Day 3. 6,038 words and some internet woes.
So, Jill came up to Orillia to visit me and go swimming in the lake. We wanted to have a writing session but it didn't quite work out. Then we also realized that there is no wifi access at the house. Which means I'm stuck reading your blogs on my phone, and commenting is sometimes impossible. :(
Today we came into town to get some lunch and to let me comment on all of your blogs, and to let you know what I'm up to! I haven't written anything yet today, but yesterday managed to get up to 6,038 words.
I think I might try a new strategy this year. Through Camp NaNoWriMo we got a discount code for the software Scrivener, and it looks really interesting. It's meant to help you keep your research and notes and planning and everything, all in one place. I think it might actually be really helpful for me in my academic writing, but it also got me thinking about the way I write the novel. I'm like some of you - pretty bored with the beginnings of the novel, getting characters set up, etc.
So I'm thinking of skipping ahead to the good parts, just leaving really sketchy notes that I can fill in later when it seems more interesting to me. Or, who knows, I might get to 50,000 and still have some sketchy notes in places, and that wouldn't be the end of the world. So in today's writing session (after going back to the house and going for a swim!) I think I'm going to skip ahead to the interesting part - where Seth starts dating Hagrid and Si.
Here's a little excerpt about what I'm up to. Seth and Crystal have temporarily moved into an apartment with Hagrid, because Crystal is now acting in Just the T(wo) of Us, and Si is there because he has to run lines with Crystal.
I decided to busy myself making a cup of tea, while the others chatted, but Si ushered Crystal into the kitchen after me, still speaking in his plummy British accent. He sounded like an aristocrat to me, like the Queen or any of the upper class residents of Downton Abbey.
“Lovely, you brought some tea with you!” Si said, as I unpacked my little stock of decaf English Breakfast and Lady Grey tea onto the counter. “Might I trouble you for a cuppa?”
“Of course,” I said. And then, unable to help myself, “So you really say ‘cuppa’?” I asked. One of my (many) flaws was that I was fascinated by British accents, and was unable to refrain from imitating any English person I happened to meet.
“Cheerio old bean, and all that?” Si said, taking the kettle from my hand and filling it from the tap before setting it on a gas burner.
“I guess so. Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, Seth. I get it all the time.”
Great, I thought to myself. I’m just like all those other assholes who probably swarm around him, constantly telling him how hot he is and how cute his accent is. I wished, desperately, that those things weren’t true, but unfortunately he was incredibly attractive and his accent was adorable.
“So,” Crystal interjected. “We’re shooting tomorrow? That doesn’t give me much time to work with Gordon on the script.”
“Precisely,” twinkled Si. “I don’t believe Gordon wants to give you much time to wreak havoc on his carefully designed masterpiece. But then, I don’t believe he’ll have much choice in the matter, now that I see you in the flesh. He described you as a ‘succubus’ but I’m going to go ahead and assume that was an exaggeration. This isn’t an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” he laughed. Then, he quickly turned serious and gave us the look that the scientist in The Guatemala Project was always giving his assistant when experiments were going wrong. “Or is it?” he hissed, and then laughed merrily. I refrained from wondering why I was thinking words like ‘merrily’ and just laughed along, grateful that his attention had turned towards Crystal.
At that point, Hagrid bustled into the kitchen area and introduced himself. My heart sank as I realized that he was speaking with a strong Cockney accent. While he crooned lovingly to the cat, I hadn’t been able to make it out. Two English accents in the same room was almost too much for me. I hoped 35 was not too late to learn a little self control.
PS I am appalled that I couldn't find any pictures of Hagrid or Zac Efron drinking tea. What is wrong with the internet?
Today we came into town to get some lunch and to let me comment on all of your blogs, and to let you know what I'm up to! I haven't written anything yet today, but yesterday managed to get up to 6,038 words.
I think I might try a new strategy this year. Through Camp NaNoWriMo we got a discount code for the software Scrivener, and it looks really interesting. It's meant to help you keep your research and notes and planning and everything, all in one place. I think it might actually be really helpful for me in my academic writing, but it also got me thinking about the way I write the novel. I'm like some of you - pretty bored with the beginnings of the novel, getting characters set up, etc.
So I'm thinking of skipping ahead to the good parts, just leaving really sketchy notes that I can fill in later when it seems more interesting to me. Or, who knows, I might get to 50,000 and still have some sketchy notes in places, and that wouldn't be the end of the world. So in today's writing session (after going back to the house and going for a swim!) I think I'm going to skip ahead to the interesting part - where Seth starts dating Hagrid and Si.
Here's a little excerpt about what I'm up to. Seth and Crystal have temporarily moved into an apartment with Hagrid, because Crystal is now acting in Just the T(wo) of Us, and Si is there because he has to run lines with Crystal.
I decided to busy myself making a cup of tea, while the others chatted, but Si ushered Crystal into the kitchen after me, still speaking in his plummy British accent. He sounded like an aristocrat to me, like the Queen or any of the upper class residents of Downton Abbey.
“Lovely, you brought some tea with you!” Si said, as I unpacked my little stock of decaf English Breakfast and Lady Grey tea onto the counter. “Might I trouble you for a cuppa?”
“Of course,” I said. And then, unable to help myself, “So you really say ‘cuppa’?” I asked. One of my (many) flaws was that I was fascinated by British accents, and was unable to refrain from imitating any English person I happened to meet.
“Cheerio old bean, and all that?” Si said, taking the kettle from my hand and filling it from the tap before setting it on a gas burner.
“I guess so. Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, Seth. I get it all the time.”
Great, I thought to myself. I’m just like all those other assholes who probably swarm around him, constantly telling him how hot he is and how cute his accent is. I wished, desperately, that those things weren’t true, but unfortunately he was incredibly attractive and his accent was adorable.
“So,” Crystal interjected. “We’re shooting tomorrow? That doesn’t give me much time to work with Gordon on the script.”
“Precisely,” twinkled Si. “I don’t believe Gordon wants to give you much time to wreak havoc on his carefully designed masterpiece. But then, I don’t believe he’ll have much choice in the matter, now that I see you in the flesh. He described you as a ‘succubus’ but I’m going to go ahead and assume that was an exaggeration. This isn’t an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” he laughed. Then, he quickly turned serious and gave us the look that the scientist in The Guatemala Project was always giving his assistant when experiments were going wrong. “Or is it?” he hissed, and then laughed merrily. I refrained from wondering why I was thinking words like ‘merrily’ and just laughed along, grateful that his attention had turned towards Crystal.
At that point, Hagrid bustled into the kitchen area and introduced himself. My heart sank as I realized that he was speaking with a strong Cockney accent. While he crooned lovingly to the cat, I hadn’t been able to make it out. Two English accents in the same room was almost too much for me. I hoped 35 was not too late to learn a little self control.
PS I am appalled that I couldn't find any pictures of Hagrid or Zac Efron drinking tea. What is wrong with the internet?
There is truly something wrong with a world that doesn't have a good picture of Hagrid drinking tea.
ReplyDeleteI love the way that you describe Seth's inability to maintain control. It is an extremely endearing and hilarious trait. To be fair though, I would also have trouble controlling myself in that situation. Well done.
thanks for taking the time to go into town for an update! You must be having a wonderful time, since you are writing pure gold. Particularly enjoying the gratuitous Buffy the Vampire Slayer references. I'm assuming that Seth figures out how to understand what Hagrid is saying - or perhaps there will be some hilarious (and then disastrous) misunderstanding and hijinks?
ReplyDeleteI have often wondered if I would ever stop feeling giddy when listening to British people talk. After two weeks in London, I can tell you that it would take much longer than that for the novelty to wear off. I'm with Seth on this one.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you have skipped to the part that you want to write. That's a great strategy that we could all stand to take note of sometimes.