NaNo Diaries: Day Twenty Two

Morning Pages Wake Up Call: 6.30am - but stayed in bed to do them (not easy with two dogs, a cat and my lovely Simon for company!
Word Count: 3600 (Total - 41,636)
Treats: A glass of Prosecco after a Writers Abroad Chat on Skype
Other Activity: Reading (for pleasure) - Girl on The Train
Word of the Day:  PENURIOUS adjective 1. extremely stingy; parsimonious; miserly.
2. extremely poor; destitute; indigent.

It's Sunday, and that means there is a roast in the oven filling our tiny little house with mouth watering smells, I have a glass of prosecco in hand and... I'm still in my PJ's. Even though my life is so different in so many ways from when I lived in the UK, some habits die hard. Weekends are still special and Sunday particularly so. It's the time we catch up with family and friends via Skype and we just chill out. I have done some writerly things, I've managed a small NaNo contribution, with the help of my feline and canine friends, but essentially a Sunday is about time out.

In terms of my NaNo project, I've decided that the next eight stories are going to be just enough words to reach my target by the deadline. I've committed to publishing a project I've been dithering with for months, probably longer. The Good{Expat}Life will go live on December the 1st - yes eight days to go - I need to give myself a bit of space. I should have thought about this before of course but there you go. Life takes a course of its own. A writer has to be flexible...  

Ciao for Now

NaNo Diaries: Day Twenty

Morning Pages Wake Up Call: 6.30am
Word Count: 2400 (Total - 38,036)
Treats: Movie Time!
Other Activity: Movie Time!
Word of the Day: PANGLOSSIAN adjective
1. characterized by or given to extreme optimism, especially in the face of unrelieved hardship or adversity.



I'm reading The Artists Way over several months along with other writers in a Motivation group. It's the reason I started my Morning Pages again, but it also talks about having Artist's Dates. Doing something you wouldn't normally do or allow yourself to do. I must admit, I find it hard to find something. I like staying at home, dog walking and spending time with my husband. I must sound really boring but that's me, particularly in winter time. So later on this afternoon we're going to watch a movie! Shock! horror! Living in Italy it's not easy for us to go to the cinema. It wasn't something we did very often in the UK but it was always a treat. We'll wait until after the dogs are walked... and the popcorn is ready to pop. 

We're about to enter the final leg of NaNo and today is the day when NaNoers can register their projects if they've reached the target of 50k words. I shall reach the target early, but not this early and I shall continue until the final day, as I have thirty prompts to write. I don't feel pressured at all, I suppose that could be because I'm enjoying it so much. 

Ciao for Now,

NaNo Diaries: Days Fifteen to Eighteen

Abbadia Fiastra - Wooden Walkway

Morning Pages Wake Up Call: 5.20 am (dogs barking at wild pigs)
Word Count: 2200 (Total - 33,536)
Treats: A new calendar for 2016
Other Activity: A walk around  the Abbadia Fiastra
Word of the Day: SLUGABED noun 1. a lazy person who stays in bed long after the usual time for arising.







I'm behind with my diaries for good reason. After the atrocities of Paris, I had the sad news that another writer friend from Writers Abroad had died on Sunday night. Doreen was the third member we've lost this year. I hope she's joining Jany and Mary, with a glass of her favourite tipple and a good book.

It's November yet in the sunshine today, the temperatures peaked to an unseasonal 30 degrees. We had a walk around one of our places, Abbadia Di Fiastra. It's part of land that has been owned by the monks for centuries and in nearby Urbisaglia there are Roman ruins that they are excavating. It's only about twenty minutes drive away and we go often, accompanied of course, by Naughty Nell.

Day 18 of NaNo and despite the sadness that's enveloped me over the last few days, I've managed to keep on track. I know that my writer friends would approve, indeed I can hear them shouting words of encouragement (unrepeatable here of course). There are a few 'stories' which already feel longer than a short and I'm encouraged by that. In fact I have to sit on my hands to stop myself scribbling on and on. So not a bad sign.

Ciao for Now

NaNo Diaries: Day Thirteen

Evil Eye Tree in Turkey said to ward off harm

Morning Pages Wake Up Call: 6.17am
Word Count: 2454 (Total - 26,250)
Treats: Simon making risotto for lunch, Chestnut and Mushroom
Other Activity: Not a lot, feeling a tad under the weather.
Word of the Day: SAPORIFIC adjective 1. producing or imparting flavour or taste.




Friday the thirteenth. Good job I'm not superstitious and that tree looks scary! My maternal grandmother, Hettie was terribly superstitious. She would allow us to open umbrellas in the house, nor walk on cracks in pavements and even prevented my mother from getting married in May (Marry in May, rue the day). As my parents celebrated fifty years of marriage, maybe she was right. We have lots of black cats here in out feral cat community and the Italians are very wary of them, instead of bringing luck they signify evil. 

Anyway, despite a bit of a stop start to my writing session this morning - where poor Simon got a bit of a roasting for asking me where the sellotape was - I managed to pen a good word count. The trouble is when your concentration is pierced by the slightest thing when your're in mid flow, you can never recover that moment. Still I went on to write and enjoyed the session so maybe not so bad after all. My poor husband will be so glad when November is over... He's a star.

Ciao for Now

NaNo Diaries: Day Twelve

Starlights daughter, Tigsy having a nap

Morning Pages Wake Up Call: 6.35am
Word Count: 2649 (Total - 23,796)
Treats: Watching The Lost Kingdom on TV
Other Activity: Sweeping up leaves - a sign it's Autumn
Word of the Day: MAGNANIMOUS - adjective 1. proceeding from or revealing generosity or nobility of mind, character, etc.: a magnanimous gesture of forgiveness. 2. high-minded; noble: a just and magnanimous ruler.






It's unseasonably warm here in Italy for this time of year. Everyone is raving about the beautiful warm days but... it always comes with a price I think. I'd much prefer it to be bright but seasonally cold. Call me a spoilsport but I love the different seasons, each for a different reason and for Autumn its about hibernation. Getting out all my woollies, lighting the fire and closing the shutters ready for Winter. Lovely. But all this warmth is bringing different problems. Red mite. No it's not some weird version of flu but a tiny little devil that attacks our poor chickens. The little critters should be banished now if there were lower temperatures. But no.Instead they're basking in the sun. We've found several in the hen house over the past few weeks and they can kill. So we're disinfecting the coop every couple of days, and dusting the house and chucks. Nearly got them all but they're a pest.
And one of the cats hasn't been seen since Monday. Starlight is a semi feral cat who gets fed with our brood. Not sure where she is or where to look. Fingers crossed she's being fed somewhere else for a while.

An I've got a writing buddy, which I'm very excited about. I've  just finished the Writember workshop with Faye Kirwin, which has helped enormously with my motivation. I thoroughly recommend it if you find you are struggling. To others I might seem as though I have all the time in the world (which I don't, just more than some) but even so habit and structure is so important. Since leaving the world of  'real work' (I have a different take on that now, maybe for another post) this is the first time it's hit home. So I have a target, I've identified my best times to write and I've made a commitment. Now with my buddy, I'm accountable to someone in making sure I get it done!

NaNo Diaries: Day Eleven

In Memory of Harry John Lamb 

Morning Pages Wake Up Call: 6.31am
Word Count: 1706 (Total - 21,147)
Treats: An Apple Strudel with a cappuccino
Exercise: Dog walking - it's enough to just watch Naughty Nell!
Word of the Day: LOGOPHILE noun 1. a lover of words. (very appropriate)








I always think of my grandfather, or Pops as he was fondly know, on this day. He fought in the First World War and was awarded for bravery. He was only nineteen at the time so goodness knows what he felt at the time. The strange thing is he never spoke about it to my Dad and he only found out he had a bravery award when his brother died in my Dad's eightieth year. How difficult it must be for all those serving in the armed services in years gone by as well in our time. How brave they are and how lucky we are to have them protecting us and our families.

I've discovered I am a creature of habit. Aren't we all? Just a little bit?  I'm on day 52 of my morning pages and still find plenty to write about and into the eleventh day of NaNo and haven't (yet) fallen off the track. I've been trying to write my target first thing in the morning. Before anything else gets in the way. I've been scribbling ideas for ten minutes (using the random prompt selected by Simon the night before) and then had two 25 minute sessions where I've written on average around 2500 words. The emphasis is on words and not a polished story by any means. But today I couldn't do that and so started my writing at half past three this afternoon. It was a bit of slog, despite feeling energised by a walk with the dogs, and a dip in my word count too. Never mind, life is like that, veering off here and there. Writing is also about flexibility!

Ciao for Now

NaNo Diaries: Day Nine

My favourite writing tool, the humble fountain pen

Morning Pages Wake Up Call: 6.30 (though first up at 5.21)
Word Count: 2700 (total, a little shy of 18K!)
Treats: Certainly not after an indulgent Sunday.
Exercise: Playing frisbee with Naughty Nell
Word of the Day: FRANGIBLE adjective 1. easily broken; breakable: Most frangible toys are not suitable for young children.




As you can tell, I had a day off yesterday - though I did write 1200 words for NaNo. Sunday here in our household is generally a slow day. A dedicated PJ day. Having said that, last Sunday we were picking olives but that's a one off. Simon and I sit down after breakfast and complete a jumbo general crossword. We do a daily simple crossword every day and I also try to complete a Solitaire and have a bash at a Soduku or Killer Kakuro puzzle. Mind games we call them and as I saw my mum slowly disappear to Alzheimer's it's something I take very seriously, as well as seeing it as a bit of fun and distraction.

I've been playing about with my method for completing my NaNo target (or any other writing target for that matter). I do love, absolutely love to write longhand. With a fountain pen. The photo above was my latest treat. It's an 'old but unused' Schaeffer and I love it. I think better when I write longhand, but last week I was writing three A4 sheets by hand, then typing them up and adding to them in a second session. Not very good use of time. So this morning, I spent 10 minutes writing longhand to get the ideas flowing and then two sessions (a session for me is 25 minutes) Scrivenering... result 2700 words plus the 400 or so that I'd scribbled. 

No doubt I'll change it again before the end of the month is out.

Ciao for Now

NaNo Diaries: Day Seven

Sunset At Saline This Evening

Morning Pages Wake Up Call: 6.24
Word Count: 1000 (Total 14097) 
Treats: I'm just sipping on a spritzy G&T 
Exercise: In the garden, all day
Word of the Day: MAUKA  Adverb. 1. Hawaii. toward the mountains; inland.





Just come in from a day in the garden. First job was to erect some pea netting. Always involves a of blue air. Don't know why it's so difficult, just is. Not helped by Naughty Nell and chooks digging up the peas I had sown! Grrr.
Then we had to prune the Goji berry bushes. Another hateful job. They are full of spikes and my arms look like a pin cushion. Wouldn't mind if I liked the fruit but I don't. The Italians love them and they are quite expensive to buy - no wonder, they are letal!  And then of course there was the obligatory bonfire.
Finally we weeded a fairly large herb patch into which I'd thrown some wild flower seeds into at the beginning of the year. Shan't do that again.

We've just some in and as you can see the sun has begun to set. I'm too tired for a second NaNo session today, but I'm ahead of the game, so I don't feel so bad. I really enjoyed my morning prompt though and being in the garden has freed my mind and I have lots of juicy ideas. Just need to remember them!

Ciao for Now

WRITING ZONES

How Comfortable Are You?
Writing is for many of us something we just have to do. It's not an option, it's a must do. Many writers develop their craft within a particular genre or style which they feel comfortable with and in addition perhaps like to read themselves (oh yes, we writers are readers as well!). The advice 'write what you know' are sage words from those who know better, but sometimes can be a little constrained. And writing isn't supposed to be about constraint, more like a free hand, because it needs to flow. I like to try and experiment with different techniques and most of the time I return to the one I feel most comfortable with - which is fine, no harm done and a lot learnt in the process and I'm thinking particularly here about my attempt at writing monologue. 


At Writers Abroad, we like raising the bar a little and dipping a toe in the water, so our next challenge has the choice of a crime story. I've only just started reading this genre, beginning with Rebus, then the Stieg Larsson trilogy and now the Jo Nesbo series. Can I write and scare readers half to death at the same time? I'm not sure, although I've loved these books so far, I'm not too comfortable now about tattoos or snowmen, so the impact these writers had on me is quite profound. I am known for a penchance for killing off my characters, but usually the death is one from illness, old age or fighting in a war or battle. Not a deliberate, bare faced kill. Thing is, I'm quite looking forward to it and have already been doing some investigation on the internet. Not just about techniques but real crimes (the story has to include one murder) and I felt a little nervous I must admit. What we writers can get away with in the name of our research
I'll let you know how it goes... and if anyone has any advice, I'm all ears!