NaNoWriMo

In an attempt at finally getting some words down on paper, I'm participating in NaNoWriMo.

I'm renting this cute little place in WestHampton. I'll go up the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and stay for a week, alone. I'm about 18% through so far (as you can see below), and I'm hoping a week away will help get me caught up.

I'll post this little updater chart as I go.

9234 / 50000 words. 18% done!

I let my family know that I wouldn't be at Thanksgiving this year, and the response was mixed. I cleverly told my dad that I'd be going away to write before I told him when I'd be doing that. He was uncharacteristically enthused about my plan! When I broke it to him, a week or so later, that it would be over Thanksgiving, he looked a little disappointed, but then handled it with great grace! Aunt Carol didn't do so well. I let her know via email.

This was Aunt Carol's response:

You're wrong, I'm not happy you're writing on Thanksgiving. It greatly disturbs me that you do not care about family, holidays, etc. and have no interest in being with usl

I think the whole writing thing is ridiculous. Spending 8 days and who knows how much money to write 55,000 words for nothing makes no sense. If this is what you need to "get going on your project," I can't imagine what you will need to keep it going. You've been trying to write for years and what you need is discipline and motivation and you cannot permanently get either in 8 days in a cabin. When the 8 days are over you'll be back to your life and nothing will have changed.

Pretty much everyone's response has been better than hers. This is what the owner of the cottage I'm renting had to say:

Also, we would like to offer you the Guest House (for the same rate as the cottage). The idea of a guest working on a novel at The Bishop Guest House or Cottage is intriguing to us!

Thanks!

Kristin.

None of that is either here or there really. I've talked about Aunt Carol's response enough so that I don't much feel like blogging about it here. Suffice it to say, it was upsetting. And disappointing. And now I'm basically over it and on to worrying about my characters.

I've fairly well established my four main characters, and I've given them enough backstory so that we know why they are where they are. But... what do I make them do now?