a little coffee

It’s the start of the first FULL week since the New Year. Five days in a row of work, five days in a row of 5:30 AM wake-up calls. And this week didn’t start off on such a hot foot- I managed to over sleep! Had to rush to to get myself an hour of writing time (when I’ve been averaging an hour and twenty minutes) and behold!

1,081 !

Whoa.

Plus another hour’s of writing time after dinner and I have a total of 2,035 for Day Six! Yes!

(I just did the math and I have more words from my 5:30 writing session. Yikes.)

Total so far: 13,030. Woop!

I’ve fallen a couple days behind on my blog and I apologize. But! I have good news to report: I’ve maintained a 2,000-words minimum so far!

Day Four: two and a half hours in the morning yielded 2,125!

Day Five: because of my super-awesome Christmas present to Chris (boyfriend and noveler), we spent the afternoon at the Star Wars exhibit at the Museum of Science & Industry. To take the pressure off pounding out minimum-1, 667 words in the evening I did the incredible- set the alarm for 8 on a Sunday morning to ensure at least an hour’s worth of writing time, a head start for fulfilling the day’s quota.

(In Chris’s words) this is the magic that happened:

“Fueled by a magical mixture of coffee and cheddar cheese and pretzel Combos, I sat down with Christina this morning and hammered out 1,864 words in a little under two hours (Shazam.).

And, perhaps it was the nutrients in the peanut butter granola bar she had but Christina charged ahead to 1,883 words (only a cursed 19 words more!).

Who is super sexy?

We are Super Sexy.

Oh, yeah, that’s right!”

Seems to me that writing in groups is very productive.

After the museum and dinner, and some prodding by wonderful roommates, I even had the energy to sit at my desk for just a little while longer, typing enough to bring my grand total for Day 5 to 2,116!

SHAZAM!

TGIF!

I’m calling it quits today at 2, 022. Which brings the grand total so far to 6,665! Not a bad start. Especially since NaNoWriMo recommends stockpiling words in the first week because, evidently, it gets a tad more tricky into the second week.

I’m putting together a playlist of songs that gets me in the writing mood. Here’s a few chicas that have proved inspirational to January Project so far:

St.Vincent

Feist

Aimee Mann

So…I guess that’s how I’ll sum up my novel so far!

I’m concluding Day Two and I have to say that 5:30 is the magical hour. I somehow managed to write 1,036 words before leaving for work! And with the writing after dinner, my total for the day is 2, 371!

I feel I owe my father an apology. I always made fun of him for getting up so early (he is clearly insane- he’ll even wake up at 4:00!). But there is something to the wee morning hours. Sorry, Padre. Sorry.

Woop, woop!  The skys are clear and blue and I can see so far ahead-

2, 259 words!

Here’s hopin’ I can keep it going another day!

Ah, shit. 

Beeb…beep…beep…beepbeepbeepbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!!! 

I reach across the bed and slam my fist down on the snooze.  It hurts a little, but I think it’s necessary.   I look at the clock.

5:30 AM.

Urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh 

Time to get up.

Urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh 

My body rejects this hour and only something of the most extreme importance, say the threat of death, will get me up this early.  This day, this particular day, however, it’s something worse.  Shame.  The deep shadow of shame looming behind, curling the little hairs on my neck waiting, just waiting for a reason to whisper taunting things to me.  Because I and four other writer friends have declared that we will write a novel. . . In One Month!

Ready!

(cue inspiring music)

GO!

Today is DAY ONE.  At 11:59 January 31, 2008, the five of us will have completed a 50, 000- word novel (about 176 pages).  That breaks down to 1,669 words a day we must maintain to achieve this goal.

Why 5:30 AM?  It’s the only way I can meet the word count quota and work 8-hours a day without suffering anxiety attacks.  It’s best to split the workload.  Besides, at that unholy hour, your brain is fresh and alive, off the cusp of some fantastic dreams.  Add a cup or two of coffee and your fingers rarely leave the keyboard.  As a bonus, your nasty, gnawing Inner Editor is still sleeping.  Bwahahahahaha…

Stay tuned for continuous updates, including daily word counts, shrieks of joy when my January Project (it’s my working title) goes smashingly well and lugubrious moans of despair when it all blows up in my face.

Feel free to post comments and/or send me congratulating/shame-on-you emails and texts.  (I might need them now and then to ward of the Inner Editor when it wakes up.)

To Victory!