I am a Boss

Today I started with roughly 43000 words.
Tonight I ended with 50070.
I feel like a total boss because I wrote almost 7000 words in one day, this is my first time winning the real NaNo, ever, and I finished three days early, as well as completing my novel.
Excerpts may come after I do a bit of editing, or the may not come.  We'll find out.
One last thing: I wrote the entire thing and only killed two characters, and Afon was not one of them, because of my left turn at Ohio (rather than right), it actually worked out better that way.
Thanks to you guys who stayed up with me late at night word warring  and Write or Die-ing with me.
Wish all you other NaNo's luck!   And of course, congratulations if you have already won. :D



~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

Mist Made Excerpts

 Okay everyone, I'm a little bit behind on NaNo, and I'm procrastinating by giving you excerpts.  Here you are!

  
“And you, Sparrow,” he turned to me and I looked away. Why did all the Mist People have terrifying eyes? “How much do you know?”
The guard took his hand away from my mouth so I could speak. “Nothing.”
“You lie.”
“So what if I do?”
“It is wrong to lie to the king of the Mist Realms,” he said in a sneering tone of voice as if I didn't know that lying was wrong. “You will suffer the same fate of Afon if you do not tell us what you know.”
“I don’t know anything!” I snapped as the guard let me go. The room started to feel more stuffy, and I started hyperventilating. Now was the perfect time to have a fit of claustrophobia.
“But you do,” he said. He came forward and grabbed my arm. He twisted it and I felt a searing pain. I yelled. “This thing,” he pointed to my tattoo, “can read your thoughts for us. We know your location, what you are thinking, what you are doing.”

And one more, because I know you're all dying to read more now. Just kidding about the dying part, I wouldn't want to kill any of my readers. (By the way, she has amnesia in the following excerpt if that will help.)


 “Her service?” I asked.
“I’m her apprentice, sort of. I’m learning to work under the king…I want to be his main architect someday. She’s my only chance. She threatened to let me go if I didn’t start doing things right. You’re not the first thing to go wrong…” He sat down on his bed and started twirling a stone ring on his right middle finger.
“Where’d you get that?”
“Dad gave it to me.”
“Will I ever get to meet your dad?” I continued standing.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“He’s…dead.” I thought I saw a tear fall onto the dark piece of stone.
“Oh…” Talk about an awkward turtle. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, it’s not your fault,” he looked at me, looked me in the eyes, and I didn’t look away, even though there were tear streaks on his face. I felt like I knew some similar pain, I had lost a family member too, perhaps. He knew who, too. I could feel it.
“I…I know how you feel,” I said.
“I know.” Afon looked away.
“Tell me why?”
“You…you lost a sister, a younger sister. I’m not supposed to tell you that. Please don’t tell Marija.”
“I won’t.” A sudden idea struck me. “Did…did Marija wipe my mind?”
“She helped.”
A chewed my lip for a minute. “Did you help?”
He sat silent for a moment. “Yes,” he whispered hoarsely, as if he was afraid I wouldn’t like him if he told the truth.

To be honest, that's probably my most favorite part in the whole book.  


~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

"So sit down and focus 'cause it's November and I'm going to write a freaking book."

NaNoWriMo was going quite well until about yesterday.  I was ahead by one day, my characters were wonderful and my plot was good.  But then I realized that I hated my last chapter and that Sparrow (my main character) is becoming a little bit 2D.
In other words I'm not feeling very NaNo-ish today.  Part of it is I got sick yesterday, so I don't feel like doing much other than Facebook and listening to Christmas Music, but the other part of it is I want my writing to be perfect.
Get over it, Miss Grace, that's not what NaNo is about.
NaNo is about writing that first draft.  First drafts are not meant to be perfect.
Basically I'm saying, who cares about that rotten chapter.  Turn it into a dream or something and keep going!  I'm off to write!

Also, here is an epic music video.

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

NaNoWriMo Update

I can honestly say that this is one of my best NaNo's ever.  I love my characters, the plot is thickening, and I'm not having and problems with my word count goal.
No, I'm not lying.
The only real problem I'm having is I don't think my setting is very good.  Setting and characters have always been one thing  I lack and I have failed epically at both using NaNoWriMo.
On the bright side, I reached 10,600 words last night (and then fell asleep, with the computer running.  Thank goodness it was plugged in.  I really didn't want to lose 2000 words or so.), so sorry if I'm incoherent today. 
My plot took a very unexpected turn, I mean, really unexpected turn yesterday, and I think it may be from some drama (~gags~) at dance.
Sparrow and Afon are falling in love.
At about 10:00 last night I was like, "WHAT IS THIS!?" when I realized what was happening.  I don't like romance novels, so I may try to shove it away and get on with the story, but it might be hard.

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

 P.S.  I may be falling in love with Afon too. ;)

NaNoWriMo Fever

NaNo update!: So, yesterday NaNoWriMo started.  I wrote over 2000 words and now it's after eleven today and haven't written anything, mostly because I had to help Dad in hte shop and I slept in for almost two hours (I also fell asleep while writing yesterday.  It was at Mom's piano studio.  She had a student.  Awkward). 

I know many Wrimos are terrified to get started, and I'm writing this to encourage.

It's hard to step out and try new things for many of us.  We're terrified we'll do it wrong.  And you know what, you will get this wrong.

Every great novel ever written had a terrible first draft.

That's the point in NaNoWriMo!  To ignore your inner editor and let yourself write a novel.  Sure the diting is absolutely horrendous, but that's what December is for.

Now, why are you reading this?  Stop pretending it's National Novel Procrastination Month and go write!

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

NaNoWriMo+OYAN

NaNoWriMo is getting ever closer and I am quite satisfied with how my plot is coming.  I'm done outling (I may go back and edit; it is a 1000-word outline. O.o ) and I've started working on my characters.  So far I only have names for everyone.
Sparrow (MC)
Marija (Appears to be the villian)
Afon ( Ally)
Justice (Ally)

Marija and Afon are Mist People, just so you know.  I wouldn't normally name a person something that weird (Although, I love exotic names, you never know...).

The whole point in this is that OYAN has corupted me.  I have never once planned a novel before. ~gasps from surrounding audience~
But, I've been corrupted in a good way.  Maybe I will get a NaNo novel that is usable!  I really believe that having a Synopsis and outline will prevent writer's block.  As Mr. S. says, you can't write from inspiration, because you never know when you'll be inspired.  You have to be interested.  And, I must say, that I'm really excited to start working on this novel.  I love it to death.

Ignore the red squiggly line.  I forgot to get rid of that.  I did it on Microsoft Office 2010 while we had no internet.

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler
P.S. IT SNOWED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful People October 2011

This is a very recently discovered thing by me, and it's called Beautiful People.

Usually it's about characters in your novels, but this month it's for NaNoWriMo, since NaNo is just around the corner.

These are the questions I am supposed to answer:

1. Sum up your novel in five words, or less.

Sparrow is a captive.

2. Novel title?

Mist Made

3. Sum up your main character(s) in one word.

Brain-washed

4. Advice for newbies in three words?

Don't give up. (I know, totally unoriginal.)

5. Tell us about your secondary characters, how do they affect the story?

The Mist People have captured Sparrow.  I only know of one so far, and her name is Ati.

6. Do you plan on staying up till midnight on the 31st?

Possibly...I may be too tired, and Mom may not let me.

7. How many years have you done NaNo?

This will really be year three, but we won't talk about the first year. O.o

8. What came first, characters, or plot idea?

Plot, but title/cover was actually very first.

9. How much prep do you do before November?

This is actually the first year I plotted anything before throwing myself in.

10. Now be honest, how do you really feel about NaNo?

I feel like I may never get a half-way decent novel out of it, but I love being able to say I wrote a novel in a month, and I may get a feasable story yet.


~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

Mist Made

NaNoWriMo is in only 15 days, and I am ready for it.  I have a very rough plot (coming up with more ideas at this very moment) and here's my cover:

I've been told it's wonderful.

If any of you are interested, I'm AnimalsAre8D on both sites.
~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

NaNoWriMo 2011

What would we do without friends.
After much thought, discussion, and math (with the help of one of my best friends), I have decided I will do NaNoWriMo.

For you math nerds, I'll explain how I got to my conclusion.

At the absolute max, I can write 750 words in 15 minutes, but I'm going to give myself some lee-way, so...25 minutes.
I think (as long as I plan my day right) I will have around 1-2 hours to write a day (ON AVERAGE).
That's roughly 45 minutes for 1000 words.
So: 30 x 1000 = 3000
But, I want to challenege myself a little, so I'll say 35,000, which is...


1167 words per day.
Simple. :)

After a little more thought and no math, I decided that I would do BOTH YWP and NaNowriMo!  My minimum goal will be 35,000, but I'll still shoot for the full 50,000!

Anyway, now I need to go do OYAN and plot a novel and some other stuff.

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

Camp NaNo Update

Okay, unless you live in a cave on Greenland, you'll have read my last post and know what Camp Totally Amazing Awesome NaNoWriMo is.  If you didn't click the link last time, DO IT!!!!!!
So, again, about my novel, here's excerpts, cover, synopsis, la di da di da.

Google and Picnik are the most amazing things evah!!

 Synopsis that I'm making up on the spot: 
Sashrera was a normal girl, but now she is a Wolf and little does she know that her whole world is about to change again.
Misty and Eliza are normal girls out for a camping trip with Misty's family when one mishap changes the course of history.
Jagger and Cahya are two seventeen-year-old criminals who spend their time being older then they really are.  On a trip to California, they end up mixed in with the fate of the world.
The elves are peace-loving and they know that the whole world is in danger from an evil so great that it can never be destroyed, only bottled up.  The bottle is about to break and four species must unite together with a chosen one to save everything.
[That was terrible, and very, very, very cliche]

 Excerpt!:

                The figure stepped forward.  It was slender with toned skin and strong muscles.  It appeared to be graceful yet hardy, a creature who spent its days out in the sun, one who has seen much.  Black hair flowed from its scalp, giving it a more feminine appearance.

                “Yev’nar doesth?”  Finally, a language Sashrera understood.  Wolf Speak for, “Who are you?”

                “Why do you wish to know?” Sashrera asked.

                “You are different from other wolves.  You speak intelligently; you are alone.  Alternatively, do I wish to know what you are?”  The being had a silvery voice.  Sashrera immediately thought of the stories she used to read.  An elf?

                “I am a wolf on the outside, but not on the inside.”

                “I can see that.  What is on the inside?”

                “I do not know if I can trust you.”

                “True.  I do not know if I can trust you either.”

                “Then we have a dilemma.”

                Sashrera stood where she was so she could turn and run at any moment and she did not dare turn her back.  She wondered if the creature could sense fear, because she surely reeked of it at the moment.

                “I will begin with me.  I am an elf.  My clan has come because we sense a change in the patterns of magic here.  Do you know anything of it?”  the elf asked her.

                The wolf felt like responding with, “Do I ever?”  but she refrained and said, “Some.”

                “You will not tell me?”

                Sashrera pondered a moment before saying, “I was once not a wolf, but a human.”

                “I see.  Your name?”  The elves tone changed once she mentioned human.  Sashrera couldn’t help but think, Oh no!  Humans are meddling with magic now!  We all shall die!

                “Yours first.”

                The elf sighed in defeat.  “My name is Mrinal, the Lotus Stalk.”

                “My former name was Trisha, noble.  Now it is Sashrera, the Hidden Hero.”

                “What do you know of the magical disturbances?”

                Sashrera eyed the elf once again.  She was dressed in a skin-tight shirt made of a shimmery fabric and rather short shorts of the same green material.   Slung over her back was a bow and arrows, at her side, a knife.

                A typical cliché elf, Sashrera thought.  “I can take you to someone who understands better.”  The thought of taking an elf to Zotnoke was intimidating.  She had already brought him a dragon twice, and both times, he was unhappy.  Would an elf be any different?

                “Take me to him.”

                The demand took Sashrera by surprise, so she answered a bit randomly, “Do you wish to bring any of your clan?”

                “Nay, I can protect myself.”  Sashrera managed to interpret that as, “If he attacks me, you’ll find him in little tiny pieces.”

                “Follow me.”  Although the once human felt uncomfortable with not keeping an eye on the hunter, she was determined to show that she was not afraid, no matter how big of a lie it was.

Soooooooo, there it is.  My amazing novel that is sure to make it on the New York best seller list.  You'll be reading these great fantasies to your kids someday! ~sarcasm~

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler

Camp NaNoWriMo

       So, you all may or may not know about National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo)  where your goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in thirty days.  There's also the Young Writer's Program for anyone who's under 13 or doesn't want to do 50,000 words.  You can set your own goal.
       But now for the real thing.  Yesterday I found out about something just as amazing as NaNoWriMo: CAMP NANOWRIMO!!!!!!!!!  for da first year eva.
        This thing is excactly the same except it's camp themed and it takes plave in July (the downside is no YWP).  In July, however, because it's the first year eva (which ryhmes with beta) there are no "Shiny Bells" such as budies or forums.  There's also a second Camp NaNo in August that does add all the amazing things, but, as far as I know, no YWP.
        So, now I'm doing both and hoping to finish the trilogy I started during NaNoWriMo.
        Now, for my actual novel, because I've suddenly decided to talk about myself.

        Wolf Heart, by me.  It's the second bok in my trilogy that I started during NaNoWriMo 2010.  There'll be a kidnapping I think.  And wolves and magic, which automatically makes it an awesome book.

~Charlotte Grace, the Mind Traveler