Back on Track - I think! (Hywela Lyn)

I apologise for my post this month going up late. I have acute Nanoitis.  The symptoms are extreme forgetfulness, manic depression, singlemindedness, mental/writers block and an  irrespressable urge to do nothing but eat chocolate.

In other words I'm attempting National Novel Writing Month for the third year running.  The first year wasn't too bad, I knew pretty well where I was going, and had the story more or less mapped in my mind.  Ditto last year, and I reached the finishing line in both years with a few thousand words to spare.,

This year was different.I wasn't going to do it.  I have too much on, and besides, I told my long suffering husband, Dave, I haven't a clue what to write. The only thing my muse has come up with is a short story written about twenty years ago which I always intended to expand on. That was it.  "You've GOT to do it, he told me, "You have to make it three years running." Huh?  What could I say.  So I duly registered my title and started typing, making about five chapters out of the idea for the original story before getting stuck in the middle.

"Put in a horse," said the helpful husband.  Well, yes, in a post-apocalyptical world we're going to need horses, and if my heroine is to save the Earth she has to be able to get around.  So that accounted for several more chapters and got me moving again.

Next time I hit the brick wall of 'death-to- my-story-it's-rubbish-and-I-don't- know-where-I'm going' he resorted to bribary and corruption. See that - balanced right on top of my bookcase next to my computer desk? It's a giant Toblerone bar, all of eighteen inches long, thick and tempting - and well beyond the reach of little ol' five foot nothing me.  It's promised for when I reach 50,000 words. (Is mental cruelty still grounds for divorce?) 

Between our annual Christmas shopping visit to Redwings Horse sanctuary (They have a lovely gift shop), caring for my own two beloved horses, and dogwalking etc., I'd slipped behind last week by about fifteen thousand words, and wondered if I'd ever catch up, but the lure of the promised Toblerone spurred me on and I'm now at just over 45,100 words.  Will I do it?  I have until midnight tomorrow to find out. It wasn't helped by my computer giving up this morning, but some cuss words and the 'system restore' facility (bless it) got it going again, eventually. The burning question is - what happens to the chocolate Toblerone if I don't make the finish line?  Will He-Who-Thinks- He's-Obeyed eat it all in one go? 

Whatever happens, one thing I'm happy about is that by 1st December I'll have up to fifty thousand words (or possibly even more) which I didn't have before I started NaNo. And that's an achievement in itself so, chocolate or no chocolate, it will still have been worthwhile.

You can find out more about me and my books on my wesite at www.hywelalyn.co.uk. I blog at Hywelalyn.blogspot.com, and I'm on Twitter @Hywela_Lyn and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HywelaLyn

Comments

Paula Martin said…
Great post, Lyn - hope you get to your 50K words - and your Toblerone too!
Hywela Lyn said…
Thanks so much Paula - and congratulations on passing the winning post yourself!
Sheryl Browne said…
Haw, haw. If He-Who-Thinks- He's-Obeyed does eat it all, I'll post you another, Lyn. Great, fun post. Good luck. I WANT that cat! :) xx
Miss Mae said…
Witty, clever post! But with, or without chocolate, I have no doubt you'll reach your goal.

Are you going to share that yummy bar with he-who-you-know-what??? :) And hey, don't forget us over the pond who support you -- we could use a nibble of that delectable treat too. *wink*
Hywela Lyn said…
Hi Sheryl - thanks so much for your kind comment - yes that cat's rather cute, isn't he! Lol, what a kind thought, but actually He-Who-Thinks-He's-Obeyed will take until next Easter to eat that giant bar all by himself, so I'll probably get some - but I expect he'll make me wait unti Christmas if I don't make the 50,000!
Hywela Lyn said…
Thanks so much, Lula, dear friend. Oh, where would I be without friends like you to support me - I'll send you all virtual chocolate kisses at least!
Yes, I expect I'll share the bar with Dave - when I get it! *grin*.
madwippitt said…
That Toblerone is tantalisingly balanced over the equine literature! Squint as I might, I couldn't quite read the titles (although I see you still have my horsehead). Is that a Codrington at the extreme right? It is very cruel to compulsive browsers of other peoples shelves to take pictures which tease so ...

(Like the idea of adding a horse in when you got stuck. Wippitts are good too!)
Rosalie Warren said…
Good luck Hywela! And enjoy that lovely Toblerone....
Karen said…
Yep, chocolate always does it for me too when I'm up against a deadline. Good luck with finishing your 50k words.
Hywela Lyn said…
Hi Madwippit,

Sorry to tantalise you with my bookshelf. The 'horsey'titles vary from Monty Roberts and Kelly Marks, books on Western riding, horses in history etc.


As for wippits, I did also manage to work a dog into my story, although he's a Jack Russell 'terriorist' rather than a wippit, but as they say 'write what you know' so I have to stick with JRs! :)
Hywela Lyn said…
Hi Rosalie, I'm 'quietly confident' as they say, and looking forward to that Toblerone! Thanks so much for your comment.
Hywela Lyn said…
Thanks so much Karen!
Can't go wrong with a horse, I always say...
Hywela Lyn said…
LOL, you're so right, Katherine - and you can get a lot of mileage out of it if it's your own and she's a mare with attitude! :)
Susan Price said…
Honestly, woman - there are stools to stand on, sticks to knock things down with - books to pull out which would topple it.... That toblerone could be yours without waiting!
Hywela Lyn said…
Lol Susan, think I haven't tried? :)

The trouble is the bookcase rests on the desk where my computer and a heavy printer are. and is a lot taller than I am. If I climb on the desk I risk all the books falling on my head if I try knocking the Toblerone off, and possibly damaging the computer!

But I have to admit it is a good incentive to get those words down anyway! :)

PS About a thousand more needed to finish with words to spare!

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