final outcome

The Southern Cross Novel Challenge 2009 has ended, as of midnight on Tuesday. I had a banner day on Monday, writing more than 6000 words that day... and burning myself out on these characters. You know those movies where there are no heroes, where all the characters are so morally flawed that there is no one to root for? Movies like "Closer" - well acted, lots of name-brand stars, but the characters are just so very wrong in so many ways. You see it once, and you're done with it.

Well, that's pretty much how I felt after my writing splurge on Monday: I was done with these people. All they were concerned with was sex, sex, sex. Not that they were screwing willy-nilly, any ol' body will do. No, they weren't that casual. But they did seem to want to flaunt their sexual prowess and positions and sensations... and it got to seeming a bit overwrought. Poor things, the coming was all they had going for them!

Still, I am proud of myself for giving it a shot and for the amount of progress I made. I ended up 46 of 167, with 17,000 words. Good job! There were about 20 entrants who completed the challenge successfully and got their gold stars. Cool, gold stars! Amazingly, though, there were more than forty entrants who never posted a single word to their count. Not one word. Zero. I have to wonder what happened to them? Did they forget? Did they just give up from the get-go? Maybe my next writing endeavor should explore that little mystery... maybe!

progress!

Well, I've jumped ahead with my writing, though I have a LONG way to go to hit my mark. Still, I'm rather pleased that I've gotten this far. Truly! And I am now ranked 49 of 167 would-be novelists. Woohoo!

One thing I'm definitely learning: I'm not cut out to be a novelist. Nope. Short stores, I think I'm your girl. But the last book I wrote was my dissertation for my doctorate and that took a couple of years to complete. I even had about fifty graphs in it, so that cut down on some of the writing. (You know, "a picture is worth a thousand words" and all that, though making the picture can take about as long as writing the words would have.) Writing that book taught me that I didn't want any more doctorates!

Writing this book is teaching me that I may not quite be ready to let my freak flag fly in this direction. I would certainly have to use a pseudonym, because if any of this material made it to print, everyone would wonder what kind of kinko I am. I guess I spent too much time in the Navy. Or maybe I've read too many of "those" magazines. Or maybe I should blame it on the a-a-a-a-alcohol, as Jamie Foxx would say (though I have liquor of any kind - except virtual on facebook! - rather infrequently these days). Or maybe, just maybe, it goes back to me not being wired right.

I've read interviews over the years of folks who act in roles that are contrary to their character. Carroll O'Connor was one of the most educated, liberal, laid-back, accepting people on the planet, EXCEPT in his role as Archie Bunker, racist bigot extraordinaire on "All In The Family." For eight years, he let his alter ego loose upon the tv screen, to much acclaim. Then there's Robin Williams, a comedian who is left of center and off the charts, effortlessly letting loose his wit in whatever venue he finds himself. EXCEPT when he's Walter Finch or Sy Parrish, the sociopaths in "Insomnia" and "One Hour Photo", respectively. Talk about creeps! he completely let his dark side come out to play.

So, maybe that accounts for the words that flow from my fingertips when a "novel" is being written. Hey, it's all fiction, right? Fiction is defined as "works of imaginative narration, especially in prose form." Imagination is "forming mental images or concepts of what is not actually present to the senses." And fiction is just a milder word for fantasy, is it not? Why not make it sexual fantasy as well as romantic fantasy and dramatic fantasy? Why not, indeed? My writings are simply imagination gone wild, much like college kids on spring break: fairly harmless, but don't let the family know the details of your exploits!

still going...

It's been a rather busy time for me, so I haven't had the time to write like I would have hoped. Still, I AM persisting, and that's the point of rising to a challenge, is it not? At a grand word count of 6100, I am now ranked 53rd in a field of 165. This was Day 16 of the challenge, so I do need to try to work in some more word counts in the next two days, before my friends from Hiram come on down. I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I took a little writing interlude during their visit, but I don't know that I would be comfortable with them... or anyone at this point... possibly reading over my shoulder.

Now, I'm not saying that they would throw me off my game. When I start writing, the first few lines are hard, but then the characters move right on in and make themselves at home and I never quite know what they'll come up with next. Well, that's not exactly true, now is it? I have a really good idea of what will happen, and I'm actually a bit surprised about it. You see, well, are you familiar with the works of Harold Robbins? You know, the guy whose books all deal with sex, sex, and more sex? Well, my characters think they're in one of his novels. Only they're a bit more graphic. Yeah.

So, who's to say anyone will ever get to read this but me? Still, I am rather enjoying it. I can't wait to see what they're gonna do next!