It's over. I won.

For the first time in my life, I finished a novel, complete in 50,122 words with characters and settings and everything. And I loved them so much I would just try to create a sequel. But I know that's impossible. The story is not made to have a sequel-- everything that defines Artemisia as special has moved on. Aeval knows what powers she holds. Leia is gone.
And unless I try my hand on the story with someone voodooing Artemisia, I doubt I'll write a direct sequel to my little love right here.

I gave Artemisia a halfway happy ending. I felt that she has grown more as a character-- Aeval is such a roller coaster of happy and sudden bursts of anger I'm not sure how much she had changed. The only apparent changes from her is that she controlled her powers and she accepts that fights are normal. That's all. I need to polish her character development. But not now. I want to talk about Artemisia.

My baby of this whole book is Artemisia. In the beginning she's mainly manipulative, succeeding nicely in being an ass. Nearing the end she's turned into someone who can actually socialise and shows her real individual. She has a long way to go to, but I have faith that she will get there.

She gets plenty of emotional moments. Two nearly left me in tears: the time Alton says goodbye, and the time Hikari says goodbye. Alton, Rene, and Mr. Rowell has been a huge part of her life, and when they disappeared, she couldn't even say goodbye, much less hug them for one last time. They simply disappear. She hugged Hikari, whose first time showing up to her is the last ghost she will ever see.

It's awful. But it was wonderful. I loved it. I will edit the novel, and after that edit it again, and again, and keep it as a lovely memory for the rest of my life. Needless to say, Artemisia will be quite eternal inside my head.

S-t out, trying not to cry because this is all over.

Day ?$!" oh right, 26.

Recovering from typhoid fever and discovering that hey, my story has some more things to write even if what I'm writing right now is filler of two girls making salad! I'm in a good mood.
Favourite part of the casual, Artemisia-is-being-social salad cooking moment is:

   'I don't get it.'
   'Which part?' he says, 'the he's your boyfriend part or why he's your boyfriend part?'
   'The why one.' Akihito shrugs.
   'Dunno. You talk to someone other than your sex, you're dating.'
   'Then are you and Sayumi married? For how long?'
Artemisia feels a slight guilt tugging her heart as Sayumi nearly chokes on her tuna, smacks Akihito's back and runs to get a glass of water. She pats the girl's back, who resolves on sitting next to her to continue eating. Akihito's grin splits wide open.
   'Now you guys are lesbians!'


Current Word count: 45,633 and counting

NaNoAngel + Day 19

You know, I've almost forgotten. I drew my NaNoAngel sometime in the past, absolutely adore him, so here he goes.

And yep. He's the character that disappears in my story. I adore him, really. He's adorable!

It's 3 PM and I've got only 15k words left to finish NaNo! Planning to finish at least 3k today, which would be an extra 200 for today, and that feels good. Broke through a block by skipping it straight to my new favourite character: Mark. He's still pining after Artemisia. Poor guy.

Word count: 35,021 and still counting.

A million thoughts, and one

There is one thing I want to be. I don't know why. I want to change the world.
But what am I? One girl asking impossible questions, grasping for the explanation why the stars shine bright. I know why. It is so hot it emits heat, spinning at the speed of, who knows, light.
It reminds me of Sherina.

Mengapa bintang bersinar,

Mengapa air mengalir,

Mengapa dunia berputar,

Lihat segalanya lebih dekat dan kau

Akan mengerti.

Why do stars shine,

Why do water flow,

Why does the Earth spin,

Look at everything more closely and you

Will understand.

Nostalgias aside, I don't know whether I shall pursue my burning curiosity about the universe, or the more social parts and become someone with a standing, title to change things. I am told I have potential, but anyone who does anything other than what others do are told that.

I am told that I have a talent in writing. Surprising, considering that I was afraid of writing years ago. However, I don't believe people telling me my talent is drawing. I learn all of that, it's not a part of me since the beginning. It grows.

Writing is something new to me. I have curiosity, want to learn everything, including this handy little skill that grows big. That is why I try to write. Words flow easier than drawing does, but I shall judge after everything is done. We'll see.

Day 12

I need to get writing.

Word Count: 23.074

Which to choose, which to choose

I'm nearing my 20k mark, and I feel rather impatient with the plot. It's not going fast enough! But if I want to still have something to write to hit 50k, I need to hold it off.
I've been writing only to build the tension. Several things are not resolved, such as Aeval's argument with her father, since her father didn't go home. I plan him to not come home for a week, just to crumble Aeval down.
Artemisia is easy, with the temptations and ghosts.
The longer I write, the more Akihito and Sayumi sounds like a couple. They are, off novel, but this one, no. Maybe their real characters are seeping in.

The Antagonist is getting a firmer grip of Artemisia, sooner or later she'll have to turn against Aeval. She is, too, getting snagged by some spirits. It's the Final Showdown of Undead beings.
Speaking of which, I've been listening to the song lately.

OTL I still need to put down some things down the plot, so it might be as long as it needs to be.

Write Or Die is very useful on squeezing 2k out of me yesterday. Using it today too.

Word Count: 21,527

Day 8

Word Count: 15,017

Ahead of things by one day's count. Gonna try to keep it up and hopefully go farther on the weekend.
Night.

Day 6 + 7

Who is getting urges to do something else other than your NaNo? I definitely do, but still, my characters are calling and they're turning the story into a more interesting turn that I didn't think of.
Artemisia being "infected" by the mysterious supernatural antagonist? Why didn't I think of that before!

My characters are cool.

On the other hand, I want to start a comic, or say, finish my other two novels/stories. They do look fun.
That comic might have to wait until December, where I'll lay off the NaNo for a moment to breathe and give myself a week, or April, where Script Frenzy awaits. Actually, I think I'll be having the National Exams that month.
Curses.
I'll secretly draw anyway.

Current word count: Day 6 - 10,782 ; Day 7 - 13,352

Day 4.

Today's word count: 7,271 and still counting.

Cutting tomorrow's word count by 600 words, hopefully meaning I'll be able to get ahead more tomorrow.

My plot is falling a bit short though. I'm already on point, oh, about 5 out of 12 points, more than halfway, and I'm not even on the fifth of the goal. I'll have to make several points longer, dragging it out a bit. Or add in more details, I could do with more details.
I'll figure it out before I sleep.

I'm slipping into my characters' jacket easily, but Aeval is not half as innocent as she usually is. I guess your best friend disappearing might dampen the brightest girl's mood.

S-t out.

November woes and excitement

Many things are scary and exciting and all in one, and NaNoWriMo is one of them.
I'm writing like I have no life, which sadly I have. Words might get stuck at times, but it flows much smoother. Ah, the magic of November.

I've forgotten to attach my story I wrote on the PC on my e-mail, so I'm stuck unsure of exactly how much words I wrote yesterday. Somewhere around the 600's, I believe. I just add 600 to my current word count.

I really hope I won't fall behind. November is potentially an exam-month, leaving me no time to type thousands of words. Don't disappoint me, November!

S-t out.

CampNaNoWriMo

Excited is probably the right word to describe my feelings about Camp NaNoWriMo. I'm rather scared, since I've never ever written something longer than a short story. My Inner Editor is bitchy and I didn't even start yet.
At first, I thought that Camp NaNo will be like, a real camp. Seeing as I live in Indonesia and we have less than a month of Summer Vacation, doing it sounded impossible.
It took me at least 4 months to know that it's not a literal camp.
I know. I feel stupid.
So I put my newest 3 protagonists to work (I've been itching to make them do something) and brainstormed.
Life decided to be kind and gave me the plot a couple of days before Camp NaNo starts.

I am naming it "Giving Life a Second Chance."
16 years old Alyssa accidentally crashed into Keith, a grumpy antisocial, and things would've been better if she didn't crash into him with a truck. Feeling guilty, she offered help, which Keith grudgingly accepted. With his Achromatopsia, he was as good as blind.
But then Alyssa's parents left to visit her aunt, and her friends deserted her, and someone sent her a wilted daisy and a note. Written on the small piece of paper was the name of street.
Now Alyssa kept on encountering more of the clues Someone left, and Keith had to accept the fact that he's in this, too. Another girl who went by the name Lovina joined them and they were sent into a game of Treasure Hunt.
Despite their vast differences, the trio could agree that things would be much better if they didn't have to encounter dead animals along the way.

Candide made it clear that to finish the game, Alyssa must learn her lesson. But the thing is, she can't understand it.

Different synopsis for different sites? Oh well.
My CampNaNoWriMo account Egress