NaNoWriMo 2014 - Week Three

Where our hero discovers novel writing isn't as bad as last week, and interrogates some characters. After ten years of novel writing, we made it to the Night of Writing Dangerously!

Saturday 15th
32667 words, 2017 today. Wrote in Bread and Cocoa after breakfast, before heading out to Imagiknit in the Castro district. San Francisco feels like a very European city, good public transport, everyone walking around, diverse population. So many iPhones! The PDF copy of my novel so far is 90 pages long and I'm about to throw a big wrench into the story. Wrote more in Samovar Tea Lounge, across the street from Imagiknit. Left the hoodie behind today, way too warm for that extra layer. Went to the NaNoWriMo Out-Of-Towner's get-together in the evening, met Grant Faulkner, and saw the others from the office again, plus some of the LA train contingent.

Sunday 16th
36275 words, 3608 today. It's the Night of Writing Dangerously! Wrote a little before breakfast and after, went out to Pier 39 to see sea lions. There were two sets of sea lions, plus a couple of introvert sea lions on their own floating platforms away form the others. Had crab for lunch and took a tram back to the hotel. Walked to the Julia Morgan Ballroom in a purple velvet dress with a hefty laptop bag. Hit the candy buffet, there were tea refills at the table, and so many people writing. Wrote over three thousand words and made up my deficit from last week's lack-of-plot-induced wobble. There were cupcakes, milk and cookies, singing and dancing, and so many words. Met Chris Baty right at the end of the night to say thanks for a decade of craziness and fun.

Monday 17th
37017 words, 742 today. Leaving sunny California and going home to below-freezing, snowy, St Louis. Succumbed to the caffé bon-bon at Bread and Cocoa, double espresso shot with condensed milk, powerful stuff. Took the Bart train to the airport, lazy lunch before a 4pm flight back home. Heading from t-shirt weather to snow and below freezing till Wednesday, ugh. Still feeling the effects of not having a plan up-front but some plot appears to be happening in spite of it.

Tuesday 18th
37528 words, 511 today. So tired. Horribly late night due to a delayed plane, asked a friend to sit with me in the last meeting of the day and make sure I stayed awake. Wrote a little at lunch and took the night off, fed a friend steak and kidney pie, he made brownies and we compared the UK and US versions of Top Gear. Hands down a UK win, no question.

Wednesday 19th
39631 words, 2103 today. Writing in the gap between work and karate, and between karate group class and my private lesson. It's amazing what a decent night's sleep can do for you. Interrogating one of my main characters to find out what she actually wants. She got what she wanted, but what happens next for her? Also she got to make tea, proper English tea with milk and sugar. Everything's better when there's tea.

Thursday 20th
40359 words, 728 today. Another lunchtime writing session in the hidden conference room at work, the one no-one knows is there. Got ambushed by an Apple Update in the evening, and a Founders Porter.

Friday 21st
42831 words, 2472 today. Playing with my Villain and her minions today, and I'm ending it right before a big fight scene so I can get a good start tomorrow. This story won't be done at 50k, but I really want to find out where it's going.

Daily updates over on the NaNoWriMo 2014 daily diary.

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