November 3

Are you writing fast?
This is NaNo honeymoon.
Take advantage now.

10 on Tuesday: ways to boost your word count

I'm sure you'll use these techniques more as it gets closer to November 30th and your word count needs padding a little, but I'm offering it now just in case.

Good luck!

1. Don't use contractions.  Instead, write them out ("do not," "I will," etc.).  It gives you one extra word each time you would normally use a contraction.
2. Separate compound words ("some thing," "any way," "night stand," etc.).
3. Use full names of things and places rather than shortening or abbreviating.  This is especially useful for things that would normally be named using an acronym.
4. Omit hyphens.  Use spaces instead.  ("Mother in law" instead of "mother-in-law")
5. Use more "formal" writing to add words.  For example, instead of saying "She wrote formally so she could pad her word count," say "She wrote formally in order that she could pad her word count."
6. Go into as much detail as you can.
7. If you're writing third-person limited or first-person, let your prose have a little of a stream-of-consciousness vibe to it.  Let your characters ramble (internally and externally) for a while.
8. Introduce a new character, and describe him or her while employing #6 and #7.
9. Take your characters to a new place and employ #6 and #7.
10. Add flashbacks.

NaNo NaNo Rah Rah Rah!

I hope not, because I haven't got a mop (or a mop dog) to shake for ye.  But I'm here to cheer for all you NaNo sufferers participants!

Remember: you can do this.  You will do this.  You'll doubt you can do it, at some point, but doubt doesn't mean you won't cross the finish line on November 30th waving a fistful of fifty thousand words.  You will.  And then you'll need treatment for all the muscles pulled by your disbelieving grin of total success.

If you need some words o' wisdom, here they are:

1.  Keep energy drinks to hand.  Lots and lots of energy drinks.

2.  Eat good food.  Fifty thousand words require plenty o' fuel.

3.  Never give up, never surrender.

I'll see you along the route.  I'll be the one in the Goth Cheerleader outfit.  And I'll be there to greet you at the finish line.

Here's to a fantastic Week One!

All Souls' Day

Today is All Souls' Day.

According to About.com's Catholicism site:

Often overshadowed by Halloween (October 31) and All Saints Day (November 1), All Souls Day is a solemn feast in the Roman Catholic Church commemorating all of those who have died and now are in Purgatory, being cleansed of their venial sins and atoning before entering fully into Heaven. The importance of the feast was made clear by Pope Benedict XV (1914-22), when he granted all priests the privilege of celebrating three Masses on All Souls Day: one, for the faithful departed; one for the priest's intentions; and one for the intentions of the Holy Father. Only on a handful of other very important feast days are priests allowed to celebrate more than two Masses.

All Souls' Day is not a holy day of obligation, but many use this solemn feast day to remember their friends and family members who have gone from this life.

Prayer for Eternal Rest:

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

This Week's Task List

NaNoWriMo has begun.  (Good luck, everyone! And be sure to head over to the cantina for a break from time to time! Dana's a great cheerleader...and bartender.)

Since this month is different in the office, I thought I'd change things up on my task lists this month, as well.  If it works for me I'll keep it.  Otherwise, I'll go back to the way things were.  Enjoy!

Monday:

• Write at least 2,000 words for NaNoWriMo (I only got 1,400 words yesterday.)
• Work on the Christmas card envelopes for Mom-in-law's office
• Write a NaNoWriMo piece for Examiner

Tuesday:

• Write at least 1,600 words for NaNoWriMo
• Work on the Christmas card envelopes for Mom-in-law's office

Wednesday:

• Write at least 1,600 words for NaNoWriMo
• Finish up the Christmas card envelopes for Mom-in-law's office
• Write a non-NaNoWriMo piece for Examiner

Thursday:

• Write at least 1,600 words for NaNoWriMo

Friday:

• Write at least 1,600 words for NaNoWriMo
• Write a NaNoWriMo piece for Examiner

Saturday:

• Write at least 1,600 words for NaNoWriMo

Sunday:

• Write at least 1,600 words for NaNoWriMo

November 2

WriMos excited!
(Maybe from the coffee buzz?)
Lots of time to write!

All Saints' Day

Today is All Saints' Day in the Roman Catholic Church, a holy day of obligation (although since All Saints' Day falls on a Sunday this year, the Mass for All Saints' Day will take precedence over the regular Sunday Mass).

This feast day is a beautiful one.  It gives the faithful the opportunity to celebrate all the saints we pray to every year.  From St. Therese of Lisieux to St. Anthony to St. Francis de Sales, there is someone in Heaven who can intercede for us in every area of our lives.

According to Catholic Online, All Saints' Day started as celebrations of martyrs of the Church.

In the fourth century, it was common practice to mark the anniversary of a martyr’s death at the site where he or she was martyred. But there were more martyrs than days in the year — and many were martyred together in groups. In order not to miss anyone, it became necessary to establish a general memorial. In the ninth century, Pope Gregory IV declared Nov. 1 as the day for the entire Church Militant (those on Earth) to honor all the Church Triumphant (those in Heaven).

My husband and I are going to an evening Mass today to celebrate the feast day, and I'm excited about it.  I pray to saints throughout the year, and this will give me an opportunity to thank them for praying for me and watching over me.

More than any other saint, I find myself praying to Mother Mary, especially since Bean was born.  She was a mom, and her life as a mom was much more difficult than mine will be.  If she could maintain her patience and grace in the midst of all she went through, I certainly can do the same in my life.

And as I've grown closer to Mary, I've learned why the saints are so important to so many of the faithful.

How you find the saint and connect with him or her doesn't matter too much (although I'm sure it does to you).  Sometimes it will be a saint whose life reminds you of your own.  Other times, it will be a saint who has qualities you admire.  Or perhaps a saint whose patronage or heritage is important to you.

Yes, they intercede for us and pray for us, but they also provide examples for us.  You find a saint you connect with, and strive to be like him or her.  The saint becomes a sort of spiritual advisor, a friend, and someone you can count on in your faith life.

I think saints are more "accessible," too.  Of course we pray to the Lord, but the saints were, at one time, just normal people.  That's encouraging to normal people like me.  Kind of the way people like to see celebrities in sweat pants with no make-up on, I guess.

What saints are you celebrating today?

Prayer Requests

This week, please pray with me:

• for all saints, known and unknown.
• for the faithful departed.
• that Hubby's appointment goes well.
• that Cousin Joey can find healing.
• that Nonna and Grandpa (Hubby's parents) have a safe and fun return trip.

As always if you have any prayer requests you'd like added to this post, feel free to add them as comments, or email me.  You can also add unspoken and/or anonymous prayer requests.

Peace be with you!

November 1

Clock hands point straight up.
Keyboards everywhere: active.
Writing commences!

Happy Scribbling!