I am a First-Draft Novelist.

As many of you likely saw on Tuesday...

February 24, 2015 at approximately 1:30pm MST, I completed my novel with 50,091 words on the 30th day of my 30-day writing challenge. I sobbed nearly the entire last day I wrote because a) my story ended sort of sad and b) I was closing the chapter on one of the most adventurously creative months of my life. I preemptively cried for all the nostalgia I knew I was going to feel. And just as I suspected, the nostalgia has arrived. 

Today was my first Saturday since I completed my novel. As I walked home from work all I could keep thinking was "What am I going to do with myself today?" I even asked my friend Lora, writing companion and fellow National Novel Writing Month Champion (go Lora!!), and she shared the same feeling of loss,longing, and lack of identity. It is amazing how quickly I became totally engrossed in the project-- and frightening how abruptly it ended.

I went through past journal entries just to remind myself of things I used to do on Saturday's. There was never really anything all too exciting, but I was reminded to go grocery shopping and make myself food today. Thank goodness I keep track of this stuff, huh?

Luckily, though, I prepared for this feeling of loss: 

You are reading the blog of the Committee Chair of Communications for the Stupid Cancer CancerCon Kickoff Fundraiser event on April 9, 2015. Booyah. I will be in charge of coordinating marketing efforts, email correspondence, fundraiser website content, etc. all leading up to and following this event. I connected with this organization a few months ago when I happened to meet one of the five New York City based Stupid Cancer employees in my coffee shop in Denver, Colorado. More networking awesomeness, right? But yes, I knew I'd be really busy twiddling my thumbs if I didn't get another project to replace any potential post-novel depression. So here it is, my energy and high-strung-ness (as an official novelist I now have permission to make up any words I like) will not go to waste!

Fundraiser communications, full speed ahead!! :)

Also, I have a Stupid Cancer fundraiser page that I would really love your support on. If you are unable to donate at this time, please pass it on to someone who can. Stupid Cancer is doing some amazing things for Young Adult Cancer patients and survivors, I'm honored to be a part of it.

42,716.

Fourty-two thousand, seven hundred and sixteen. 

That is my word count at this exact moment. And this is the song that was just playing on my Spotify as I finished typing about 1,000 words in 30 minutes. 

No wonder I was typing so damn fast. I think I will probably hit my word count tomorrow and THEN actually wrap up the story in the next couple days. I am still getting adrenaline rushes while I write because my characters are still surprising me. This is an unbelievable adventure for my subconscious. I truly recommend writing  50,000 word story in 30 days to everyone, writers or not. This has been one of the most enlightening personal projects I have ever embarked on.

I can't wait to delve a little further into it for you. 

But for now, I sleep. Goodnight, all. 

The Coffee Shop

Okay, so maybe this isn't the most glamorous or challenging place for me to work at the age of 23 (almost 24). But hear this-- working here has been networking gold. Do you know how many people of such different walks of life I've met working here? I meet college students. business owners, doctors, freelance writers, therapists, musicians, engineers, retired old men who make clocks, toddlers that dress up like Elsa for Halloween, people with multiple personalities disorder, Cal Poly alum, and the list goes on. I've met one-on-one with some of these people to just pick their brain about what they do. Do you know how much people love to talk about themselves...especially if they like their job? SO MUCH. 

It was just proven today, yet again, that this coffee shop is a goldmine for networking. Turns out, one of the women who comes in that I absolutely adore has a very close friend who works at the company I just applied for-- in New York City. Small world, right? 

Adrenaline has been coursing through me since this discovery. Does this connection mean anything? Not necessarily. But I know someone who knows someone who works at a really badass nonprofit in the city I'm trying to move to. There is absolutely no way that this is bad information to have. 

Fingers crossed a gazillion times over. The good vibes, the prayers, they are all welcome. Here goes nothin'!




Also, unrelated to work: I am at 10, 344 words in my novel. I feel like I'm flying. 

Do your thing, Fate.

I have officially applied for that dream job. Fingers crossed that I am the right person applying at the right time. Now all I must do is wait.

And write my novel. No more procrastination excuses-- darn.




Prayers and good vibes are always accepted here. I'll keep everyone posted :)

Writer's Block

You guys, I have writer's block. But it's the best writer's block I've ever had. 

I found my dream job. 

I am dedicating literally all the time I put aside for book writing in the next few days to edit my resume and write a killer cover letter to make me  highlight my super extra badass-ness. Don't worry, the book is still happening. But dream job-- Am I right? I was forewarned that exciting things would distract me from my novel. At least this novel is kicking me in the pants to take a risk on a job I would love to have. 

Can I get an "Amen"??

AMEN!

Now off to more responsible things. I'm just so excited, I had to tell someone! Maybe the whole internet world was a little overkill..... ;)

Goodbye Love, Hello Novel

Today was the best worst day. 

It was the best because I told myself that I was going to write a novel and I would start today and I actually did. At this specific moment in time, I am 1,864 words into that endeavor. 

It was the worst because I had to say goodbye, yet again, to Doug. This is the first time he came out to Denver to visit me, and truthfully, I wish I had gone to see him. I feel like seeing him, like with seeing some of my best friends and especially my family, almost causes a relapse in my independent progress. I am fairly alone in Denver, making friends is not my main priority at this point in my life-- work is, and I accept that. But seeing my father, mother, brother, best friend, boyfriend...it changes my experience here. I would rather escape my reality and experience love elsewhere rather than have love so temporarily intertwined in my lonely workaholic Denver life. 

And so my novel ties back in. Maybe it's a healthy decision, maybe it's not...but I'm fully aware that this novel is going to be a surrogate relationship for those I am currently and always missing. In No Plot? No Problem! by Chris Baty, one of his biggest suggestions is to write characters you like and want to spend time with because you will be with them every day for this journey. Kind of sad that I am excited about the characters that blossom from my conscious and subconscious imaginations, huh? 

The way I optomistically see it, is this year is about self-growth and doing things that I truly want to do. I wanted to network, I do that all the time at the coffee shop. I wanted to work in non-profit, I work for a well renown Denver nonprofit everyday. I wanted to teach voice lessons, I now have four enthusiastic students. I wanted to write a novel, I started one today. I just saw a dumb little Buzzfeed article about Ellen Degeneres Quotes in honor of her birthday and one of them is this:

The thing everyone should realize is that the key to happiness is being happy by yourself and for yourself.

So maybe I'm doing things right...or maybe I'm doing things horribly wrong. All I do know is that I have already accomplished so many of my dreams this year, why not continue even if a lot of the reason is to distract me from what's missing? 

I'm struggling today as I am sure I will do intermittently for quite a while. All I can hope is that all of this energy I am putting into work and this long distance relationship and bettering myself will all be worth it in some way someday. I truly hope that someday is soon.  

Things I'd Like to Possess One Day

I had a really interesting conversation with one of my challenging students today about pipe organs. That being said...it got me thinking about the few material things I would like to possess one day. They are as follows:

1. A house with a front porch
2. A piano
3. A big ol' heavy functioning typewriter

Alright. Just figured I'd let everyone know. Happy Tuesday! :)