30 day Nanowrimo challenge | week 3

So there’s this 10 year old Nano challenge that has been in my bookmarks for waaaayyy too long, and every time I participate in Nano I say that I’m going to do it, but never do. So…

The challenge can be found here if you want to participate.

Week 1 can be found here.

Week 2 can be found here.

Day 15 – Do any of your characters have a disability or mental illness? If so, how does that affect their development throughout your story?

Day 16 – At around the half-way point, it bears mentioning that most of us wrimos have other obligations beside simply hitting that elusive word count. What else do you have going on in your life (work, school, children, neurotic pets, etc.), and just how much are you shafting it to win NaNo?

Day 17 – In what time period is your novel set? Is it in this world or another?

Day 18 – Who is the antagonist in your novel? What drives their actions?

Day 19 – Which authors or books have inspired your own writing the most, and why?

Day 20 – If you could meet one fictional character from any book you’ve ever read, who would it be, and why?

Day 21 – With about 10 days left to this arguably traumatic experience, what are your plans and goals for your novel, should you successfully complete it?

Day 15 – Do any of your characters have a disability or mental illness? If so, how does that affect their development throughout your story?

So this counts for my regular writing as well. I have mental health issues, and I absolutely hate it when people use a mental health issue as a plot point. Same with disabilities, to be honest. I grew up in a family that has both.

In any case, most of my characters have a healthy dose of anxiety and social awkwardness, and usually, by the end of the story, it’s still there. But the main difference is is that they have a better coping system and have supportive people around them to help out. And, just like life off of paper, their mental health has ups and downs, but in the end, it makes them stronger.

But it’s NEVER the plot. It’s always a part of someone.

Day 16 – At around the half-way point, it bears mentioning that most of us wrimos have other obligations beside simply hitting that elusive word count. What else do you have going on in your life (work, school, children, neurotic pets, etc.), and just how much are you shafting it to win NaNo?

So, I decided to come back and write shit around Nano. My writing mojo started to come back in like October because I missed two characters of the FiveM roleplay that I’ve been doing for almost two years. I miss them, because the people I play with are in the US and back to college. Or work.

I’m medically retired, so I don’t have responsibilities such as school or work. But I do have responsibilities of doing groceries, laundry, taking care of the cat(s), cooking, etc.

I also still play FiveM, although I’m not sure for how long anymore, at least not for one of my characters. She’s a police officer and I do a lot of extra stuff for the RP that makes sense, but is a lot of work (such as tracking evidence, making cases, etc, etc). Unfortunately, I feel like my time has come to an end there because of the lack of command staff of the police force and I feel like I’m doing far more than I should and doing other people’s jobs that’s above my character’s paygrade so… Yeah, I dunno. (update: she resigned LOL. I just can’t do it anymore.)

I just miss my friends.

FiveM will definitely be a reason as to why I’m running behind on Nano, it has happened a few days now and I hate to be writing catch ups.

I do have some added stress. I need to find a house to live in before February and you can guess what the housing market is like at the moment. I can’t privately rent as the houses are too expensive, I can’t buy a house either, so I’m responding to home lotteries only, even if it takes me to the other end of the country… but looking for a place to live has basically turned into my day job.

Day 17 – In what time period is your novel set? Is it in this world or another?

Since I’m not writing a singular story but rather work on different projects, there’s no definitive answer. But it’s in this world, and Kingdom’s time is currently set around 2010? I think?

Day 18 – Who is the antagonist in your novel? What drives their actions?

I’m writing fanfiction… Everyone who knows me knows that my antagonists are usually always the Cullens when writing a story that involves Twilight. The Cullens want power, and anyway they can get it. Kind of like the Mikaelsons, but with no remorse or mercy.

I really hate disco ball vampires.

Day 19 – Which authors or books have inspired your own writing the most, and why?

I actually read mainly romance novels. The last few books I’ve read were by Annika Martin/Carolyn Crane, who I have been a major fan of for years. I’ve tried writing something similar but here’s the thing; I DON’T ENJOY PLANNING STUFF OUT. I have notebooks for world building and for the characters and all I think when I see them is… screw that, I want to write.

I’m a pantser. Yep.

As for inspiration… I don’t know. I’ve been writing (in English) since I was 15 in one way or another (actually when I was younger I wrote in my native language – yuck) and just let things happen. I rarely read in the same genre as I write.

Day 20 – If you could meet one fictional character from any book you’ve ever read, who would it be, and why?

Hazel from Watership Down. Then offer him and his family a permanent and protected home.

Day 21 – With about 10 days left to this arguably traumatic experience, what are your plans and goals for your novel, should you successfully complete it?

Do what I always do; throw it on the internet for free to read 🙂 (but if you do wish to leave me a tip, you can do so here!)

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As a sidenote… while I started Nano really well… as a distraction for bigger stuff (TM), I had to abandon Nano because…

I’m going to move house soon. My mind is going 1000000 miles a minute and yeah. I have next to no money to buy stuff; still have to pay my dentist bill and my car’s check up, I have to rely on friends to help me move and we’ll see.

But I saw pictures of my new home and I’m just going to say yes to it.

xxx Buggy