NaNo Update

[osprey_archer]

The good news: I've finished Ashlin & Olivia!

The bad news: I'm still 2,000 words short of the NaNoWriMo goal of 50,000 words. Now I suspect that the mature and evolved thing to do is to say, "Who cares about the external deadline? The book is done and that's what matters," but I have gotten TOO CLOSE to defeating NaNo, which has defeated me so many times, to simply take it in stride like that. No. I need to wring two thousand more words out of this dry sponge.

The book is set in Florence during winter break (though not on Christmas itself) and there probably isn't enough Christmas in it, so if nothing else I could probably squeeze in some loving descriptions of Christmas lights. Maybe the hostel has a Christmas tree in it which could become... symbolic of Ashlin and Olivia's relationship... or something. How Christmassy does Florence get, anyway? The photos show me a tree in front of the Duomo and lights strung above the alleyways, but should I be envisioning holly in the gelato shops and a wreath crowning the David?

Probably not that second one. Although Olivia could suggest it, as a joke, like the wreaths on the lions at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Comments

[thisbluespirit]

Although Olivia could suggest it, as a joke, like the wreaths on the lions at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Jokes are also words! Go for it; take NaNo down!!

[osprey_archer]

NANO WILL BE MINE.

I'm sure I can find 2000 words somewhere. They may all get taken out in the editing stage, BUT MAYBE I will have a burst of sudden brilliance that makes the book so much better and then I'll be glad I dragged the words out.

The love confession chapter could probably use some expansion too. That's nearly always true.

[legionseagle]

I've only been to Florence in September/October so I can't help on that specifically, but what about the markets? They'll have Christmas produce in: wild boar hung up by the trotters and dried blood in their snouts; chestnut puree, pan-forte and procini mushrooms? Scents and sights and local colour abounding

[osprey_archer]

I feel very leery of writing a scene that would involve describing a market that I've never been to - especially if it's one that still exists so you just know someone reading it is going to go "the wild boar isn't like that at ALL, what crack was this author smoking?"

[marycatelli]

Yeah! Some merry discussion of Christmas!

[osprey_archer]

They have no discussion of Christmas at all and it is probably the only thing in the whole book they don't discuss to death.

[minutia_r]

Yay for finishing the book!

If you don't want to add 2000 words to the story itself, you could do, like, missing scenes/outtakes, an epilogue (5 years later or whatever), an AU story (either canon divergence, or like, a superheroes au or whatever)?

And then it could be like, a bonus for your supporters on Patreon or your subscribers to your mailing list or whatever.

[kore]

Oh, I like this a lot. (Or people do "interivews" with their characters too, which can be fun.)

[duskpeterson]

I agree. Be a NaNo rebel and write a related story.

[osprey_archer]

I'm pretty sure that's cheating and the Gods of NaNo would swoop down upon me and gaze like disapproving owls. And also I would feel the need to explain that I didn't really win NaNo every time I told anyone "I won NaNo!" I want my bragging rights unencumbered!

I cannot imagine a superhero AU of this story but I could 100% envision Ashlin as a Paladin of Art, dressed in literal shining armor with some kind of complicated something on her shied. Olivia is pretty much a regular knight until she meets her at which point she has no choice but the pledge fealty even though all the other knights in the sisterhood find this totally baffling.

[slashmarks]

Congrats!

I was going to say, epilogue time? If it's a romance, happily ever after together/engagement/wedding/post-wedding/five years latter married with children epilogues are traditional. Or whatever else you envision about their future, really.

[osprey_archer]

Under other circumstances I might say yes but honestly I feel that their relationship is going to have it's ups and downs and five years later it may have reached a trough as they try to work out a long distance thing while they both attempt to establish their careers and Olivia wonders if plighting her troth to an intense semi-reclusive artist was really the best life choice.

[sineala]

Congratulations!

[osprey_archer]

Thank you! Good luck on your not-a-NaNo!

[kore]

CONGRATULATIONS!

LOL when I needed filler for Nano and had totally run out of ideas, I would do the time-honoured thing and sit everyone down for a meal. Typically at a roadside diner. Meals can be surprisingly good settings for surprises or confrontations because people have to be there and they can't leave. Or also good for quiet loving affirmations, furtive footsie under the table, whatever.

should I be envisioning holly in the gelato shops and a wreath crowning the David?

....YES especially if someone flings it up there like a basketball

[osprey_archer]

They already have a meal *single emo tear* and also multiple meetings over gelato, and also waffles with Nutella, and there's a scene where they have mugs of tea that mostly get ignored.

There might be too much eating in this book.

[kore]

Too much tea and Nutella? NEVER

[osprey_archer]

In real life this is true, but in literature? Surely even tea and Nutella can become repetitious.

[kore]

....I am totally willing to volunteerastribute.gif for an entirely scientific and methodical objective experiment regarding this.

[osprey_archer]

I have previously threatened to write a book that is nothing but a litany of picnics and tea parties, so if this ever comes to pass I will keep you in mind. May the odds be ever in your favor!

[kore]

a book that is nothing but a litany of picnics and tea parties

HELL YES

[asakiyume]

Wohoo! Congratulations!

[marycatelli]

Yes, indeed! (I've just hit 40,000 myself.)

[osprey_archer]

SO CLOSE AND YET SO FAR.

[asakiyume]

The right length for the story is more important than the right length for NaNo! --Me, not an expert but talks like one...

[skygiants]

Huzzah and congrats! (There's always 'have I spent enough time lovingly describing people's outfits?')

[osprey_archer]

There definitely needs to be some more outfit description. One of the heroines has a very unique sense of fashion, too. Perfect for a few hundred words here and there.