>

Friday, February 09, 2007

My novel

Thank you to all of you have waited with baited breath for...well, for too long. I must confess, it took a deadline to jumpstart the editing process. A deadline that is, in fact, quite scary and way too soon.

Let me explain.

While visiting the NaNoWriMo site yesterday, I found this link. My heart started palpitating and my breath caught in my throat. Then I visited gather.com, the host site for this contest, and I read the rules, and my excitement grew. I also read parts of the first chapters of some of the entries. The ones I read (which, admittedly, were only two out of probably a few hundred or so) were...ahem...well...they were boring. (Again, I only read two.)

People, I am going to submit my story to a national contest, with the hopes of winning $5000 and a book contract. (Winces in fear of what this means.) The deadline for submitting is March 15th. (Winces again in fear of what this means.) This is my NaNoWriMo, part 2. I essentially have one month to complete and edit my story. It makes me very, very scared. And, to be honest, it motivates the fire out of me. I guess that that in itself has huge value. Even if I don't make it past the first round, at least I will have finished this darn story.

So, to that end, I read and lightly edited chapters 1-3 yesterday. (I told you deadlines do something to me.) I have also made my NaNo blog private. I've been getting nervous about my story being out there for all to see (or steal) for so long. If you would like an invite, please leave a comment or email me and I will send you one.

Let me be clear--you should not expect any new installments on the story for at least a week. As part of getting back into the writing mode, I'm reading the story all the way through, since I haven't done that. (I haven't read my own story!) And, as I am an editor by nature, "reading" my story involves more than just reading. Which is good, I think, but it does take a while. I'll notify you when I've posted a new chapter on the novel blog.

Until then, you all need to go to gather.com and become members so that you can vote for my story when I submit it. The voting is done by "rating" a story from 1-10, so you can "vote" honestly.

8 comments:

hoesayfina said...

Awesome.
Please, please send me an invite to your Nano Blog! :) -m

sandy said...

It's about time I read the entire story. I would love a invite. And good luck on the contest. How exciting! Sandy

andrea_jennine said...

I'd love an invite!

Anonymous said...

Invite! and good for you.

Anonymous said...

me too, me too!

i'm so freaking proud of you!!!

Anonymous said...

This is very cool!

Anonymous said...

bate v., bat·ed, bat·ing.
1.to moderate or restrain: unable to bate our enthusiasm.
2.to lessen or diminish; abate: setbacks that bated his hopes.
3.to diminish or subside; abate.
4.with bated breath, with breath drawn in or held because of anticipation or suspense: We watched with bated breath as the runners approached the finish line.

Amy said...

Oh-ho! I have been corrected. Touche', anonymous.

Thank you all for waiting with BATED breath. =)