NaNoWriMo 2024 (Week 2): The Trouble with Time Travel that cannot be avoided

I've decided that the novel will take inspiration more from "X-Men: Days of Future Past" than from "Back to the Future." This choice reflects my intention to examine the complexities of time travel and its consequences in a more serious and impactful manner. While "Back to the Future" presents a lighthearted and comedic perspective, I aim to explore the darker, more intricate themes associated with altering timelines and the moral dilemmas that arise from such actions.

I've already written several stories set in the Changing Fire Universe, which has allowed me to create a rich array of characters and settings. However, this time, I'm introducing elements that will truly surprise everyone. The stakes are elevated, the conflicts are more intense, and the emotional weight of the characters' decisions will resonate deeply with readers.

In this new narrative, the characters will confront the consequences of their choices in a world that is both unfamiliar and unforgiving. They won't be able to revert things to their previous state. The changes they instigate will send ripples through time, triggering a series of events that will challenge their beliefs, test their loyalties, and compel them to face the darker sides of their own natures.

As they navigate this altered reality, they will meet unexpected allies and formidable adversaries, each with their own motives and agendas. The relationships they once took for granted will be strained, and the bonds they believed were unbreakable will be tested in unforeseen ways.

Ultimately, this novel will be a journey of transformation, not just for the world around them but for the characters themselves. They will have to confront the repercussions of their actions, realizing that some choices come with a cost that cannot be repaid. The exploration of fate, free will, and the moral implications of their decisions will create a narrative that is both thrilling and thought-provoking, leaving readers eager for more.

NaNoWriMo 2024 (Week 1): When Your Novel Refuses to Cooperate

Right now, I'm really struggling to get this novel started. It feels like it's fighting me every step of the way, almost like it doesn't want to be written. Each time I sit down at my desk, I find myself staring at a blank page, the cursor blinking mockingly at me as if to say, "What are you waiting for?" The ideas that swirl in my mind seem to slip through my fingers like sand, elusive and frustratingly out of reach.

I try to outline my thoughts, to map out the characters and plot twists that I know are simmering beneath the surface, but every time I put pen to paper—or fingers to keyboard—nothing seems to flow. It’s as if the words are caught in a tangled web of self-doubt and fear, and I can’t quite find the right thread to pull. I question my abilities, wondering if I’m truly cut out for this endeavor. Am I just chasing a dream that’s too big for me?

But despite the struggle, I’m determined to push through, no matter what. I remind myself that every great novel begins with a single word, and that even the most celebrated authors faced their own battles with creativity. I know that perseverance is key, and I refuse to let this initial resistance defeat me. I’ve set small goals for myself—just a paragraph a day, or even a few sentences—to help break down the overwhelming task ahead.

I find solace in the thought that every writer has faced the daunting blank page, and that it’s a rite of passage in the creative process. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and envision the world I want to create. I remind myself that this story is worth telling, that the characters are waiting for me to give them life, and that the journey of writing is just as important as the destination.

So, I’ll keep pushing forward, even when it feels like the novel is resisting me. I’ll embrace the struggle, knowing that it’s part of the process, and I’ll trust that eventually, the words will come. I’ll keep writing, keep dreaming, and keep believing in the story that’s waiting to be told.

NaNoWriMo 2024 Begins

I can hardly wrap my head around it, but I’m diving into this incredible story for NaNoWriMo! The setting is 2021, a time when the world is still reeling from the chaos of the past decade. The remnants of society are struggling to piece together their lives after the catastrophic alien invasion in 2012, which left cities in ruins and humanity grappling with the aftermath. 

In this tumultuous landscape, a group of determined survivors emerges, each carrying their own scars from the invasion. They are not just fighting for survival; they are driven by a desperate hope to change the course of history. Their audacious plan? To harness the power of magic—yes, magic!—to travel back to the year 2001. Their goal is nothing less than to prevent the tragic events of September 11th, a day that altered the trajectory of the world forever.

The story unfolds as these unlikely heroes navigate the complexities of time travel, grappling with the moral implications of their mission. Can they really change the past without creating even more chaos in the present? The stakes are incredibly high, and the tension is palpable as they face not only the challenges of their own abilities but also the potential consequences of their actions.

As they delve deeper into the world of magic, they encounter ancient spells, cryptic prophecies, and unexpected allies. Each character brings their own unique perspective and skills to the table, creating a dynamic and diverse team. The interactions between them are filled with humor, tension, and moments of profound reflection as they confront their own motivations and fears.

I mean, seriously?! The concept is totally wild! I can hardly handle the whirlwind of ideas and emotions swirling around in my head. The blend of science fiction, fantasy, and historical drama is exhilarating, and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds. Will they succeed in their mission, or will they discover that some events are meant to unfold as they did? The possibilities are endless, and I’m ready to dive into this chaotic, thrilling adventure!

Day 30 of NaNoWriMo 2016

OK, so I have one more word to write today and that word is...

"comment."

That's right. I have successfully made it to the end of the month, with just one word to write, making my word count 50,000 words!

*cue confetti cannons and fireworks*

Since I'm here, I want to thank the person who came up with the idea of reverse NaNoWriMo, as I couldn't have done it without them. I also want to thank everyone who has supported me on this endeavor, you all rock. Congratulations to all winners of NaNoWriMo 2016, whether you wrote 50,000 words or not.

With that, I bid you all a fond farewell and I'll see you in December.

Day 29 of NaNoWriMo 2016

It's the penultimate day of NaNoWriMo, and I have 116 words left to write. I wonder how did that happen, seeing as I haven't exactly been up to par with my writing. But I'm at the end of the second part of my story and with that, I can't really start with part 3 until NaNoEdMo, when I'm free to edit this story and explain what that story's about.

With that, I give you today's word count;

• Today's words written: 116
• Total words written: 49,999

Day 28 of NaNoWriMo 2016

It's Cyber Monday today and I confess that I've gone on a shopping spree on Amazon, buying as many books as I could, for free. As usual, I did my writing in the morning so I would have more time to shop online. Not to be a Boasting Betsy, but my word count is shorter than most people's. But I won't hold anything against you if you don't have 50,000 words written.

• Today's word count: 231 words
• Words count: 49,883 words

Day 27 of NaNoWriMo 2016

It's the last Sunday of November (and NaNoWriMo) and while most people are panicking with trying to squeeze their way to 50,000 words, I feel at peace knowing that the fewer words I write, the more my word count rises. I don't have to feel any pressure at all, save for when I have to write for at least 30 minutes.

Well, I'll be back tomorrow!

• Today's word count: 346 words
• Words count: 49,652 words

Day 26 of NaNoWriMo 2016

Thanksgiving weekend is here and NaNoWriMo is now winding down, but that doesn't mean you can stop writing. By now, you should have made some serious progress on your novel, as I have. (Plus, writing 461 words is nothing to sneeze at.) But I do realize that I am not done with my book yet.

In fact, I have Part 3 to write as well as the glossary and other things.

Well, safe to say, I'm almost there! Just a few more words and I will have reached 50,000! (This is the first time I've reached 50,000 without using any cheats, so I'm proud of myself in that regard.)

• Today's word count: 461 words
• Words count: 49,306 words

Day 25 of NaNoWriMo 2016

Now that Thanksgiving has come and passed and the holiday shopping season is starting, I realize it's important that I don't get caught up in the holiday madness if it can be helped. Which means (with great difficulty) that I have no choice but to ignore Black Friday and focus solely on NaNoWriMo.

And it shouldn't be too hard to do that because I only have 576 words to write today. (See how quickly time flies when you have done the most hard work at the beginning of the month? It gets easier every day. I think I might do that with all my stories and see how far I get.)

Anyway, I really need to get back to writing, as these words aren't going to write themselves. I'll be back tomorrow!

• Today's word count: 576 words
• Words count: 48,845 words

Day 24 of NaNoWriMo 2016

It's Thanksgiving Day, and I'm feeling the pressure. Its moments like this when I'm glad I used Reverse NaNoWriMo because if I didn't, I would NEVER get to where I'm supposed to be!

Anyway, I have written 690 words and with that, I'm off to watch movies and eat dinner. Yet I really wish I could end my story with these words: "And so, in the year 2020, America was turned into a benevolent constitutional monarchy with Gregg Porter as its king and Joseph Houston as the prime minister. Donald Trump died of a heart attack, but no one cared. Gobble gobble!"

• Today's word count: 690 words
• Words count: 48,269 words

Day 23 of NaNoWriMo 2016

It's the day before Thanksgiving and on this blog, one author is struggling against the distraction known as he holidays.

Well, I don't like being distracted, as distraction has cost me many years in writing and other things. If I have learned anything from my years of unsuccessful NaNoWriMos, it's that I can become so distracted that I refuse to sit down and actually WRITE.

But not this year; this year, I fully intend to set aside an hour or two and actually get stuff done. And I have done that by managing to write 805 words, bringing the total word count to 47,579. I say maybe I should finish NaNoWriMo tomorrow, but I'm not pushing it.

• Today's word count: 805 words
• Words count: 47,579 words

Day 22 of NaNoWriMo 2016

It's week 3 of NaNoWriMo and I'm feeling the pressure to write when I want to do other things. At the same time, my word count is rising as the number of words I'm writing shrinks.

Case in point:

Today, I have written 920 words, and my word count is now 46,774 words. I'm wondering how did THAT happen, seeing as how three weeks ago, I was writing over 3,000 words a day.

Where did the time go?

Who knows?

• Today's word count: 920 words
• Words count: 46,774 words

Day 21 of NaNoWriMo 2016

Week 3 of NaNoWriMo is over and I'm glad, since my book is starting to take shape. But I realize that now that I'm here, this will be the last day I write over 1,000 words. After that, it gets easier, since I will only be writing under 1,000 words for the rest of the month.

This is usually the time when I slack off, so to speak. But since the competition began, I haven't done much slacking off, but distractions are still evil.

• Today's word count: 1,035 words
• Words count: 45,854 words

Day 20 of NaNoWriMo 2016

Well, there's 10 more days to go in November, so this is the time where I usually start to slack off. It doesn't get really bad until the 21st or the 22nd, but when I slack off, I end up doing other things that aren't NaNoWriMo related. (And when I do, I usually start another story or delete the entire thing and start over. I never really just stick to the story, as it were.)

Well, not this time, seeing as I'm using Reverse NaNoWriMo and it's keeping me on track. I can't afford to slack off, not if I want to win this competition fair and square.

• Today's word count: 1,150 words
• Words count: 44,819 words

Day 19 of NaNoWriMo 2016

As I'm creating many silly stories that could have a dark side to them, I wonder how many people will believe those stories are true. After all, the book is actually a satire on everything pop culture related and it causes me to see how I really see the world of pop culture. I can't say I don't like where everything's going right now, but I know how it's all going to end someday.

• Today's word count: 1,264 words
• Words count: 43,669 words

Day 18 of NaNoWriMo 2016

Well, while I'm looking back on what I've written (and tearing up parts of the story and rewriting them to make them fit), I realize that there's no way I'm going to finish the book by the end of the month. It's just not going to happen. I mean, even with the decreasing word writing, I can't squeeze everything into one month, no matter how hard I try. But that doesn't mean I can't try.

• Today's word count: 1,379 words
• Words count: 42,405 words

Day 17 of NaNoWriMo 2016

Now that I'm here, it's getting easier for me to write, even if I inevitably delete and rewrite every last word in every paragraph. (which is a bad habit I need to break if I want to be a professional writer.)

With that, I shall give you the word count of the day:

• Today's word count: 1,494 words
• Words count: 41,026 words

Only less than 10,000 words to go!

Day 16 of NaNoWriMo 2016

It's been 24 hours since Halfway Day, and now that I'm more than halfway done with the word count, things have gotten easier since November 1, when I had a fun time trying to write 3,346 words in one day.

Well, I have to get back to writing, as this story isn't going to write itself.

Today's word count: 1,609 words

Words count: 39,532 words

Day 15 of NaNoWriMo 2016

Guess what today is? It's Halfway Day!

It's November 15, 2016, and if you're still writing for NaNoWriMo, you're halfway there! Well, it doesn't matter how many words you wrote; all it matters is that you’ve been writing for 15 days.

Don't forget you still have another 15 more days to write. Plus, you can't forget about Thanksgiving and Black Friday, so be careful how of you spend your time. The second you slide off track, you won't be able to catch up.

Today's word count: 1,724 words

Words count: 37,923 words

Total word count from November 1 until now: 38,623 words

Day 14 of NaNoWriMo 2016

On the day before halfway day, I'm sidelined by a cold. I hate getting sick, because that can cost me a single day. (I've been through enough of those!)

Plus, I had to put the glossary in a separate column and make up fake news articles in the stale grapes news, which are always funny in a weird sort of way.

Despite that, I managed to write 1,838 words today, bringing my total word count to 36,199 words. How many words have I written in two weeks? 36,899 words. Now that wasn’t so hard, wasn’t it?