This is the first time I have done a photo prompt challenge but I really enjoyed it. It got me posting everyday and gave me a range of ways to share my writing and passion through photos.
Here are the highlights:
Top three photos from the challenge
This pictures are the ones that recieved the highest engagement on Instagram.
I have never had a photo do so well. I thing it was boosted by the increased engagement due to the daily activity but I got over 300 likes in less than 24 hours. This is ten times more than what I would get on a popular photo.
I think my new writer following was able to relate to this photo as I regramed a photo from @gracethewriter8 that really resonated with my dream. It is that hope that one day I will make it that keeps me going.
I decided to focus on just Jace as he is the love interest in both the projects I am working on. It is a love triangle and I decided to write it from both girls sides as seperate stories.
I went for the villian that is the catalyst for the story. Even though she doesn’t feature in Jewel of the sea, her actions is what send the crows to go soul snatching on their doorstep.
The year is coming to an end and as I look back I am really pleased with what I have achieved.
What I used from 2017
I ended 2017 by reflecting on what I had learnt in my first year of blogging.
When I look back at my Reflecting on 2017 post, I still use a lot of the tools and tricks I learnt in my first year of blogging.
Things I no longer do is embed Instagram pictures within my blog posts as they no longer seem to work. I also stopped using LoCal.
I am disappionted that I didn’t put what I learnt about creative writing into practice. Writing blog posts feels easier than writing a novel as I can dip in and out more easily, whereas when I write a novel I like to get into the chapter and write a chunk – nowadays, I struggle to find the time for that.
Progress towards 2018 Goals
I have acheieved 82% of the goals I set at the start of 2018. I’ve also achieved goals that I hadn’t anticipated such as article writing for an online magazine. I particpated in NaPoWriMo (poetry writing) which is outside my confort zone and really stretched and challenged me. I also hit my NaNoWriMo word count goal.
Personal life
I’ve also felt positive about my personal achievements this year. I completed my CIPD HR Diploma which is a professional qualification. I gave birth to my beautiful daughter Aria Rose.
I’ve also been making the most of my materntiy leave by being actively involved in activities at my son’s school such as parent phonic classes and parent maths classes (so I can better support him with his homework). I have also been making it to the Stay & Play sessions. I am out attending groups with my baby and making new mum friends for her and we are currently doing baby massage classes together.
I have really enjoyed including some blogs posts about my personal life and will continue to do so next year.
What is in store for 2019?
Well more personal posts for sure but I need to set some goals to get my focus back on my fiction writing as getting published is my lifelong ambition. Check back early January to see the goals I set to keep progressing.
This is a really quick post as I can’t believe my blog now has over 200+ followers! Wow!
Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without all you amazing people who click ‘follow’. It means so much to me. That’s why I follow back most people who follow me.
When I first started blogging, I was scared to click post. I had this fear people would judge my writing and laugh at my amature content. I was intimidated by the thought of coming up with subjects to write and thought I would run out of ideas or be boring.
At the time, I had no idea how much I would enjoy blogging. I have suprised myself with how I always have a generous stream of ideas for blog posts. The most challenging this has been finding the time to write and take pictures for posts. I’ve learnt to schedule my posts to space them out and this also keeps me organised.
This year is the first year I have been consistent throughout. I used to post immediatley and I’d end up with a batch together. Learning to schedule is one of the most useful tools I have discovered.
Blogging has been a big commitment and I once my daughter was born I had to reduce my schedule a little. But, I couldn’t stop bloggin now. I love it!
There will defiitley be more blogging next year. I am seriously considering paying for my blog as I use it every week and love interacting with others that share my interests.
To some people 200 might not seem a lot but for me it is. I am really proud of myself and I’m daring to set myself a goal to double my followers by the end of next year. Can you imagine that!
I hope you are loving your blogging journey too.
Please comment and let me know how long you have been blogging and what you blog about. Do you pay for your blog – do you recommend it?
I am super tired and it would be so easy to quit right now. I’m feeling pretty defeated with about 8k to go and only today and tomorrow to achieve my goal of 25k.
But, I am no quitter! If I don’t make it, I’d rather know I tried my absolute hardest and achieved my best than to cop out.
So, I managed to get about 500 words done in the day and then tonight, I added some more, making today’s contribution 1,520 words, taking the grand total to 19,645 words.
I’m not feeling confident that I’ll reach 25k but 20k looks doable and that would still be a great achievement.
Friday, 30th November 2018
11:50pm 5457
Today, has started with a goal of 5,452 words to achieve my NaNo goal of 25k this month. It feels impossible with my daily average not peaking 1k and my best ever not even being half of today’s goal. I shall do my best to have a word marathon today and finish with as many words as I can.
Our boiler has gone, so I’ve cancelled my plans and had to stay in for the enginereer. This has given me the perfect excuse to spend all day in front of my laptop, whenever Aria naps. As a result, I got 700 words written.
Then, when I collected Noah from school, we got home and did his homework together. After, he asked if he could go on his Kindle and I could go on my laptop. Well, I wasn’t going to argue with that and managed to add another 700 words to the total.
Tonight, I bathed both the little ones in the hope they would fall into a deep sleep so I could get on with my writing – it worked! But, when I got downstairs my husband’s best friend was round and chatty. I chatted with him until I plucked up the courage to be anti social and dedicated to my art and sat at my laptop – luckily he is lovely and a great supporter of my writing.
Finally, I get writting and I’m thiniking 4k to go is not going to happen. Twenty minutes in and my husband’s best friend asks what I am writing and I quickly explain NaNoWriMo and when I check my word count, I have only 3k to go! If I can keep that up, maybe I can do it.
I find myself word count watching and the closer I get, the more i am checking. The more I am checking, the more pressure I am feeling. The more pressure I feel, the harder it is to write. Then, Dabble Writer bursts into fireworks to celebrate me reaching 25k. I did it! I can’t quite believe it but I have.
Today, I have written 5,457 words (my highest daily word count ever) making my grand total 25,005 words. I have now achieved the 25k NaNo Badge!
Reflecting on NaNo
I am so proud of myself for my achievement. I know I didn’t do the full 50k but I did achieve my goal of 25k and got a new NaNo Badge. Plus, I now have a new daily word count best that is going to be a hard one to beat.
My husband’s best friend was cheering me on which was a great help. Afterwards he asked, “What goal will you set next?” I’m not ready to answer that yet as I’m exhausted and relieved it is over. But, I am going to set some soon, as it does help.
My motto for this NaNoWriMo is “You’ve got to be in it to win it!” If I hadn’t tried, I would never have made it. There were plenty of occasions I felt like giving up and wondered why I was even bothering when my chances looked so bleak. But, I proved myself wrong and it feels great!
I thought Aria would never go to sleep but, finally, she did. I am super keen to make sure that week 3 goes better than week 2. To stay on track for 25k I needed to write 955 words… I managed to write 973 word! *phew*
I did get a little distracted today looking up a name for my word cutter/huntsman character. Then, I didn’t even use it!
Friday, 16th November 2018
11:00 pm
Tonight, I have been blogging and researching content for my blog.
This week I have also been meeting with companies to discuss at home business opportunities as I am looking into ways to bring in a little income without compromising my commitment to my children. I’ve got some serious thinking to do and it has been quite distracting.
Saturday, 17th November 2018
11:00 pm
I didn’t feel motivated to write this evening as I feel stuck in my story and I’m still beating myself up about how poorly I did last week and that I didn’t write last night.
I’m so glad that I put my butt in the seat because I managed to write 1,352 words tonight and once I got into the chapter, I really enjoyed writing it. I wrote in third person tonight which isn’t my usual style (I’m a die hard first person POV write) but I was writing from another characters perspective and I think using a different style helped me get past the point I am stuck.
I’ve no idea where the story will take me tomorrow. I didn’t have much time to plan an outline for this one and I have no idea where the story is going just an idea of what I want it to achieve. The vagueness is now causing me problems. I used to be a pantser but with my limited writing time available, these days I really do need a plan.
My 25k goal is still doable but there is no chance I will achieve 50k. I’m glad I set a more realistic goal for myself.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqTBFrQFY1d/
Sunday, 18th November 2018
10:30 pm
Do you ever feel like everything is working against you? I thought today might be tricky to write as it was also my son’s joint birthday party.
Unfortunately, my son woke up and was sick. As it was a joint party it still went ahead but without him. I ran around town making sure that my contribution (money, food, etc) was still made available to the other mums. The whole point of a joint party was to share the costs.
Once I got both little ones to bed I went to my PC, only to find that my cat had made herself comfortable on my chair. She had that look on her face that told me she would not be moving. After, coaxing her off the chair I logged onto the PC. By then, my husband and his friend were watching a new TV series on Netflix – it looked pretty good and kept distracting me.
However, I am pleased to say I did manage to write, even if it was only 607 words.
Monday, 19th November 2018
9:00 pm
Noah had to be kept off school due to the 48h rule to prevent him passing on his tummy bug, however, he has been absolutely fine all day which meant he wanted entertaining. There was no opportunity to sneak in a few extra words for my manuscript. I made him do homework every time he said “I’m hungry,” before giving him a snack. Which if you know any 4 year olds, that is a lot of homework.
Now, both the little ones are in bed it it my time. But, I am struggling to focus on my project when I can feel Christmas fast approaching and all the Black Friday sales have started early! I’m always looking for ways to save money so I’m finding it hard to resist temptation to shop.
10:30 pm
I managed to write 1,022 words before being called away mid sentence by a hungry baby. I just felt like I was getting back into it too. It is too late to go back downstairs and I’m tired, so, sweet dreams all. Tomorrow, I’m going to try and double my daily word count.
Tuesday, 20th November 2018
10:10 pm
Noah was well enough to go to school today. Today was Stay and Play at school so I was there for the afternoon.
Tonight, neither of the little ones wanted to go to sleep. The oldest one kept claiming to need the loo and needs reminding about hand washing. And, the little one seemed to know when I left the room, despite my expert ginger ninga skills and would start crying.
So, despite challenging conditions, I have managed to write 927 words. To get back on track, I currently need to be doing 1,029 words per day. I am behind target but I’m no quitter!
Wednesday, 21st November 2018
3:15pm
I’m so pleased that this afternoon I got to write. Noah is at school and Aria is asleep. But, now it’s time to go and pick him up so I’m going to end there with my 359 words and hope I get a chance to add some more this evening.
10:15pm
I’m glad I got to write earlier as Aria has been difficult to settle tonight. She is teething and experiencing her first cold, bless her, so really struggled to fall asleep – it could be a long night.
I am not going to write tonight, however, I did chat with a friend about my project which helped generate some fresh ideas to work on. I also drew a picture earlier today of one of the villains in the story.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqdVerMFNvK/
Reflecting on week 3
Obviously, I hadn’t anticipated a sick boy or a restless baby but despite these challenges, I feel week 3 has gone better than week 2. But, I still want to do better!
Not writing an outline for my novel or doing any preparation is really taking its toll now. I’m struggling to know what direction to take the story in and every time a new character is introduced I have to come up with a name and think about what makes them who they are.
Plus, ‘Black Friday’ sales are cropping up everywhere and reminding me that it is Christmas next month and although we don’t go overboard… I haven’t done anything.
My motto for this week’s NaNoWriMo is “If you take time to plan, you save time in the long run.” Are you doing NaNoWriMo? How are you getting on?
If you follow my blog then you know that on Mondays, I like to share posts by other bloggers that I have enjoyed. Today, I am sharing with you an article by Stacey Jane McIntosh.
Tips for Surviving NaNoWriMo
Stacey is attempting NaNoWriMo and attempting the the full 50k words. This isn’t her first time and in her article she shares what she has learnt to help other writers. If you are doing NaNo, this is worth a read!
Stacey writes paranormal romances and Celtic fairy tales – she sounds like my type of girl and I should probably go check out her books. She blogs about what she is reading and writing so if that appeals to you, then give her a follow.
Would you like to be featured?
I am always looking for new bloggers to feature on my blog. If you are interested, please comment to help me find you blog. I often share articles on writing, blogging, parenting or organic beauty.
This morning, I went to the sling library, then did the school run, I managed to bath both kids, get them to bed and now I am downstairs ready to write.
10:12 pm
I managed to beat my daily word count and add another 1,116 words to my manuscript. However, I have been seriously distracted by inspirational pictures of Pegasuses and my husband is watching Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (a show I recently watched and loved). I have done a lot of procrastinating tonight so I am amazed I managed to write anything!
https://youtu.be/ybKUX6thF8Q
Friday, 9th November 2018
9:15 pm
I must confess that today I have failed to add to my manuscript. In the background I have been blogging so not it has not been completely free of writing. Now, I am ready for an early night.
Saturday, 10th November 2018
10:00 pm
Today was all about preparing for Christmas. We went to a fair but it was so busy we gave it a miss as you could hardly move and cost £3 per person for the privilege. So we went into town instead.
Then in the evening, I created my Xmas wish list on Pinterest… but, still no writing. I hope I’ve not lost my mojo.
Sunday, 11th November 2018
9:00 pm
Today we worked on getting the house straight then went for some drinks at our local Royal British Legion for Remembrance Sunday. I got to have my first Malibu in over a year.
Once home, we ate dinner, got the kids to bed and now I can barely keep my eyes open. I’m gutted as this is day three that I’ve not written. But, I won’t give up! Sweet dreams all, tomorrow is a new day…
Monday, 12th November 2018
9:00 pm
Tonight, I can’t relax to write. Noah has come home from school with a cold and isn’t himself. To make matters worse, Aria is so unsettled. I’m running between rooms and I don’t think I’m going to sleep, let alone write!
Tuesday, 13th November 2018
9:00 am
No surprise here, Noah is off school today. He really is full of cold. I think Aria is teething, she’s dribbling, chewing her hand, off her food, doesn’t like her dummy and unsettled. This is going to be a long day.
3:00 pm
I finally got dressed. Noah is now with my mother in law as we need to take Aria to the hospital for her appointment.
8:00 pm
Aria was tired but didn’t want to sleep. Every time I put her down she would start screaming. This time she has stayed quiet so I’m hoping she’ll keep asleep as I am starving and want my dinner.
Not sure I’ll get to write today and in really disappointed. This weeks word count is dire and I’m worried I am too far behind now despite my strong start.
10:30 pm
I got to eat my dinner and I had pudding! Then we wrapped Noah’s bday presents ready for him to come down to in the morning… But, I didn’t add to my NaNo word count. With only one day left this week, it is not looking good.
Wednesday, 14th November 2018
9:45 pm
Noah was off school again today and it was his birthday. Although he was unwell, he was also really happy and full of excitement which didn’t work well with Aria being grumpy. I’m pretty sure she is teething as she is chewing her fists and is really sensitive about her bottle or dummy going in her mouth. It is has been a tough day trying to keep an excited birthday boy – now 5 years old – calm when I have got a tired baby to sleep.
I was exhausted when my husband got home and after dinner, he asked if there was anything he could do to help and all I wanted was a shower. It is funny how something so simple can give you a new lease of life. After putting the little ones to bed, I felt ready to write.
Dabble says I need to write 947 words today to keep on track for my 25k goal. I have managed to write 822 words which I think is pretty good considering the day I had.
Reflecting on week 2
Week 2 has not been great. I am embarrassed by my progress but I am tenacious so I will not give up. I can still make 25k by the end of the month. I hope next week is more promising.
My motto for this week’s NaNoWriMo is “Make excuses or make progress.” Are you doing NaNoWriMo? How are you getting on?
The little one had me up bright and early but thankfully has breast fed. I probably should have tried making a start on NaNo even if it was just writing on my phone, instead I played Dragon Mania. There is still plenty more time today after the school run and house work… We’ll see…
10:22pm
Day one and I typed 939 words (daily goal is 834 words). I didn’t get to work on my manuscript until the kids were in bed. Plus, the hubby was out tonight so it was first time since Aria was born that I’ve I done it without help.
As I never found time to prepare, I also crammed in some character development and outlined the first three chapters. I wish I had a full novel outline but something is better than nothing.
I’m pretty impressed with myself. Today has been a good day.
Friday, 2nd November 2018
11:00pm
My husband was put this evening so I bathed and got the little ones ready for bed before I could make a start on my writing at 9:30pm. I’m pleased with the progress I made as I beat my daily goal of 830, with 1,326 words.
I am really enjoying writing it and could keep going if I didn’t have responsibilities. I need my sleep so I can keep up with the little ones tomorrow so that’s me done for today but I’m looking forward to writing more tomorrow.
Saturday, 3rd November 2018
10:00pm
Today has been a busy day. We visited family in the morning. Then, in the afternoon I got Aria to sleep and was able to support Noah with his homework (researching India and the Festival of Light). Then we visited more family and returned home late.
Aria has only just gone to sleep and I can barely keep my eyes open. I’m frustrated I did not get to write today but we did a lot of family stuff today which is good for the soul.
Sunday, 4th November 2018
10:00pm
Today has been a great day. Not only did I get some time to write this afternoon but I also got to write more this evening. I managed to add 2,276 words to my manuscript.
Not only that, but we also watched the fireworks together as a family. It’s been a great day!
Monday, 5th November 2018
11:57am
I’ve had a busy morning with Aria. We went to a group and I got her weighed. She is now nodding off so I can get some lunch. I’m hoping to beat my word count from yesterday so if I get a chance to write before the school run, I will.
9:00pm
Famous last words… After, I typed the above, Aria woke up and went on a mad feeding frenzy where she kept emptying her bottles and crying for more. How could I say no when I’ve been desperate for her to get an appetite.
Now, she has finally fallen asleep, I can barely keep my eyes open. It’s an early night for me – sorry NaNo.
Tuesday, 6th November 2018
10:08pm
Today, has been nonstop but since my husband returned from work I have managed to have a bath and add 1,141 words to my project.
Wednesday, 7th November 2018 (My birthday)
1:00pm
It’s my birthday, although I’m not really celebrating it. This morning, I managed to hit my daily word count before lunch.
9:40pm
After my husband cooking me one of my favourite meals, eating cake and opening presents, we got the kids to bed and now I am back to writing and what a great way to end week one with 2,003 words.
Reflecting on week 1
7 days in and I’ve already written a total of 7,790 words. I am really pleased with the start I have made towards my target of 25,000. If I continue like this, I can easily achieve my goal.
In fact, I am only 3,876 words behind in achieving the NaNo goal of 50,000 words. To achieve that I need to write 1,759 words per day which I’ve proven I can do…
If you like this post, then you might like this one about the project I am working on for NaNoWriMo November 2018 or my NaNoWriMo diary post for Week Two.
It stands for National Novel Writing Month. The event started with a November challenge to write 50k words in 30 days.
Now, the event runs on other months of the year and you can set different word count goals.
How to get started
Firstly, you will need to create an account on NaNoWriMo. Here you can record your progress and if you complete the challenge you get a certificate. There are also other benefits (keep reading to find out more).
One benefit are the free participant images that you can use to show you are taking part on social media.
Story idea
It’s best to have an idea of what story you will be working on before you start. Coming up with ideas is never a problem for me. Staying focussed on one is where I struggle – I’m confident NaNo will help fix that.
I asked Instagram and Twitter which project they thought I should work on as I was couldn’t decide.
Set it in stone
Update your NaNo account with details about the project you have chosen.
Write a blurb (the text on the back of a book) and, if you have already started the project, include a sample (I.e. first chapter). You can update this at any point during/after the challenge.
I like to use Canva to quickly make a simple book cover image. It’s also great for making social media pictures.
Outline
NaNo can be intense and it can really help if you know where your story is going. An outline is a brief overall plot for your story and helps you stay on track. It can also be useful at the end for writing your synopsis.
I shall be using the snowflake tool in Wavemaker to do this.
Character Development
It can help to know who your main characters are and their names. Especially, if like me, naming your characters takes time.
Wherever your story is set there will be an element of world building. You need to consider where they live, the type of homes and people, jobs, education and how it is run.
If you are creating a new world then this will need more thought as you will need to consider everything from species to habitats and vegetation.
My story is set in a post-apocalyptic environment and therefore needs a lot of world building as the nature of our current state has changed drastically.
The setting of your story can be as vivid and diverse as any character. Places have history and can change a lot over time.
Software
By signing up on NaNo you will gain access to some great deals just for writers and some of these are for writing software.
This year, I have chosen to use Dabble Writer again as I love how easy it is to use and it keeps track of my word count so updating NaNo is a breeze.
Click here for my review of this product. I’ll review it again at the end of NaNo as I understand it’s even better now. It is free to trial during November for NaNo!
Writing Buddies/Camp NaNo
Sometimes they run a There are online camps for NaNo participants. It will group you with people that have similar goals or projects. Then you keep each other motivated as the challenge isn’t easy. I loved this during the July challenge but sadly it looks as if camp is running for November.
If you get a group that’s not very active, share how you are doing on social media. Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely business. Connect. Other writers are out there and want to see you succeed. You can do it.
Write
The charm of NaNo is that it gets you in the habit of writing. Try to write every day. Every bit you do is progress.
If you don’t hit your goal, keep writing. If you only achieve 20k, that’s still 20k more than when you started. Don’t quit. Writers don’t quit.
November is notoriously a busy month for me and if it wasn’t for NaNo I’d likely not get any writing done. I never shy away from the challenge and one year I will achieve… maybe, this year.
Good luck
Let me know if you are taking the challenge and wish to be NaNo buddies.
Links to articles regarding my previous attempt are:
Usually, I feature articles on Monday but for Halloween, I would like to feature spooky stories and poems or anything Halloween themed.
The content can be any genre but ideally not too long (2k max). You could provide a sample to a longer piece (i.e. a novel). I will feature a selection of my favourites between midnight on 30 October 2018 midnight and 31 October 2018 midnight GMT.
To take part, all you need to do is add the hashtag #Spooktober and comment on my post to help me find you.
Ideally, submit earlier to allow me time to see your entry but I’ll keep my eyes open until 30 October 2018.
This is the first time I’ve tried something like this and hope lots of people will take part and find it fun. Please feel free to share this post and spread the word.
I look forward to seeing your inner horror writer.
