A Thank You, NaNoWriMo Days 17-18, and Train Rides

Sporting my new shirt. I think when someone asks about the Doctrine, I’ll just say, “Clark”

I normally post twice per day, but yesterday was a no-go for me.  The train was roving at full-steam ahead and suddenly my brain went, “Girl, I need a break.  I don’t care what kind of break. Just stop staring at the screen.”

So, I went and interviewed a friend for Small Business Saturday, to help encourage people to shop locally on November 24th.

What a great time that was!  My good friend owns a business and we talked about the challenges and triumphs of owning and running your own operation.  Though I’m a writer/photographer (and I keep getting reports that a philosopher, too – go figure), I’m launching a business, as well, though it looks different from the brick and mortar style of a traditional store.  It’s “virtual” and cyber-like.

Then I started thinking about business tactics.  I wanted to give my friend some good PR, and on the advice of another friend – Terrye – I am submitting the “story” to area newspapers.  Who knows if they’ll feature it, but the little frame shop has a story all unto itself.

Another great tactic?  T-shirts.  In the world of business, there are all sorts of clever ways of promotion.  To that end, I must say thank you to my blogger friend Clark of the Wakefield Doctrine.  That’s me wearing his t-shirt up there.  I got it yesterday in the mail and I’m thrilled to have won it.  I reckon it’s my very clark-like personality that compelled me to give the answer he was looking for, to a question he posed on his blog.  Yippee!  I always love a free t-shirt.  So, my hat’s off to you, Clark.  You have one loyal follower.

Though I didn’t post here yesterday, I can tell you that I have been proceeding with my story for NaNoWriMo.  I have 42,010 words.  Just 8,000 shy until the actual contest is done.  I won’t be nearly finished with the story, but I will have reached that monumental goal.

I continue to be torn about what to do with this story.  I’m nervous that it’s flat.  Where my characters are supposed to pop and be robust, I’m afraid they’re lifeless and squished.  I know, I know.  That’s what edits-of-the-first-drafts are for.  But, it bugs the hell out of me that after all this writing, I still want to turn this college student’s life into some sort of surreal Dali-like-painting of a dream taking place in an alternate reality where magic spells are used to propel her to the seventh dimension – whatever that may be.

The debate rages on inside my head, but know this: I can write a novel.  What I ultimately end up doing with it, well, that could be interesting….or not.