Monthly Archives: December 2018

12.04.18
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Getting Personal #150: NaNoWriMo 2018 Recap

NaNoWriMo 2018

Image Credit: The Reedsy Blog

NaNoWriMo 2018 is in the books!

Here’s the link to my kick-off post:

Day 1

Today: 418
Total: 418

Not a bad start!

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Day 2

Today: 199 + 880 = 1,079
Total: 1,497

Two writing sessions, on a Friday? Yes, please!

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Day 3

Today: 741 + 1,364 = 2,105
Total: 3,572

Two more writing sessions today, both more successful than yesterday? I’ll take it!

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Day 4

Today: 630
Total: 4,232

Not bad for a busy Sunday.

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Day 5

Today: 934 + 780 = 1,714
Total: 5,946

Two productive writing sessions, and crushed the daily word count again!

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Day 6

Today: 930 + 278 = 1,208
Total: 7,154

Continued productivity!

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Day 7

Today: 602
Total: 7,756

Decent writing today, which I made time for the morning. I’m so glad I did – I got home around midnight after an AMAZING concert!

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Day 8

Today: 128 + 163 + 967 = 1,258
Total: 9,014

A little bit of a midnight writing session before my laptop battery died. A few more minutes in the morning after a few hours of sleep. A much longer writing session after work. It feels good!

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Day 9

Today: 731
Total: 9,745

I wasn’t able to do a writing session this morning, but I took some time this evening to get some more on the page.

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Day 10

Today: 493
Total: 10,238

I plugged away after breakfast.

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Day 11

Today: 141 + 882 = 1,023
Total: 11,261

I wrote a bit in the afternoon before headed to church for an afternoon workshop. After finishing dinner and Pitch Perfect 3, I got on a roll! I felt a bit of a slump earlier, but I got my mojo back!

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Day 12

Today: 0
Total: 11,261

No writing for me today. Between getting back to the gym for the first time in two months, a full day of work, and my monthly P.E.O. meeting, I barely had time to breathe today.

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Day 13

Today: 523
Total: 11,784

I took the opportunity to write in between dinner with Al and a church training session, so I was pleased.

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Day 14

Today: 0
Total: 11,784

Today was our third wedding anniversary, so no writing!

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Day 15

Today: 0
Total: 11,784

Nothing today.

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Day 16

Today: 0
Total: 11,784

Nothing today.

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Day 17

Today: 0
Total: 11,784

Nothing today.

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Day 18

Today: 0
Total: 11,784

Nothing today.

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Day 19

Today: 0
Total: 11,784

Nothing today.

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Day 20

Today: 0
Total: 11,784

Nothing today.

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Day 21

Today: 1,245
Total: 13,029

My writing slump is finally broken! I was able to come home early from work due to the Thanksgiving holiday. After I finished preparing the traditional chocolate mousse, I was able to knock out a solid writing session this afternoon. Hooray!

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Day 22

Today: 0
Total: 13,029

Nothing today.

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Day 23

Today: 0
Total: 13,029

Nothing today.

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Day 24

Today: 0
Total: 13,029

Nothing today.

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Day 25

Today: 0
Total: 13,029

Nothing today.

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Day 26

Today: 1,692
Total: 14,721

I felt really good today! I feel like this final push will be awesome!

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Day 27

Today: 0
Total: 14,721

Nothing today.

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Day 28

Today: 0
Total: 14,721

Nothing today.

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Day 29

Today: 0
Total: 14,721

Nothing today.

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Day 30

Today: 1,357 + 403 = 1,760
Total: 16,481

I’m really happy, overall. I made a really good effort! Plus, I have 16,000 more words than I started with.

Final Thoughts

It’s a decent effort for a crazy, busy month! I’m thrilled to have finally gotten this story idea out of my head, and the beginnings of a good first draft!

I can’t wait to participate in the next Camp NaNoWriMo in 2019!

Have you done NaNoWriMo in November before?

Have you done Camp NaNoWriMo before?

Let me know what you think!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

12.03.18
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Writing Prompt #155: The ABC Book Challenge (The Letter L)

The ABC Book Challenge - L

Here’s the link to Tiana’s post:

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “L”:

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A Light in the Attic

  • Shel Silverstein is a household staple.

77766

Little House in the Big Woods (Little House #1)

  • I absolutely loved Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books when I was younger.

1934

Little Women

  • I had to read this for a project during my freshman year of high school, and ended up falling in love with it.

1295102

Lock and Key

  • Each one of Sarah Dessen’s books has made an impact on me.

Looking for Alaska

  • I was introduced to John Green by way of this book, in my Young Adult Literature class in the spring of 2011. It’s one of my all-time favorite books.

7784

The Lorax

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “L”:

2170567

Life As We Knew It

  • I’ve read other books by Susan Beth Pfeffer, but not this one.

37426

Little Children

  • I want to read everything that Tom Perrotta has written.

Little & Lion

  • This book’s cover looks beautiful. Plus, I’m always interested in books that have mental health representation.

Little White Lies

  • Like Tiana, I don’t know much about debutantes, but I really want to read this book!

7604

Lolita

  • I’ve always wanted to read this!

 

What books have you read, or want to read, that start with the letter L? Let me know!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

12.01.18
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Getting Personal #149: December Goals

BeautyBeyondBones 14

Image Credit:BeautyBeyondBones

Holy moly. It’s already December. December of 2018. This year absolutely FLEW BY!

Here are my goals for the month of December:

  1. Finally reach at least 50,000 words for my 2012 WIP.
  2. Finally send my 2012 WIP to my best friend for the first round of editing.
  3. Make an outline for the remainder of my 2013 WIP.
  4. Start planning next steps for my 2014 and 2018 WIPs.
  5. Decorate for Christmas.
  6. Read at least three books.
  7. Enjoy Al’s company holiday party.
  8. Seriously send some snail mail!
  9. Be a Secret Santa!
  10. Take donations to the library and thrift store.
  11. Make an “essentials only” spending list for 2019.
  12. Enjoy Christmas and New Year’s!

Here’s the breakdown:

Finally reach at least 50,000 words for my 2012 WIP.

  • I’m seriously *this close* (Imagine me making a small space between my thumb and index finger) to reaching 50,000 words!

Finally send my 2012 WIP to my best friend for the first round of editing.

  • Once I hit 50,000 words (or more), I’ll send the Word document off to Melissa! I’m so excited that she agreed to do the first round of editing!

Make an outline for the remainder of my 2013 WIP.

  • Doing all these writing projects and endeavors in 2018 is inspiring me to pick up my other WIPs. I really want to flesh out the rest of this one, tentatively titled “Specialton.”

Start planning next steps for my 2014 and 2018 WIPs.

  • Along the same lines, I want to set deadlines for outlines and fleshing out my 2014 WIP, tentatively titled “Discussion of Differences,” and my newest WIP, tentatively titled “Tunnel Vision.”

Decorate for Christmas.

  • We are going to decorate this weekend!

Read at least three books.

  • I’m nearly finished with my current book. I’m itching to finish it, and start on the next one. My nightstand stack needs to decrease!

Enjoy Al’s company holiday party.

  • I’m excited to attend the “Masquerade” on Friday, December 7th.

Seriously send some snail mail!

  • I’ve been a pen pal to an 8-year-old boy in another part of Virginia since the school year started. I can’t wait to send him a birthday card this month.
  • I also want to send some other mail to a few friends that I enjoy corresponding with throughout the year.

Be a Secret Santa!

  • I’m excited to be a “Secret Santa” to three teenagers this year!

Take donations to the library and thrift store.

  • This is self-explanatory. Clearing out the Lady Lounge and garages!

Make an “essentials only” spending list for 2019.

  • My savings account has been woefully depleted since the middle of 2017, due to high credit card bills. I’m determined to commit to saving as much money as humanly possible during 2019, so I want to make this list and stick to it.
  • A few examples: New glasses, new prescription sunglasses, a new pair of black flats/dress shoes.

Enjoy Christmas and New Year’s!

  • Both holidays will be here before we know it!

Do you have any goals for the month of December?

If so, I’d love to hear about them!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂