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Winter in San Francisco: A Writer’s Second Year

December 18, 2022December 18, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

It’s a quiet Sunday morning, and our Boston Terrier, Nora, is in a deep sleep. Curled up on the bed, her eyes twitch, and she huffs and gives a little bark. What’s she dreaming about?

The window is open, and the brisk 50-something air creeps into our apartment. It hasn’t rained in more than a week, and I’ve been enjoying my second chilly yet sunny winter in San Francisco. I’ve been taking long walks in North Beach and Chinatown, and last week took Clay Street all the way to the Ferry Building, where I hung out and read by the water. I can’t say it enough, I love this city.

Now as 2022 is easing into 2023, I’m hoping next year won’t be as chaotic. Approaching the third-year anniversary of the Pandemic and I can’t help but feel like I’m wedged somewhere between whiplash and a gnarly hangover.

white wooden framed glass window — Photo by Nida on Pexels.com

It’s not even ten in the morning but I’ve already gone to store and stocked up on groceries for the week. I’m sit with my cup of cold green tea wondering if I should take a stab at writing 1,600 words of my new novel today (about 2/3rds done) or if I should try to scribble out a poem or two. But honestly, I want to read.

I’ve been reading constantly for the past few weeks, blasting through a few 300-something-page novels, and catching up on the most recent issues of Poetry Magazine. My reading goal for 2022 was to read 25 books, I’m behind, but it’s not as bad as I would’ve thought (18 books read). It’s an itch I need to scratch, and I know I could spend the next few hours getting lost in a book or two. What am I reading?

Books on Writing Novels and Feminist Literature

Still Mad: American Women Writers and the Feminist Imagination

Novelist as a Vocation

Mastering the Process: From Idea to Novel

gift boxes under festive tree — Photo by Olena Bohovyk on Pexels.com

What are my plans for the holidays? Staying home, writing, and reading more books. I’ve settled into a nice rhythm with reading, and I feel like I could quickly begin reading as much as I did in college (4-5 books a month).

This slow winter month feels like a gestation period. I’m thinking of new ideas and trying to wrap up chapters of my NaNoWriMo22 novel (no, I didn’t finish it by November 30th, and that’s alright). There’s been a lot of progress and I feel like I’m levelheaded enough to take on a big project or even start an online course on top of everything else I’m doing.

Recent obsessions? Cooking. I’ve been watching a few shows and would love to take a class, really learn how to properly chop up vegetables would be helpful.

person slicing vegetables on chopping board — Photo by Kristina Snowasp on Pexels.com

My favorite meal this week: Surprise! It’s ramen

Nongshim Shin Ramyum cooked with baby bok choy and a handful of sliced white mushrooms and topped with an over-easy egg.

What am I drinking? Wassail and gin.

While I’m not reading, working, or deep in a writing jaunt, I’m listening to music a few hours a day.

What am I listening to this week? Here’s a link to my SF Dec(ember) 2022 playlist. Some old and some new stuff but really it’s a certain atmosphere that I’m going for when I’m putting together a monthly playlist.

Are you writing or reading anything fun? I want to know. Leave a comment below!

Thank you for reading, and I wish you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

decor and confetti on the floor — Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

If you’re a writer looking for a Beta Reader, I can help. Check out my Alpha/Beta Reading service here. Questions? You can message me on Fiverr 🙂

NaNoWriMo2022 Continued: End of Week Five

December 4, 2022December 4, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

NaNoWriMo2022 is over this year! But not for me. I’m still going, and I hit over 30k words this week. The pressure has dissipated, and I’ll work at my own pace. I want to take my time with this novel, and there are a few plot points I’m still dissecting.

What else have I been up to? Reading and then reading some more…

I finished Book #3, A Court of Wings and Ruin of Sarah J. Maas’s series A Court of Thorns and Roses. Again, the fantastical all-powerful flying Fae are sometimes hard to grasp. There are moments where cheesy dialogue and scenes ooze with over-the-top romantic idealization to the point where the series could be immolating itself. I like this series because it’s one of the things I read in my downtime, like watching junk TV or indulging in a Bachelorette episode for laughs.

And I also started Book #2 of The Scholomance series by Naomi Novik. I’m not entirely sure why I’m doing this to myself again (another odd bit is that one of my favorite authors, Holly Black, wrote a short recommendation on the back of this book, which is perplexing).

Yes, I complained about Book #1 of The Scholomance series a lot in my Goodreads review. Honestly, my distaste for it inspired me to keep reading. There may be some sick version of myself who wants to see it improve or at least some radical character development and plot twists. Still, just like Maas’s books, I’m reading this like I’d watch some mind-numbing TV, but the difference is I actually like Maas’s series.

What am I listening to? Spotify’s “Early Alternative” playlist.

What else am I doing? I’m working on a few social media templates for my Etsy shop, The Happy Poet Studio. I also plan on going out in the city to get more shots for my IG @alinahappyhansen.

While all this is happening, I’m working and scribbling down a few words to count toward my daily goal of 3k words (unrelated to my novel writing).

My plans for week six? I want to write 5k words and wrap up the story’s climax. Did you participate in NaNoWriMo? How’d it go? Leave a comment below or HMU on nanowrimo.org; my username is alinahappyhansen ?

NaNoWriMo2022: End of Week Four

November 27, 2022November 27, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

November is almost over, and what’s next? I’m still working on my novel, hovering around 30k words, but I’ve made huge strides. The story’s finally where I want it, and I’ve got a few plot points boiling in my head that I can’t wait to try out. I feel free to hit 50k words by Dec 1st, so I’m pushing my deadline to the end of December.

I finished Book #1 of The Scholomance; what a letdown. The plot warbled here and there, the characters felt flat, and the only parts I was really interested had the student-eating monsters.

I’m working on finishing Mastering the Process by Elizabeth George, which is also a big disappointment. I’ve read many books on writing novels, but this one gives general advice and has a ton of filler that just excerpts from one of her novels.

My plans for week five? I want to write about 10k words and finish the story’s climax; I’m thinking of a significant character reveal. How’s your NaNoWriMo going? Are you looking for a writing partner? HMU on nanowrimo.org; my username is alinahappyhansen ?

NaNoWriMo2022: End of Week Three

November 20, 2022November 20, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

This week has gone by in a flurry. I took a healthy amount of time off to spend with my partner, it was our ninth anniversary, and we had a fabulous day out going to a hip restaurant and then out for drinks at a local dive bar by the Haight. I was swept up in fun and fell behind in my writing, but I wouldn’t trade our good times for anything.

My novel is over 25k words, but I’ve a solid grasp of where the story’s going and how things will unfold. I find reading for long periods of time refreshing to clear my head.

I finished No Nature by Gary Snyder this week, and I’m almost done with Book #1 of The Scholomance. I’m not in love with The Scholomance. It’s a painful read, and I’ve almost stopped a few times because of the boring inner monologue of the main character.

She’s not relatable, not bright, and unpleasant, but I like the world-building, and the monsters who snatch up and eat students are fascinating and disturbing; definitely good inspiration for how I can craft my own to scare readers, hopefully.

My plans for week four? I need to write about 15k words and build up to the story’s climax; I’m thinking of a fight or death. How’s your NaNoWriMo going? Are you looking for a writing partner? HMU on nanowrimo.org; my username is alinahappyhansen ?

NaNoWriMo2022: End of Week Two

November 13, 2022November 13, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

It’s the end of NaNoWriMo week two, and I feel I’ve made pretty good progress. At the beginning of the week, me and my boyfriend when to Quentin Tarantino’s Cinema Speculation Book Tour at the Castro Theatre. It was fun to get out and enjoy the city after work instead of staying home and watching reruns.

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Since I didn’t have time to write that night, I’ve been a little behind since then, but now I’m hovering at around 19k words written. I’ve already written nearly half a book, and I’m not quite sure what my characters will do or how the main conflict will resolve, but I like my momentum.

I’ve focused on making this NaNoWriMo as stress-free as possible, so I’m doing my best not to put any pressure on myself, thinking I’m writing the next big fantasy hit (that’s certainly not the case).

Drink of the night: A splash of pineapple juice and Haku Vodka
Snack: Pretzels
My latest obsession: Sweetened dried orange slices

My plans for week three? I need to sort out the antagonist of my story and decide if my main character’s going to step into a leadership role or solve a mystery, maybe both. How’s your NaNoWriMo going? Are you looking for a writing partner? HMU on nanowrimo.org; my username is alinahappyhansen 🙂