In case you can't tell by the title and a couple tweets lately, it's almost November thus almost time for NaNoWriMo. A week ago I'd have said I wasn't sure what I was writing and that I was just going to wing it when kick off came. Now... well, I might have some ideas. I have my notebook of potential ideas and spent yesterday doing some research. I have a main character and a cast of supporting characters for her. No antagonist yet but I'm sure something will pop up.

As for BTP, this isn't a sequel which I know has Mom disappointed. The first scene found it's way to writing group and seemed to go over well. I have lots of notes for that scene which I think will drive edits in several follow up scenes. I'm considering making those edits my winter project. Winter in my part of the world seems to involve long stretches of time snowed in away from my 'family'. I definitely need something to keep me from going crazy. Asrion has yet to get the mole people to successfully create our tunnel system. (Love ya, brother.)

What else is new? Well, I dodged the bullet again regarding the day job. I am gainfully employed for the foreseeable future though that employment has me covering the work of what was multiple people. My goal there is to not sacrifice myself to the point where I lose my creative drive. It's been happening of late and I'm actively trying to put a stop to that. My boss has been warned that I will scream if/when I'm overwhelmed. She also knows NaNo is coming so I consider any fallout justified. ;-)

What have all of you been up to?

SK

Some of you know this already if you're around my daily life but there has been some progress made in regards to the day job. I wouldn't say the limbo status that's been driving me nuts is over but at least my division of the company has been advised what our statuses are regarding going forward. Personally, I have a job and the plan is for me to continue to have a job in the foreseeable future. The actual comment went something along the lines of no one could figure out how to split up my department effectively so we are being kept together as our own 'new' department in the 'new' company with only a handful of cuts. Those cuts and attrition the past few weeks have taken my specific team from 7 to 3. Not entirely sure where that will all lead but it's a bit of breathing room.

In most ways it is good I still have a job. I can pay my bills. But the severance would have been nice too. While temporary it would have paid the bills while giving me a lot of free time to find my next steps. Lots of time to write, edit and get myself down the publishing road. Not that it isn't a possibility looming over us still but not for another year at least as the overall company finally decides how to 'integrate' us. Still, it was a wake up call... and one I will fight not to lose. While I like my day job the thought of losing it didn't send me into a panic. I'm good at what I do but I'm not passionate about it. So I think it is time to move on. Move forward. Stop hiding where it's safe.

Thus editing of By The Pen has continued. The first scene will be going before my critique group soon. Yeah yeah... I chickened out last session. It's a scene I like but one that I was raised to think myself nuts for even considering. All around nerve wracking. Mom & Asrion, be gentle when it finally shows up? Please? Anyhow, once it's gone through there and I'm sure of it I do believe that scene will find its way here. I'll tell you now it's a shock value scene that does not have any of the heroes of the story in play. It's all about the villain... well, one of them anyway... and from his perspective.

Q has been silent. I don't know if he's leaving me be while I sort out the rest of my world or if he's disappeared into the cosmos.

Then there's NaNoWriMo. 8 weeks from today the entertainment begins. Some I've talked to are excited, wishing the time would go faster so they could start writing. Others are feeling nauseous because they have no idea what they're going to write about. Me? I might work on a sequel to By The Pen. I might work on something else entirely. Not a clue and I likely won't know until I open up that shiny new empty document and start typing. I've never been much of a planner and that won't change. I like my process which involves a lot of brain dump before things coalesce. Thus I type with a notebook/pen at hand to make notes on what gems flow and what I need to remember as I go forward. That notebook is the closest I get to making a plan. But that's my process. Everyone is different... as it should be.

Anyone else have thoughts on this year's NaNoWriMo or writing processes? Or just thoughts in general... we do have 8 weeks to kill yet. ;-)

SK