Out of rocks? Try boulders.

I’m feeling so bad for Shaleigh right now. You know that rock metaphor they always tell you when you’re writing? When you’ve chased your protagonist into a tree, start throwing rocks next. It’s the idea that you shouldn’t let up, that you need to keep your protagonist on his/her toes so that it forces their true character to the surface.

I kind of feel like I’m tossing boulders at this poor girl.

She’s tough though, so I know she can take it. Here’s hoping my audience will be able to deal with it too. I’m not going to say she’s downright tortured, but she’s dealing with a whole slew of socially difficult situations, the kind that I don’t think anyone who’s been in High School would want to experience. Except she’s having to deal with it all at once. It’s going to be interesting as I reach the first mini-climax of this book where the story really begins.

Got quite a bit in today! Plus I was a bit over from yesterday too. Overall I’m pretty pleased with my progress so far. Not too shabby for week 1.

This weekend I’m participating in a 5k run. It’ll be on a trail, so it’ll likely be muddy and cold, but it should be lots of fun. It’s around a zoo, and apparently the wolves run with you during the race. Really looking forward to it! Not sure how much NaNo writing I’ll get done on Saturday though because of it. I may just crash instead.

Project: Madam Cloom’s Garden

Summary: Shaleigh’s world is so complicated, that it’s no wonder she’s known for being rebellious and argumentative at school. With her father constantly crying over what he’s lost, and a friend going through major life changes, Shaleigh finds herself feeling more and more out of touch with the people around her. She feels isolated, ignored, and angry.

Then she and her father get into a car accident, and her entire world changes. When she’s greeted by a talking stone animal, she realizes that she’s either dead, crazy, or in another world. But the beautiful land Shaleigh has landed in has its dark secrets, and she’s not as welcome there as she believes.

Current Word Count: 8,428

New Words Written Today: 2,296

Progress: Friends aren’t always reliable, and Shaleigh finds this out the hard way. While she’s reeling from that revelation she gets mocked in the locker room. All of this drama and confusion is making her head spin, and when that happens, someone is likely to get hurt. I just feel bad for whoever that poor sap will be.

Total Words for 2013: 11,605