To those who have decided to peripherally monitor this train to see of it goes off the rails, I feel obligated to inform you that I am not a same time every day writer. It comes when it comes and the schedule allows. I would love to be a same time every day AM writer. Alas, there are days when I am a PM writer, and even late night writer. (In fact, that is most days) Happy Scribing. Image found here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/230739180884723104/
Feb. 7/8 – Days 99 & One Hundred – 1042 Words
“Another update you don’t feel like writing?”
I don’t think it is so much that I don’t feel like writing it. I think it is just, and I have said this here before, how many different ways is there to say, ‘I got the job done?’
“Correct me if I am wrong, but this whole Novel Train thing was your idea, no?”
Yes, but originally, and that is why I haven’t gone back to edit the initial post for content, I was just supposed to be posting Date, writing day, word count and a little blurb. It was really never supposed to be a blog, per se.
“And that’s a problem?”
Meh, not necessarily, but after typing and deleting and retyping and editing and making Irony 3 up as I go along, in addition to editing the previous day’s work each day, when it finally comes time to write this loony puppy, sometimes I am all typed out.
“You brought this into the world. You can take it out.”
And disappoint thousands? Nay, millions, even? But, seriously, that is not an option. I am committed to completing both the Novel and the Novel Train.
“Could it be that you are just tried right now? And that on the days when you have the energy, these updates are actually fun to write?”
Eh, maybe. I won’t rule it out.
“Then suck it up buddy boy, and write the book and update and stop complaining. What if the soldiers at Valley Forge had decided they didn’t want to write their blogs because it was too cold?”
What? What are you--
“What nothing! What if Washington had said “Ooh, golly, I don’t want to get my knickers wet,” and decided not to cross the blog Delaware?"
Did they even wear knickers in Washington’s time? Look--
"Look nothing! Where would Tina Turner be if she just rolled over and said “Hit me again Ike, and put some stank on it!” Rollin on the river, that’s where she’d be. But she is beyond Thunderdome, because she decided to send a message: “Wake up sisters! There’s no such thing as a weaker sex!”
That does it! You are, without a doubt, out of your mind! And I don’t know where the others came from, but that last one you stole from the movie Liar, Liar.
“Good movie.”
I agree. Anyway, as idiotic as your little rant was, I did get the message. So, and I can’t believe it has come to this, thanks for the motivation.
“Anytime. Since we’re on the subject, I have been thinking about my own blog. Think peanut butter meets jelly. Think Leno and Letterman, side by side. Think Red Guy to infinity and beyond!”
Think again.
Happy writing people. See Contact page for calendar blurbs.
Feb. 9/10 – Days 101& 102 – 1029 Words
Another two days riding the rails on the Irony 3 Novel Train tracks.
“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!”
I am more than happy to say that these particular two writing days were nowhere near as tough as last week’s.
“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!”
*Sigh* What is it?
“How do we know that for sure?”
Know what for sure?
“That you are talking about these two writing days?”
For one, it is right above the words. And two, I just said it! Now, Can I get on with the upda-
“Yeah, but you are writing this update two days removed from the first day you are talking about. How can you even remember what it was like writing two days ago?”
Um, how about because, though I am over 40, I am not senile yet?
“Debatable, but I’m serious. Our integrity is on the line here.”
Our?
“Well, yeah, I think I have been as much a part of these updates as you have. I am sure the people would agree that this is more a team effort than solitary one.”
You do realize that you are, like, totally made up, right?
“How can I not realize it? You remind me often enough. Still, it does not mean that I am not here.”
WHAT? Wait, you know what? Don’t even answer that one. I have a feeling that if you do, this will go on for hours. Okay, fine, I can remember what it was like because I scribble little notes about the writing day, a sentence or two, just in case I don’t write the update immediately; which is most days. Aside from that, like I said, I am not senile so I can remember. Does that satisfy your totally imaginary mind?
“And if it doesn’t?”
“Take an imaginary chill pill and have a made up coke and a smile. Anyway--
“That hurt my imaginary feelings.”
For the love of—Will it shut you up if I give you an imaginary apology?
“It might help.”
Then I am imaginarily sorry that I hurt your imaginary feelings. Can I get on with the update now?
“You know, if I am imaginary like you say, then aren’t you stopping yourself from getting on with--
Okay, then, moving on, because there are some knarly things under that rock.
Where was I? Oh. Well, I got the job done these two days and it was easier than last week. I am in it now, right in the middle of things taking off. Maybe, that is why these days flowed smoother, because I was making things happen and starting to drop some of the hammer on my MC. He is definitely in the thick of something now and I can’t wait for things to get hairier and see how he deals with it. Don’t I know? After all, I am the one writing the book, right? To a certain extent, yes. But, remember, the book is alive now and breathing on its own, so anything is liable to happen, or change in the middle of happening. In the writing days to come, I think that is what I am looking forward to the most. Of course, I will keep you updated.
Oh, by the way, did you happen to notice the brand spanking new writing progress meter for Irony 3, at the top of the Home page? I would check back often, as the character’s mood is sure to change on a regular basis. Thanks for reading. Happy writing people.
See Contact page for calendar blurbs, and Home page progress meter for count and mood.
Feb. 11/12 – Days 103 & 104 – 1054 Words
Just a note to those who have been riding the rails on the Novel Train with me virtually from the beginning, and can remember ‘Jagged Shards and Rose Petals.’ For those who haven’t been around that long, and because I believe I have removed all references of it from social media, JS&RP is the revamped ebook version of ‘Collected Works by Robert Shroud. Long to short; CW had a lot of poems and it wasn't selling. So, I came up a themed title, picked poems that melded with that theme, prettied up the cover, and JS&RP was born.
I was waiting for all outlets to pull the former before publishing the latter. In the interim, I changed my mind. I don’t know why and I can’t explain it. Perhaps I will change it back, but for now JS&RP is on the back burner. If you have noticed in your visits here, and I don’t see why you wouldn't have, being that it is at the top of every page (:P), I have a poetry site. Feel free to check it out if you haven’t already. Will I eventually publish there all of the over 90 entries that were originally listed in Collected Works? *shrugs* We will have to wait and see. I know I will add to it from time to time. I believe there are about ten selections there now. And that’s all I have to say about that.
Okay, on to the Train stuff. The better writing days have continued and I am muchos gracias for that. These two days saw me complete chapter 17, take a step back from the action, and cut to one of my underneath plot points in the middle of unraveling. In fact, in going over my chapter alignment, I have decided to make the chapter I am writing now 17, and turn chapter 17 into 18. I am quite positive it is not the only realignment that will take place before this ride is over.
Hmm, what else? I don’t know that there is much else to say. Oh, the 100,000 goal I chose for the Home page meter was an arbitrary choice. I picked a nice round number and went with it. I do have a feeling, however, that the book will come in close to that number. Again, we will see.
Hmm, what else?
“I haven’t said anything yet.”
And now you have. I guess that wraps this loony puppy up. A more straight forward update than I am used to penning, but I will take them how they come. Happy writing people.
See Contact page for calendar blurbs, and Home page progress meter for count and mood.
Feb. 13 – Day 105 – OFF!
Okay, so I am writing, right? All deep into it and everything, I mean, having the best writing day of my entire life. Words are flowing, birds are singing, adjectives are humming, synonyms are plentiful, and it is like dying and going to writer heaven; where the sentence structure is flawless and the punctuations fall into the right places, as if they had a mind of their own. Picture it, if you will, the mind and typing fingers in continuous harmony, sculpting a literary paragraphical utopian masterpiece. Now, can you guess what happened next?
“You woke up?”
Exactly! Oh, man, when I opened my eyes and reality hit and I discovered that it wasn’t bird song on my window sill, but some other part of the bird, my spirits deflated faster than a fragile male ego in the face of a staunch feminist. (I probably should change that example, but, meh) Anyway, social constructs aside, after awaking from my writing dream and being majorly bummed that it wasn’t real, my heart just wasn’t into completing the writing day. I suppose I could have tried to see if I could duplicate the dream in reality. Sat down at the computer and tapped away, hoping for the best of the best. Buuuut, I didn’t. I just rolled over and tried to get back to writer heaven. Of course, I couldn’t and didn’t, but that is probably another post. So, there you go, my sorry excuse for a story of why I failed to complete the writing day.
“You could have just said you felt a day away from the book would do some good.”
Yeah, maybe, but then I wouldn’t have had that awesome waking dream I just had about writing.
“Does that wrap this loony puppy up?”
Pretty much, except for see Contact page for calendar blurbs, and Home page progress meter for count and mood, and the end of the writing week jam.
“Ooh! Ooh! Can I introduce it?”
Why not, you have pulled your imaginary weight around here. Go for it.
“Golly gee, thanks for the reminder, but I won’t let it ruin my first week’s end jam introduction. Put your hands together for Mariah Carey and the late great Whitney Houston, singing ‘When You Believe’ to clips of the song’s featured movie, The Prince of Egypt."
You're an imaginary ham.
"Better that, than an imaginary turkey around Thanksgiving. Happy writing people."
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