I was psyched for this new November challenge and I began at midnight on November 1, 2008. I had an old story that I wanted to delve into and I loved the first week, wondering what all the worry was about. I was clicking out 1600 words most days and I loved the motivation of word count and I stayed anchored in a moment and dug deeper than I might have under other circumstances.

I had two characters: Jessie Rosen a teacher, modeled on my life and her first manicurist, Molly Evans a senior in high school and a lover of tattoos. I alternated between chapters for each character and I was having fun. But at some point in the second week, I started slowing down. My ideas weren’t drying up but my energy needed to be channeled into other, more timely projects. The National Writing Project Conference in San Antonio was coming (I leave tomorrow) and I had presentations to work on. Life got in the way.

I tried to stay with it. I felt guilty about letting it go. But finally, I had to leave it. But just think, I have 20,000 words I didn’t have before. I could pick it up still and truck to the second half but it’s okay now, either way. I don’t feel the guilts anymore.

So off I go to San Antonio and I’m looking forward to exploring a new city, reconnecting with NWP buddies and presenting.  In fact, I will be watching the TWO WRITING TEACHERS, Stacey and Ruth present on Saturday morning at the NCTE!

Sometimes the challenges are just too challenging, don’t you think?

Bonnie

A very special week.

A NEW PRESIDENT-ELECT!

After three months of presidential campaign uncertainty, Barack Obama became our 44th President.

We woke up yesterday and YES, YES HE IS the President Elect. So slowly we are adjusting the conversations. Who will he choose to help him run the country? Now we can enjoy listening to the president again. It’s been a long time coming for me. I’ve gotten to tuning Bush out. It’s so good to care again.

We are off to the Inauguration in January. Pictures to follow…

I have share a great post from Becca’s describing Obama’s election moment in Grant Park. It’s what I wanted to write but she’s captured it. Enjoy!

Week One: NaNoWriMo

As for writing, my novel this month, I am up to date at this moment. We are coming to the end of the first week one and I have 9600 words and counting. I am luxuriating in the need for words, for details, so I’ve been slowing down to put meat on my characters. Two main characters: one I know well, based on me and one I once knew and she’s the challenge. Actually everything about this is a challenge, a stimulating challenge.

So far I’ve been working solo with some sharing here and with a few online buddies, but I’m thinking a face-to-face session being planned for Tuesday might be fun. It’ just great to be able to write this here on the computer. Some people still write with a pen and a yellow pen. Bravo, but the computer opened up my writing life. As a lefty, I had no writing stamina, but here, I can get my ideas down as I create them.

NWP off to San Antonio

As we move closer to San Antonio and the National Writing Project’s annual convention I am presenting two workshops with members of other sites. We have been meeting virtually using email, Google Docs, and conference calls and it’s been great.

I hope the workshop participants enjoy the presentations as much as we are enjoying the rich collaborations.

DOVER INSERVICE

And my Digital Storytelling workshop is going well. We have completed 4 of 6 sessions and the group of 4 is a true group! More important than learning the web tool, Photo Story 3, seems to be the rich conversation about the texts and their connection to the photos.

I am writing my words for NaNoWriMo, I am remembering other eves of  presidential elections and I am feeling proud that I’m an American, poised to see our first Afro-American president elected in this country and to celebrate the event, I’m ready to travel to Washington and freeze as he is inaugurated.

I am writing my novel as I wait to vote in the morning, as the sun rises. I just finished my day’s word total.  I have committed to 1200 words, for 30 days of November. Day 3 is ending and I have 4822 words on paper, that’s 22 over what I need for today.

The totals do matter to me.  I am pushing to meet the word count. So many words to get down on the page has been expanding my sentences, my paragraphs, my conversations, ultimately, my characters.

I am good right now, familiar with my terrain but that will end soon and I wonder where I will take my girls, where they will take me would be a better way to consider this journey.

1600 words every day, wow, I wonder I will feel next Monday, the Monday after….

And beyond my challenge to write a novel, I’m wondering about Barack Obama, who lost  his grandmother early yesterday morning.  He is poised to win this election and his grandmother dies just one day too soon to see it happen- one day too soon for him to be able to call her, to thank her.

How frustrating!

But how exciting it will be for us to watch him grow into a president at a time in our history when we need someone different in a world poised for someone fresh and focused on the world of the future.  I can’t wait for tomorrow night.  I hope Tuvia and I are drinking the bottle of champaign I have the refrigerator for this event. He does want to celebrate with other Democrats tomorrow, but I would happy just to be quiet here with a warm fire.

I can’t wait!

Last night I was poised to begin my novel at midnight, but honestly, I cheated.  I couldn’t wait so at 11:30, I opened my Word document and slowly started, clicking back and forth between the online site and my document.  I was waiting for the virtual balloons to officially mark our start, but nothing!

So, I just started writing and it felt great!  I am writing with characters I know from my life and my writing past, Jessie, resembling me and Molly resembling my first manacurist.  A few summers ago I created a series of episodes featuring these characters and then I left them and moved on to other challenges and projects.

When I wondered about what I could write about for the month of November, they came to me immediately.  I have no interest in the returning to my older pieces.  They need a fresh view as I do.  So we are all older and more experienced.

I wrote half of my first day’s numbers last night, took a break to sleep and then continued early this morning and I wrote three chapters with my girls and went beyond the1600.

I know it’s only DAY 1 but I’m feeing good.  Feeling like I could go beyond today.

I will to have a some insurance for the busier days.

Bonnie

I am ready for this event. I heard about it from you, Becca and from Stacey on Two Writing Teachers.

This is my first time!

I don’t know why, but I assumed we would be writing this online.  I even created a new blogsite for it, but now I’m thinking I might just keep it private, although I have become a public writer and love it, but I think this exercise is to keep your fingers moving on the keyboard without stopping for spell check, etc. So I might just use the old fashioned Word or maybe my Apple Pages program.  I’m thinking…

I love the idea.  Funny it’s been going on for 10 years and I never heard about it. Ten years ago, I was already out as a writer but I wonder if I would have been ready to take up the challenge.

Of course I won’t be writing for this day and night.  There’s the election next week, there’s the National Writing Project Conference in San Antonio, there’s some work, the Thankgiving.  There’s life, but I will find time to return to two of my favorite ladies, Jessie and Molly and their adventures.  I began episodes into their lives a few summers ago for during our Summer Institute and the group urged me on to keep the story going.

That was a few years ago, before I became a public, daily writer.  I’m different and they are different.  Jessie and Molly will reconnect on Friday.  I will keep you posted.

I’m as excited about this challenge as I am about a new president coming our way. That’s almost!

I am practicing right now.  But time for a break.  I am moving to my guitar.  My fingers need another challenge.

Bonnie