NaNo Day 4: Trunk Slamchest!

I know it's Sunday, so most of us aren't working on our current WiPs, so here's what I would like to know:

1) What are you writing on your "day off?"

2) What's your total word count for NaNoWriMo as of today?

3) Are you having any trouble with your current WiP? If you are, let us know in the comments!

Keep at it, you guys. We're only 4 days in. Even if you're a little bit behind where you wanted to be, you can still make progress.

NaNoWriMo day 3: Slab Bulkhead!

Okay Wrimos, here's what I want to know:

1) How many words today?

2) How many words for the month?

3) Who's your favorite character in this book so far?

Day 2: No slackers here:)

It's 11 pm so I'm posting on behalf of those who want to post comments under day 2!! This is in no way a coup d'etat or usurpation of Graham's powers. Okay so I can see how it might be a bit of a coup, but I hope we can avoid bloodshed.

Post your word counts:
1) today
2) total
3) Your most amazing moment of the day!!

NaNoWriMo Day 1: Dirk Hardpec!

Don't worry if you don't understand the title. It will make sense in time.

So Wrimos, how'd your first day go? I want to know three things:

1) Your daily word count

2) Your total word count

3) Your favorite part of what you wrote for today.

Have at it!

Morituri Te Salutant

Today is Halloween. 

This is good. We like Halloween. Spooky, dark, spectral, the forerunner to a colder season spent at home with a mug of something hot and tasty and a nice program on the telly...it brings us many happies.

Also, if you're a writer, it reminds you how it feels to be alive.

To be on fire.

To be unstoppable.

Yes, boys and girls...it's time for NaNoWriMo.

(Go there and set up a profile!)

50,000 words. 30 days. (Or however much you want, from Nov 1 to Nov 30.)

This is the writer's bloodsport. This is the forge, the refiner's flame, the gauntlet. The one obstacle in the Coliseum that the Romans feared so much, they didn't bother letting historians know about it. 

Your mission, Writer, is to enter this gauntlet and slay the beasts within. Only after thirty days of the most brutal trials will you be allowed to exit at the other side, clothed in the pelts of endangered jungle cats, stained with their blood, carrying the wilted pages of a draft in your trembling hands. 

You will be tested.

You will be tried.

You will endure the fear and pressure of a once-great predator in a new and unknown environment.

It will change you.

It is a pathway to powers some consider to be...unnatural.

If you are reading this, it is too late to back out.

You are already committed to this program.

Keep your chin up. Don't be afraid to ask Clint Eastwood Ninja Turtle for help, should you need guidance. 

Every day, you are to report back to Inking Cap. You will find a new blog post recapping the day's events. 

You can leave a note about your word count, something one of your characters did, a joke you thought of, or anything else related to what you wrote that day. The bottom line is, you must return and report.

Enjoy these final dwindling hours, Wrimos. For tomorrow we jump into the frigid unknown.

See you on the other side. 

Why Hello Cybe-Space

As with all things in life, the Inker's have had to face changes.  Change happens, how you respond is the real question.

We can easily give up. Say things are just too hard and its time to end this fun journey. But we are made of tougher stuff than that.

As things go, life has become even busier. Sir-Kirk-A-Lot moved away and started on a Law Degree.  And the rest of us are trying to manage family, sports, jobs, and our dream of a writing career. 

We are celebrating our 4th year together. That is remarkable in my humble opinion.  We've managed to stay together and stay focused.

But like I said at the beginning, things change.  Right now our format is no long a monthly get together laden with rich foods.  Currently we are getting together via Google Hangout.  It is great for seeing everyone (though the web cam angle is terrible for one's self esteem--so not flattering) and using the screen share feature allows us to put our work up so everyone can read along as we share our writing.

So over the years we've changed and we've adapted. And we are still going strong.

Keep writing, keep adapting, and keep smiling.

Pixar Story Rules

I subscribe to the belief that the reason Pixar's films have been so successful goes beyond the advances they've made in animation-- that it's the storytelling that is really their ace in the hole (up to, ahem...Cars 2). I don't recall many movies that have touched me as much as Toy Story 3 over the past decade. 

So, when I saw a link to this post titled Pixar Story Rules on Twitter via the author Carrie Ryan, I had to share. Lots of good tips here. Hope it's helpful!