Ignorant Historian

You read the title correctly. It’s also the reason why this wasn’t posted earlier…I didn’t want to update you again before I was done.

From the beginning of NaNoWriMo–or at least from the point on November 1st when I realized that writing 50,000 words was doable–I hoped to finish before Thanksgiving.  I’m flying out Thursday morning, and I knew it would be a more pleasant time with my family if I didn’t have to worry about word counts.

And I did it.  Egged on in part by the success of others (nothing like a little friendly competition) and the joy of writing this story, I completed it.  At just over 50,000 words, it’s a medium-short length for a Young Adult novel (which it is).

Though I completed the story, it’s far from complete…I have a lot of editing ahead of me!  I’m going to take about a month’s break  from it while I go back to my last work in progress, to try to turn that idea into something that I can work with.  I have several more ideas floating around in my head, and even if none of them ever see the light of day, I hope to enjoy writing them.  I look forward to continuing to wrestle with my writing to make it my best, even if it never is “good enough.”

Clearly, the writing has finally caught up with my blogging, as I didn’t get this update up as early as usual (nor did I blog over the weekend!).

Week 2 of NaNoWriMo was much harder than week 1, which makes sense since week 1 was easy.  Monday and Tuesday were especially hard, but then a new character showed up.

I can’t believe things can pop up on you like that when you’re writing, but they do.  And this character is probably my favorite so far.  I’m glad she came by, because she made writing much easier!

Because of the Readathon for Hunger and babysitting, I went 48 hours this weekend without writing.  By the end of that time, I was really missing my characters and the world I created.

The main thing I’ve missed out on this month has been reading.  Since I did that a lot this weekend, I want to read even more (it’s addictive, too!).  I want to do both, and I think I can, by being diligent.

My NaNoWriMo word count is now at 33,208 words which is still well ahead of where I’m supposed to me.  After some research and some more writing, I have realized that 50,000 is a reasonable word count goal for this first draft (instead of the 75,000 which was my original thought), so I’m going to allow myself to slow down, aiming to write only the 1,667 words suggested.

At this rate, I hope to be done by the day before Thanksgiving.  Since I fly to Kansas to visit family on Thanksgiving and will be there for the rest of the month, this is great timing.  I can do a lot of reading then, or maybe I’ll move on to another novel idea!

I’m SO thankful my SIL convinced me to do NaNoWriMo…I’m loving it!

Today is the 8th day of NaNoWriMo, known as November 8th to most people.  So how am I doing?

Better than I ever expected.

I honestly thought that I’d struggle with reaching the 1,667 words each and every day.  Based on past experience, I expected that to take me about 2 or 2 1/2 hours.  No, more like 1 1/2, which was refreshing.

Plus, except for yesterday (when I didn’t try very hard because I didn’t need to), I exceeded the 1,667 words/day guideline, and a couple of times I even ended up getting into the 4,000+ territory.  Saturday after the sleepover I wrote on and off throughout the day, even going to a write-in at a local library.  It was great to meet other crazies.

So going into today, my word count is 20,750 (or about 83 pages).  I’ve never written that much of anything, and it feels good.  At this rate, I’ll reach the 50,000 word goal the weekend before Thanksgiving, but we’ll see about that.  Since I realized how easy and enjoyable that writing can be, I decided to aim for 75,000 words, as that’s a more realistic length for my novel, and I’d love a completed first draft at the end of the month.

Another surprise this week has been a couple of plot twists that came.  Going into this novel, I knew the introduction and where it will end up, but I didn’t know how my protagonist gets from point A to point B.  I’m really surprised at what happened, and how organic it came.  Plots and characters really can speak for themselves, and I look forward to seeing what else they have to say.

So, the long and short of this update is that I’m now addicted to fiction writing.  Obviously, I’ve loved writing this blog, but though I’ve attempted it before, I never really got into fiction writing.  I still have no idea of pursuing it as a career, but I could see myself doing it, and that’s something totally new to me.

So happy/nervous/excited/anxious that today is November 1st.

Why?

Because this year I’m not doing NaBloPoMo like I have the last 3 years (National Blog Posting Month, where you post on your blog everyday all month).  No, I’m tackling something more difficult…and outside my comfort zone.

I’m participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

The goal?  To write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.

I have no idea if I can do this.  I rarely attempt something that I’m not sure I can do.  The last time I attempted a novel, I only got to 11,000 words, and that was over 6 months.  I’m a blogger, not a novel-writer.  But I want to see if writing a novel something I can do.  If I finish, I’ll successfully complete number 5 on my Things to Do Before I Die.

I have an idea that I’m excited about and I’m running with.  It’s futuristic, but not focused on technology or anything (and not dystopian), so I’m not sure how you would classify it.  I have my sister-in-law by my side as she attempts her own novel this month.

So if I don’t post around here as often this month, you’ll know why.  I’ll try to keep you all posted in how my writing is coming.  I’m excited to see what happens in my novel!

Ready, Set…Write!

If you’re also doing NaNoWriMo, be buddies with me!  I’m “Ronnica” (umm, cuz that’s my name!).

1.  How long does it take you to get ready in the morning for whatever you have to do on a typical day?

It usually takes me a half hour to get ready in the morning. I shower in the evenings now that I’m going to the pool after work, so it’s just the time I need to get dressed, get my hair in some manageable order, put some make up on, and the usual.

2.  If you opened your own retail store, what would be its theme, name, and target clientele?

It’d definitely be a book store, and I’d love to target it to non-readers. Not sure about a name…I’m sure it’d be something cutesy.

3.  What is your favorite biography?

Corrie Ten Boom’s Hiding Place. I should read it again. The passage about how she unraveled her pajamas so she could use the thread to bring color to her jail cell haunts me when I’m ungrateful.

4.  How particular are you when it comes to writing implements?

Very. I really just use one kind of pen: Uniball Vision. LOVE them and in all their colors. They don’t bleed and don’t ever give out until they run out of ink. I have a favorite in mechanical pencils as well (don’t know what they are though), but I haven’t really used them since I gave up my math ed dreams. But since I’m going back to that, God willing, I’ll need them again.

5.  What’s your favorite Bible verse?

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASU)
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

I have tried to keep from writing this post as it’s a common topic in the blogosphere and I have addressed the subject myself.

But I simply can’t keep my mouth shut any longer.  I’ve read one too many blog posts that are cringe-worthy. (And because I know you will ask, it’s none of you all who come by my blog regularly!)

Can I humbly give some blog-writing tips?  We’re all growing, so I have a lot to learn still, too.

Here are some major problems I’ve seen:

1.  Blog posts that read like a middle-school diary. Sure, blogging is informal writing (thankfully!), but it still should have structure and editing.  EDITING.  Re-read what you write (probably multiple times).  I usually re-read a paragraph/sentence after I write it and then re-read the whole post until it seems just right. (Overuse of exclamation points would fall under this category, too.)

2.  Posts that contain overused phrases, especially several of them. These tend to be more natural in spoken language, but are more annoying written.

3.  Posts that are too long. I know that I’m unusually short (both in stature and in blog-post length, but lets focus on that last one, k?).  I’m not saying everyone should be as short as me.  But very few bloggers can pull off long posts (Heather is the only one I can think of right now…and look how she still uses paragraphing and pictures to break up her posts).  When I see them in my Google Reader, I skip them.  Maybe they were interesting, but I’ll never know.  VERY few subjects require posts over 500 words (your plan for solving world hunger, maybe).  If it’s still longer than that after extensive editing, think of a way to make it a two-parter, or maybe even a series.

4.  Posts lacking paragraphing. Follow your newspaper’s example: each paragraph should be 1-3 sentences long.  Forget what your English teacher told you about the 5-sentence paragraph or whatever it was (hey, I just want to be a math teacher).  Internet readers skim, so if you don’t make it easy for them, they’ll skip instead.  Using bolding/bullets allows you to write longer paragraphs, if necessary.

5.  Obvious grammatical and spelling errors. I’m not referring to split infinitives and using “who” instead of “whom.”  I’m talking about its/it’s, they’re/there/their, and spelling errors that spell check should be pointing out to you.  If your browser doesn’t spell check what you write, use the spell check in your blogging software.  And re-read to catch the grammar issues.

For the most part, these are simple things that can improve your writing by a whole letter grade.  All these things distract your reader from what you’re actually trying to say.

Photo by Nic’s events

Since I’ve been doing a little reading lately (like my use of understatement there?), I’ve been thinking about what makes a book good.

A good book, to me, has some/all of these characteristics:

1.  Great vocabulary. I’m a strong believer in the idea that there is only ONE word that is just right.  Sure, the English language has synonyms, but they have various shades of meaning.  An author who labors to get it right is much appreciated.

2.  Well-crafted sentences. Writing is hard–the little I’ve done has confirmed this–but when it’s done well, it shouldn’t be noticed.  It should seem like the book was birthed whole.

3.  Makes me think. Neither confirms my current thinking nor tells me everything I’ve ever thought was stupid.  Challenges me and brings to light ideas I’ve never thought to question.

4.  Continues to make me think long after I’ve closed the cover for the last time. Most books I’ve almost completely forgotten within a month…I know it’s good if I haven’t.

5.  A well-developed protagonist, one that’s true-to-life.  That means they should have more than one flaw (*ahem* Stephenie Meyer), and can be inconsistent.  Hey, we all are!  It’d also be great if other characters were well-developed, but this one is essential.

6.  Just something special. There should be something about the book that sets it out from the other hundred I’ve read this year.  Not an easy task!

7.  Not too much description. I’m growing in this area, but I still struggle when there are pages of description.  I don’t realize how much I skim these descriptions until I’m listening to a book on tape and space out for minutes at a time (Gone with the Wind, I’m talking about you).

8.  Symbolism. I’m sure there is so much I’m missing in the books I read, but I want to see it.  Not overly obvious (that’s worse!), but it should be there if I have my eyes open.

What makes a good book for you?

Photo by Zitona

“If I truly believed the rapture was “imminent,” as Liberty’s official doctrinal statement says, I think I’d do things a lot differently.  I might not buy green bananas, for starters.” - Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose, p. 99

“I know I’m not trustworthy. How likely is it that the world is true if I’m not?” – Liar by Justine Larbalestier, p. 84-85

“I saw I was better at appreciating art than producing it.” - 31 Hours by Masha Hamilton, p. 155

“We’re not stupid, we’re just poor!  And we have a right to want to insist on this distinction.” – Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 275

“But it was crazy of me to expect that I could situate myself among these people twenty-four hours a day, befriend them, and adopt their mannerisms without also internalizing and grappling with their beliefs.” - Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose, p. 96

“We thought we had such problems.  How were we to know we were happy?” - The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, p. 51

“I had this secular/liberal paranoia that when evangelical students were among themselves, they spent their time huddled in dark rooms, organizing anti-abortion protests and plotting theocratic takeover.” - Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose, p. 38

“Making things seem a way they aren’t is making them better.” – Mr. Curtain (the bad guy) in The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart, p. 292

“I would like to be ignorant.  Then I would not know how ignorant I was.” – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, p. 263

“When they write poems or sing songs in the West, they speak for all humanity.  They’re human beings–but we’re just Muslims.  When we write something, it’s just called ethnic poetry.” – Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 279

“The moment of betrayal is the worst, the moment when you know beyond any doubt that you’ve been betrayed: that some other human being has wished you that much evil.  It was like being in an elevator cut loose at the top.  Falling, falling, falling, and not knowing when you will hit.” – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, p. 193

“They’re supposed to stop me lying.  Yet they believe everything I tell them.” Liar by Justine Larbalestier, p. 11

“But one thing has become clear: these Liberty students had no ulterior motive.  They simply can’t contain their love for God.  They’re happy to be believers, and they’re telling the world.” – Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose, p. 64

Melissa, AKA the Scholastic Scribe, gave me 5 words.  In turn, I’m to write about these words and what they mean to me.  Comprendo?  Let’s go! (There’s a bit of audience involvement at the end…don’t be shy!)

Here are my words.  I must say, she did a great job of picking them out…they are words I’m passionate about!

Blogging

To be honest, I don’t really remember why I started blogging.  I wanted to keep up with my friends, I suppose, but that was rather fleeting.  When I started 3 years ago, I had no idea that I’d grow to love it so much.  From the opportunity I have to practice and share my writing to the great comments I receive, there’s so much to love about blogging.

Faith

Now this one’s a biggie, isn’t it?  If you’ve read the Ignorant Historian for any length of time, you know my faith is important to me.  It’s more than an intellectual pursuit or an emotional fulfillment.  It’s really all about the object of my faith, the Lord Jesus Christ.  He’s my Creator, Savior, and Sustainer, and because of that, I owe Him everything.

You probably also know that I don’t like to leave my faith at the church steps when I leave Sunday afternoon.  Though I’m by no means perfect, I strive to apply my faith to every aspect of my life, from my interactions with others to how I spend my free time.

Friends

I don’t talk a whole lot about them on the blog, but I have some great friends.  I’m at a time in my life where I don’t have as many friends as I’ve had before, but the ones that I have are deep ones.  I’m thankful they put up with my quirkiness (really, you don’t see half of it on the blog) and that they’re willing to share life with me.  Without my friends, I’d probably be a hermitress, so I definitely owe them for that.

Words

So, one of my words is “words.”  Quite circular, no?  I really do like words…when I write a blog post I sometimes spend several minutes agonizing over the just right word.  For me, it’s not about picking out the biggest word, it’s about picking the most accurate word.  I try to leave no room for interpretation so that I’m not misunderstood.  Come to think about it, this might also contribute to my disinterest in poetry…so often the words can be taken multiple ways.  I just wish that I could be as careful about my oral speech!

History

Obviously, I like history or I wouldn’t have called this blog the Ignorant Historian (though that itself is taken from the Jane Austen quote, something else I love!).  I was a history major in my undergrad, and several of my favorite courses were history classes, whether at OU or at seminary.

When I was deciding on whether or not to be a history major during my junior year (my other two options I was considering were linguistics and letters–history, philosophy, and languages), I took a class in colonial South American history.  That’s when I fell in love…the professor was a storyteller.

Really, that’s what history is, stories about people.  I don’t get how many people *cough* my current and former roommates *cough* don’t like history.  Perhaps they’ve never had a good history professor, so they’ve come to think of history as a collection of uninteresting facts.  That’s not it at all!

So there are my 5 words.  Now it’s your turn…would you like 5 words?  Just ask in the comments, and I’ll serve you up 5 personalized words for you to ponder and write about!

Photos by DeclanTM, Resclassic2, Muffet, and phault

I’ve been going through my archives recently, trying to clean them up, and realized that I have grown as a writer.  Some of the earlier posts make me cringe…but I think that’s a good thing.  I’ve been writing almost daily for a year and a half, I’d hate not to have made any improvement in that time.

All the same, I’m still working on improving my writing.  Some posts I’m all, “right on!” and others I can’t seem to get all my thoughts in a row.

That said, bloggers, what would you say is your best post?