Writing

NaNoWriMo Progress Report Week #2

By FocusMe Team on 16 November 2018

Another writing week has passed and our writing buddies Suzi and Patricia give us an update about their progress. 

Sue: Well it’s day 15. We’re halfway. How’s it going? My total wordcount is just under halfway at 24,545 words.

Tricia: Hi Sue, my total wordcount is standing at 20318 so a little behind target but I’m not giving up.

Sue: I had that little break last week when I was walking with a friend for three days, so my daily word count dropped. Then I did a few longer sessions to catch up and I’ve suffered a bit since with repetitive sprain injury. I’m wearing a wrist brace now which is a bit cumbersome. The things we do!

Tricia: I seem to have had so many interruptions this week including computer problems which have taken me away from writing, hours at a time, and catching up with friends that I’ve neglected over the last few months while working on the dissertation. I’ve invested in a new laptop to try and work away from the PC but we’re still getting acquainted so I didn’t get very far, hence more time wasted. I hope your wrist is better soon.

Sue: Are you still working on your new Nano project? I’ve actually got two projects on the go, as my Smugglers novel is likely to be a shortish one. This week I’ve been working on Three Faced Doll, but it’s the last third of the novel, so it’s completely new writing rather than editing.

Tricia: Strangely enough I too have switched projects. I suddenly had an urge one evening to get back to my novel, ‘The Coal Miner’s Son’. There’s just a third to go. Working on my Nano project has helped me find my way back in to it and I’m now ploughing on and hope to reach the finish by the end of the month. I’m almost managing to keep my editor’s hat off. It’s hard though.

Sue: On Saturday I’m hosting a ‘Write In’ at Trinity Café Tunbridge Wells. I’ve never hosted one before, I’m a bit nervous. I think I just welcome everyone and run a couple of sprints if people are up for it. I’ve also made up an ‘Unblock Box’ (see photo) which is basically a box full of short prompts if anyone is struggling with ideas and needs some stimulus. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Tricia: Wow, Sue, that’s brilliant. Don’t be nervous as it sounds like you’ve got it all sorted. I love the ‘Unblock Box’ and can see that being very successful. Good luck for Saturday. I intend to get my fingers moving over the weekend and get back on target.

Have you found a writing buddy? If yes, let us know about your writing week. If you haven’t find a buddy yet, check out the NaNoWriMo forum, you are not alone!

Suzi Bamblett and Patricia M Osborne (known as Tricia to her friends), writing buddies for a long time, have decided to tackle NaNoWriMo together this year. Suzi has recently submitted her dissertation, the final module for her MA in Creative Writing at Brighton University. She is now in the process of completing her novel Three Faced Doll, a psychological thriller. If you want to know more about Suzi Bamblett check out her blog Broodleroo – Scribbles and Reflections.  

Patricia M Osborne is a novelist, poet and short story writer. She also completed the MA in Creative Writing at Brighton University this year. Her debut novel House of Grace- A Family Saga has received a ‘Chill with a Book’ Readers Award. To find out more about Patricia and her books jump straight onto Twitter or Facebook: Patricia M Osborne, Writer.