That’s right, I made it to 50,000 words! Here’s the proof:

My experience was a challenging one to be sure, but I was able to persevere (thanks in part to a 9,000 writing spree while we drove from Colorado to California and the modern convenience of electricity while camping). It was well worth the stress and time spent to be able to achieve an accomplishment like this.

A highlight was having an evening out at Caribou Coffee to write with my writing buddy “A Mom in the ‘Burbs,” which took me back to the days when my husband and I would spend late nights in local coffee shops attempting to study.

Thanks to everyone who wished me well and supported me, especially to my husband and parents who had to deal with me typing at particularly inappropriate times (i.e., when I should have been packing, unpacking or sitting by a campfire).

I’m really looking forward to the editing/rewriting stage as I still feel like the story is incomplete, but I’m thinking I’ll wait until 2009 for that.

Oh, and I only have a working title, which I’m not quite satisfied with, but here’s the tiny synopsis/teaser of the novel I wrote (I really like saying that):

Tara Donovan, 25, moves from L.A. to Denver to start life over as a freelance writer and part-time nanny for her nephews. A feminine, bookish type, she also has a passionate love for baseball, and may end up closer to the Colorado Rockies than even she could imagine.

Karen!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

In other language news, there was a funny translation mishap in Wales, Foreign Language Fun has some Spanish Thanksgiving activities, and Biligual Fun is giving away a CD along with some great tips on teaching your kids Spanish.

NaNoWriMo Update

Well, last weekend I started strongly, very strongly, and then, let’s just say it’s been good that I had such a large cushion because the last few days I’ve slacked a little. I’m still ahead of the game, but I need to press on if I want to stay that way for much longer. I’ve been really enjoying the process though. I experienced one scene where the words just seemed to flow out freely, almost supernaturally, and even just today, a new character and small subplot crept in out of nowhere.

I’m pressing on!

Once I figured it out, I couldn’t imagine how I’d missed it for so long. There were so many clues, so many reasons why writing was the perfect profession for me. Here are a few of the things that clued me into (and keep me pursuing) my passion for writing.

1. Writing gives me an excuse to keep learning. I work as a technical writer, a job where I have to ask a lot of questions and learn a lot of new information so that I can write manuals or documentation, or train others how to complete a task or use a product. I also love to write how-to and informational articles about topics that are new to me. This means I’m always learning something new and learning makes me happy.

2. Writing opens my eyes to the world around me. Because I write, I’m always looking at the world from the perspective of a writer. This means I see the beauty in things that other people might pass by without a second glance. It means I look for the story behind the obvious façades of people and places. I try to see things from other perspectives. Writing helps me see past the obvious.

3. When I write, I feel alive. It’s cliché, yes. But writing excites me. When I turn off the TV and turn on my laptop, I get giddy with anticipation. What will flow out of my imagination today? Whose story can I tell? What experience will I share? Sometimes that blank page is intimidating, but most of the time, it’s exactly what I need to energize and inspire me.

4. My words reach people. One of my favorite things to do is write letters. I don’t do it nearly enough these days, but writing a letter to a friend, someone I haven’t seen in ages, or the editor of the local newspaper is a powerful act. The message can be one of love, sadness, longing or anger, but when I write a letter (or an article, story or essay) I know my words will be taken to heart. I’m careful with my words; I write and rewrite until they say exactly what I mean. And when I let them go, I know that I have expressed myself to the best of my ability.

5. I’m a better writer than I am a speaker. I’ve never been one for speaking in public. Place me in front of even just one person and I often find myself tongue-tied and useless. But give me a piece of paper and a pencil, and I can create the perfect speech for a wedding. I can write out arguments for or against any issue I feel strongly about. I can tell you exactly how I feel about you and why. With writing, I can reorganize my thoughts and restructure my sentences until I’ve gotten them just right. Conversation is so immediate. Once it’s spoken it’s gone, and there’s no adjusting or rewriting.

These are just a few of the reasons why I find myself writing, both for a living and for fun. Why do you write?

Ami writes about her attempts to stay healthy, live a local and green life and write that Great American Novel (or something like it) at Writing: My Life. You can also find her at Write Out Loud, a blog for writers who want to free the stories inside them.

And I wanted to post this for any other participants out there: a fellow Denver NaNo shared this cool Word Count Calendar that will make keeping track of progress easier!

Rather than just using Word, I’m trying out a program called Scrivener. It has a 30-day trial, which would work perfect for NaNo! But I’m sure I’ll end up purchasing it because I really like it so far. There’s a great video tutorial on the site.

So, I woke up early this morning… I actually felt like a little kid trying to sleep on Christmas Eve. And Chiquita slept in until almost 9 am (!!), so I was able to crank out a little over 1,000 words. It felt good, but I’m still feeling a little doubtful that I can do this (prayers accepted!). But I’m going for it!

Remember you can click the blue NaNoWriMo button in my sidebar to go to my Auther Profile on the NaNo website. I hope to update my word count there as much as possible.

Spanish

• Download free Halloween Spanish worksheets & a coloring page at Foreign Language Fun.
• Teaching and Learning Spanish directs to some free Spanish curriculum online.
• Check out these 3 online resources for Spanish Teachers at Voices en Español.

Language Learning

• Also from Foreign Language Fun is a reference to a good reason why learning a foreign language is beneficial.

Writing

• Ami @ Write Out Loud has a fun exercise on mind mapping called “Webbing Words.”
• This is from a while ago, but I love this post by Writer Dad about when his wife bought him his MacBook. It’s a sweet testimony to supporting and following dreams.

And now for a bit about my writing dreams…

In one week I will attempt to make one of my dreams a reality. I will embark on what I described to a friend as a “month-long journey to insanity.” I’ve mentioned before how crazy I feel doing this, but I also feel like I have to do it.

I have a few friends joining me for the ride, and I’m super excited to see what we come up with. I’ve started brainstorming this week and feel like I have at least a little direction. I’m not too worried about that since I read on the website today that NaNoWriMo‘s founder said he’s “still without a plot or characters and feeling pretty good about it.”

I’m going to try to write weekly updates throughout the month on this blog about my progress with WriMo. But hey, no guarantees– I’ll be writing a 50,000 word novel, packing a house, moving halfway across country, chasing a crazy 18-month old, oh yeah, and eating and sleeping, maybe, too.

You’ll notice a little blue NaNoWriMo badge in my sidebar… feel free to click on over to my “Author Page” at WriMo and see how my “writing buddies” and I are progressing there. And it’s not too late to sign up! I’d love more buddies, aka partners in insanity! It’s going to be fun!

This November, I will attempt to write a 50,000-word novel. (!!!)

Yes, I’m serious. I’m going to be joining thousands of other crazy people who will take part in the annual November endeavor, National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo.

I first found out about this a few years ago, when I was still in grad school and it seemed much too daunting for a student. This year, I’m planning to pack the house and move halfway across the country in November. Not to mention the fact that we go camping at the beach every Thanksgiving. Do you think I’m crazy yet?

The truth is, I’ve decided there will never be The Perfect Time to take part, so I just decided to do it. I’ve been reading books on writing and pondering possible plot elements, and basically getting totally psyched up for it. I even have a new friend who’s joining me. I’m nervous, anxious, excited and a little intimidated but I’m going to go for it.

What I love about NaNoWriMo is that it’s about accomplishment. Every writer who reaches the 50,000 mark is a winner. The philosophy behind the movement is Quantity, Not Quality. There’s no editing (that’s for the next 11 months), and it doesn’t matter if your “novel” ends up crappy. You can always rework and rewrite later. Even though there’s an insane 30-day deadline, there’s very little pressure.

And the deadline is the most important part. I’m sure everyone who’s had to write a research paper knows that without that deadline it never would have happened. And those of you who know that I’ve attempted (and never finished) fiction projects in the past will believe me when I say, I need the deadline. I think it will help me finally cross-off that item that’s on many people’s lifelong to-do list: write a novel.

I plan to give weekly updates on Saturdays here at Gidget Loves Language, as I countdown throughout October and then as I progress through November.

So wish me luck! And please, pray for my soon-to-be neglected house & family.