NaNoWriMo - Knifeclaw Company

[dandelion]

I managed to assemble an excerpt!

hraith.livejournal.com/23162.html

It's not the beginning. That's why it doesn't read like a beginning. It's approximately Page 6.

And I'm getting faaaar too caught up in the word count feature. I like watching my bars and graphs grow! What can I say?

[khaydhaik]

Dandelion, thanks for posting an excerpt on livejournal. I had read your captain's log excerpt on the nanowrimo site, and found it too short to really whet my appetite. The excerpt on livejournal was much more satisfying. Personally, I hope we will get to read more of your novel as it progresses. It is a help to me to read the works of others involved in the contest when the going gets rough in growing my own word count.

You have a very readable style, Dandelion. I do hope to see more.

I'm off to read oli's excerpt now. Then I'm going to see how much I can grow my own word count tonight.

[dandelion]

Today's installation:

hraith.livejournal.com/23497.html

Aw, thank you. You're readable too. (I just found Oli's this morning but have house guests so I'll read it later.)

The problem I'm having with sharing my NaNo novel this year is that it's essentially already been posted. I've been throwing around these characters and this story in my Liverjournal for two years now, writing 'unofficial' blurbs and exercises. This month I'm finally buckling down and writing the script. This is THE script. When this is done, I commence turning it into a graphic novel.

So while sharing blurbs and exercises is fine and dandy, I'm less eager to put this version up for all to see. It's somewhat awkward. I want you to read along. I want Laura and Liz and a few other people to read along too. But most of those other people have already read the more in-depth material. And, I dunno, it's a weird situation.

The pieces I do put up aren't even sequential. Ack, messy!

I guess I could think of other solutions. Do you want me to email you the file?

[khaydhaik]

I understand now why you don't want to post it all in a public forum. Hey, don't worry about emailing it to me then. I'll wait until you've finished the graphic novel, and then buy a copy, hopefully autographed. I can still cheer you on in the meantime. And if you don't mind posting an occasional excerpt as the month progresses, that would be cool. I do enjoy the excerpts, even if they aren't sequential.

Roll Home, anyone?

[dandelion]

No thanks, Hon. I'm still recovering from yesterday's game.

Okay, 'tis a deal. I could use the cheering. And I, of course, shall continue reading yours with bated breath. C'mon, Menslar! You can do it!

[dandelion]

Another somewhat arbitrary excerpt:

hraith.livejournal.com/23734.html

By the way, Khayd, I exalted you. Just for general sticktuitiveness and good storytelling. And of course I'll be happy to autograph a copy for you... sometime... in the distant future.

[khaydhaik]

Oh, wow, karma. Thanks. I hardly ever think about exalting anyone. I should have exalted you for the Roll Home game. I thought that was really cool. Even if I don't know exactly how it's played, it still tickled my fancy and stirred my imagination. And I have a soft spot for Ciesil, don't ya know? So, hey, I'll give you the exalt for that excerpt now. And thanks for posting the latest excerpt. It leaves me realizing that I'm missing a whole lot of the story, so I have something to look forward to when you've finished and I have a printed copy of the novel in my grubby little hands. OK, maybe they aren't so little...

How the heck do you pronounce the Ambassador's name? ()e*kha`ct

I have to go write some more on me own story now. Don't want to fall behind; if I do, it will be difficult catching up.

[dandelion]

Well, I figure I'll post excerpts that focus on Nulu's subplot. That way I can approximate a coherent story in fewer pieces. the downside is that every reference to the main plot will remind you how much I'm leaving out. But yes, when the book is complete it will all make sense!

Meanwhile, I'm certainly capable of filling in some of the holes for you. Here's a description of Roll Home:

hraith.livejournal.com/4447.html

By the way, Vou is Ciesil. Her full name is SCS Ciesìl Vòu Maihi; Vòu is her given name. As you can see, I am quite the lazy bum when it comes to using special characters. But they're important.

I can't pronounce the Ambassador's name. Neither can Hraith. I will offer you one teeny spoiler: after a while, Hraith gives up and starts calling the Ambassador "Hai-caaühk," his best Øenu-language approximation. Hai-caaühk was a mythical storyteller somewhat comparable to Kokopelli.

Yes! Write more please!

And now I shall edit in a new link. Specialist Fsau Léan stayed home this time. This material won't appear in the comic book. So I'm free to share what his life has been like back home on the planet Origin.

hraith.livejournal.com/24051.html

[khaydhaik]

Hah, now I understand about Roll Home and the threat of physical violence during game play. I had the impression that it was some type of board game, but then wondered what kind of board game it must be that it could inflict physical pain on its players. Now I understand.

I also found the comments for that excerpt amusing.

It's clear that you've already put a lot of thought and effort into Knifeclaw Company. The graphic novel deserves to be finished! So here's to your finishing the script this month!

[dandelion]

Excerpt:

hraith.livejournal.com/24072.html

This one has the Ambassador struggling to relate to his hosts, and the crew struggling to help him. Menslar would b e welcome right about now.

[dandelion]

hraith.livejournal.com/24515.html

I haven't been writing any subplots lately. In fact, as my graph shows, I'm not writing much at all. Ah well, they say you lose some motivation in the second week. The important thing is to not give up.

I chose to post this excerpt because it illustrates some of the linguistic barriers my heroes have to contend with. It's very short, especially compared to the copious notes I took on languages and their barriers. I left out a lot of info. Ah well, it'll have to be enough. I figure it would be fun for you to imagine what Menslar would do if he met the Chiiikt. He would like them, I'd guess. They're small and lively and they'd much rather barter than battle.

[khaydhaik]

Aw, how cute those Chiiikt are. And Hraith was even cute in this excerpt. Not that he was trying to be, naturally.

Even though this excerpt was a short one, it's still one of my favorites. I do appreciate the linguistic barriers in the piece. Menslar would not be good for your story; he'd take all of the fun out of it.

This excerpt made me laugh, so I'm giving you an exalt.

[dandelion]

Oh no. I think I lost steam. I've been writing barely 2-300 words per day the last couple of days.

[khaydhaik]

I've had job interference, as I knew I would, though I didn't think it would be as severe as it is. I'm behind on my word count by about 3000 words now.

I do have some additional words that haven't been posted yet, but they bring my total word count up to approx 22,000. It's half-way through the month, and we should all be at the 25,000 word mark by now.

It doesn't look like the job interference is going to let up. And the job does come first...

[dandelion]

Remember, it's not the word count that matters. It's the experience of having done it, and also the fact that we are writing, which is significantly better than the alternative, which is not writing.

Meh, I haven't even broken 20,000 yet. My progress really fizzled. Don't I realize that "Mo" stands for "Month" not "Week"?

Oh yeah... excerpt:
hraith.livejournal.com/24612.html