Nyx Goldstone

Well, I hate to admit it, but I did fail this year’s National Novel Writing Month challenge. I clocked in at a whopping 2,949 words.

Yeah, I know, pathetic, right?

I realize I’ve been seriously slacking in the update area. I promise, I’m not dead, but it sure as hell feels damn close. The event itself had its ups and downs this year, though happily it was more up than down. Man, some people can be crazy. Anyhow, the challenge is over and I get a bit of a breather from personal challenges AND school work to just focus on school work. I’ll be doing another one in April with Script Frenzy. I’ve even got a bit of a concept for that one already. Hopefully I won’t start doubting myself by the time April comes around.

What else… What else…

I finally figured out what my site is for until I get some published works out there. It’s kinda weird, but I’m still digging the idea after about a month, so I’m going to try and run with it. What is it? Well, I realized that I’m in my twenties (*coughcough*27*coughhack*) and just starting college, more or less (you know, not counting the high school college courses or the couple semesters at Fullerton College…). I’ve got a different view on the way classes are handled then someone fresh out of high school. Not to mention it’s my blog, so it’s a great way to vent about the over-romanticizing that teachers seem to be doing lately. Dude… Really… I swear, an ice cream sandwich is not some symbol for religion…

I will still be commenting on books I’m reading, since I plan on trying to continue the 100 New Books a Year challenge. Yes, I have been counting the books I read in class. Speaking of, this semester in English we read Never Cry Wolf. Now, being a bit of a wolf nut, I’ve owned a copy of this for a while but never read it. I vaguely remember attempting, but it always going over my head or something. This attempt stuck, though, and probably would have been completed much quicker if it wasn’t for that crazy “Gotta read on MY time-line, sister!” thing that teachers get. There’s some great lines in there, and while it may get a bit dry in places (unless you’re weird like me and find scientific jargon and field journals fascinating), Mowat is actually pretty darn funny.

Speaking of being on a teacher’s time-line, I’ve got an outline for a Never Cry Wolf essay to finish by tomorrow night.

If you’re supposed to add pirates if your plot stalls, what do you do if your story is already about pirates? I can’t add zombies! That was done a few years ago by a little movie called PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN!

I’m trying to not freak out, but it’s only about 44 more hours until NaNoWriMo, and I’m still stuck in research! Plus this year I have actual school to worry about. Am I nuts?? You bet! Oh…wait…I wasn’t supposed to actually answer that question, was I?

So, I think there might be a pool going. Will I reach 50,000 words? Will I reach that goal with school in the way? …Which includes an honors class and an online course? Yes? No? Purple!

If all that wasn’t enough, I’m also co-hosting the Friday write-ins for North Orange County. If you’re in the area, drop by! For sure, the first one (11/06) will have a guest speaker!

Claudia Suzanne will be giving a talk on The Elements Of Fiction at our write in, and will stick around afterward to answer any questions and give some advice. She’s also provided us with part of our kick-off package – a handy reference guide with expressions for your characters!

About the Speaker:
Claudia Suzanne is a professional Editor, Ghostwriter and teacher. She’s the only teaching ghost in the country, and she’s ghostwritten over 100 books. Her book, “This Business Of Books” is currently in it’s fourth edition, and is used in colleges across the country and around the world to teach writing, editing, and the book business in general. She’s a member of PEN International, Independant Writers of Southern California, and California Writer’s Club, as well as the founder of Professional Writers of Orange County. She’s worked as a Literary Agent, publisher and professional musician, and has worked with aspiring authors of all walks of life – from PhD’s to CIA agents. She’s considered an expert in the book business, and will be touring the Orange County write-ins this year, promoting her book and her ghostwriting class, a graduate-level course on everything you’d ever need to know to be a ghostwriter or book business expert.