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I went to my first ever live NaNo event this Sunday. Imagine a score of people sitting at a long table, all writing. That was it. No conversation, no joking, the only sound the clatter of keyboards, the scritch of pens on paper, and the rustle of snack wrappers. It was great!
In an hour and a half (I was late arriving) I managed to eek out as many words as I’d done all day the day before. They aren’t going to show up on that NaNo meter at the bottom of my sidebar, though, because it was all outline. Still, I count it a significant step in my writing efforts because now I have some clue as to where I’m going with this story. Don’t know why my attempt to outline before failed, but I’m really glad to have what I do now.
In the process I made a discovery. I don’t know the name of one of my characters.
I could swear I gave Gene’s father a first name. Of course his last name is Thomas, the same as Gene, but I can’t remember his first name, it isn’t in the spreadsheet where I try to keep track of that stuff, and I couldn’t find it when I went digging through the archives for it. Maybe I’m misremembering, and never posted anything in which he has a first name. And no, I don’t count “Dad” or “Gene’s Dad” or any other such title.
A lot of the episodes of Suzie’s House are written minutes before I post. There are (shudder) spelling errors all over the place. Yet, I have been quite proud of having picked up loose threads as I go. For instance, there’s a bit in there where Miranda has a bad encounter with the employees of video store. I picked up the thread on that several months later. There are a couple of mentions in the first three or four installments of Suzie’s House that I follow through on in Moving In. I try hard not to leave you hanging. But maybe I’m deluding myself.
I really, really don’t want to give the man a whole new name then some day have a reader going through my archives point out I got it wrong. So, I’ll make you a bet. I bet $100 that you can’t find a first name for Gene’s father in my Suzie’s House archives. Be the first to leave a comment about it on any post in which his first name appears and you win. The offer is good for at least two weeks. I’ll update here if either someone finds it, or it’s been way too long with no one even trying, and I withdraw the offer.
.
Ah, a writer’s desperation. I would like to try a live NaNo event this year. I haven’t done one yet.
Meet My Mates #3 – Quilly
It was fun. I don’t know why I assumed it would be more of a coffee-house, talk about it rather than doing it thing. I’m glad everyone took it so seriously. I’m doing it again next weekend.
good luck with that
My daughter is also trying to write a “book” this month. That’s kind of neat that you could do it live with other participants.
I’ve gotten together with other writers many times, but usually to critique or to network. Never before to simply sit in the same space and write.
I haven’t time to look for the name . I am too busy trying to keep the Pigeon Falls characters straight.
You know, Alice. The only place I could think of that might’ve had Gene’s dad’s name was when he and Ben’s dad were with Mrs. D. But, the more I look back the more I think you’ve always written him from one of the boys’ points of view so you would never have called him his first name.
But it’s definitely fun to look.
Bless you.
That’s where I thought it might be, and I glanced through, but didn’t see it and threw in the towel.
Well, unless someone can give me a good reason to do otherwise, I’m calling him Owen.
Well – Hi Alice! I saw your request on TWRP Promo and here I am, waiting for a plane to Orlando. No, I haven’t done Nano nor visited a group of them – although my friend who’s signed up this month says it’s pretty weird to meet with them in person. I do BIAW with KOD since I’m a member of the national KOD group. I don’t see your books on the web site but I’ll search around more after this blog bit. Come visit my lonely site at womenwritersunderground at blogspot. I can’t say I’m as dedicated as you – I’ve been blogging for four years, have had four blogs at various times and get easily bored with them – any hints? PS I hate journeling – lynn
I’m not much of one for journeling either.