Pushing Your Limits

There's less than one week left in NaNo and I have to say...I don't know if I can do it. Last week I KNEW I couldn't. This week I'm on the fence. I'm giving myself some credit. I think I can (repeat that three times), but there are times when it just feels like I'm pressing the buttons and random words and messy sentences are showing up.

Sometimes that's what you have to do in order to get through the infamous 'block'. What I've learned this year from NaNo that I didn't during NaNo's past is I can push my limits. The past two years I set easier goals. Rather than the whole 50k I decided to go for 30k. Before I didn't think it would ever be possible for me to get past that number. This year I felt different, stronger (writer strong), and I did get past the 30k hump. I'm proud of myself for achieving that goal, it's pretty impressive for a slow writer like myself, but I'm going to keep going.

You never know how strong you are until you've pushed yourself harder than you ever thought possible. As a writer we have to constantly evolve in order to get better at what we're doing, and a part of my evolution includes writing at a faster rate. I'm not sure what's going to happen next month (especially with my brain, it might be a puddle of jumbled words), but I do know right now I have a choice. I can either choose to be happy achieving a new goal, or I can choose to go even further and achieve one I didn't think I'd ever be able to. What are you guys going to choose?

What's Up Wednesday

What I'm Reading:
Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross, a historical fiction that takes place in Paris during the late 1800s. It's fascinating. The descriptions  transport you to the Parisian streets and the bustle of Aristocratic life. The premise is original and I'm curious as to whether it's true or not. The only issue I have is with the MC Maude. She's a bit...boring? There's no pep in her step, no spunk. I'm hoping she grows a personality as the book progresses. Either way I'm enjoying myself.

What I'm Writing:
17,000+ words into NaNo! Way ahead of where I was last year. I've gotten to the good, meaty stuff and it's helping quite a bit in the inspiration department.

What Inspires Me Right Now:
Pandora. I have it on the majority of the day and it makes writing and cleaning go by much faster. Right now I'm obsessed with the Lorde channel. LOVE her stuff and the other artists that it plays. I've discovered a few new bands to fall in love with.

What Else I've Been Up To:
Surviving. Life can get a bit overwhelming, stressful, exhausting at times and right now I'm just trying to get through a patch where it seems to be everything at once. Writing is helping, so is reading. Oh well, c'est la vie!

What have you been up to?

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up, put on by Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk. If you'd like to join click on the links above!

What I'm Reading:
The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour. I'm halfway through and I have to say I'm really enjoying it. Not totally in love, but it's a great, well written story. I'm curious to find out why Bev changed her mind about traveling the world with Colby and how things will end (or begin) for Colby. One thing I do love is reading about the obscure towns they visit on their tour, and the characters they meet in passing that have a more significant impact on them than people they've known their whole lives. I also finished Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas yesterday and really liked that as well (not love, yet again). It's a great fantasy, which I needed after a string of contemporaries (nothing against contemporaries, i love them, but I need to switch it up every now and then). I have to say I enjoyed the sequel more than Throne of Glass, not only was the writing stronger, but the plot twists had my head spinning.

What I'm Writing:
NaNoWriMo! I'm just over 8,000 words in. I'm kind of not feeling the story right now. There are scenes I can't wait to get to, but I have to figure out the beginning first, and the writing is really 'meh', even for a first draft. I'm not giving up, though, because I'm really excited about the stuff that's going to come up, I just have to start it with a bang as well. I guess that's what revisions are for.

What Inspires Me Right Now:
NaNoWriMo. I love knowing I"m not the only one trying to get words on paper (or computers) especially SO MANY of them in such a short amount of time. Makes me feel less crazy and more motivated.

What Else I've Been Up To:
Reading. I have so many great books from the library right now and trying to read and NaNo together is near impossible. Not to mention taking care of a family and house. But I love all those things (minus housework) so I make sure to find time to fit everything in. I don't always succeed, but when I do, man does it feel good.

What Have You Been Up To?

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up, put on by Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk. If you'd like to join click on the links above!

What I'm Reading:
Dream Thieves! Dream Thieves! Dream Thieves! Finally! So far I'm loving getting reacquainted with all these FEELINGS inducing characters. I also read The Sea of Tranquility and wow. Just wow. I don't even know where to begin with that one. It was beautiful, heart breaking, and emotionally draining. Loved it. I'm getting lucky with my books lately, it seems.

What I'm Writing:
Currently drafting my NaNo project while letting Restoring Casey sit for a bit. I think I know which project I want to focus on during NaNo, but I might go in a completely different direction by next week and start something brand new. You never know.

What Inspires Me Right Now:
Just about everything. My kids, life, writing, reading, music. I'm finding inspiration in many things, which makes writing a bit easier (or as easy as writing can get).

What Else I've Been Up To:
I've lived in the US for most of my life. My family moved here from India when I was six. And now, after twenty one years, I'm finally getting my citizenship! I've had my green card for many years, but it's about to expire and I realized I couldn't make excuses anymore. The main being the cost. My husband told me it was worth it for me to finally became a citizen, so we saved up and now I'm just waiting for them to let me know when I need to come in to take the test! I got fingerprinted a few weeks ago, which was a very exciting and unique experience. Did you know they don't use ink anymore? It's all electronic. Pretty futuristic, people. Anyway, once I take the oath my family will be throwing me a US themed party, so I have lots of cheeseburgers and wings to look forward to :)

What have you been up to?

Rising To The Occasion

Ever feel really inadequate in this writing gig? Yeah, I think insecurity is sort of a must-have on a check list of characteristics that pertain to writers. There are days I feel like giving up and focusing on something else. Reading is one of my favorite pass time and I've thought, "well, there are more than enough stories being written, and I like quite a lot of them, why not just leave it to the professionals?" Because those professionals weren't always professionals. They were just like me, and you (if you're a writer and you're reading this) and they had the exact same thought go through their head, but instead of listening to it, they rose to the occasion and finished that kick-butt manuscript, went through the grueling query process, so you could reap the benefits. And the truth is, not anyone can write just any story. I'm the only one who can share the words of the character in my head. Sure I could make a list of traits and hand it to any writer out there, but the product from one to another would all be vastly different. That's why I don't quit., because honestly, I don't trust anyone else to give justice to my character and plots. I'm the only one who can do it. And you're the only one who can do the same for your characters and plots. So you just have to suck it up and get writing, otherwise you'll always search for that one story on the bookshelves, the one that will make you laugh, or cry, or smile, or make your heart pound with suspense, and you'll keep searching because you'll never find it. You want to know why? Because it's the story inside of you and no one else.

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up, put on by Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk. If you'd like to join click on the links above!

What I'm Reading:
Currently rereading The Raven Boys. Almost ready for The Dream Thieves. Loving it so far. I'm also reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I wanted to change things up a bit and read modern classic, see what all the hoopla is about. So far it's fascinating and has its moments of humor, though it deals with some pretty heavy issues.  13 Reasons Why is coming upon the list, along with The Sea of Tranquility.

What I'm Writing:
So many things. I can't make up my mind over what project I want to focus on the most. It's a good problem to have, I guess. On top of that I just brainstormed up some ideas for revising another project I thought would shelved for some time to come. My brain won't shut up.

What Inspires Me Right Now:
Naps. Really, guys, I am worn out and napping seriously helps my fuzzy brain to not...be fuzzy. We've all been battling colds and sleeping is a luxury. I've taken a nap pretty much every day the last week, not counting the weekend, which is very unlike me. I only napped when I was pregnant or with a newborn. I guess it doesn't matter because a 15 minute break can do wonders for my writing and energy levels.

What Else I've Been Up To:
Cleaning like an 8 month pregnant woman. I'm not (pregnant) I swear, but I've had these relentless urges to ORGANIZE. If you know me you know that's highly unusual behavior. I guess I'm growing up. And it is nice to be able to locate various tools and important papers when the need arises. The only downside is now every little mess drives me bonkers.

What's Up With You Guys?

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up, put on by Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk. If you'd like to join click on the links above!

What I'm Reading:
The Book Thief. I am once again way behind on this one. With the movie releasing I figured I should pick the book up. This book packs an emotional punch. It's heart wrenching, beautiful, honest...there aren't enough words to describe what I feel when I'm reading it. I've teared up more than once. Truly an incredible story that transports you to the horrific events taking place.

What I'm Writing:
I'm pretty much done with revisions. Just in that stage of reading through one more time to make sure I didn't miss anything crucial. It's almost ready for beta readers. Exciting yet also terrifying. I mean, I really want to share this story and get honest and helpful feedback to make it stronger, but at the same time it's my baby and I always get nervous when receiving crits, whether they're positive or negative. I've also been working on two other projects at the same time. Yeah, I'm one of those ADD writers that needs several projects in order to not get bored. So far I'm loving both. They're both outside of my comfort zone and totally different from each other. One is a magical realism, the other a fantasy. With NaNo coming up I need to decide which one I want to focus on. I've decided I'm going to participate! Either way both these stories are for fun. I want to work on something that makes me stronger as a writer and isn't necessarily for others to read.

What Inspires Me Right Now:
Halloween! The pumpkins! The Costumes! The smell of burning wood in the air! Super excited to get things rolling by watching Hocus Pocus. (Fun fact Hocus Pocus was the first movie I ever saw in theaters and the first movie I ever saw in the US).

What Else I've Been Up To:
Packing. The kids are out of school on Thursday and Friday so we decided to tag along with the husband on one of his work trips. It's also convenient since he's going to be traveling near his parents and we'll able to see some family.

What have all of you been up to?