First Goal Complete!

Its a time of celebration! Let me tell you, first off, that I have written, and re-written, this blog three times so far. The first time was too short. The second resembled the reports I used to write for high school. Here's hoping I can get it right this time!


It has been a difficult battle, doing this NaNoWriMo thing. First off, I only heard about it on November 1^st. I hit the website and set up my account that day, then started typing away furiously. I had no outline, no plan, nothing. So this novel, right now, is a bit unorganized, and it has run off on a few tangents.


What I did have was ten years of plotting and planning in my head. I knew who my characters were. I knew their personalities, the parameters of their world, and the events that lead up to, and through, the story. I have even attempted to write this out on several occasions, only to find myself scrapping it all after the first two or three chapters.


I started with little to no confidence in myself. What I wanted from this experience was to just have finally put everything down. I never intended it to be perfect this time around. I understood the premise of, “Just writing.”


So that is what I did. I skipped a scene here and there because I simply couldn't write it at that time, only to write it later, completely out of place. I wrote several paragraphs about what I wanted a scene to come out as, then moved on and wrote the scene as best I could at that time. I can go back and fix it in December.


But the important part, here, is that I sat in front of my computer every day for 21 days and I typed. I didn't care, at this point, whether it was perfect or not. I didn't care about spelling, or grammar, or even punctuation, much. I will continue to not care, much, until the novel is completely written out.


I have dealt with that little demon sitting on my shoulder telling me that the fight scene I just wrote was lame, or that the intimate scene was childish. I have dealt with that inner critic arguing with me over whether the sky was orange or red at dawn. That same critic has been complaining at me for using the wrong tense a time or three, or describing an action or emotion all wrong. And I have dealt with that deep dark chasm of depression flowing over me and engulfing me, only to claw myself out of it just to spite it.

“I will smite you, Depression!”

I have dealt with my daughter completely not understanding that Mommy needs her writing time, and pouting that it was interrupting her cuddles. I have dealt with that same beautifully intelligent girl climbing behind me to look over my shoulder just to watch me type, asking me a zillion and three questions about the story.


My father, my the gods bless him, has shown patient impatience with me while I write. (I applaud you if you fully understand that sentence, because you have most likely been there before.)He understand my frustrations with distractions, yet doesn't understand why he is so often a distraction. He understands my need to write, yet can not understand why I can't write and talk at the same time. I love him dearly!


The whole point to this is that I have completed my first goal of the NaNoWriMo challenge. I reached fifty thousand words! No, my story is not completed, I knew it wouldn't be. I never once thought I'd truly be able to get this far. I had hoped, yes, but I never saw myself at this point.


So, I celebrate this one small victory! I'm incredibly pleased, and proud, of myself. 50K marks the beginning of the end of my novel. I expect around 35K more, but if it is more, I wouldn't be surprised. My second goal is to get that 35K by the end of the month. Wish me luck!


“By the way, Ms. Perrin, what is it, exactly, that you are writing about?”

“Eek!”

Please keep in mind that this synopsis is by no way set in stone. What follows still needs refinement, and massive editing. However, this is what I have posted on NaNoWriMo.

Its is unclear when it happened, or even why or how, but the magical world slowly came into view of the human race ages ago. Since then, the balance of power has shifted. The lines between the heavens, the underworld, and Earth itself have been blurred, allowing beings of magical, and sometimes destructive, influence to cross between. Governments fell, anarchy taking over as a massive global war destroyed many of the human occupants. What is left is a civilization thrown back into the Dark Ages.

Raven, a demon of nightmares, has decided that now is the perfect time to take over the Earth. He has banded together armies of demons to aid him. But demons have limitations, they need generals who can rein them in, for this Raven has decided that witches are the perfect generals. He has put the call out, all witches must report to him, or be killed.

Katarina isn't exactly content in her little town, but at least everything is mildly predictable. She certainly never expected Sarana and her incubi minions, nor their captive. Captivity wasn't her cup of tea, but neither was death at the hands of Sarana for refusing Raven's call. Damien had no desire to remain with Sarana, the witch had captured him while he was on a scouting mission. But in order to escape he had to put his trust into a stranger's hands.

Together they would be hunted, and together they will be given the gift of hope that Raven could be stopped. But at what price?

Like I said, it is a work in progress. Pretty please be kind, and don't tear me apart too terribly much.