Braves were winning lots of games and they actually bought tickets, and so the friend's free tickets suddenly dried up. I've heard sportscasters call that sort of sports team support a "fair weather town."

I somewhat recall the World Series of 1996, it went seven games, and the Braves were heartbreakingly close to winning, but at the end one of the Braves on second or third base watched a well-hit ball going over his head instead of running like mad for home, where he had a good chance of scoring. This was, of course, shown live on national TV.