The most difficult thing

Oh! I remember seeing you there now. I actually thought you might've been someone just trying to do her homework and happened to be there as the same time as a bunch of Nano-ers.

Well, if you're going to admit your shyness while at the same time implying a want to be more social, our table may just come by and make inappropriate shoe comments your way.

But seriously, any Nano-er is probably more than happy to commiserate with a fellow writer.

As for the hardest thing, which is true for everyone, is trying to write and live our lives, with both its tiresome obligations and tempting fun things.

Specifically for me, is trying to remain a biomedical graduate student while writing.

My problem is actually work related. Economy too. I want to write all I can but work and bills and all that life stuff comes first.

I miss being a kid. XD

Hah! Nahh, I was there for the write-in, but I came alone and didn't know anybody and starting conversations is a bit like pulling fingernails for me. xD It was enjoyable regardless, and I'll definitely be at the next one, hopefully with some back up this time.

Ahh, goodness! That sounds more difficult than my trifling little high school woes. Actually the word "biomedical" is terrifying by itself. And yes, working/writing is hard to figure out. =\ -commiserates-

I'm also having a hard time with the historical aspect of my story this year... I've always done straight fantasy, but this time around I actually have to put the effort into research and such. I had to make an index for my notes today. xD

I can definitely relate to the shyness experienced in public situations. If I had not been approached first, I probably would have walked right out of Borders without writing a single word. Like I said that night, I have been in NM since August and had not met a single person outside of my family. Being social is not a strong point of mine.
As for the hardest thing about NaNoWriMo this year... It would have to be balancing the emotional struggles of having to adapt to a completely different lifestyle, with writing. I have to work especially hard this year to separate my main character's feelings from my own.

Yeah, that work/NaNo balance is always a biggie. It just seems that this year it's more difficult than usual for me. Starting November with several massive piles of papers to grade seems to have been very bad timing. The funny thing is, I'm using the same syllabi I've used for years, so presumably I always start November with massive piles of papers to grade. About all I can think is maybe this year the start of November was one week off in the syllabi, so in past years, I've started NaNo in a less intense week of the term.

I have thought of giving my students extra credit for participating in Nano, but I'm not sure how that would work -- it would be one more thing that interferes with getting their homework done. On the other hand, many of them do have trouble generating sufficient supporting details; there's nothing like word count generation to get the details flowing.

Carol Anne

04: The Magnificent What?
05: Murder at the Community College
06: Murder at the Yacht Club
07: Murder at the Family Reunion
08: Murder at the Little Theater
09: Murder on the Sports Desk

I don't consider myself paralyzingly shy by any stretch, but I don't tend to initiate naturally either. Thankfully I'm pretty accustomed to having to go outside myself and just put on that face until everything _is_ comfortable enough to hang back and be my more natural self. I forced myself to go to the midnight kick-off at the Frontier in spite of all kinds of trepidation - not knowing what/who to expect. It turned out to be a lot of nice people. Not all like me, but all very cool. Anyway, someone made the remark about how odd it was to get a bunch of introverts together to do a solitary activity en masse, and I couldn't agree more. lol

Because I totally relate but I've survived two of them now, I would encourage the shy ones to come to the write-ins and just find the group. All you have to say is, "Is this the nano group?" and the group will take introductions from there. Painless. Then, if you sit down and actually write, people will just think you're doing what you came to do (as opposed to thinking you're antisocial, lol).

P.S. - Me and one or two other nanos are planning on being at the Corrales Flying Star tomorrow night. (Sat/7th) Anyone is welcome to join us. Probably starting around 6pm. I have a black MacBook and don't attack shy people. ;)

I struggle with discipline. Sitting down and forcing myself to write has been challenging, particularly when I write during the day for work. I keep saying, "Oh I will finish tomorrow, etc" and next thing I know I'm behind.

I do also understand the shy/introvert thing! I am sadly very introverted despite being a public speaker and constantly in social situations. It was hard to go to the first write in- but like others have said it was easy once you found everyone.

Yeah, I can be very shy too. But the NaNo people have been pretty easy to get to know. They also aren't scared off by my immensely geeky nature.

What's hard for me right now is balancing school, work, social life, nano. Sometimes, I just want to crawl into a cave and write.

Finding the time to write is easily the hardest, XD. And teachers who try to confinscate my laptop, because they think it belongs to the school. >.<

I had issues talking with people outside of the friend group of mine already there, but I'm pretty sure the other NaNo'ers don't bite. ^_^ The Nov 5 was my first write in, too, but was fun.

For me the most difficult thing was getting over a thousand words while on work travel sitting in a hotel. I got to about 600 words decided I hated my story and how was I ever going to make it to 50,00? I'm doing much better now although I'm still pitifully short on words...

Environment is my worst enemy. Being in my little corner desk in my home office, piled high with research papers and books and post-it notes is not conducive to getting anything done, and if any television is on in the house, it echos because of the vaulted ceilings, so I get it loud and annoying upstairs, headphones or no.

Write-ins, for this reason, are my friend. Fresh scenery, fresh air, nicotine, and caffeine always give me the boot in the butt I need to get writing.

Too bad I won't get any of these things for the next hour at least. T_T

Homework, this semester, is also my bane. I've got three upper division English classes, an upper division film class, and a production class where we are currently on the lot all the time, so my courseload of seriously murdering me. Thankfully my work schedule isn't insane right now, otherwise I'd be getting nothing done.

NaNoWriMo '08: Ashes of an Empire (win)
ScriptFrenzy '09: Mikara Falling (win)
NaNoWriMo '09: Missing

Right now writing something even somewhat decent with this cold. Once I am over the cold I think I will be feeling much better than I do about my writing so far. (Come one how good can my writing be on that much cold medicine?) I have no been able to go to a writing in yet since I didn't want to share my cold with others. Maybe this week.

Sounds like a lot of us are having trouble with that whole mixing life and writing deal. =P Hold fast, my friends!
& I would definitely come to the Corrales write-in tonight, as that Flying Star is pretty close to my house, but I have to pick my brother up at eight. Orrrr I could just let him walk home. ;D I was going to go to the kick-off but then I decided I would rather nap, because I am a very productive person.

Can make the Monday show but have the Wed one in Santa Fe lined up already/

2008. Blade, on Ice. A discussion on Love & Short stories. 150K
2007. Mighy Micks. 53K

I've already stated the most difficult aspect of NaNoWriMo for me this year, but Ive discovered another major problem I've had during this month. As great as going to more write-ins sounds, I honestly have no clue where any of these places are. Most places mentioned I've never even heard of. Such is life though I suppose! I will definitely try to make the Tues/Thurs write-ins at Borders!

For me it's trying to tell myself that writing a totally crappy novel is more important than finishing up my online coursework (enrollment ends Dec 31). I can extend it but would prefer not to. However, I used to love to write, left it by the wayside for years, and desperately want to get back in the saddle with it again. If I don't do it now, it'll have to wait till next year's NANO, and I don't want to wait that long. So Nano is taking precedence this year.

Socially, I want to go to more write-ins if my volunteer organizations would stop scheduling mtgs for Tue and Thurs nights. I've always been shy, but progressively getting over that as I get older. I console myself with the thought that we're all more than a little weird doing this, so there's no reason to be awkward about it. :)

Gotta say, the hardest thing so far is finding time to get my classwork done. I'm in the year of school where I have papers due every week along with reports and such. Not that hard, mind you, but just LOTS of busy work that takes up an unnecessary amount of my writing time. If I could have it my way, I would just put everything on pause for a month and actually finish the novel rather than just stopping at 50K(which, with my personality, is what I'm likely to do.)
I find that the write-ins are useful and productive social gatherings, and I would like to go to more. Being able to describe my novel to others helps me stay out of writers block and figure out plot points that I hadn't considered when I first started.

This is my first year writing! Lend me your strength, veterans!

-'09 : From Here We Move Forward

My hardest thing is definitely getting time to write. Weekdays I'm loaded with stuff, because I'm taking honors algebra and my teacher assigns A LOT of homework. Then weekends are crazy too, and before you know it it's really late and you should be getting to bed. I don't :-) hehe

"With the possible exception of the equator, everything begins somewhere."
-C.S. Lewis

I'm on the receiving end of the previous three commenters' position. This evening, I have collected two big stacks of essays that I need to get graded by Wednesday; tomorrow I will be collecting two other stacks of papers that will have to be graded by Thursday. Then Wednesday, I'm collecting two more stacks of essays.

In anticipation of the onslaught, I racked up a 10,000 word weekend, so I'm ahead on word count (for now).

Carol Anne

04: The Magnificent What?
05: Murder at the Community College
06: Murder at the Yacht Club
07: Murder at the Family Reunion
08: Murder at the Little Theater
09: Murder on the Sports Desk

My novel this year is about the destruction of all the things we are used to and the changes that come from such but, a friend in NC has just delivered her first child and I am to be one of the God Parents and I am having trouble writing about such destruction when I have Baby Glow going on : ).

I may switch to another idea I was working on or try to push through as the story leaves a far better world at the end though there are a great many deaths and much destruction before then.

2008. Blade, on Ice. A discussion on Love & Short stories. 150K
2007. Mighy Micks. 53K

Sorry, duplicate post and can't find the delete button

2008. Blade, on Ice. A discussion on Love & Short stories. 150K
2007. Mighy Micks. 53K