Thursday, November 11, 2010

Why write when you can knit?

NaNoWriMo is kicking my ass.  Seriously badly.  I'm so far behind right now.  I keep waiting for that rush of storytelling genius to come and for the words to spill forth from my fingertips and combine to form the best detective novel since Sherlock Holmes.  So far, no dice.  My problem is that this is how I worked when I was in school.  Why do something is pieces over a longer period of time when you can cram it all into one sleep-deprived weekend?  What I really need to do is just find some quiet time and sit down and write (much like I'm doing here...).  I'll do it, though.  I promise.

I have been doing other things though which have helped me avoid writing.  I've finally picked up the knitting needles again and made a couple of things for Halloween (pictures later) but I also set out to make the Beau a pair of fingerless gloves.  This presented me with a couple challenges: finding a pattern that actually had fingerless fingers (rather than just wrist-warmer style) and knitting said fingers (which I've never done before).  I did find one pattern but it involved knitting in the round, which I hate with the intensity of a thousand fiery suns, so I decided to combine this pattern with one for mittens knitted on two needles.  After two false starts and ribbiting A LOT of knitting, I stumbled on the right size/gauge for the yarn I was using and for the Beau's hands and managed this:

I even managed to knit the second glove IN ONE SITTING so they would be ready for the Beau's birthday.  This is how he found them as he left for work (I had already left).  I'm pretty great.

I've also got a couple projects to do for a friend's birthday (which is this month and coming soon...to the needles!) so that may keep me away from my literary masterpiece but I will find time. 

I hope.

Monday, November 1, 2010

NaNoWriMo: Day 1

To write 50,000 words in 30 days means writing about 1,666 words each day.  So far, I am 1,800 words into my novel.  Admittedly, I did work from home today, which meant plenty of time to start but starting is the hardest part, right?  And I've started. 

1,800 words is 3.6% of my total word count.  Baby steps writes the novel.  Baby steps writes the novel.  I'll get there.  I think.