I am up to armpit in things this week, what with the beginning of NaNoWriMo.
Some of you may recall that I did this last fall, but for those of you who do not recall or who weren't here, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month and the goal is to whip up the first draft of a novel, or a minimum of 50,000 words. I succeeded last year and am undertaking the adventure once again and it seems to be going pretty well, as at day 4, I am 11,000 words in. The point is not to write the Great American (or Canadian) Novel - it's to get a first draft on paper and spend the months thereafter beating it into submission. Or yourself. You decide.
For some reason, this works very well for me as I tend to be slightly competitive and god forbid I shouldn't make it. I am not being competitive within anyone in particular, mostly myself, but the same me that wanted the gold star in elementary school is the me that wants the completion certificate at the end of the month, not that it's necessarily worth anything...
Books, even unpublished ones, are a difficult thing to give birth to; much more trying than the two babies I found time to push out in the mid 1990s. But I do love it and am slowly getting better at it, and really, isn't that all you can ask for?
So last night I wanted an easy supper and for this family the easiest supper is homemade pizza. I make the dough and then put out all kinds of toppings and people make their own, which is much more pleasant than people dissing you on the ingredients YOU chose.
My pizza toppings were from a Jamie Oliver: Pizza Fiorentina!
Basically, I topped my own little pizza (enough for my dinner and for lunch the next day) with pizza sauce. I wash 4 pieces of swiss chard, chopped the stalks and separated them from the leafy greens. Boiled water and tossed in the chopped stalk for 1 minute,s then added the greens and cooked them both for another minute. Drained them, dried them, tossed them with the juice of one lemon and a finely chopped garlic clove and then dressed the pizza. Cracked an egg on top, sprinkled some mozzarella and voila:
Really, really good. And so pretty! I had the leftovers for lunch today and was happy for it, since the writing was actually going quite well!
I do love Jamie!
Happy Tuesday and stay safe out there!
xoxo wendy
Some of you may recall that I did this last fall, but for those of you who do not recall or who weren't here, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month and the goal is to whip up the first draft of a novel, or a minimum of 50,000 words. I succeeded last year and am undertaking the adventure once again and it seems to be going pretty well, as at day 4, I am 11,000 words in. The point is not to write the Great American (or Canadian) Novel - it's to get a first draft on paper and spend the months thereafter beating it into submission. Or yourself. You decide.
Books, even unpublished ones, are a difficult thing to give birth to; much more trying than the two babies I found time to push out in the mid 1990s. But I do love it and am slowly getting better at it, and really, isn't that all you can ask for?
So last night I wanted an easy supper and for this family the easiest supper is homemade pizza. I make the dough and then put out all kinds of toppings and people make their own, which is much more pleasant than people dissing you on the ingredients YOU chose.
My pizza toppings were from a Jamie Oliver: Pizza Fiorentina!
Basically, I topped my own little pizza (enough for my dinner and for lunch the next day) with pizza sauce. I wash 4 pieces of swiss chard, chopped the stalks and separated them from the leafy greens. Boiled water and tossed in the chopped stalk for 1 minute,s then added the greens and cooked them both for another minute. Drained them, dried them, tossed them with the juice of one lemon and a finely chopped garlic clove and then dressed the pizza. Cracked an egg on top, sprinkled some mozzarella and voila:
Really, really good. And so pretty! I had the leftovers for lunch today and was happy for it, since the writing was actually going quite well!
I do love Jamie!
Happy Tuesday and stay safe out there!
xoxo wendy
Congrats on the kick-off of the next novel!
ReplyDeleteRe: pizza. And there's me thinkin how much trouble it is to pick up the phone. Especially when it should really be his turn.
Yes, but you live in a place where the pizza is GOOD!
DeleteI'm amazed at how many words you can write a day!! Bravo on doing this again. The pressure would kill me.
ReplyDeleteThe pizza looks fab. I'd be struggling to make one these days since I'm off gluten and dairy for now. In case you wondered, it sucks. I love cheese and live for fresh bread.
Jennifer - I - unfortunately - thrive on pressure! Am the world's worst procrastinator! Off dairy and gluten! I ought to do that, too, but then I think about it and think, nah!
DeleteI'm nervous just thinking sbout a deadline but hope you get lots done!
ReplyDeleteGood for you-- I could never write a novel!
ReplyDeleteI am a big pizza maker, too, as it's so much better than what's available.
On pins and needles re: our election this year. My guy-- the independent -- will not win, unfortunately, but I hope the incumbent is not voted in again. There was a vote on bear baiting, too; I can't imagine that this has been legal and that there is a huge contingent in favor of it!
We have amendments on abortion, judges, taxes, and gambling...oh, and if we can sell wine in a grocery store. Shall see tomorrow, fingers crossed.
DeleteI don't think it turned out very well for either of you, did it?
DeleteGood luck on the writing. Guess we won't be seeing you much for the next thirty days. My our pizza looks terrific.
ReplyDeleteOh I am still here! Once I am writing, I seem to write!
DeleteGood luck for this year's NaNoWriMo Wendy! My son is doing it too, hope you both make it to 50,000 words!
ReplyDeleteOh tell him to look for me if he wants an old broad for a buddy!
DeleteMmm pizza, good luck at the wordsmithing, that's no mean feat but you're determined and that's the only way it ever gets done - may the ghosts of authors past whisper nightly encouragement to you!
ReplyDeleteTabs, I hope they whisper 'champagne when you're done...'
DeleteI'm guessing you already had an idea for the book, as I can't imagine writing 12,000 words so quickly otherwise! I do make- your- own pizzas here too. I enlist child labour in the guise of teaching them how to cook and engaging them in the process of food. Or something highbrow like that. Good luck with the rest of the book xx
ReplyDeleteHi Heidi - yes, this novel has been percolating in my pea brain for months and it is still painful to get the first draft out! I always make my kids help - and they do the dishes every night - I do think it helps them, don't you?
DeleteGood job on the writing my goodness. Did Middlemarch inspire you? I'm reading it but my attention span is worse than usual due to the renovation shenanigans.
ReplyDeleteI loved Middlemarch, but I read so much these days that everything seems to inspire me! For me it is all about finding the good book, but my goodness, you have so much going on, you can be excused the attention span!
DeleteGood for you Wendy on the writing! I've read about many writers that do have word count goals for each day. May the muse be with you!
ReplyDeletePie does look delish!
I just won't use your muse, ;-) I think I will take Holly Black this month - she is an amazing writer and I could use some of her mojo!
DeleteGood luck on the writing! As my first 1/3 of the month was in Hawaii, I bowed out this year but it's a great discipline to write out the month. Pizza looks delish!
ReplyDelete