October 26, 2012

I Need Your HELP! A NaNoWriMo Plea

November is NaNoWriMo. It is where crazed writers try to churn out fifty thousand words in the hope of one day calling it a novel. A challenge that not all can accomplish but well worth it for those who do. The satisfaction of so many words is indescribable. A feeling I really want come November 30.
Source

As I sit here and write I am feeling beyond cool. My arse is firmly planted on a chair while Miss Two happily runs around the air conditioned indoor playground as I sip a rather delicious cappuccino. According to the man on the radio this morning today is bound to shape up as a stinker so I thought I would retreat indoors before I had the chance to discover whether or not they were right.

Really life couldn't be better.

Well supposedly.

The cold hard truth of reality is that on many levels life could be a helluva lot better. But it could also be a lot worse so I am happy to stick with the it's all rosie notion. Because that's what looking for the silver lining and I am always on the look out for that.

Plus most of the areas where there are room for improvement are a direct result of my attitude and how I deal with the situation. Which kinda means that unless I am prepared to change said attitude there is little to no point complaining about it all.

To say I have been grouchy, grumbly and just generally in a bad way of late is possibly an understatement. A bear with a sore paw would make less fuss than what I have lately. In my defense though I do seem to be fighting off a tooth infection. Sigh. No I am not going to a dentist.

Moving along.

One of the first world issues that is getting me down is the lack of readers I feel I have. Or rather the lack of reach I have. Stupid I know. But there you have it. Keeping it all locked inside isn't working so best I spit it out.

You know how it goes, more numbers, more opportunities, more free stuff, just more. Everyone wants their fifteen minutes in the sun. What ego doesn't like being stroked from time to time? In many ways it is only natural. Especially when you can see so many others getting a piece of cake.

Thankfully for me my sensibilities kick in. I know all the hard work that I am sure other bloggers put in. Or rather I know how little effort I put in at times. That is what needs to change before anything else.

Once I try my best then all will work out for the best. That's how it works isn't it?

So with that in mind I am off to instill some discipline within these here fingertips of mine and I calling on you to help me.

In a bid to not be overwhelmed with writing one whole long story over thirty days I am going to write 30 short stories over 30 days which is where you come in. To help me come up with story lines I am asking readers to give me a few prompts to get me started.

So think of a location, object and a genre and hit me with it. Each day I will select one suggest and turn it into a 1800 word masterpiece. Suggestions can be left here in the comments or on my Facebook page. All stories will be published over at Fly By Fiction. Feel free to head over the now and sign up to a feed so you don't miss out on seeing any of the great yarns that I am sure will be told.


Flogging with Grace

12 comments:

  1. Yay for Nano, and I love the idea of short stories - that should work really well! I'm going to give you five prompts to get you started - because I know hard it can be to get people to offer prompts and because it's always easier to offer a prompt than to follow one! Good luck! Does your blog have a Facebook page? I find it easier to follow Facebook pages to get blog post updates...

    Prompt 1: A foreign city (to the protagonist). A gold watch. Mystery.

    Prompt 2: A cancer ward. The wrong file. Romance.

    Prompt 3: A library. A voice. Fantasy.

    Prompt 4: A playground. A trike. Drama.

    Prompt 5: A beach. A bikini. Comedy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh wow thanks Sif! The fiction posts will all go through the A Parenting Life facebook page. Hard enough having more than one blog let alone numerous fb pages. I have a vision that one day it will all amalgamate into one big website :)
      Thanks again for the prompts and best of luck in your own Nano journey xx

      Delete
  2. I have enough trouble thinking up blog posts twice a week! To even contemplate so many stories in such a short time, well, it does my head in (with awe and amazement).

    Famous playwright, Moliere, said “The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.” So think of that in the days ahead and best of luck.

    Annie
    (via FYBF!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Annie! I certainly will be keeping those wise words in mind

      Delete
  3. The Vatican, a baby, Science fiction! (ain't I a stinker?)

    I'm going to try to hit up naNoWriMo this year too... with a Newborn who's checked in for a C on Monday the 29th (3 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Yeah, this is going to go well...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't they just sleep in those first few weeks anyway? lol sorry. I am sure you will still be a writing superstar even with baby in tow.

      Thanks for the suggestion and best of luck (with both the C and the the novel)

      Delete
  4. The Sahara Desert, a golden necklace, suspense

    Good luck with the challenge, Rhi! I wanted to do it but I'll be away for a big chunk of November so I'll see how I go. Look forward to hearing your masterpieces :) x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great suggestions Grace, thanks. Enjoy your holiday, maybe you will be filled with inspiration while you are away

      Delete
  5. The supermarket. An errant supermarket trolley. A life epiphany.

    If you spin that into gold, you are truly a writer! Good on you for signing up for NaNoWriMo. Chookas. x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good luck with hour short stories, glad it is you and and me!

    ReplyDelete