No BloPo - oops
NaNoWriMo, a scattering, jazz, Christmas, and annoyances

Still writing -plus murals, trombone, etc

Still chugging along here with my November novel, over 18,000 words now. All of then excellent words on their own, some of them even strung together in a nice way. I'd rashly thought I could also improve my blogging frequency, so took up the NaBloPoMo challenge too. And dropped it. I really should decide what my blog wants to be when it grows up. I use it to promote my passion for graffiti murals and related projects, and will direct people to it for information specific to that. I also use it to comment on interesting issues I come across - topics like the environment, justice, finance, health. And, I also use it for a casual commentary on whatever's going on with me in general, be it joining a band, going on a trip, writing a novel, visiting with my grandson.

Today will be a what's happening with me sort of post.

Writing is flowing surprisingly well. It takes me several hours every day though, since I'm sort of a hunt and peck typist. And, although I do have an outline, with a list of scenes and suggested content for each, it's not always just filling in each scene. Dialogue sometimes flows, sometimes gets stuck. And sometimes things get going in a direction I didn't expect, so we (my characters and I) need to sit and re-group, or go back and change an earlier scene. Hopefully without deleting a lot of words. So far I'm a third of the way through the word count, but over halfway through the list of scenes, so I may have a problem. I did look at some earlier pages, there are some areas that could do with more dialogue, and most of the locations could do with more description. I can see all the settings fine in my head, but the reader can't. I've been to a couple of write-in's too, where a group of local writers (I think we're supposed to refer to ourselves as wrimo's) get together to buckle down and write for a couple of hours. And socialize too, I thought, although the last couple have been almost church-like, not a peep out of anyone as they sit by themselves and type. I went to one yesterday in the auditorium of the library, when I came in at the back and looked down at about 25 people, spread out and isolated, all were working very very quietly. So I announced, "Hi, I'm Mike and I'm a writer!" Broke the ice I think, a few got it and said "Hi Mike" back at me, although nobody asked if I was from Canmore - too young a crowd for the most part. There are a few near my age though, which is nice. And for any guys looking to meet women - they seem to definitely have us outnumbered at these events.

Band goes well too - both bands, the advanced and the jazz. Challenging music in both, and yet another thing on the to do list - practice. Our big concert is on December 8th, then a break. Jazz especially is a challenge - notes can sometimes be dissonant on purpose, timing is tricky, and the only other trombone is usually on a different part anyways. So I end up being cautious - as in quiet - with my part. Conductor was pushing me to be louder, says I have a beautiful tone. I'm trying - will take the risk of some wrong notes that are damn fine sounding wrong notes.   

Mural season is slowing down, walls are finished, doing reports now. And planning for school projects, and for next summer's work. We've a ribbon cutting ceremony at the upper tech wall today at 2 - Laurier and Bronson. Artists, politicians, community members, speeches and refreshments. Hopefully hot chocolate.

Grandson(s) doing fine. Met Noah and his dad for an O-train ride on the weekend, was greeted with, "Hi grampa, we're going on the O-train." Definitely over his slowness to talk, into the endless "why's". Got some really cute shots.

Christmas is looming closer, have to get down to my mother's 95th birthday in December. And coordinate family and friends over to my new place. Which means not only decorating, but finally finishing the unpacking.

And now it's time to stop typing here and add some words to my novel. Maybe I should have just written about a guy posting to his blog - I see the wordcount window now reads 737 for this post.

 

 

Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

The comments to this entry are closed.