A stream of violin concertos floated up from the floor boards. Normally, the music would be appreciated but it was past midnight and I was trying to sleep. Mrs. Hudson had no doubt made herself some earplugs and drifted right off, otherwise she would’ve been just as, if not more frustrated than I was.

Sherlock was completely unresponsive to either of us when we approached him for conversation and didn’t bother to eat any of the dinner that Mrs. Hudson prepared.

I turned my head and saw that my phone was sitting on the table next to my bed. As I looked at it I realized there was one thing I hadn’t tried.

’If you’re not going to stop would you at least mind keeping it down a bit?’

Almost instantly after pressing send, the music paused, but only for a moment. My phone vibrated in my hand before I could set it down.

’Yes. - SH’

He was one of the most brilliant minds of our time, but also one of the most childish.

I could see that I was wasting my time and that my efforts would be better concentrated on a way to drown out the noise and get to sleep. I forced one side of my face into the feathery pillow and rested my hand across the upward facing ear. The violin could still be heard, but it was muffled and more like a distant lullaby.

Today’s Writing Lesson:

It is impossible to continue your own project when a fan fiction idea pops into your head.

Do not try to resist. I repeat…DO. NOT. RESIST. 

The idea/characters will invade other projects. Just write it and then burn it/hide it away from the world/share it proudly. I don’t know your life or how you feel about it. 

I personally have a special secret place where I hide all of my Obi-Wan fan fiction and I’m fairly certain they will never see the light of day.

The rain. The godawful rain. I could hear it starting up again. There would be no reason to open up the curtains today.

Although I spend a great deal of my time indoors with the shades drawn, it is becoming clear to me that the rain is never ending. It almost makes me feel as if I’m not missing anything in the outside world. It seems to be just as dreary and solemn a place as the sanctuary I’ve created for myself within these walls.

At the very least in here I have the means to escape to anywhere I please. It is as easy as picking a time and place from a shelf. Though I must admit my reading choices were becoming a bit macabre. Tales of others pain and suffering helped in taking my mind off of my own aliments which are increasingly worse with each passing day.

My diet has been trimmed down to almost nothing more than coffee, cheese and bread. I only allow myself two meals a day as it is too painful to eat more than that and since Lila has stopped coming around as often with freshly made meals of meat and potatoes in the evening, I don’t eat nearly as well as I used to. If it weren’t for the coffee and my limited exertion of energy on a daily basis…I am sure I would feel the effects of malnutrition. 

The only NaNoWriMo update I can give:

Grandma,

You may notice the ship in our backyard. Try to ignore it and don’t approach it under any circumstances. It’s a work thing and I’m working on getting rid of it. I’m also going to fix the giant hole in the wall…so don’t worry about that.

- Your loving and only grandchild, Piper.

|Velocity by Elise Jimenez|

Quickly threw this together on Photoshop. Having something like a cover for your novel is so motivating. I feel like it gives you a great visual representation of your goal. 

It’s NaNoWriMo’s Eve! Are you Prepared?

It is almost upon us, fellow WriMo’s! Actually, for some it has already begun, but here in the US we have about 14 hours left. 

I know that personally…I’m not as ready as I thought I would be. This doesn’t surprise me though. A pantser doesn’t magically become a perfect planner overnight, but I have done more prep than ever before…so I guess that’s something.

One thing I am upset about not having totally done is my survival kit, but since I did just make it through Hurricane Sandy unscathed while it wrecked most of my area, I think I can let this one go. I’ll just have to build it as the month goes on.  

What’s a survival kit, you ask? 

Well, it is a selection of things you will need to power thru to 50k. Anything that makes your NaNo life easier and more enjoyable. 

Here is a list of what is/what will be in mine:

• Tea…lots of tea. (Mostly from DAVIDsTEA and Cara McGee’s fandom blends.)
• Coffee w/fun flavored creamers for when I realize I’m running out of tea and need to save it. 
• Lots of water in water bottles. (So I don’t spill it all over my computer.)
• Comfy clothes that are not quite pajamas, but not something I could go out in.
• My laptop
• My iPad 
• Storyist
• Dropbox
• Evernote 
• Notebook and pen to keep on me and close to my bed. 
• SelfControl to keep me away from my beloved Tumblr.
• Snacks and sweets to use as rewards.
• Quick meals for me and the boyfriend.
• Episodes of Once Upon a Time and Pushing Daisies for well deserved breaks.
• Fingerless gloves so I don’t lose my fingers to frostbite.
• Business cards for write-ins
• Stuffed Perry the Platypus to watch over me while I write. 
• Chalkboard/whiteboard/corkboard for laying out plot points.
• Pinterest board of inspiration for my novel. 
• Earbuds
• Instrumental playlists to listen to on said earbuds. (8tracks is great and lets you search playlists by keyword.) 
• 2 USB drives…you can never be too careful.
• Candles
• Glow sticks (try to write until one runs out)
• 10 minute workouts to get the blood flowing.
• Sketchpad and crafts for relieving stress. 

If you need help or ideas on building your own go check out the thread on the nanowrimo forums. You still have a few good hours left to get ready! 

See you on the other side, kids. 

P.S. I could use some writing buddies! 

- Elise

explore-blog:

How to publish your book, in a flowchart. Or, just follow some sage writing advice and don’t give up.

(↬ Coudal)

NaNo Countdown: 9 days to go!

How are you prepping?

As you can see…I started using Pinterest to make an inspiration/research board for my NaNo novel. I love Pinterest and I think it’s a great tool for character/setting inspiration and bookmarking resources, but be careful because it also be a huge distraction. 

I know I personally always end up pinning a ton of recipes somehow. It’s like some kind of sorcery! 

Still on my personal to do list: 

• Fill out the Novel Notebook by Paperback Writer
• Finish my survival kit (check out the thread on the NaNo forums for ideas on your own kit)
• Vlog about kit
• Organize writing space a bit better

My Writing Space | 2012

I have a desk and two tables that span across the entire wall of my office that I use for both crafting and writing. My space specifically for writing is what I have taken a picture of here…and it is kind of cluttered. 

I have a ton of things to write and draw with, a few books and notebooks I like to have easy access to and my second monitor so I can have resources open while I work (read: watch Netflix while I’m procrastinating.) 

Perry the platypus and my sonic screwdriver remote are there to keep me happy along with the flowers from my lovely boyfriend.

My whiteboard/corkboard is what I use for plot cards, to-do lists and various scribblings that I need in my line of sight so I don’t forget where I’ve written them. The chalkboard on my wall is my favorite part of my room. It’s simply a large piece of chalkboard contact paper and I’m using it to keep track of rewards, my survival kit stock and eventually my progress. Writing and doodling on it is a stress reliever. 

I want to put up some artwork and motivational prints. Any tips?