Changes & NaNoWriMo

I started writing this post on Oct. 29th and here it is Nov. 7th and I'm finally getting back to it! That will teach me I guess...

Oct. 29th 2010

I should be finishing 93 birthday party invitations instead of writing this...but I need a moment! I love to make cards and scrapbook. I have an entire room devoted to the hobby...but the 'mood' has to be there in order for me to sit down and do any of it.

However, I am forcing myself to sit down and push these invitations through for three reasons.
1. The people that ordered them need them a.s.a.p.
2. I am getting paid for them.
3. I want to get back to writing!
So today that is what I am working on, with big hopes that they will not take the entire day.

Why am I blogging instead of getting to it? I've a few things I'd like to mention in case you are visiting my blog for the first time. This blog was originally designed to share my scrapbooking/cardmaking adventures, show off photos of my newest creation, and so forth. I found I was not posting as much because my crafting takes a backseat from time to time. Yet, I paid money for the blog design, therefore I hate to do away it and I have been doing some revamping.

There are some things that are still a work in progress:
1. Not all the links across the menu bar work properly yet.
2. The blog address has changed from http://tuesdaysattonyas.blogspot.com/ to http://tonyarenea.blogspot.com/
3. The name in the header will also be changed to Tonya Renea, hopefully.

...and there may be other changes later.

So if I am not blogging about scrapbooking/cardmaking what am I blogging about? My other passion, one that I do not share often enough. My writing.

I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I have notebook after notebook, journal after journal, and I do not go anywhere with out pen and paper. The glove box in my car has a small notebook and pen. My purse has the same thing. If I find myself without either, I end up buying a new cute little book and pen. It is a part of me, it's who I am.

A few years ago I took a class at Church called, Ministry by Strength. I was asked to write about the history of God in my life. While my classmates had a timeline, a paragraph, or few sentences...I had a 9 page story! You see I may not sit down and write every single day, but every single day something happens that makes me think, "I should remember this, it could really work in a story" or "I should email so and so because they need some encouragement right now".

No matter where I am at in my life or what I am doing - writing as always been a part of it. It was during the Ministry by Strength class that I realized who I wanted to write for and what genre.

Nov. 7th 2010

I finished those invitations and handed them over. I also made enough money to treat myself to the one thing I kept putting off ordering. A bar stool. My writing station is in my craft room and my office chair would not raise to the height of where my computer sits. The bar stool arrived Friday, Nov. 5th and my dear hubby put it together for me. I know sit comfortably at my writing station. No more reaching up to type :) Everything is level.

NanoWriMo began on November 1st and I have successfully written every day.

Nov.1st --- 1,532 (below goal)
Nov.2nd --- 1,720 (met the 1,667 daily goal)
Nov.3rd --- 1,715 (met the goal again)
Nov.4th --- 1,012 (below goal)
Nov.5th ---2,562 (great day!)
Nov.6th --- 919 (slow day!)

My current word count is 9,460. As you can see I've been busy. Therefore, I forgot I'd started a blog on Oct. 29th and I apologize. I will try to post once a week during NanoWriMo and keep you updated on my total word count.

I've not added today's word count in yet - as it's still early. I'm hoping to be at or above 11,669 by the time I go to bed...too bad blogging doesn't count!

My daughter is also participating in Nano - the Young Writer's Program. She has to type the same amount of words. She has done well so far.

Ashlynn's Word Count

Nov. 1st --- 507
Nov. 2nd --- 941
Nov. 3rd --- 699
Nov. 4th --- 906
Nov. 5th --- 1005
Nov. 6th --- 420

Total: 4,478

Not bad for an 11-year-old is it?

However, she gets stuck a lot and she did tell me the other day, "I think Nano causes depression because if this is what authors feel like in the middle of their books, I don't want to be a writer."

If you are participating in Nano I hope it is going well for you! There has been lots of cheering going on over at MBT - that group is AMAZING!

I'm off to get today's word count in, the kinks on my blog are still being worked out. I will let you know when every thing is functioning properly. God Bless and have a great weekend!

~T~