December 5, 2019 Ally Aldridge Goals, Tips, Writing

How was NaNoWriMo 2019

The new NaNoWriMo website

For the November 2019 NaNoWriMo there was a new revamped website. I am going to start with how I got on using it and how it affected my NaNoWriMo experience.

Wrimo Buddies

All the old information had transferred over except connections. I sent invites out to those I remembered and added some new ones I made via other social media sites. If you would like to add me, I am Redfae on NaNoWriMo.

Forums

I still feel the social side of the NaNoWriMo site isn’t really working for me. I can’t figure out the forums but I didn’t have much time to explore them. Maybe they will get easier to navigate as the site develops.

Stats

OMG! I love the Stats. I used to have to create spreadsheets to record where I was with my word count and calculate if I am on or off track and how many words I need to do to keep up but the new website does this for you and can tell you cool facts like when and where you like to write.

I found it really motivating to see my overall progress It helped to visually see when I was falling below the line and knew I needed to step up the pace.

You can choose between a bar of line chart. In the above chart you can see my overall progress. I started off ahead of target but after an unfortunate week and a spell of not writing, I struggled to stay on track and then fell behind target. The rest of my NaNo progress is trying to get back on track. On a positive note, you can see that I didn’t give up and the line does keep going up even if it’s not as steep as I needed.

The last few days I really pushed myself to catch up and managed to write 6k on the final day! That was my best daily word count all month. This bar chart really highlights the days I skipped. Those days were detrimental to me reaching 50k, but sometimes I need to take a break for my own well being and I didn’t want to burnout.

Here are links to my weekly writers diary for you to learn more about how my NaNo weeks went (click on the picture):

Here are the last final two days of my writers diary:

Fri, 29 Nov

I dropped Noah off at school. I then needed to call the doctor about Aria’s shoulder making an odd popping sound (they booked me in for a call back). I had to call Very because they had sent me my order twice and charged me twice – no thank you. Once that was done, I decided to take Aria to a local playgroup as she missed out last week. I kept my phone on so I could hear if it rang.

When I was about to leave the playgroup I saw I had a text from the doctor’s surgery to say they had tried to call but there was no answer and I needed to call if I still wanted to be called. It was odd because there was no missed call on my phone. I rang to get put back on the waiting list. Although Aria isn’t in any pain, I want her to be seen as she is always doing crazy stuff all the time and I worry she may have hurt herself and just not let us know.

Finally, I got a call back and had to accept an appointment when Aria usually naps. I dreaded I was in for a grizzly afternoon but she wasn’t too bad at the doctors. In fact, being sleepy probably helped as she wasn’t tearing up the place. The nurse that saw her wasn’t concerned about Aria’s shoulder and said to keep an eye on it. If Aria appears to be in pain then take her straight back otherwise hopefully it will go on its own (I’m to keep an eye on it for 1 to 2 months).

I then did school pick up and as Noah was trying really hard to be good, I took him to a local sports club that he has been banned from (by us) for four weeks. Noah got so excited at the class that he was bouncing off the walls, crazy, embarrassing, very naughty. Needless to say, the ban is back.

We got home and had dinner. Then I got on the PC and forced myself to write although I was still quite upset about earlier and feeling a little put out that I am so far behind and unlikely to make 50k. I am now aiming for 40k. I did pretty well and ended the night at 39k. I feel motivated that I can meet my new goal tomorrow.

Sat, 30 Nov

My husband let me have a lay in which I used to write an impressive 2k, on my mobile phone, in bed. It made me feel great knowing I have achieved over 40k today when I thought it would be impossible as I have a very busy day planned. One appointment cancelled, giving me a little more breathing space.

My husband took Noah to get his hair cut. Then, I took both children for a Christmas photo shoot. I booked it because I really struggle to get nice pictures of them. They are both full of energy and struggle to stay still.

Sadly, Noah was still in his silly mood. He was photo-bombing Aria’s pictures and running in-front of the light and casting shadows. He was messing around with the props and climbing all over the furniture and trying to touch the very expensive camera. The photographer polite and patient with him but I am not hopeful that we managed to get any pictures – I now have to wait and see. Once out, I asked Noah why he did it. He was ‘excited’ and he wanted more pictures.

Aria was no angel either. She didn’t want to stay on the set or sit still – this is the reason my pictures of her are a blur or she’s half out the shot. I really felt like giving up and then I saw a cute picture of her on my phone that I took on holiday. I posted it to Instagram and it shared to Facebook. One of my friends commented “She’s gorgeous but she would look even prettier without the dummy x”. It broke my heart. I thought it was a cute picture and I was being judged for allowing my baby a soother. People are always judging parents and I was at breaking point. I wanted to send her the study on Sudden Infant Cot Death that showed dummy use reduced cot death by 90%. Yeah she might not look pretty with it, but she’s happy, she’s safe, she’s sleepy and I have a photo of her. But, I didn’t fight back. I was exhausted, feeling like a terrible mother and I just cried.

My husband gave me a prep talk and helped me feel better about myself. They are both going through tricky stages. Noah will learn to control his energy. Aria is just running everywhere and climbing everything because she’s discovered she can and the novelty will wear off – hopefully, soon before she hurts herself.

I got on the PC straight away and decided to write to see how close to 50k I could get. I finished at 45,062 words. It might not be 50k but I a damn proud of myself.

World Indie Warriors Live

Another massive achievement for me was going live on Facebook. I did on the World Indie Warrior Facebook group and hosted a live write in. It was lots of fun and really motivating.

I don’t know about you but Monday are meh. But, getting online and chatting with other writers reminded me that I am not alone. I am part of team. This indie community is so supportive and we cheered each other on. We shared what we were working on and I read out samples of their projects that they share with me (including some very steamy scenes).

If you want to be party of this group, head over to their Facebook group, World Indie Warriors Members to get involved.

Diamond in the Sky

As I completed chapters during NaNoWriMo, I posted them to Wattpad. You can read them here in my novel Diamond in the Sky. I warn you it is a real first draft!

I’m really pleased with the progress I have made and can see me finishing this novel. NaNoWriMo estimates it will be finished by 5 December but it needs to be more than 50k to be done.

I am going to continue writing it whilst Jewel of the Sea is getting edited. That’s right! I paid for an editor for my birthday and I am taking those first steps to publish my debut novel. Wish me luck.

I created this cover in Canva using an image from Unsplash.

If you enjoyed this you may also like:

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 1 (November 2019)

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 2 (November 2019)

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 3 (November 2019)

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 4 (November 2019)

Reflecting on Camp NaNo July 2019

My Books

June 24, 2019 Ally Aldridge Tips, Writing

Point of View — Ally Aldridge

This article is about how to choose the best Point Of View for your story.

View point examples

Here are some examples of the view points you may consider using for writing your story. It helps to understand these when making your decision.

NB: These examples have a Halloween horror theme…

First person: when the whole story is told from their view point. A good way to show their inner emotions and thoughts. Uses “I” and “We”.

My clammy hand shook as I pushed open the door and gagged at the vile stench.

Second person: rarely used in fiction as it can sound like you are giving instruction but good for choice-adventure style stories. Uses “You”.

As you enter the dimly lit room, the sharp smell of rotting corpses makes you gag.

Third person: the story is told as if you are an observer watching what is taking place – very useful for stories with many characters. Uses “He”, “She”, “It” and their name.

There are different types of third person.

Limited Third Person: This will follow a MC but will give the reader the experience of watching what is happening, although it is still possible for the writer to share the MCs thoughts and feelings. Sometimes called “Close Third Person”.

Her sweaty hand opened the door.  As she entered the room, she gagged at the vile stench.

Omniscient Third Person: The reader watches the scene as the writer tells them all the characters thoughts, feelings and background and can even share their own thoughts during the story. Sometimes called “Distant Third Person”.

If she had any sense, the stench should have deterred her from entering the room.

Single Character

If you decide that the story will follow a single character then you will want to choose either:

First person: Choose to write in first person view if it is important for your reader to know your character intimately. You will need to share their inner most thoughts and feelings and they will have no secrets from the reader.

Limited Third Person: Alternatively, you can choose to write in Limited Third Person view. This isn’t as intimate but the reader is watching what the MC is doing and you can share their thoughts and feelings with the author.

Readers enjoy stories with a single main character because they can get to know them and understand their actions and reactions. It is easier for the reader to form an attachment as they will care whether your character succeeds or fails and this keeps them engaged.

Multiple Character

If you choose to tell the story from multiple characters this can enable you to show more of what is happening and is less restrictive.

FirstPerson: If you chose to tell the story in first person, make sure that when you switch between characters it is easy for the reader to follow. For example, you could start a new chapter or section that is headed with the new person’s name i.e. “Gwyn’s Point of View”. In addition, you will need to ensure each character has a strong and unique voice so they are easy to identify.

Limited Third Person: Similar things to consider as in first person, although, it can be easier to establish who is being followed as the writer can give the characters name within the narrative.

Omniscient Third Person: This point of view is often described as being ‘god like’ as the writer knows and shares everything about the characters. The writer can move from character to character within a chapter and is particularly useful when writing action.

Mixed: You could use different view point styles for different characters to make it clear when the voice has changed. The risk of this is that readers get comfortable with a certain POV style and if it is suddenly changed, it can throw them out of the story.

Readers can struggle with attaching to multiple characters as it doesn’t allow them sufficient time to get to know them and care about their conquests. In addition, they may like one voice and not be able to stand the other voice which could ruin the story for them.

Which to choose?

Re-write

If you write a chapter and it’s not working, simply re-write it in another POV or from another characters perspective. The change in voice could solve your problem. Don’t be afraid to try a POV you’ve never tried before.

To see the original article, please click: Point of View — Ally Aldridge

If you enjoyed this, you may enjoy:

November 21, 2018 Ally Aldridge Blogging, Fiction, Goal setting, Goals, Novel, Writing

NaNo Progress Diary (week three)

Thursday, 15th November 2018

10:20 pm

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 like this post, then you may enjoy my week two diary for NaNoWriMo November 2018 or Week Four. If you want to know what I have been working on then check out my NaNoWriMo Project post.

November 14, 2018 Ally Aldridge Goals, Writing

NaNo Progress Diary (week two)

Thursday, 8th November 2018

8:30 pm

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?

If you like this post, then you may enjoy my week one diary for NaNoWriMo November 2018 or Week Three. If you want to know what I have been working on then check out my NaNoWriMo Project post.

March 10, 2018 Ally Aldridge Novel, Writing

4 Methods For Creating Character Names — A Writer’s Path

During November 2017, I was doing NaNoWriMo and I wrote an article with Tips on naming your character. I am always looking for more tips and today I am sharing an article by blog A Writer’s Path on four methods for naming characters.

by Ryan Lanz A common question I hear tossed about is how to create character names. Some writers find this simple, and yet others struggle with naming every single one, particularly concerning the main cast. In this post, we’ll talk about tricks and tips for creating character names, and perhaps we’ll bring some ease […]

via 4 Methods For Creating Character Names — A Writer’s Path

November 30, 2017 Ally Aldridge Tips, Writing

Point of View — Ally Aldridge

This article is about how to choose the best Point Of View for your story.

via Point of View — Ally Aldridge