The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimberly, the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week, take a look ahead, and showcase our new treasures—I mean books!
Last Week
As soon as NaNoWriMo ended (see below), I plunged into preparing for our holiday vacation out West. This involves doing lots of laundry and housecleaning (I got behind during NaNoWriMo), making packing lists, actually packing, doing the Christmas shopping online, putting up a few Christmas decorations (just a few, because we’ll be away), and running all the assorted errands that need to be completed before we leave midweek. Yikes!
In and around all that, I am trying to fit in some work on the book every day (see below). I might also get a Christmas letter written and printed so we can send out cards for the first time in years… but don’t hold your breath.
NaNoWriMo update: NaNoWriMo is over! Technically, I didn’t win, because I didn’t make it to 50,000 words. But I feel as though I won! My primary goal in doing NaNoWriMo was to kickstart myself into actually writing instead of dreaming about it — to get past the fear and inertia and actually get words down on paper. Or virtual paper, anyway.
One month later, I have over 30,000 words of scenes, soon-to-be deleted scenes, brainstorming and summaries for some future chapters, character sketches, etc. I have also started on the necessary research, which will be extensive. (You aren’t supposed to research during NaNoWriMo, but there were a few things I needed to look up because they will significantly influence the plot.) Most importantly, I’ve learned that I can do this, and that I enjoy it. I need a lot more practice to become any good at it, and I have no illusions of publishing this or any book anytime soon, but I plan to keep going, and I hope to complete this story by the end of 2023.
So yes: totally a win.
Total words written as of midnight on Wednesday, 11/30: 33,120 (out of the 50K goal.)
Recent Posts
- Sunday Post – 11/27/2022
- News & Notes – 12/03/2022
- Sunday Post – 12/04/2022 – this post
Looking Ahead
- The Backlist Reader Challenge 2023 (rules & sign-up)
- Sunday Post – 12/11/2022
What I’ve Been Reading/Watching
Reading: I read I Will: A Christmas Novella by Lisa Kleypas. I had read it a few years ago as part of an anthology. I forgot until I was halfway through this reading that the novella has some consent issues. (Though the genders are swapped, I still feel uncomfortable with that.) But it was still a 3-star read.
I am STILL reading The Reluctant Countess by Eloisa James (ARC), but I might hibernate it for a while; it’s not working for me, and I’m not sure if it’s me or the book. I’m also still sort of reading No Plot? No Problem!, a book about writing a novel in a month by Chris Baty, the founder of NaNoWriMo, but I may put it aside until next year because the “in a month” focus isn’t applicable right now.
Now that NaNoWriMo is over, I hope to get back to reading a little more… but since I’m still going to be writing, I won’t have as much time for reading as I did in previous years.
Listening to: I finished Season 2 of the Writing Excuses podcast and started Season 3.
Watching: I’m in the middle of a Harry Potter rewatch, so this week, I watched The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Goblet of Fire, and started The Order of the Phoenix (which I’ll probably finish tonight.)
Added to the Hoard this week
Purchased (Kindle and audiobooks)
Kindle: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy; The Violin Conspiracy; Firekeeper’s Daughter; The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue; Without a Summer; The Well of Ascension; The Dragon’s Promise; Married By Morning; The Runaway Duchess. With the exception of Without a Summer, they were all on sale.
Audiobooks: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms; The Empty House; Without a Summer
(Click title for Goodreads page or my review.)
Anne+-+Books+of+My+Heart
I’m so happy you had a successful writing month even if you didn’t technically win. Now you know you can do it!
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
Anne+-+Books+of+My+Heart recently posted…Envy and Favor by Faye Hall
Lark_Bookwyrm
Exactly! And thank you. 🙂
Wendy
You really put in the work for NaNoWriMo! Your progress is amazing. Well done! I hope you enjoy your trip.
Wendy recently posted…Sunday Post #67
Sophia+Rose
Glad you got to sit down and write. Nice stack of reading done, too.
Have a good week, Lark!
Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits
Oooh, you’ve got some great book picks there! And you know? Writing 30k words during NaNo and figuring out how writing works for you sounds like a win to me for sure. I’ve actually been thinking lately that I might be an official NaNo Rebel next year, and set my OWN goals but still play along with NaNo in 2023. I’ve missed it, though pushing hard for 50k doesn’t work well with my current situation. Setting different goals for myself and using NaNo to help me achieve them sounds ideal.
Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits recently posted…Book Review: And What Can We Offer You Tonight (Premee Mohamed)