Saturday, November 22, 2008

Can I Win? Can the Dawgs?


I think I could actually be a NaNoWriMo winner this year. Personally, I've never felt it was about getting to the 50,000 words, more about pushing forward in the writing; turning off the internal editor. But, I think I could actually get to 50K. How many words do I have now you wonder? I must be nearing that lofty goal to proclaim the possiblity of winning. No...I'm so not. I'm far from it with a total of 22,660 words. But, BUT...10,000 of those words came from just two days of writing. The NaNo timer says that nine days remain. So, if I can get in 5 more days with 5000 words, plus one more day with just a bit more, I could actually WIN. How 'bout them apples?

During the last 5000 word marathon, Kim called me a machine when I finished. I was racing the clock and wrapped up in about 4 hours. But really, it wasn't being a machine, it was getting the beginning ideas of the story down...fast. While I was at my Weekend on the Water Retreat, Patti Gauch had us do some free writing. At one point, she said to write, don't stop, don't even use punctuation. She made us completely shut down the that internal editor and censor, to just let go and write. What was interesting was when one person shared what she wrote, there was a particular part that many people said stood out--in a good way. She then shared that she almost didn't read that part, she almost left out the best words, the ones that connected with the group the most. Interesting, huh? Sometimes when our internal editor and censor is on, we shut down some of the ideas that might be our best, the ones, for some reason, we're afraid or unsure about.

Holly seems to think this 5000 word challenge should occur again on Monday AND Tuesday. Care to join? Check back in...
On a completely different topic...Anyone watching the big game today? What game you ask? Really? You're unaware?
IT'S APPLE CUP WEEKEND!!!!

GO DAWGS!!!

What's that you say? Both teams rank at the bottom, and this year's Apple Cup is being referred to as the CRAPPLE Cup?




Dawgs...oh, Dawgs. What has happened to you? What happened to the days when I bled purple and gold and you went to the Rose Bowl?

I'm still pulling for you, UW. Beat the Cougs!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think you can win, Jolie, but only if you give up on the UW this year. Sad to say I never went to a game while I was there. Maybe you can teach me all the cheers?

Hold your own HoneyCrispAppleCup and make apple cup pies instead. You can add a husky cut-out to the dough. http://blondieandbrownie.blogspot.com/2008/11/rock-vote-please.html

Going for a painting a day on Monday and Tuesday!

Anonymous said...

Jolie, I came over here to say THANK YOU! I wrote 6,070 words today - well, okay, more like "within the last 24 hours" - but still ...! And I did it because of what you wrote on your blog the other day. It was SO inspiring.

I never thought I would say this, but I think I just might join in on the 5000 word challenge on Monday and Tuesday!

Cuppa Jolie said...

Jaime - Well, since the Huskies played like crapple and lost, I now feel the pressure to win...

I do not have your baking talents and did not bake a Honey Crisp apple pie, but I did make myself a Gardenburger topped with pepperjack cheese and sliced Honey Crisp apples...it was a winner.

BelleEnchanted - YAY! And you're so totally welcome. I think a lot of people are going to be producing a lot of words on Monday and Tuesday. It will be fun to know (and encouraging) that we're in it together.

Laini Taylor said...

What's a Dawg? Is it sacrelige to ask that? Is it a Husky?

Anyway, Jolie, you can DO it! Thank you guys for the challenge. I now have a post-it picture just like yours, and I achieved it and that was the day I passed. . . ulp!. . . 50,000 words! But it doesn't count as "winning" because I've been sort of forgetting to progress the story a lot of the time, and much still needs to happen. This will be an interesting week. . .

A lot can happen in a week!

Good luck!!!!!!!!!

holly cupala said...

Yes, yes, yes! See you Mon-Tues. I just realized that November ends THIS WEEK - since when is T-giving the last week of November? So that means 3 fewer days...but I'm going for it. See you tomorrow a.m.!

Cuppa Jolie said...

Laini...you are a machine. Wow. I say you win no matter what! And yes, the Dawgs are the Huskies. OH, and I want to see your post-it picture! :)

Holly...I can't believe I'm in again for tomorrow, but I won't be in until noon (my brain and body need yoga first). Gonna have to get it done in four hours once again...done it twice, got to be able to do it third. Or so I hope.

Kim Baise said...

Wake up little robot girl. Turn on your machine, it's Monday morning!

Kim Baise said...

Oops! Maybe I shouldn't have said robot (after reading Laini's Not For Robots post):0
How about "Wake up Bionic-Woman, it's time to get those mechanical fingers in motion!"