I couldn’t resist the chance to spend an entire month doing nothing but writing. (As long as I forget that I have to edit it afterwards, it’s just perfect.)
Alright, so I did actually start writing during my Easter holiday so the graph looks a lot steeper than it should. But the bottom line is that I’m already at 30k and my target is 50k. So, I know I’ll be able to finish in time for once.
Then comes the part that’s not so fun: editing, rewriting and proofreading. I just hate discovering how many errors I make. And those prepositions? Yikes. For some reason, I never seem to choose the right one. I guess it’s different in Norwegian compared to English, so I can’t just translate them.
Anyway, I still have 20k of fun left to do, so YAY!
The final editing of a story always takes longer than I expect. But the worst part of the process is to make decisions as to which scenes to deleted and which to keep. No wonder they call this process “killing your darlings”, eh? Because sometimes it feels like you have to remove a limb or something substantial that you really want to keep.
Nevertheless, I always love to read these deleted scenes when other authors are brave enough to publish them. I always think that they add a bit more context to the story, even if they don’t quite fit the storyline. So, I asked myself: maybe I’m not the only one who likes to read these scenes?
If so, you might want to check out the Premium versions I have (and will) published on my Payhip site. F.ex for Mating the Omega, I have included four deleted scenes. “Turning the Omega” will have six deleted scenes, while “Taming the Omega” will likely have the same (depending on how many I want to include).
And the best thing about looking through old files? I just found eight unfinished drafts in the Mooncrest pack series that I can’t remember having written. Wow!
Just ignore the image. It only shows what I should be doing, but instead I’m ignoring all the dust and focusing on writing this blog post instead, lol. Maybe that’s the solution to having a better life: do what you want to do and try to ignore some of the tasks that keep filling your lists.
Actually, just yesterday, we reached an important deadline (in my day job). So after three months of hard work, we could finally go home without worrying about any more questions and tasks ruining our weekends. So, today I’m just enjoying my newfound freedom and trying to remember what I was working on in my other job, lol. So far, my brain is quite empty.
Maybe it’s better to just enjoy the emptiness before I locate my task list, lol.
And maybe you should do the same: Take some time off and just relax, eh? Maybe read a book?
If so, you should check out the list of Taboo authors that tangledintaboo has created. I just can’t work out why she included me among all those brilliant authors. Anyway, now you know what I will do so that I don’t have to tackle the dust or whatever I should be doing, lol.
I officially hate winter. Seriously, I do. Yes, yes, I’m Norwegian, so I should just love skiing and being outdoors and all that.
But, no. Snow looks much better from inside the house. Particularly when we get cold winds from Siberia and only a few centimetres of the white shiny stuff. It’s not enough to go skiing, but it’s plenty enough to make you slide off the road when you drive. That is, if you can manage to wipe off the ice from the windows so you can go driving at all.
And the cold? Yikes. I agree with the birds. It’s better to migrate south during winter.
Anyway, things are looking up. Next week we’ll have 5 degrees and rain. Now that’s more like it. Maybe I’ll even finish that Christmas story I’ve started. I just have to find that Christmas spirit again….. I wonder where I put it last year….lol…
Omg! I’m just so relieved. I just managed to finish the yearly NaNoWroMo challenge. The goal was 50 000 words during November, and just now, I discovered that I had written 51 000 words. Gosh. After what happened in July, I was worried that I wouldn’t make it. But it just proves that it works a lot better when I write a lot of words at the beginning – instead of panicking at the end.
Anyway, I’m fully aware that this is just a little of the work I must do to finish a story. Tomorrow I will begin cleaning up the mess and trying to figure out what I meant to say in my first draft (I write so fast that I tend to ignore spelling, lol).
After a weekend of listening to SelfPubCon I realised that I have to spend a lot more time on my favourite task: Writing.
So, what could be more convenient than taking part in the NaNoWriMo challenge. The goal is to write 50k words during the month of November. That should be about 1667 words every day, which is… a lot, yikes. I’ve heard that professional authors usually write 1000 words on a regular working day – and they don’t have a full-time job on top of their writing.
Anyway, I did complete last year. I was probably the one person who was most surprised about that result, lol. But when I tried to do the same in July, the entire project crash-landed when I became too distracted by Amazon and stopped writing. So, yes, I know it can be done, but I also know how easy it is to fall behind and not finish at all.
This weekend I decided to skip writing/editing and focus only on the yearly SelfPubCon conference. Last year, I learned a lot and I knew it would be worth my time. Or maybe not. This year the topic was “Mindset” and to be honest it was a bit too much New Age for me. Coming from a science background I prefer to only get practical information which I can put into my task list.
Well, then again, there were some major highlights too. F.ex:
How to stop procrastinating
How to sell from your personal site
How to include humour in your store (I kind of forgot that this was really fun to do)
So, all in all that mindset thing might be more long-term ‘Food for thought’ kind of thing. On the short term, I now know that I have to:
spend more time writing
read more books
And I just love the idea of both tasks. I guess it was worth spending 12 hours listening to webinars.
Order: “write 2000 word novel similar to Ada Stuart”
And the result was eerily similar to my writing (except that it’s a lot better at choosing adjectives – I hate it already, lol). Here is the result it gave me:
Certainly! Here’s a 2000-word novel similar to “Ada Stuart”:
Title: “Evelyn’s Enigma”
Chapter 1: The Mysterious Arrival
Evelyn gazed out of her bedroom window, her emerald eyes reflecting the stormy sky outside. Raindrops tapped against the glass, creating a soothing rhythm that echoed her melancholic mood. She was a woman of secrets, but none more profound than the one she held in her heart.
It had been three years since her husband, Richard, had disappeared without a trace. Some whispered that he had run away with another woman, while others believed he had met with foul play. The truth remained a mystery, and Evelyn had resigned herself to a life of solitude in their sprawling Victorian mansion.
One evening, as Evelyn sat in the dimly lit library, her attention was drawn to a peculiar sound emanating from the hallway. Footsteps, soft but deliberate, echoed through the grand old house. Her heart quickened, and she clutched the armrest of her chair.
The door to the library creaked open, revealing a silhouette cloaked in darkness. Evelyn’s breath caught in her throat as the figure stepped into the feeble light cast by a flickering candle.
“Richard?” she whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and hope.
The man before her was a mere shadow of the husband she remembered. His once-handsome face was gaunt, his clothes tattered, and his eyes bore a haunted look that sent shivers down her spine.
“Evelyn,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I’ve come back.”
Chapter 2: Secrets Unveiled
Evelyn rushed forward, her emotions in turmoil. She embraced her long-lost husband, tears streaming down her face. “Oh, Richard, where have you been? What happened to you?”
He pulled away gently, his eyes avoiding hers. “I cannot explain everything now, my love. There are secrets, dangers… things I wish I could protect you from.”
Evelyn’s curiosity burned brighter than ever. “Tell me, Richard. I’ve waited so long. I need to know.”
Richard sighed and nodded. He led her to a pair of armchairs by the fireplace, and they sat down, their hands entwined. He began to recount his extraordinary tale.
It had started on a rainy night, much like this one, when he had stumbled upon an ancient book in the library. The book, bound in leather that had grown brittle with age, contained a cryptic incantation that promised untold powers to those who dared to utter it. Driven by a thirst for knowledge and power, Richard had foolishly recited the incantation, unaware of the consequences.
The room had plunged into darkness, and Richard had felt his body being pulled into an otherworldly vortex. He had traversed through a realm of dreams and nightmares, encountering bizarre creatures and witnessing strange phenomena. Time had lost all meaning, and he had found himself in a place beyond human comprehension.
It was there that he had encountered a mysterious figure known as the Keeper of Secrets, a being of immense power and wisdom. The Keeper had revealed to Richard the existence of a hidden dimension, a world of magic and mystery that coexisted alongside their own. Richard had been granted knowledge and abilities beyond his wildest dreams, but there was a price to pay.
The Keeper had tasked him with a mission, a quest to uncover the long-buried secrets of the hidden dimension and protect it from those who sought to exploit its power for nefarious purposes. Richard had spent years traveling through this enigmatic realm, learning its secrets and facing unimaginable challenges.
“But why did you disappear without a word?” Evelyn asked, her eyes filled with longing.
Richard’s gaze turned sorrowful. “I couldn’t tell you the truth, Evelyn. The Keeper bound me to silence, fearing that the knowledge of this world would put you in danger. I longed to return to you, but I couldn’t risk your safety.”
Chapter 3: The Enigmatic World
As Richard continued his tale, Evelyn’s curiosity only grew. She yearned to know more about this hidden dimension and the secrets it held. Richard described landscapes of breathtaking beauty, cities of shimmering crystal, and forests inhabited by mystical creatures. He spoke of his encounters with beings of light and darkness, each holding a piece of the puzzle that was the hidden dimension.
Evelyn felt a newfound sense of purpose. She was determined to stand by Richard’s side and uncover the mysteries that had consumed him for years. Together, they would face the challenges that awaited them, even if it meant venturing into the unknown.
Chapter 4: The Quest Begins
The following weeks were a whirlwind of preparation. Richard and Evelyn gathered artifacts and books from their extensive library, each containing clues and information about the hidden dimension. They consulted with scholars and mystics, seeking guidance on their quest.
Their journey began in earnest when they discovered a portal to the hidden dimension deep within the bowels of their mansion. It was an ornate mirror, hidden behind a tapestry, that served as a gateway to the enigmatic world. As they stepped through the portal, their surroundings shifted, and they found themselves standing in a realm bathed in a soft, otherworldly glow.
Their adventures in the hidden dimension were both thrilling and perilous. They encountered creatures of myth and legend, solved ancient riddles, and uncovered long-lost relics of power. With each discovery, they drew closer to understanding the true nature of this mysterious realm.
Chapter 5: The Keeper’s Revelation
One fateful day, after years of tireless searching, Richard and Evelyn stood before the Keeper of Secrets once more. The Keeper’s eyes, ancient and wise, regarded them with a mixture of sadness and anticipation.
“It is time,” the Keeper intoned, “for the final revelation.”
With a wave of his hand, the Keeper conjured an ethereal image that revealed the hidden dimension’s true purpose. It was a place of balance, a realm that held the equilibrium between light and darkness, creation and destruction. The Keeper explained that this equilibrium was essential for the stability of their world and that dark forces sought to disrupt it for their own gain.
Richard and Evelyn realized that their quest was not just about knowledge and power; it was about safeguarding the very fabric of reality itself. They were chosen to be the guardians of this enigmatic world, tasked with maintaining the delicate balance that kept their world from descending into chaos.
Chapter 6: The Return
With their newfound knowledge and a deeper understanding of their purpose, Richard and Evelyn returned to their own world through the mirror portal. They had been changed by their experiences in the hidden dimension, and they were determined to fulfill their role as protectors of the balance.
Evelyn’s heart swelled with pride as she watched her husband embrace his destiny. Together, they faced the challenges that awaited them, knowing that their love and determination would guide them through the mysteries that lay ahead.
As they stood before their mansion, raindrops fell from the darkened sky, a reminder of the night Richard had first returned. But this time, there was hope in the air, a hope that their love and courage would light the way through the enigma of their intertwined destinies.
The End
In “Evelyn’s Enigma,” we explored a tale of love, mystery, and the discovery of hidden worlds. Like Ada Stuart’s novels,
I’m just…what? How does the machine know exactly how much dialogue I like to use? And how I prefer double spaces between the sections? The only bad thing about the result is that it’s boring, but apart from that I’m just completely overwhelmed. And I’m feeling stalked.
Still, I hate boring stories so I guess this means I still have to write my own stories, lol.
Alright. Some of you might have heard that Amazon allowed me back inside – only to change their mind two weeks later. Confused? That makes two of us. Anyway, I’ve tried to reason with them, but they are not budging at all this time. So, if you are looking for my titles, you won’t find them there any longer. Still, after they banished my best selling title, “Mating the Omega”, I was fed up arguing with them. I even sleep better not that I don’t have to fear getting an email from them, lol.
So, what now? Many people have asked me this question lately, and the answer is: I’m still writing, and I will keep on publishing to all the other sites that accept my titles. Those sites are:
Ada Stuart 