I've been outlining my NaNo 2010 project here and there over the past few weeks and the more I do, the more I cannot ignore the parallels to the partly-finished novel I started in NaNo '07 and continued to chip away at for NaNo '08.

At first, I deliberately tried to snip any ties that materialized in my head when i started plotting but now, they are glaringly obvious. So obvious that I have no choice but to just go with it.

The thing is – I had always planned to do a series with the original cast of characters. Maybe not necessarily a sequel, but I certainly felt that there was enough in the history of the small town and the area in which the novel is set to warrant more than one book.

So, after some hemming and hawing and battling of the aforementioned butterflies (which usually show up when I know in the back of my brain I'm on the right track but too scared to take that next step), I've embraced the parallels and I'm taking the plunge.

I've already done some of the legwork (character sketches, settings, belief systems). Granted, I'm going to need to expand on those but the tension I was feeling from trying NOT to draw on those old ideas has dissipated now that I've given in.

I guess my brain was working on this all along, behind-the-scenes. The idea for this book has been with me for a long time. (Note: I'm about to have an "A-ha!" moment) I may have even scribbled it down over 2 years ago but wasn't sure how I was going to tackle it. I knew it was going to take some careful planning to get it just right- let's hope I do!

The good news? Novel 1 is still not finished (and I think part of that is from not knowing exactly how I wanted to finish it). Maybe all this prep for Novel 2 will show me how to weave the two together.

Fellow WIP Wednesday participants:

• Mercedes Yardley – WIP Wednesday: Writing (and migraine) Updates!
• Cate Gardner – WIP Wednesday: Rhyme, No Reason

If you’re a writer participating in WIP Wednesday, don't be shy! Post a link to your blog in the comments! More info on the WIP Wednesday initiative can be found at Kate Karyus Quinn's blog.

- try to write all story ideas in ONE NOTEBOOK! it sucks frantically leafing through multiple books in fear of having lost that story gem you thought up last week

– you don't need to watch that episode of Three's Company again. Seriously. Turn off the television. Those eps of Supernatural, on the other hand…

– LeechBlock really works…as long as you don't cheat and unblock for an hour…or two…or use Seesmic to bypass Firefox and get on Twitter…

- more coffee at 7pm may seem like a good idea…but your dark under-eye circles are also on their way to becoming an abyss. That extra jolt or more cover-up? You decide.

Photo: Stig Andersen

My Current Works-in-Progress

– currently flitting between 2 of the 4 stories I wanted to finish in march. Yup. It was 3. Now it's 4. Can't stop myself.

– getting the urge to pick up my NaNo '08 project again. Would love to finish it and then go back and weave in tones of dank & stifling dread

– my fire-building skills are getting better but i still find myself getting distracted far too easily these days. Maybe it's the summer-like weather we've been having. That's a habit I've got to kick – and fast. Spring arrives next week!

- on the non-writing-but-still-relevant front, I've rehauled my website and hope to launch it next week. It looks sweeeet!

If you’re a writer participating in WIP Wednesday, post a link to your blog in the comments!

Fellow WIP Wednesday participants:

• Katey Taylor: WIP Wednesday Goes Green

Music: Svarte Greiner: Last Light from Kappe

click below to listen!

Svarte Greiner_04_Last Light.mp3

  [NWC]

Thankfully, the novelty hasn't worn off. I'm still engrossed in my book, haven't hit any snags (yet), and I am continuing to push forward with the story, although just so you don't think it's all a bed of roses, I only have the briefest of outlines for the final third of my book, so I am a bit nervous about how I'm going to tie up all my loose ends.

I think a lot of the success of Nano is to keep your head down and write. And I suppose that's what I've been doing, and why I haven't updated since day 6.

But I suppose my initial goal to post every day (or as many as possible) throughout November was really about posting about my writing process, things I discover while writing, etc. And after that first week, I guess the initial newness of it all wore off and I had to get down to brass tacks. So mostly, every day I have simply been – writing.

Trying to get the words down. To keep my story flowing. Making notes about things as I go along so I don't forget them when it comes time to edit.

Some days, the words are hard to come by, and I have to sweat and toil for every one of them.

Other days, the Dream Days, I can sit at the computer for hours at a time and when I come out of that word-induced reverie, I realize I have written a few thousand words without even realizing it, or noticing that it is now nighttime.

I've almost reached the "finish line" of 50,000 words, and my story isn't done yet, so I'm going to keep going until it is. I can only hope that the craziness of December still affords me at least some time to recuperate from a month of 3am writing sessions, some time with family and friends, and still have something left over so I can continue to keep the momentum flowing so I can finish the first draft of the book.

My plans are to edit the book in March, for NaNoEdMo, if not sooner. Between now and then? I have 4 short stories that I'd like to finish and send out for publication.

Life is good.

I sat down after the 11:00 news to do a "bit" of writing before bed.  It's now past 3:00am, and it all feels like it happened in the blink of an eye.

Writers dream of this. To get into that zone where only you and the page exist (or screen, as the case may be). It felt as though the words were coming from somewhere else, flowing from brain to my fingertips so smoothly that my fingers were furiously flying across the keyboard and now, 3 hours later, I barely even remember what I write (I hope it's good!).

That deep-down creative fount I'm always talking about? I found it tonight. If only every day was so easy!

But what fun would that be, really? Isn't half the excitement of being a writer in that quest for the words that paint a picture of your story that is just so – just as you imagined it?

Sometimes finding the words can be like trying to get blood from a stone.

Other times, it's mystery and romance and imagination and dream, all taking flight. 

Especially at night! 

I immediately see how much more productive it is making me, even with the learning curve (both on my part, with learning how to edit text using only my voice, and on the program's part, with learning my speech patterns).

I think with a little more practice, I can really get my mind & creativity in sync so I can dictate more stream-of-consciousness, or at the very least not have to take long pauses in between thoughts. Then I'll really be able to get things done!

Plus, with my plans to get a newer program that I can use to dictate directly into LSBXE (which I use for writing), I can eliminate the dreaded copy & paste. Sweet!

At this rate, I'll be writing a novel a month, every month – not just in November!

Well…maybe not. It's nice to dream. But at the very least, I'd like to whittle down that growing stack of stories on my desk, all of which are vying for my attention at any given moment of the day.

It's the Muse's fault, I tell you. They totally do that, you know. Conjure up the bloodiest, or most ridiculous, or scariest scenes, wait in the verrrrrry back of your mind and then when you least expect it – bam! They spring out at you and say, "Here I am. Deal with it!"

Just you wait, Muse! Just you wait!