Reading Log – April-December 2019

This is going to be a huge post as I gave up making monthly updates!

April

Chasing the Dime by Michael Connelly
The Safe Man by Michael Connelly
The Closers by Michael Connelly
Echo Park by Michael Connelly
The Day Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
The Lying Game by Ruth Ware
The Twilight Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
The Last Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
The New Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
The Sixth Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
Witchcraft by Anastasia Greyleaf
The Last Place by Laura Lippman
Whisky From Small Glasses by Denzil Meyrick
The Overlook by Michael Connelly
All of a Winter’s Night by Phil Rickman
Gallowstree Lane by Kate London
Carved in Darkness by Maegan Beaumont
All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
The Anglo-Saxon Age by John Blair
The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
Blood Men by Paul Cleave
Thrill Seeker by Kristina Lloyd
Fresh Off the Boat by Eddie Huang
The Case of the Green-Dressed Ghost by Lucy Banks
The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein
Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly
Dead Simple by Peter James
The Case of the Deadly Doppelganger by Lucy Banks
Death of a Witch by M.C. Beaton
The Black Box by Michael Connelly
Saxons vs. Vikings by Ed West
Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly
Snuff by Terry Pratchett

34 for the month

May

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
Anthem by Neal Stephenson
The Case of the Hidden Daemon by Lucy Banks
The Burning Room by Michael Connelly
Witchery by Juliet Diaz
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
The Bone Doll’s Twin by Lynn Flewelling
Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine
Shadows by John Saul
The Complete Merrily Watkins Series by Phil Rickman
Liar Liar by James Patterson
Each Man Kills by David Barry
The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke
Not Dead Enough by Peter James
Haunted Nights by Lisa Morton
Property of a Lady by Sarah Rayne
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
The Drop by Michael Connelly
Death is Not the Answer by Anjali Chhabria
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout
The Shepherd’s Crown by Terry Pratchett
Looking Good Dead by Peter James

23 for the month

June

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Artifical Condition by Martha Wells
Witchbody by Sabrina Scott
Toil & Trouble by Jessica Spotswood
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
Wicca and Witchcraft by Denise Zimmerman
Dragon’s Kin by Anne McCaffrey
Things in Jars by Jess Kidd
Enchantments by Mya Spalter
Two Kinds of Truth by Michael Connelly
Switchblade by Michael Connelly
The Crossing by Michael Connelly
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire

15 for the month

July

Cleaning the Gold by Karin Slaughter & Lee Child
In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire
All the Names They Used for God by Anjali Sachdeva
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
Becoming Dangerous by Katie West
Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon
House of Fate by Barbara Ann Wright
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Under a Dark Sky by Lori Rader-Day
Artemis by Andy Weir

12 for the month

August

The Complete History of New Zealand (in less than two hours) by Peter Jessup
Discover Your Roots by Paul Blake
Building the New World by Erik Olssen
Over the Wide and Trackless Sea by Megan Hutching
My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
From Alba to Aotearoa by Rebecca Lenihan
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com by Nancy Hendrickson
Rants in the Dark by Emily Writes
Wicca by Arin Murphy-Hiscock
Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors by Ian Maxwell
Tar Baby by Toni Morrison
Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
Breaking the Lore by Andy Redsmith
Know Your Rites by Andy Redsmith
Starlings by Jo Walton
The Merciless by Daniell Vega
The Armored Saint by Myke Cole
Spell on Wheels by Kate Leth
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

20 for the month

September

Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott
That Old Black Magic by Cathi Unsworth
Who Do You Think You Are? by Nick Barratt
Monster-Sized Chilling Adventures of Sabrina by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff
For Kicks by Dick Francis
Even Money by Dick Francis
Steel Magic by Andre Norton
The Basis of Everything by Andrew Ramsey
No Idle Rich by Jim McAloon
You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
The Real Witches of New England by Ellen Evert Hopman
The Secret Country of Yourself by Jenya T. Beachy
Odds Against by Dick Francis
Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeanette Ng
Whip Hand by Dick Francis
Come to Grief by Dick Francis
Dead Heat by Dick Francis
Gamble by Felix Francis
Tracing your Family History on the Internet by Chris Paton
A Burden Shared by Jo Walton
Bloodline by Felix Francis
Settlers by Jock Phillips
Refusal by Felix Francis
Damage by Felix Francis
Front Runner by Felix Francis
Longshot by Dick Francis
How to Organize Family History Paperwork by Denise May Levenick
How to Archive Family Keepsakes by Denise May Levenick
Family history by Simon Fowler
How to Write Your Personal or Family History by Katie Wiebe
Writing Your Family History by Gill Blanchard
Rat Race by Dick Francis
The Edge by Dick Francis
The Danger by Dick Francis
Break In by Dick Francis
Dead Cert by Dick Francis
Flying Finish by Dick Francis
101 Brick Wall Busters ed. by F.T. Magazine
Blood Sport by Dick Francis
Forfeit by Dick Francis
The Sport of Queens by Dick Francis
In the Frame by Dick Francis
Second Wind by Dick Francis
Slay Ride by Dick Francis
Knock Down by Dick Francis
Smokescreen by Dick Francis
Driving Force by Dick Francis
Reflex by Dick Francis
Risk by Dick Francis
Wild Horses by Dick Francis
Proof by Dick Francis
Comeback by Dick Francis
Twice Shy by Dick Francis
Writing a Non-Boring Family History by Hazel Edwards
High Stakes by Dick Francis
Writing Your Family History by Deborah Cass

57 for the month

October

Bonecrack by Dick Francis
Triple Crown by Felix Francis
Decider by Dick Francis
Currents of Change by Darian Smith
To the Hilt by Dick Francis
Shattered by Dick Francis
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
My Family and Other Strangers by Jeremy Hardy
Straight by Dick Francis
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Hot Money by Dick Francis
Nerve by Dick Francis
Bolt by Dick Francis
10-Lb Penalty by Dick Francis
Crossfire by Dick Francis & Felix Francis
Banker by Dick Francis
Trial Run by Dick Francis
Silks by Dick Francis & Felix Francis
Under Orders by Dick Francis
Field of Thirteen by Dick Francis
Finding Family by Richard Hill
No One Noticed the Cat by Anne McCaffrey
Acorna: The Unicorn Girl by Anne McCaffrey
Black Horses for the King by Anne McCaffrey
Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones

25 for the month

November

The Honours by Tim Clare
Waking the Witch by Pam Grossman
Enquiry by Dick Francis
Woman Most Wild by Danielle Dulsky
Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel by A.W. Jantha
Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Horse Goddess by Morgan Llywelyn

7 for the month

December

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
Her Silhouette, Drawn in Water by Vylar Kaftan
London Falling by Paul Cornell
Witches of Lychford by Paul Cornell
The Severed Streets by Paul Cornell
Chalk by Paul Cornell
Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? by Paul Cornell
The Lost Child of Lychford by Paul Cornell
A Long Day in Lychford by Paul Cornell
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
The Secret Life of John William Waterhouse by Nicholas Slack
Christmas Memories by Susan Waggoner
The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper
Blue Moon by Lee Child

14 for the month

313 books in total for 2019

National Publicity Studios Photographs of Rotorua

The National Publicity Studios were established in 1945 in part to produce publicity material with the intention of promoting New Zealand to tourists and immigrants.

I purchased these postcard images from Trademe in 2011 and they’ve been languishing unloved in an envelope since, so I decided to scan and share them here.

Reading Log – March 2019

I finished a lot of Michael Connelly this month. The worst part is waiting for the eBook to become available from the library. Let’s just say I have a lot of books on hold!

Also devoured a lot of Laura Lippman, whose Private Investigator protagonist reminds me fondly of Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone. Gotta say I’m not hugely keen on the Baltimore setting as it’s an American city I have no interest in, but her writing and plots are strong enough to see me through.

I tried a few other crime writers in March: McIlvanney, Ellison, Peter James. None of them really grabbed me. I think I’m about to admit defeat when it comes to Tartan Noir too. Stuart MacBride & Val Dermid aside, it’s not for me.

My health has continued to be a problem, so I topped off my list with a few Pratchett faves, which are the ultimate in comfort reading. The Night Watch series is probably my all time favourite collection, although I’m partial to the witches and Death as well!

Fifty Years of Wicca by Frederic Lamond
Firechild by Maxine Sanders
A Darkness More Than Night by Michael Connelly
Fifty Fifty by James Patterson and Candice Fox
Suicide Run by Michael Connelly
Circle of the Moon by Faith Hunter
The Immortals by J.T. Ellison
Charm City by Laura Lippman
Deep Down Dead by Steph Broadribb
The Pool of Two Moons by Kate Forsyth
Butchers Hill by Laura Lippman
In Big Trouble by Laura Lippman
The Sugar House by Laura Lippman
Sugar Bowl Series by Sawyer Bennett
Laidlaw by William McIlvanney
The Cursed Towers by Kate Forsyth
Need You Dead by Peter James
All the Pretty Girls by J.T. Ellison
Roma by Steven Saylor
Communing with the Ancestors by Raven Grimassi
City of Bones by Michael Connelly
Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman
Odin by Diana L. Paxson
The Reversal by Michael Connelly
The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly
Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett
Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett
Jingo by Terry Pratchett
The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett
Thud! by Terry Pratchett
Lost Light by Michael Connelly
The Truth by Terry Pratchett
Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett
The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett
The Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
The Narrows by Michael Connelly
Night Watch by Terry Pratchett
In A Strange City by Laura Lippman
Blood Work by Michael Connelly

40 in total.

Reading Log – February 2019

I’ve been struggling with focus and motivation recently, so I was surprised to see that I finished 34 books in Feb. Mostly novels, particularly books in series’ by authors I enjoy like Michael Connelly & Candice Fox (crime/mystery) or Steven Saylor & Ruth Downie (crime/mystery set in Ancient Rome).

Eden by Candice Fox
Never Never by James Patterson and Candice Fox
The Venus Throw by Steven Saylor
A Murder on the Appian Way by Steven Saylor
Terra Icognita by Ruth Downie
Fall by Candice Fox
Black & Blue by James Patterson and Candice Fox
All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda
Light the Dark by Joe Fassler
It’s OK to Feel Things Deeply by Carissa Potter
A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie
Persona Non Grata by Ruth Downie
Rubicon by Steven Saylor
Meditation by Matteo Pistono
Llewellyn’s Little Book of Meditation by David Pond
Last Seen in Massilia by Steven Saylor
A Mist of Prophecies by Steven Saylor
A Small Weeping by Alex Gray
The Judgement of Caesar by Steven Saylor
They Do It With Mirrors by Agatha Christie
The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly
Angels Flight by Michael Connelly
Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood
The Triumph of Caesar by Steven Saylor
Rivals of the Republic by Annelise Freisenbruch
Caveat Emptor by Ruth Downie
School Ties by Tamsen Parker
The Lies You Tell by Ruth Mancini
Semper Fidelis by Ruth Downie
Tabula Rasa by Ruth Downie
Vita Brevis by Ruth Downie
Night Horse by Elizabeth Smither
Dragonclaw by Kate Forsyth
Dancing with Witches by Lois Bourne

Reading Log – January 2019

A new year, a new list. Up until a few days ago, I felt like I’d hardly ready anything this month, but apparently I’ve cranked out quite a few novels! Only five non-fic books made my Jan list; the rest was genre fic, mostly mystery stuff. All in all, I finished 32 books in January.

I’m making my way through Michael Connelly’s back catalogue after picking up “The Late Show”, which was published mid-2017. The old stuff is a little dated, but in a very entertaining “L.A. noir in the ’90s” way.

I also stumbled across Steven Saylor’s Roma Sub Rosa novels, which are mysteries set in the ancient Roman Republic. I’ve been a fan of Lindsey Davis’ Falco series for a long time, and Saylor’s mysteries are in a similar vein – but with less humour and a touch more history. I’ve loved historical novels set in ancient Rome since reading Rosemary Sutcliff as a child, and doubled down on all things Roman while studying Classics in high school (and laughing myself silly at Juvenal’s Satires).

Making Money by Terry Pratchett
Woman Most Wild by Danielle Dulsky
Witch by Lisa Lister
A Cold Day for Murder by Dana Stabenow
Weave the Liminal by Laura Tempest Zakroff
Transformative Witchcraft by Jason Mankey
The Thief of Light by Bernard Schaffer
Light Magic for Dark Times by Lisa Marie Basile
Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
Ill Will by Dan Chaon
Redemption Point by Candice Fox
The Raven Room by Ana Medeiros
Lethal Kisses ed. by Ellen Datlow
Hades by Candice Fox
The Late Show by Michael Connelly
The Black Echo by Michael Connelly
The Black Ice by Michael Connelly
The Concrete Blonde by Michael Connelly
Trunk Music by Michael Connelly
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly
The Poet by Michael Connelly
Mulholland Drive by Michael Connelly
Roman Blood by Steven Saylor
The Last Place You Look by Kristen Lepionka
The Seven Wonders by Steven Saylor
Raiders of the Nile by Steven Saylor
Wrath of the Furies by Steven Saylor
The House of the Vestals by Steven Saylor
A Gladiator Only Dies Once by Steven Saylor
Arms of Nemesis by Steven Saylor
Catilina’s Riddle by Steven Saylor

Reading List – December 2018

Another year done and dusted. This one was a big reading year, although I didn’t add many titles to the list in December itself – too busy with everything else. I’m not complaining! Lots of work, sunny days, and holiday celebrations took up my time instead.

The yearly total came to 368. Most of those were eBooks borrowed from Auckland Libraries and read on my iPad. A slight majority were fiction, and the vast majority were first-time reads.

The list for December:

Death Message by Kate London
Resolution by Denise Mina
The Spirit Almanac by Emma Loewe
Brightly Burning by Alex Donne
Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop
Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop
Hexes for the Modern Age by Val Brains
After Z-Hour by Elizabeth Knox
Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Witch’s Altar by Jason Mankey and Laura Tempest Zakroff
The Witch’s Book of Shadows by Jason Mankey
Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza
The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst
The Thickety: A Path Begins by J.A. White
The King of the Witches by June Johns
Queen of Darkness by Anne Bishop
Blood of a Thousand Stars by Rhoda Belleza
Faith, Issue 1 by Jody Houser
The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

20 in total.

Reading List – November 2018

I managed to squeeze in some extra reading time this month by lugging my iPad everywhere with me. Honestly, Auckland Libraries OverDrive is one of my favourite uses of the internet. It’s free to use once you sign up/in with your library card, and the selection is actually pretty damn good. I make sure to recommend books for them to purchase regularly too.

I received some books on my birthday so this month I have actually read some analogue novels too, but it’s hard to beat the convenience of digital. That being said, I’m not sure it’s done my eyesight any favours.

Lots of crime/suspense/thriller/mystery stuff this month, including some by my all time faves: Tana French & Stuart MacBride (yep, I like my murder mysteries to be really messed up). I’ve also been smashing out a lot of Anne Bishop fantasy, but I’m still undecided on whether I like her or not… The more I read her works, the more I see disturbing gender-essentialist “woman in jeopardy” themes coming through and it’s just not my cup of tea. Even when everything else is good, that kinda thing leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

Anyway, on to the list:

The Spirit Ring by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Unsound Issue 1 by Cullen Bunn
Exile by Denise Mina
The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham
Insidious Intent by Val McDermid
The Wych Elm by Tana French
Post Mortem by Kate London
Things We Have in Common by Tasha Kavanagh
Pig Island by Mo Hayder
Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines
The Phantom Tolbooth by Norton Juster
Daggerspell by Katharine Kerr
Tarot by Kim Arnold
Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig
Holistic Tarot by Benebell Wen
Black Jack by Mari Carr
Junk by Melvin Burgess
The Hoarder by Jess Kidd
21 Ways to a Happier Depression by Seth Swirsky
Weycombe by G.M. Malliet
Death of a Cozy Writer by G.M. Malliet
Death and the Lit Chick by G.M. Malliet
Death at the Alma Mater by G.M. Malliet
Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Candy Cane Murder by Joanne Fluke
Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke
Gingerbread Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell
Written in Red by Anne Bishop
Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop
Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop
Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop
Lake Silence by Anne Bishop
Thicker Than Blood by Erin Kelly
Betwixt and Between by Storm Faerywolf
Brazen Virtue by Nora Roberts
The Rising Sign by Jeanne Avery
Dying Light by Stuart MacBride
Flesh House by Stuart MacBride
Broken Skin by Stuart MacBride
Blind Eye by Stuart MacBride
Dark Blood by Stuart MacBride
Shatter the Bones by Stuart MacBride
Close to the Bone by Stuart MacBride
22 Dead Little Bodies and Other Stories by Stuart MacBride
The Missing and the Dead by Stuart MacBride
Partners in Crime by Stuart MacBride
Now We Are Dead by Stuart MacBride
In the Cold Dark Ground by Stuart MacBride
The Blood Road by Stuart MacBride
Birthdays for the Dead by Stuart MacBride
A Song for the Dying by Stuart MacBride
The Halfmen of O by Maurice Gee
The New Chalet School by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
The Wrong Chalet School by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
He Said / She Said by Erin Kelly

57 in total.

Reading List – October 2018

October is always a busy month for me – and with low mood issues, it’s also been a difficult one. But I still managed to squeeze in 18 books, which I feel good about. It’s quite a collection too. Spec fic (I think I love Jo Walton), romance, crime thriller, fantasy, and the odd non-fic for research purposes.

Short month, so short recap. Here’s the list:

The Just City by Jo Walton
The Bourbon Thief by Tiffany Reisz
The King’s Name by Jo Walton
Blood of the Earth by Faith Hunter
Curse on the Land by Faith Hunter
Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter
The Celtic Goddess by Trevor Greenfield
The Philosopher Kings by Jo Walton
Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton
The Twelve Faces of the Goddess by Danielle Blackwood
Rivers of London: Black Mould 1 by Ben Aaronovitch
Rivers of London: Black Mould 2 by Ben Aaronovitch
The Dead Fathers Club by Matt Haig
The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness
The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney
Garnethill by Denise Mina

18 in total.

Reading List – September 2018

September was Comic Book month at Auckland Libraries, so I tried a bunch of graphic novels, and found some amazing stories. I liked comics as a kid (particularly X-men and Catwoman) but always kinda wished the stories were longer so I became a fan of collected editions and graphic novels. My first G.N. was “Dragonflight” by Anne McCaffrey – I’d read and loved the series beforehand, so the graphic novel was a wonderful find (at Rotorua Library back in the ’90s). As an adult, I became obsessed with Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman” overture, and I’ll admit there are lots of online comics that I regularly ready. So finding “The Wicked + the Divine” and “Locke & Key” had me feeling really lucky this month.

I also started making my way through Naomi Novik’s alt-hist/fantasy “Temeraire” series – dragons in the Napoleonic Wars, what’s not to like. I read the first novel shortly after it was released and really liked it, but for some reason I never picked up the rest. Mistake! They are great, just wholesome fantasy with terrific language.

I also finished a few other series (Rendell, Blizz Chronicles), and started a bunch of new ones by Jo Walton – I’d read “My Real Children” a few years ago when I found it in a pile at Mum’s place, and it was weird in the best way. This month, I got “Among Others” and it was so perfectly attuned to my interests that I didn’t want it to end. After a brief mourning period, I moved on to her alt-history “Farthing” and her Arthurian-esque “King’s Peace” – both trilogies, so yay!

Resilient by Rick Hanson
The Night Mark by Tiffany Reisz
Craft by Gabriela Herstik
Witch Child by Celia Rees
Sorceress by Celia Rees
the witch doesn’t burn in this one by Amanda Lovelace
World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume 3 by Blizzard Entertainment
First, We Make the Beast Beautiful by Sarah Wilson
Zeus Grants Stupid Wishes by Cory O’Brien
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Temeraire by Naomi Novik
Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik
Black Powder War by Naomi Novik
Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik
Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik
The Pillars of the World by Anne Bishop
The Gods of HP Lovecraft by Martha Wells
Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popovic
Beyond the Woods by Paula Guran
Conversations with Spirits by E.O. Higgins
Shadows and Light by Anne Bishop
The House of Gaian by Anne Bishop
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
The Monster in the Box by Ruth Rendell
The Vault by Ruth Rendell
Don’t Know Jack by Diane Capri
Inherit the bones by Emily Littlejohn
Wytches Volume 1 by Scott Snyder
The Wicked + the Divine Volume 1 by Kieron Gillen
A Study in Emerald by Neil Gaiman
Locke & Key Volume 1 by Joe Hill
Among Others by Jo Walton
Farthing by Jo Walton
The King’s Peace by Jo Walton
My Real Children by Jo Walton
What Makes This Book So Great by Jo Walton
No Man’s Nightingale by Ruth Rendell
The Magic of the Spring Equinox by Danu Forest
Gwyn ap Nudd by Danu Forest
The Wicked + the Divine Volume 2 by Kieron Gillen
The Wicked + the Divine Volume 3 by Kieron Gillen
The Wicked + the Divine Volume 4 by Kieron Gillen
Locke & Key Volume 2 by Joe Hill
Locke & Key Volume 3 by Joe Hill
Locke & Key Volume 4 by Joe Hill
Locke & Key Volume 5 by Joe Hill
Locke & Key Volume 6 by Joe Hill
Ostara by Kerri Connor

49 in total.

NaNoWriMo: Writer’s Agreement

In November 2018, I will participate in NaNoWriMo, with the goal of completing 50,000 words by midnight of 30/11. This averages out to 1667 words per day. I know that I can accomplish this because I have done it twice before, so I will not let  anxiety or negative self talk try to convince me otherwise!

I will write every day, between noon and 5pm, with no exceptions barring serious illness or natural disaster. Playing catch-up is hard, so my actual daily goal will be 2k words just in case the serious illness or disaster does occur! If the worst happens, I will not give up just because I’ve fallen behind my word goal. I will carry my notebook and iPhone with me so that I can write anywhere at any time.

I will not give in to boredom, laziness, or FOMO. To achieve this, I will follow the plot plan that I have created, and write the parts I want to write, regardless of order. I give myself permission to abuse coffee if required.

I will shelve my inner editor. I will not re-read anything that I have written until December. I give my novel permission to be terrible until December. This novel is ultimately for me – I don’t have to live up to anyone else’s standards.

I will not let outside interference dissuade me. I am allowed to prioritise this for myself, and the world will not end just because I have done so! I will retreat to my office if required, or the cafe, or the library. I will wear headphones and turn up my music.

I am allowed to be excited about this, even if nobody else understands. I will use FB groups and write-ins to discuss this with like-minded folks.

I want to accomplish this because I need to add structure and discipline back into my day, so that I have solid foundations for the rest of the work that I do. I want to teach my mind that “the perfect is the enemy of the good” and encourage no-holds-barred creativity. I want to give in to the urge to write.