This year will be 5 years.
My 5th Marathon.
Every July, for the last 5 years, I have driven up to Huntsville to spend the weekend with the most dedicated and inspired writers. Certainly one of my best opportunities to put words down, to share in my love of writing and to raise money for adult literacy.
Literature is the dew to my soul.
I cannot imagine not being able to enjoy reading and writing and yet according to the YMCA, 1 in 6 people in Ontario can barely read at a basic level.
I hope that in sharing my adventure, I can shine a light on this statistic and raise money for programs to help teach others to read and write.
Over the weekend, I will be updating this post, sharing my thoughts, challenges, successes and page count.
If you feel so inclined, please feel free to make a donation. No pressure though.
Although, I will honour my 2018 offer and… if you make a donation, I will name a character after you.
To make a donation… visit my 2019 author page on the Muskoka Novel Marathon website. Thank you!
FRIDAY NIGHT
10 pages in… yes, that is correct, since the bell at 8pm, I have written over 2000 words.
As much as these words are enough to celebrate on their own, the most glorious part of returning has been seeing these amazing people.
I body-check-hugged Column and have been reunited with other fivers (kindred spirit 5 year marathoners). Lenore, the ‘queen of many words’ shared how glad she was to see me back and this has spread cheerful warmth to my toes.
In essence. I’m glad I came.
Back to writing!
SATURDAY NIGHT
It’s nearly midnight. My neck is screaming, my forearms are cramping and my butt cheeks are numb from sitting in the same position for FAR too long. I’ve written another 14,000 words to bring me up to a whopping 70 pages.
I’ve also discovered that, although I love to brainstorm ideas. I’m a ‘pantster’, meaning I like to write free style and I need to own it. I spent innumerable hours plotting the second half of my novel and have found in the process that I was completely…
stuck
and didn’t want to move forward. It was no longer fun to write as I already knew what was going to happen.
Therefore, I let go,
and oddly enough, I’m still following the general guide of my original plot, but not in the exact same way.
Somehow this feels new and fresh and fun.
I’m exhausted and it’s time for bed. Good night.
SUNDAY NIGHT
100 PAGES BABY, EAT THAT!
Getting stuck in the middle.
Bogged down by an outline and it’s lack of creativity.
Switching from project to project.
Finally…finally finding my characters motivation and we’re off!
I’ve tossed the formal, neatly typed outline and have since regressed to ill-eligible scribbles on disorganized post it notes and things are moving along nicely.
Although, I do miss my family, my bed (man I miss my bed) and I miss my work buddy, Jasper.
