NaNoWriMo Promises and How to Keep Them

NaNoWriMo Promises and How to Keep Them
By Elizabeth K. Barone
Written on Nov. 23, 2009

We're almost to the end of November. Where did this month go? I mean, really? Because it feels like just yesterday I sat down and wrote the first sentence of my novel. And now it's November??

Are you panicking? I am. I'm panicking because my real goal looms ahead. See, it isn't about the word count for me, though that did spur me on for a while. I raced in a mad dash to get to 50,000, sprinting against http://sarcastica.org my good friend Jess. We cheered each other on. We bragged when we got ahead. We lamented over writers' block, wayward characters, and boring plots. In the back of my mind, I kept thinking, "Just get to 50k. Just do it, and finishing the book will be easy."

You see, dear NaNo-accomplice, my goal wasn't just to write 50,000 words. No, that would be too easy. I've done it before. I wanted to do something harder: FINISH THE DARN THING. My problem is that I never finish what I start. I have one complete novel that will never get edited. I have another that is about 3/4 finished. Another is almost at the halfway point. Yet another book begs to be written, because I already know the beginning, middle, end, and everything in between. It just has to be written. And all of my short stories? Well, some of them are finished, and others are in limbo, screaming as the plasma below them lashes up and threatens to suck them into the abyss forever!

Oh. Right. Back to Earth.

So my goal this month was not only to get to 50k, but also to finish the novel. There have been days when I didn't feel like writing, but for the most part, I spent the last two weeks completely focused on my book. I was enamored by it. Every time I did something other than write, all I thought about was writing. My boyfriend forgot what I looked like (but he did ask me several times a day what my word count was).

And suddenly, I'm at over 50,000 words and the sky is falling on me. Clients need websites done like yesterday, Thanksgiving looms around the corner, and some bad news has left me completely incapable of forming a coherent sentence if I think about it too much. In the back of my mind I wonder, "Can I actually finish this book right now? Will I finish it by the end of November or will it carry into December and be forgotten, doomed to forever wait in that limbo with all the plasma?"
You might be in a similar situation. Maybe your word count is kind of low, or you haven’t even started yet. You might be doubting yourself. I know I’m doubting myself!

BUT. At the beginning of this month, we made ourselves promises. Yours might have been to get anything down, or maybe to get to 50,000 words. Maybe you wanted to just write a novel, and didn’t give a hoot about the word count. Whatever that promise—that goal—might have been, we made a commitment. And darn it, we’re going to see it through! So take some time to remind yourself of that commitment, and remind yourself why you made it. We can get back on track—all we need is a little reminder.

Elizabeth K. Barone spends all of her earnings from building websites on books, McDonald's fries (with sweet 'n sour sauce for dipping, please), nerdy gadgets, and other necessities such as chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. In her free time, she can be found writing, sleeping, and working some more.

NaNoWriMo: Word Count Wisdom

Word Count Wisdom
By Ami Spencer

The first time I participated in NaNoWriMo, I knew it would be a challenge. I was working full time, freelancing part time, and had plans to travel for a long weekend as well as Thanksgiving. November wasn’t exactly the best time to be committing to such a lofty goal. And yet I couldn’t resist the challenge.

I didn’t want NaNo to be another task I felt I had to slog through, though. I wanted it to be fun, so I gave myself a bit of leeway. While I was working toward 50,000 words with gusto, I would be happy to write at least 90 pages. I ended up with almost 130 pages and a little more than 38,000 words. I couldn’t have been more proud of the results. I had written more words in 30 days than I had probably written in the entire previous year.

I had also learned some valuable lessons about my writing style and how to make the most of my writing time:

1. Having a specific word-count goal and a deadline is a must. Before I started NaNo, I had been thinking and talking about this story for at least a year. I needed the impetus to put it down on paper, and something as simple as a word count goal and deadline for reaching it worked wonders. When NaNo is over, even a more realistic goal of 5 to 10 pages a week, helps me get my ideas down on paper and start shaping them. Setting goals for myself and working toward them is the only way I will get these stories in my head written.

2. Finding a group of others with a common goal helps, too. Knowing that there were thousands of people out there writing away toward similar objectives did two things for me: (1) It made me feel supported despite the fact that I didn’t even know them; and (2) It stirred up my competitive spirit and pushed me to work as hard as I could to reach my goal. Participating in write-ins and working beside other writers, hearing about their stories and soaking up their excitement, energized me, too. There’s something about being in a room with other creative souls that can’t help but inspire you.

3. The pressure of deadlines overpowers the fear that keeps me from writing in the first place. We all have a nasty inner editor that keeps us from writing or holds us back from writing what we’d like. But when a deadline looms and I lock my inner editor in the bathroom or closet, amazing things start to happen. I stop worrying about perfection and literary panache and simply write. What comes out may not be perfect, but it will be something I can work with.

4. Pushing past the tough parts is imperative. During the first few days of NaNo, the words flowed like champagne at a wedding. Then the newness and excitement started to wear off, the story headed in directions I wasn’t expecting and suddenly my typing slowed to a crawl. I wanted to stop, to give up, but I kept going.

Sometimes it took every bit of energy I had to keep clicking those keys. I had to argue with my inner editor over and over. I had to figuratively tie myself to the chair some days. But when I got past that wall, when I came out on the other side still typing, it felt so good.

I may not have come away from NaNoWriMo with a finished draft of my first novel, but I did come away with the start of a great story and much more confidence in my writing ability. With NaNo winding down this year, I haven’t written nearly as much as I did during my previous experience. I have, however, continued to write—no matter what.

Ami Spencer is a technical and freelance writer living in Baltimore, MD. She has published articles in several local, regional and online publications. She is also a contributing blogger for several websites, including Feed the Soul and Blissfully Domestic, where she writes on health and wellness topics. You can read her writing blog for tips to help you Write Out Loud Click here or check out her personal blog Click here to learn more about the flotsam and jetsam of her life.

All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in NaNoWriMo

All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in NaNoWriMo
By Jason Black

I'm ashamed to say that I didn't write my first novel until I was 35 years old.

I tried to write when I was in high school. Stories would come to me, and in my head they seemed so grand and epic, yet they inevitably fell flat on the page.

I'd begin with all the enthusiasm and zeal in the world, but three pages later I'd be at the end.

Poof.

Done.

I'd shake my head and wonder where the heck my story went, because there was nothing grand or epic left in those three pages. I had no idea how those "real" writers sustained a story not for three pages, but for 300.

I decided it must be a gift you have to be born with, so I gave up.

That's what I'm really ashamed of.

But I was wrong.

It's not something you're born with, any more than you're born knowing how to walk or speak or use a spoon. My problem wasn't some lack of genetic ability. It was that I didn't know the fundamental law of fiction.

Twenty years later, a friend convinced me to try NaNoWriMo.

I decided to write a fantasy novel based on a role playing game I had run for some friends several years back.

I told those friends, and one of them gave me the best pieces of advice ever. "Remember to show, don't tell."

Maybe it was luck.

Maybe the stars were aligned.

Maybe I was just--finally--ready.

But whatever the reason, that simple edict guided me on a 30 day, 300 page romp of a fantasy novel that in the end bore almost no resemblance to the story I thought it would.

The bliss of redemption has never tasted so sweet.

Showing, as it turns out, is the secret to sustaining a story for as long as you want. When I was younger I had been telling, not showing. Showing is also the secret to making the story interesting and compelling for the reader. "Show, don't tell" is the fundamental law of fiction.

This year is my fifth NaNoWriMo.

Over the past four years, I've learned an awful lot about the practicalities of writing a novel: The subtleties of different point-of-view choices. What it means to have an inner character arc to go with your outer story arc, and how to tie the two together. How to write so as to create mysteries for your reader, rather than to destroy them. The value of conflict in every scene and across the entire plot. The "Hero's Journey" structure. How to balance protagonists and antagonists. How to create compelling stakes.

And on and on and on.

But what I've learned most of all comes back to that advice from my friends. Show, don't tell. At the end of the day, writing is always about "show, don't tell." Every piece of writing advice out there is, at heart, just another manifestation of that one fundamental law.

Or as master short story writer Anton Chekov put it, "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass."

Guest blogger Jason Black is a freelance book doctor working with aspiring novelists to help their work escape the slushpile. He writes about effective techniques for creating great characters at http://www.plottopunctuation.com/blog Click here and may be found on twitter as http://www.twitter.com/p2p_editor.Click here

NaNoWriMo: Celebrating 30 Days of Pure Literary Lunacy

Celebrating 30 Days of Pure Literary Lunacy
By Michael P. Geffner

November, for a ton of writers all over the world, is National Novel Writing Month—or what easily could be called 30 Days of Pure Literary Lunacy.

It’s nothing less than a maddening exercise that requires you to type until your fingers are raw, your eyeballs glaze over, and your mind is numb.

"The ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output,"reads the official website. "It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly."

Or, as some would say with a weak chuckle, die trying.

Now, for the record, let me say I’ve never participated in NaNoWriMo. I’ve never even thought about it. In fact, I haven’t aspired to write a novel since my early 20’s, when I thought—no, I was convinced—that I was the next Hemingway or Camus or Faulkner.

That said, I must admit I absolutely adore the concept: forcing you to write a 50,000-word (175-page) novel from November 1st to midnight, November 30th—an utterly frenetic period of creative energy.

It can’t help but bring to the surface so many great qualities a writer needs to develop a life of it: discipline, commitment, and the perseverance to finish something (How many stories have we all heard of unfinished novels?).

I also love the sense of community it inspires—the shared joy, the shared pain, the shared fear that you see all over the online writing networks, as well as on places like Twitter and Facebook and Myspace and YouTube.

Let’s face it: We writers live mostly a lonely, solitary existence.

We lock ourselves in rooms.

We hide in quiet, shadowy corners.

We write within the darkness of our souls and lost in the fog of our imagination.

So it’s a beautiful thing that something exists out there that gives us this one chance to feel like we’re doing something together and chatting about it every step of the way.

I celebrate this glorious experience, as well as have infinite respect for those brave souls who have voluntarily entered the belly of the NaNoWriMo beast.

To those continuing to feverishly bang away trying desperately to hit that 50K, good luck!

I'm with you in spirit.

Best always and stay positive,

Mike

NaNoWriMo: Taking It Up Several Notches

Taking It Up Several Notches
By Jocelyne Allen

I started my first NaNoWriMo with my head stuck in the armpit of a Japanese businessman.

Working in downtown Tokyo and living on the east side equals a long commute, and I had the misfortune of being on one of the busiest commuter routes in the dense city.

So each morning, I shoved my way into an already full train, hoping only for a strap to hang onto. Sitting was never an option. With my face literally pressed against someone’s back or chest or (worst case) armpit, my options for the next hour were rather limited.

Then November came and gave me something to think about other than whose elbow was in my kidneys. As white-gloved station attendants crammed people in suits into my train car, pirates and cats fought armies of petticoated girls in my head. Arriving at my desk, I ignored the stack of papers waiting for me and frantically pounded away at my keyboard, trapping the armies on a virtual page before they slipped away. And then after a ten-hour workday, the same routine in reverse, only it was the laptop in my one-room apartment that took the beating.

Excited eyebrows up the moment I saw the word count trip up over 50,000. High fives and gold stars to me and that was the end of that. Except that the pirates shanghaied me. A hundred thousand extra words later, they set me free. And the result is a book called You and the Pirates, published this past September by The Workhorsery.

NaNoWriMo is harder this year without the long, boring commute--maybe all the bad breath and armpits were an inspiration to me. But updating my word count on the NaNo site still gives me the same glee. Focusing on how many words I write rather than the quality of the words lets the story slip out of me. A story which apparently includes a town where soap flakes fall like snow.

A Japanese translator based in Toronto, Canada, now after a decade in Japan, Jocelyne Allen actually gets paid to read comics (and turn them into English). Her first novel, You and the Pirates, was just published by Toronto press The Workhorsery (www.theworkhorsery.ca Click here). This is her second time taking on the NaNo challenge.

The NaNoWriMo Stories

How to Succeed at NaNoWriMo Using Endurance Training
By Christy Goldfeder

I trained for and competed in a sprint triathlon (½ mile swim, 14 mile bike ride, 5k run) a couple of years before I took on NaNoWriMo. For some crazy reason, I thought that competing in an endurance race at the crack of dawn would be easier than writing 50,000 words. That’s how powerful the fear of the blank page was for me – and can be for many writers.

But while writing 50,000 in 30 days sounds like an impossible feat, in reality it is much easier than you think. All you need to do is break it down like you would if you were training for an endurance event such a triathlon.

1 – Break it down: When you divide 50,000 words by 30 days, you’ll see that you need to write about 1667 words per day to meet your goal. If you’re a professional writer, how often do you write a 1,500 – 2000 word piece? You probably crank out a few of those per week. Ok - maybe with NaNoWriMo you’re writing 50% more than you usually end up writing in a week.

With my sprint triathlon training, I figured out that I would have to run 2-3 miles a few days a week, swim ¼ mile a few days per week and bike 10 – 15 miles a couple days a week. And I still needed to have some rest in between workout sessions.

2 – Create your blocks or “bricks”: Block out your writing time so that you know you can get it done. I prefer to write in the early mornings when I’m writing longer pieces. Setting your alarm clock for an hour earlier than you usually get up can give you that quiet time that you need to do your work. Or, if you’re a night owl, set up some late-night writing time.

When I trained for the tri, I doubled up my workouts – for example, swimming at 7:00 am and running at 7:00 pm. By the end of training, I would double up workouts into bricks – e.g., running, then swimming – so that I’d get use to switching sports. Doubles and bricks are tiring, but they helped me get my miles in and still have two days off to recover.

3 – Plan for “recovery” days: There may be times when you know you won’t be able to write during the month of November. If you want to take Thanksgiving Day off, just make sure that you can get those words in some other day. If you plan to write more words earlier in the month, you’re more likely to meet your 50,000 word quota by the deadline.

Remember, the beauty of NaNoWriMo is that you don’t actually have to publish your novel by the deadline – you can take a few months to edit and turn it into a work of art.
The other benefit is that after writing consistently for 30 days, you might just find yourself with a new good writing habit.

So don’t be afraid to write freely and just see what happens in your novel when you participate in NaNoWriMo – enjoy it, have fun, and remember that it’s just a game.

Guest blogger Christy Goldfeder is a copywriter working with professionals to grow their businesses through clearer marketing and online strategies. She’s also a holistic health counselor empowering busy people to easily lose weight and gain more energy without stress or struggle. She writes about nutrition and wellness at http://www.liveadeliciouslife.com.Click here Follow her on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/christyi Click here

I Dare You
By Nancy Lichtenstein

Go ahead, I dare you. Sign up for NaNoWriMo and write a novel in a month.

Put aside the fact that it seems like an impossible task…it IS impossible and yet I’ve done it twice, and I have two kids, a full time job, a side career as a freelance writer, and a chronic illness. In fact, it’s precisely because it’s impossible that it’s life changing.

You will see thousands of people sign up for Nanowrimo in the days leading up to November (on the slight chance that you haven’t heard of it yet, it’s National Novel Writing Month, where you pledge to complete the first draft of a 50,000 word fiction manuscript in 30 days; for more information go to www.nanowrimo.org.

Scores of your friends will sign up for it and get started with the best of intentions, fueled on enthusiasm and big dreams. More than one third of them will drop off in the first couple of days, making excuses and saying they’ll try again next year. By the second week, that number will double. If you make it to the end, it truly is a remarkable achievement.

I’m not patting myself on the back for having done it; every one of you could do it too. All it requires is sitting in front of your keyboard and writing 1,666.67 extra words a day…whether you feel like it or not. There are days when this is easy and other days where you’ll sit there typing stuff like, “I hate this story. I hate these characters. I hate myself. I should have become a dentist—I hate dentists.” (Interludes like this are allowed in the rules as long as the majority of the writing is actually on topic.)

The benefits you get from finishing are countless. It’s a trip of discovery that I want you to experience firsthand, but trust that you’ll come out of it believing in yourself like never before. Before Nanowrimo, I was one of those people who put her dreams on the shelf to be “realistic.” Afterwards, my real life changed.

Completing National Novel Writing Month gave me, a suburban mom, the courage to walk into New York Fashion Week (not the friendliest of climates) like I owned the place, hang out with TV stars and interview top designers; this was a big dream of mine and one I believed would NEVER come true, but after Nanowrimo, it was cake.

There’s still one major dream that hasn’t come true yet—publishing a novel. Last year, I was one of the ones who wimped out. It was the worst year of my life personally and I told myself I just didn’t have it in me to do this on top of everything else I was dealing with.

Now I realize that it wouldn’t have been an added burden, it would have been freeing. What could I have done in the past 12 months if I’d done Nanowrimo first? I don’t know, but this year I’m going to find out. Meet me in the winner’s circle on November 30. Go ahead, do the impossible. I dare you.

Guest columnist Nancy Lichtenstein is a freelance lifestyle writer, music journalist and fashionista. She's a frequent contributor to LA Story, a go-to girl for fashion, music and decorating questions at Associated Content, and a two-time NaNoWriMo winner.

NaNoWriMo: It's All About Falling in Love
By Aline Martins

Writing a story is all about falling in love.

I first heard about NaNoWriMo three years ago through a friend, and though I loved writing, I could never believe that you could put yourself under such pressure just so a book could be born in the world.

So, I avoided participating, left it aside, and instead took as many writing classes and workshops as I could on writing and creative writing.

The fact, is, I am a storyteller, just as my grandmother was. I tell stories in hospitals, at parties and camps, and in the school in Brazil where I teach English.

I thought, "I can tell a story, I am perfectly able to write one too!” But I didn’t know that writing was the hardest part. While different ideas for books constantly float around in my head in my head, when it came to writing them down I found that I am a Procrastination Queen.

Every time I planned to start writing, I would sabotage myself and find the perfect excuse to start doing it later.

Tip: Don’t ever expect the elves to come during the night and start your book for you.

It was October 25th when my friend convinced me to take part in this year’s NaNoWriMo; I immediately began freaking out. I had the story in my head, a good beginning, quite good end, but what about the storyline and plots?

I had only five days to get organized.

I turned to a NaNoWriMo Brazilian forum for help.

I found out I had much more to start than a lot people had, and soon I was organizing a NaNoWriMo kick-off party.

This was the best thing I ever did.

Tip: If you can go to the meet ups and write ins, DO IT! There is nothing better than meeting likeminded people.

Suddenly, it was November 1st. And during the first couple of hours, I managed typing 2,000 words! It was at that moment that I knew I was in love, completely in love with my story, with NaNoWriMo.

It was the morning of the second day, when, very excitedly I told my mom of my achievement, “Mom, I already wrote 4,000 words!” She replied: “We are having pasta for lunch."

Tip: Sometimes we must not listen to what people say.

Today, here I am, getting to 12K out of the 50K expected before the end of November.

I'm not sleeping much, trying to keep up with my jobs as a teacher, translator and NaNoWriMo storyteller.

But it's all well worth it. I am very, very happy. I've finally fallen in love.

Tip: KEEP LIVING, KEEP BREATHING, KEEP WRITING! (This one is for me, so I don’t forget it, but I’ll let you use it)

It is all about falling in love.

Guest blogger Aline Martins is a self-described "dreamer" who lives in São Paulo, Brazil. Her NaNoWriMo user name is Ayslin1 and her blog, The Hectic Attic, can be found at:

http://hecticattic.com/
Click here

The Shiny NaNo Secret

The Shiny NaNo Secret
By Jessica Rosen

We're in the thick of NaNoWriMo now.

Many have shaken their heads and thrown up their hands. I can't blame a single one of them. It's a big challenge. 50k words in one month! The first few years I peered down that trail toward the goal line, it was so far away. It was nearly invisible in the distance! I failed miserably the first two years and just plain skipped it the third.

Doesn't sound like much of a pep talk, does it?

Here's the pep part: I won last year. I won a week early! I almost put away my keyboard five days into it, though. I was sick and miserable. The last thing I wanted to do was write 1,667 words each day. A good friend refused to let me give up. "Just write something today. I don't care if it's 300 words. Write something." So I did. Then I curled up in bed with colds medicine. The next time I hazily got up, I did it again. A few days later, I was fine. I was behind, but I had written and knew that by writing a little extra each day, I could catch up.

Need more pep? Alright, you get to deal with me on my NaNo Soapbox.

Ladies and Gentlemen, behold the Spirit of NaNo!

It is not the shininess of the fifty thousand words on your document. No indeed, it is within you already. You have only to let it free and let it flow.

What do I mean?

The Power of Writing, my friends. Just feel The Power of Writing, let it flow through you, let it catch up your imagination and run out your hands without the demon of the Inner Editor making you second guess it! That is indeed the Spirit of NaNo. Grab that and you'll JUST WRITE. Here's the secret: write every day, make a habit of it and you've won the real shiny prize.

Stick with it, everyone, and may you all win the real shiny prize.

Guest blogger Jessica Rosen is a writer living in Virginia. Please check out her site at:

http://jessrosen.wordpress.com/
natClick here

Or follow her on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/jessrosenbooks
Click here

NaNoWriMo Takes Over Lives! LOL

NaNoWriMo Trailer

NaNoWriMo 2009: A Stepping Stone

NaNoWriMo 2009: A Stepping Stone
By Teah Abdullah

When I told my friends that I will be writing a novel this November a few months ago, their reactions were all the same: Good for you! You've always wanted to do that since you were in middle school!

But when I told them I will be writing 50k of words in one month... well, they were concerned.

I graduated college in July and travelled for a few months until I finally settled in my home country in September. The original plan was to start working in January 2010 to pave way for some creative writing which I neglected in college. Instead, I was lucky to be called in for a job interview. In October, I began working at the organisation, which requires me to be on the tip of my toe for 24 hours.

I was excited when I began writing for National Novel Writing Month earlier this month that I told my friends that I've been doing really well (and I was!) This is my first NaNoWriMo. My friends, bless them, have not yet forced me to go out with them for social sessions knowing that I would like to spend more time writing. I recently hit 25k words--halfway from the finishing line--and I am at that point where I just want to go to sleep instead of write. I would prefer it if my friends drag me out of my pyjamas to go out with them. I would prefer to go to a friend's music show instead of spending the night in front of a machine.

However, a nagging part of me that sounds alarmingly like my mother told me to keep writing. If I don't do this, I will never get to do this until I retire from my job. I only just started working, thus my dedication towards my novel only happens at night. Plus, I'm still being trained so I do have sufficient amount of time to write at work. But in the future, when I will have heavier--much heavier--workload, I won't be able to dedicate my time to writing a novel as much I am privileged to now. I'll just find reasons to put off writing a novel.

That's why I continue writing, because the future seems bleak when it comes to writing a novel if I don't do this now. I might not get this particular novel published, but at least I would feel the hunger to write more once I'm done with it, and I will finish it. I don't have to write my future novel within the time span of a month, but having the capability of writing my first novel within a one month duration means that I am capable of writing a better (and more succinct) novel in a longer period of time. More than anything, NaNoWriMo 2009 is a stepping stone for my future endeavour in novel writing.

Guest blogger Teah Abdullah is a 22-year-old writer working in foreign affairs from the country of Brunei. She has been writing fiction with enthusiasm since she was 11 years old, and was once told by a sarcastic teacher, "good luck with making writing as a career choice." Find her post nonsense on Tumblr Click here.

The NaNoWriMo Experience!

The Joy of NaNoWriMo: Or Crystal Meth for Writers
By Cat Connor

For the last three years, I have taken part in National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. The first year wasn’t a success for me, but it set me up. I had a taste. I knew what was possible and I liked it.

The second year, I discovered I was already signed up to do NaNoWriMo. No conscious choice needed. I knew I wasn’t prepared to have a string of failures under my belt. I had to do it. (And I was already using familiar terms to explain what I was doing. “I’m doing Nano, you?”)

The joy of pounding the keyboard got me over the dreadful frustrating slowness of the NaNoWriMo site. I ignored everyone and everything around me. I told my kids I was busy and wouldn’t be available for anything all month. And unless there was copious blood and or unconsciousness involved the little ones (and grown ones) were to leave me alone. I got so organized I surprised myself. I utilized the crock-pot to the fullest. I did everything required of me, quickly and efficiently, and it was on with the writing.

I did it. I wrote my first kiwi novel, a fun spy/thriller type novel that totally kicks ass. And one day when I get time, I will polish the hell out of it and send it out into the big wide world.

Last year – reeling from a string of rejections and disgruntled with the whole publishing industry I did Nano again. Same deal – I was already signed up (and I will not have a failure next to my name!) this time however I wanted to write the fourth book in a series. (Turns out it’s the fifth book, but never mind)

I did it and then some. I passed the 50,000-required words; I think the word count was around 80,000. The novel is tremendous (and sitting here waiting for polishing.) The difference in word count came from using established characters that I knew very well indeed. I still had no clue about plot. This didn’t matter, because frankly I never do when I start a story. It just happens. It was much easier writing with familiar characters.

It’s all looking rather straightforward. Hell, all you have to do is 50,000 words in 30 days. Easily achievable. (Yet I failed the first time but we don’t have to dwell on that.) It works out to fewer than 2,000 words a day. Then, I discovered that people actually planned for Nano! The whole thought of planning felt like cheating (and I struggled with being able to use established characters, because that felt like cheating too). Yet it’s apparently not. I didn’t plan for my first two attempts. I just sat down and wrote, no freaking clue about the characters that would show up, plot, none of it. I winged it from beginning to end. And it was fun but it wasn’t as easy as the third year.

This year, I thought I’d flag NaNoWriMo itself and do a 50k challenge at Backspace (a writer’s site I belong to) instead. That way I can write the 50k I want to write to finish a novel I’m working on. Then, I went over to the Nano site and found myself already signed up. (This is getting to be a habit.)

I have to do it. I just have to.

Time could be an issue. In all seriousness, this November may drive my family to the edge without adding Nanowrimo to the mix, and I suspect that all it will take is the whisper of Nano to make them throw themselves from the cliff.

Things have changed dramatically since November 2008 when I was an aspiring novelist collecting rejections. This year I have a publisher. My first novel is out and my second due for release on Nov 10th. (This means interviews, guest blogs, a release party, and all the other fun stuff that goes with a new release.) Then there is the little fact, that I’ll be away and be starting Nanowrimo two days late. Our youngest is now at afternoon kindergarten and that means 10 hours a week disappear into the great abyss. Plus, pre-Christmas craziness. Birthdays. School commitments.

Doing NaNoWriMo for the first time is probably not insane. Let’s face it – you don’t really know what it’s like until you’ve tried it. But there really is no excuse for the torturing of families beyond that once. That being said, I don’t know anyone who has only done it once. That’s the hook. You do it once just to see - but it’s insidious. It gets in, before you know it, thirty days are gone in a haze of word counts and challenges.

It’s like a drug.

It’s crystal meth for writers. (But even cheaper and easier to obtain.)

I’m sitting here dreading every second yet knowing I have to do it. The sad thing is I’ll love it while I’m doing it – while in the clutches of the frenzied writing watching that word count go steadily higher. Resenting every interruption, neglecting everyone except my characters. Living on adrenaline and coffee. Unable to sleep unless I’ve written at least 2,000 words a day, but not being happy until I achieve more.

It’s a drug.

I’m an addict. Hello, my name is Cat Connor and Nano is my drug of choice.

I fully expect to find NaNoWriMo on the DEA drug information list in the next few years. The effects are far reaching and it’s most definitely open for abuse. It’s worldwide and they’re already pushing it to kids.

Roll on November; I can’t wait to start my fourth Nano experience! I may be away from the keyboard for the first few days…but I’ll be writing longhand so I don’t get behind in word count.

So anyone else doing Nano?

You know you want to.

Cat Connor is a crime thriller writer. Catch her blog at: http://catconnor.blogspot.com/ Click here Or find her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/catconnor Click here

National Novel Writing Month: Every Writer’s Cure
By Sera Rivers

Walking Sleep, throbbing eyes, anxious fingers – these are the symptoms of NaNoWriMo.

Don’t worry. There is a cure: November 30th.

Every autumn, exhilaration builds as I anticipate November 1st. I don’t know why, but the thought of writing 50k words in a mere 30 days is the greatest thrill I have ever encountered. I have successfully completed two NaNoWriMos, and cannot wait for this year’s to begin.

It is a love/hate relationship for me, but well worth the lack of sleep and pressure I force upon myself. The first year I joined just for fun. The book I wrote still sits on my hard drive. I was just testing my ability.

Last year, I wrote the first 54k of my memoir in November and completed the manuscript just three months later.

I have been revising my memoir all year. I often question the point of NaNoWriMo. Sure, I threw a plethora of words onto my computer screen; but I wonder: is the amount of work to perfect my haste worthwhile? Absolutely. There is certain honesty to throwing a story down on paper in a panicked surge. With a clock ticking away (how short of a month November is), there is no time for writer’s block, that perfect word, or layered characters.

The story must be written, skeletal, but written nonetheless.

The book I will write this year will detail my journey through the special education world to find a proper diagnosis for my son. I have written a rough draft of the back-story five years ago. I now want to incorporate what I’ve written with the knowledge I’ve gained over the years to create a finished manuscript. My work in child advocacy and my shared story on my website, Diagnosing Parents Rights.com, has put the book in demand. While, I will not be able to “count” the words already written, NaNoWriMo will force me to complete the manuscript.

With two years under my belt, I believe myself to be a NaNoWriMo expert. I know what to avoid and what to embrace. The past two years were tricky for me because I worked fulltime. With much discipline – waking up earlier and staying up later to write (I calculated a minimum of 1668 words a day to win), I was able to complete the NaNoWriMo challenge. This year, I have time in my favor.

Thanks to the wonderful world of “unemployment,” I can methodically plot my daily writing assignments. I have outlined the book so I will stay on track. My next step will be to gather research material to have on hand for reference.

Yikes!

I better hurry. Time is drawing near.

NaNoWriMo is the trickiest game to play. It loves to throw life at me, despite my plans to do nothing but snuggle by the fire and write. NaNoWriMo has discovered the art of maneuvering time. Where does it go? Who gets to play with it? I remind myself that I must dodge rush hour traffic, avoid lengthy appointments and climb out of domestic duties. In order to defeat NaNoWriMo, I must contort, contract and crawl through small windows of time.

Ahh, NaNoWriMo. I live for the ecstasy. I live for the agony. Just 30 days of the year dedicated to nothing but words. It is a writer’s spiritual retreat. Some people fast; some people meditate; others journey to the highest or deepest parts of the earth; my spiritual journey begins each year with NaNoWriMo. It forces a new project for the forthcoming year.

Writers, I urge you, spend 30 days of your lives feeling nothing but nausea, insomnia, and utter despair. Join me for NaNoWriMo. Write. Write. Write!

I hope to see you at the finish line.

Sera Rivers is a writer, creative writing instructor, and child advocate. Writing credits include the Chicopee Special Needs Kids Examiner and Southwoods Literary Magazine. Sera is in the midst of editing her memoir, Don’t You Want Me?—a powerful story about her experiences growing up in a fanatically religious household, which led to her unhealthy patterns with men and a search for her true beliefs in God.

Learn more about Ms. Rivers via her websites:

http://www.serarivers.com/
Click here

http://www.diagnosingparentsrights.com/
Click here

http://www.examiner.com/x-15632-Chicopee-Special-Needs-Kids-Examiner
Click here

Or contact her at: writeloudly@me.com

NaNoWriMo Save My Life
By Emilie Staat

NaNoWriMo saved my life. Or at least, my writing.

Let me tell you a story.

Summer 1992. Two girls sit on the stairs of an apartment building, their heads and shoulders crowded close together over a notebook. They are ten and twelve, the only girls in the neighborhood, and they’re taking a break from roughhousing with the boys to work on a story. A., the elder, rolls her eyes as E., the younger, says, “We should re-read the whole story first. We can edit and we’ll remember where we left off.” A. takes the notebook and flips to a clean, fresh page, saying, “Let’s just get started.”

Summer 2007. A. is a nonfiction editor and a new mother. She doesn’t have time or energy to write. E. has just finished two writing degrees in seven years. She has a lot of ideas, but she doesn’t write. She is crippled by the critical voices in her head. They’re so loud that she can’t hear her characters speak to her. The characters whisper. The critical voices – they holler, “Show, don’t tell! This is garbage!”

Fifteen years changes a lot. It didn’t change my friendship with A. (for I am E., the younger), but we both had drifted so very far away from our youthful joy in our shared story. I’d just moved to a new city and started a new job as a paralegal. A. hadn’t written for years.

I don’t know where I first heard about National Novel Writing Month, but I know my first exposures to it were disdainful sneers about NaNoWriMo telling everybody that they can write, creating a hobby atmosphere around what some of us spend years and lots of money learning to do. In the fall of 2007, I felt very far away from the writing community I had spent years cultivating and really only knew one other writer in the city who I could talk to about what I was (writer) but wasn’t doing (writing).

So I researched NaNoWriMo – 50,000 words in one month! I bought the book, No Plot? No Problem! And I sent out the infamous e-mail. Confess to attempting something crazy so that whenever you’re tempted to quit, you’ll be too embarrassed not to keep going because you told all those people. And it works. I send the e-mail and asked my family and friends to support me by occasionally asking about my progress. A. received this e-mail and though we live 300 miles apart, distance has never distilled our friendship and she became my avid supporter.

I won NaNoWriMo 2007, which means I wrote 50,000 words in one month. It was one of the most freeing and educational experiences of my life. There was no time to worry about the quality of my writing. I could only write. Those crippling critical voices receded and my characters turned up their volume, sometimes screaming me awake in the middle of the night. The pace is so intense (over 2,000 words per day average) that you can only revel in your story and your characters, can only do your best to get their bones on the page. The flesh will come later, if it turns out your extended writing exercise is something you want to pursue.

A. and I did NaNoWriMo together last year, but neither of us finished. I cheated on the NaNo rules and tried to do 50,000 new words on an old book (my thesis). So while I didn’t finish, I actually did get a ton of new writing done. NaNoWriMo 2008 reminded A. that she’s a writer, not just an editor of other people’s work. Doing NaNoWriMo together – that reminded us both about the joy of playing with words that we knew so easily, instinctively, on that long-ago apartment staircase.

This year, A. and I have started early by sending each other writing exercises most days. For the first time, I’m reading the forums and talking to other participants in my area. When November 1st comes along, we’ll just get started. We’ll get our first NaNoWriMo Pep Talk and we’ll chuff each other along. And we’re gonna win this year. Because now that I’ve told you about our crazy attempt – we both just have to keep at it until we finish.

Emilie’s NaNoWriMo Must List:
Send the e-mail. My 2007 e-mail went like this, if you need a template:

“Dear Family and Friends,

I'm going to write a novel in November. As part of National Novel Writing Month (check out: nanowrimo.org), I will start writing a novel of 50,000 words November 1 and finish by midnight on the last day of November.

By reading this email, you've already done all I need you to do as my support team. NaNoWriMo recommends you tell everyone you know that you're writing a novel so that when you're tempted to quit, you can't possibly because people know you're doing it. So thanks!

If, in the course of November, you'd like to drop me a line of encouragement or ask me how the novel is coming, I'd love that. And of course, all of you should consider writing a novel in November as well!! NaNoWriMo favors output over literary quality. As they say -- December is for editing.

Those of you on this list are family members and writerly friends who I care about. In those dark days when I'll question what the hell I'm doing, knowing that *you know* I'm supposed to be writing a novel may just keep me going.

All my love and thanks,
Emilie

Read Chris Baty’s book No Plot? No Problem! Cheap copies are available online.
Use the Write or Die application online. [http://writeordie.drwicked.com/ Click here]

When you finish each day’s writing, have goals for what scenes you want to write the next day.
Eat and sleep – try to maintain a schedule so you’re geared up to write when it’s time to write.

Emilie Staat lives and writes in New Orleans. She’s thatagirldarling on NaNoWriMo.org and maintains her sanity at her personal blog: http://emiliestaat.wordpress.com/ Click here while finishing her first novel.

The NaNoWriMo Experience/Reactions

Jennifer said...

You want to know what I am going through? I am going through a frog attack. There are frogs. In my novel. Out for blood. In my very totally absolutely serious novel about the downfall and loss of humanity and identity. Frogs. Why? (There is a totally calm voice inside me now. She is remembering everything she learned during university and studying literature. She calmly informs me that is makes perfect sense that nature fights back and will win. That the humans have lost their connection to nature and now nature, symbolised by the frogs, is starting to fight back. Great. I could not have found a blunter way to state that right? ).
Otherwise I am fine. Now that I have given up being sane I am having that much more fun. I wait for the zombies. And pirates. I'm sure where there are frogs, there are pirates. Both live in the water...right?

Now excuse me, I have to go. The frogs are adamant, they want their bloodbath.

Want more? Read here: http://jennifer-renner.blogspot.com/
Click here

Cheers,

Jenny

November 7, 2009 9:21 AM

Niz said...

Last year, I started 3 days late, had glandular fever for about a month (a week of which I spent sleeping and barely drinking let alone eating) and yet I still managed to make up with the last 30,000 words being written on the last two days...

THIS year, I'm having trouble. I'm just behind on the word count, by about a 1,000 words (though I was doing extremely well up till two days ago) and I have a ton of work to do - university assignments as well as general house-cleaning etc.

I did have a cool plot, planned out, with in-depth characters for this year...but ended up scrapping it on the first day of November, in favour of a novel based on a single good scene I wrote last year. Although that scene was good, and I have since written a delightfully humorous scene, my novel is going nowhere fast!

Sleep will probably get more sporadic as November gets on, due to time contraints because of various presentations and essays I have due. Joyous.

However, I'm still loving the NaNoWriMo experience and tweeting heartily about it at @TheVeganOne (twitter.com/TheVeganOne Click here). Tat is, when my crazy housemate decides to *unblock* Twitter access since he thinks that unless I reach my daily wordcount total, I shouldn't be allowed to tweet.

One lats thing: I have every intention of eventually making it to a write-in. Ahem. So far, nothing has materialised but I've made up for this, imo, by using words such as copious, imbibed and cleavage (heh) in my novel.

Niz

November 7, 2009 12:21 PM

Mary Elizabeth said...

I'm new to NaNoWriMo this year, spurred on by encouragement from my daughter (@feedmenow Click here), and am still getting acclimated as I work on volume one of a mixed-genre quintology for YA and up.

I got started late (i.e., yesterday, November 7), partly because I couldn't complete my sign-up due to the enormous email overload at NaNoWriMo in the first couple of days of November.

But I think three factors will help me "catch up":

• Having been a published writer for 29 years, I know that I produce my best, most coherent work by engaging in a long period of planning and a short, sustained, concentrated period of writing.

• It is not unusual for me to write 3000–7000 words a day for work, so the "daily word count" doesn't faze me.

• I am secure enough in my approach to easily bypass the avalanche of annoyingly dogmatic (and—in many cases—specious ;^) advice about how one should write that is engulfing the web.

Yesterday, I finished the first three chapters (5777 words), the first of which has been in various incarnations since May. For me, whether writing non-fiction or fiction, the "drive on and don't look back" advice doesn't work: I need to lay a firm foundation in order to build a unified product.

For more of my thoughts on NaNoWriMo and other topics, you can follow me on Twitter as @AWriterReads (http://twitter.com/awriterreads Click here) and visit my (new and still unfolding) website at http://voiceofthephoenix.com Click here

Mary Elizabeth

NaNoWriMo: It's All About Falling in Love

NaNoWriMo: It's All About Falling in Love
By Aline Martins

Writing a story is all about falling in love.

I first heard about NaNoWriMo three years ago through a friend, and though I loved writing, I could never believe that you could put yourself under such pressure just so a book could be born in the world.

So, I avoided participating, left it aside, and instead took as many writing classes and workshops as I could on writing and creative writing.

The fact, is, I am a storyteller, just as my grandmother was. I tell stories in hospitals, at parties and camps, and in the school in Brazil where I teach English.

I thought, "I can tell a story, I am perfectly able to write one too!” But I didn’t know that writing was the hardest part. While different ideas for books constantly float around in my head in my head, when it came to writing them down I found that I am a Procrastination Queen.

Every time I planned to start writing, I would sabotage myself and find the perfect excuse to start doing it later.

Tip: Don’t ever expect the elves to come during the night and start your book for you.

It was October 25th when my friend convinced me to take part in this year’s NaNoWriMo; I immediately began freaking out. I had the story in my head, a good beginning, quite good end, but what about the storyline and plots?

I had only five days to get organized.

I turned to a NaNoWriMo Brazilian forum for help.

I found out I had much more to start than a lot people had, and soon I was organizing a NaNoWriMo kick-off party.

This was the best thing I ever did.

Tip: If you can go to the meet ups and write ins, DO IT! There is nothing better than meeting likeminded people.

Suddenly, it was November 1st. And during the first couple of hours, I managed typing 2,000 words! It was at that moment that I knew I was in love, completely in love with my story, with NaNoWriMo.

It was the morning of the second day, when, very excitedly I told my mom of my achievement, “Mom, I already wrote 4,000 words!” She replied: “We are having pasta for lunch."

Tip: Sometimes we must not listen to what people say.

Today, here I am, getting to 12K out of the 50K expected before the end of November.

I'm not sleeping much, trying to keep up with my jobs as a teacher, translator and NaNoWriMo storyteller.

But it's all well worth it. I am very, very happy. I've finally fallen in love.

Tip: KEEP LIVING, KEEP BREATHING, KEEP WRITING! (This one is for me, so I don’t forget it, but I’ll let you use it)

It is all about falling in love.

Guest blogger Aline Martins is a self-described "dreamer" who lives in São Paulo, Brazil. Her NaNoWriMo user name is Ayslin1 and her blog, The Hectic Attic, can be found at:

http://hecticattic.com/
Click here

NaNoWriMo Mania!/Part 2

NaNoWriMo: Tell Us What You're Going Through!

Feel free to blog your comments here! Tell us your NaNoWriMo 2009 experience!

NaNoWriMo Mania!

How to Succeed at NaNoWriMo Using Endurance Training

How to Succeed at NaNoWriMo Using Endurance Training
By Christy Goldfeder

I trained for and competed in a sprint triathlon (½ mile swim, 14 mile bike ride, 5k run) a couple of years before I took on NaNoWriMo. For some crazy reason, I thought that competing in an endurance race at the crack of dawn would be easier than writing 50,000 words. That’s how powerful the fear of the blank page was for me – and can be for many writers.

But while writing 50,000 in 30 days sounds like an impossible feat, in reality it is much easier than you think. All you need to do is break it down like you would if you were training for an endurance event such a triathlon.

1 – Break it down: When you divide 50,000 words by 30 days, you’ll see that you need to write about 1667 words per day to meet your goal. If you’re a professional writer, how often do you write a 1,500 – 2000 word piece? You probably crank out a few of those per week. Ok - maybe with NaNoWriMo you’re writing 50% more than you usually end up writing in a week.

With my sprint triathlon training, I figured out that I would have to run 2-3 miles a few days a week, swim ¼ mile a few days per week and bike 10 – 15 miles a couple days a week. And I still needed to have some rest in between workout sessions.

2 – Create your blocks or “bricks”: Block out your writing time so that you know you can get it done. I prefer to write in the early mornings when I’m writing longer pieces. Setting your alarm clock for an hour earlier than you usually get up can give you that quiet time that you need to do your work. Or, if you’re a night owl, set up some late-night writing time.

When I trained for the tri, I doubled up my workouts – for example, swimming at 7:00 am and running at 7:00 pm. By the end of training, I would double up workouts into bricks – e.g., running, then swimming – so that I’d get use to switching sports. Doubles and bricks are tiring, but they helped me get my miles in and still have two days off to recover.

3 – Plan for “recovery” days: There may be times when you know you won’t be able to write during the month of November. If you want to take Thanksgiving Day off, just make sure that you can get those words in some other day. If you plan to write more words earlier in the month, you’re more likely to meet your 50,000 word quota by the deadline.

Remember, the beauty of NaNoWriMo is that you don’t actually have to publish your novel by the deadline – you can take a few months to edit and turn it into a work of art.
The other benefit is that after writing consistently for 30 days, you might just find yourself with a new good writing habit.

So don’t be afraid to write freely and just see what happens in your novel when you participate in NaNoWriMo – enjoy it, have fun, and remember that it’s just a game.

Guest blogger Christy Goldfeder is a copywriter working with professionals to grow their businesses through clearer marketing and online strategies. She’s also a holistic health counselor empowering busy people to easily lose weight and gain more energy without stress or struggle. She writes about nutrition and wellness at http://www.liveadeliciouslife.com.Click here Follow her on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/christyi Click here

NaNoWriMo Saved My Life

NaNoWriMo Saved My Life
By Emilie Staat

NaNoWriMo saved my life. Or at least, my writing.

Let me tell you a story.

Summer 1992. Two girls sit on the stairs of an apartment building, their heads and shoulders crowded close together over a notebook. They are ten and twelve, the only girls in the neighborhood, and they’re taking a break from roughhousing with the boys to work on a story. A., the elder, rolls her eyes as E., the younger, says, “We should re-read the whole story first. We can edit and we’ll remember where we left off.” A. takes the notebook and flips to a clean, fresh page, saying, “Let’s just get started.”

Summer 2007. A. is a nonfiction editor and a new mother. She doesn’t have time or energy to write. E. has just finished two writing degrees in seven years. She has a lot of ideas, but she doesn’t write. She is crippled by the critical voices in her head. They’re so loud that she can’t hear her characters speak to her. The characters whisper. The critical voices – they holler, “Show, don’t tell! This is garbage!”

Fifteen years changes a lot. It didn’t change my friendship with A. (for I am E., the younger), but we both had drifted so very far away from our youthful joy in our shared story. I’d just moved to a new city and started a new job as a paralegal. A. hadn’t written for years.

I don’t know where I first heard about National Novel Writing Month, but I know my first exposures to it were disdainful sneers about NaNoWriMo telling everybody that they can write, creating a hobby atmosphere around what some of us spend years and lots of money learning to do. In the fall of 2007, I felt very far away from the writing community I had spent years cultivating and really only knew one other writer in the city who I could talk to about what I was (writer) but wasn’t doing (writing).

So I researched NaNoWriMo – 50,000 words in one month! I bought the book, No Plot? No Problem! And I sent out the infamous e-mail. Confess to attempting something crazy so that whenever you’re tempted to quit, you’ll be too embarrassed not to keep going because you told all those people. And it works. I send the e-mail and asked my family and friends to support me by occasionally asking about my progress. A. received this e-mail and though we live 300 miles apart, distance has never distilled our friendship and she became my avid supporter.

I won NaNoWriMo 2007, which means I wrote 50,000 words in one month. It was one of the most freeing and educational experiences of my life. There was no time to worry about the quality of my writing. I could only write. Those crippling critical voices receded and my characters turned up their volume, sometimes screaming me awake in the middle of the night. The pace is so intense (over 2,000 words per day average) that you can only revel in your story and your characters, can only do your best to get their bones on the page. The flesh will come later, if it turns out your extended writing exercise is something you want to pursue.

A. and I did NaNoWriMo together last year, but neither of us finished. I cheated on the NaNo rules and tried to do 50,000 new words on an old book (my thesis). So while I didn’t finish, I actually did get a ton of new writing done. NaNoWriMo 2008 reminded A. that she’s a writer, not just an editor of other people’s work. Doing NaNoWriMo together – that reminded us both about the joy of playing with words that we knew so easily, instinctively, on that long-ago apartment staircase.

This year, A. and I have started early by sending each other writing exercises most days. For the first time, I’m reading the forums and talking to other participants in my area. When November 1st comes along, we’ll just get started. We’ll get our first NaNoWriMo Pep Talk and we’ll chuff each other along. And we’re gonna win this year. Because now that I’ve told you about our crazy attempt – we both just have to keep at it until we finish.

Emilie’s NaNoWriMo Must List:

1. Send the e-mail. My 2007 e-mail went like this, if you need a template:

Dear Family and Friends,

I'm going to write a novel in November. As part of National Novel Writing Month (check out: nanowrimo.org), I will start writing a novel of 50,000 words November 1 and finish by midnight on the last day of November.

By reading this email, you've already done all I need you to do as my support team. NaNoWriMo recommends you tell everyone you know that you're writing a novel so that when you're tempted to quit, you can't possibly because people know you're doing it. So thanks!

If, in the course of November, you'd like to drop me a line of encouragement or ask me how the novel is coming, I'd love that. And of course, all of you should consider writing a novel in November as well!! NaNoWriMo favors output over literary quality. As they say -- December is for editing.

Those of you on this list are family members and writerly friends who I care about. In those dark days when I'll question what the hell I'm doing, knowing that *you know* I'm supposed to be writing a novel may just keep me going.

All my love and thanks,

Emilie

2. Read Chris Baty’s book No Plot? No Problem! Cheap copies are available online.

3. Use the Write or Die application online. [http://writeordie.drwicked.com/]Click here

4. When you finish each day’s writing, have goals for what scenes you want to write the next day.

5. Eat and sleep – try to maintain a schedule so you’re geared up to write when it’s time to write.

Guest blogger Emilie Staat lives and writes in New Orleans. She’s thatagirldarling on NaNoWriMo.org and maintains her sanity at her personal blog: http://emiliestaat.wordpress.com/ Click here while finishing her first novel.

The Joy of NaNoWriMo: Or Crystal Meth for Writers

The Joy of NaNoWriMo: Or Crystal Meth for Writers
By Cat Connor
Guest Blogger

For the last three years, I have taken part in National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. The first year wasn’t a success for me, but it set me up. I had a taste. I knew what was possible and I liked it.

The second year, I discovered I was already signed up to do NaNoWriMo. No conscious choice needed. I knew I wasn’t prepared to have a string of failures under my belt. I had to do it. (And I was already using familiar terms to explain what I was doing. “I’m doing Nano, you?”)

The joy of pounding the keyboard got me over the dreadful frustrating slowness of the NaNoWriMo site. I ignored everyone and everything around me. I told my kids I was busy and wouldn’t be available for anything all month. And unless there was copious blood and or unconsciousness involved the little ones (and grown ones) were to leave me alone. I got so organized I surprised myself. I utilized the crock-pot to the fullest. I did everything required of me, quickly and efficiently, and it was on with the writing.

I did it. I wrote my first kiwi novel. A fun spy/thriller type novel that totally kicks ass. And one day when I get time, I will polish the hell out of it and send it out into the big wide world.

Last year – reeling from a string of rejections and disgruntled with the whole publishing industry I did Nano again. Same deal – I was already signed up (and I will not have a failure next to my name!) this time however I wanted to write the fourth book in a series. (Turns out it’s the 5th book, but never mind)

I did it and then some. I passed the 50,000-required words; I think the word count was around 80,000. The novel is tremendous (And sitting here waiting for polishing.) The difference in word count came from using established characters that I knew very well indeed. I still had no clue about plot. This didn’t matter, because frankly I never do when I start a story. It just happens. It was much easier writing with familiar characters.

It’s all looking rather straightforward. Hell all you have to do is 50,000 words in 30 days. Easily achievable. (Yet I failed the first time but we don’t have to dwell on that.) It works out to fewer than 2,000 words a day. Then, I discovered that people actually planned for Nano! The whole thought of planning felt like cheating (and I struggled with being able to use established characters, because that felt like cheating too). Yet it’s apparently not. I didn’t plan for my first two attempts. I just sat down and wrote, no freaking clue about the characters that would show up, plot, none of it. I winged it from beginning to end. And it was fun but it wasn’t as easy as the third year.

This year, I thought I’d flag NaNoWriMo itself and do a 50k challenge at Backspace (a writers site I belong to) instead, that way I can write the 50k I want to write to finish a novel I’m working on. Then, I went over to the Nano site and found myself already signed up. (This is getting to be a habit)

I have to do it. I just have to.

Time could be an issue. In all seriousness, this November may drive my family to the edge without adding Nanowrimo to the mix, and I suspect that all it will take is the whisper of Nano to make them throw themselves from the cliff.

Things have changed dramatically since November 2008 when I was an aspiring novelist collecting rejections. This year I have a publisher. My first novel is out and my second due for release on Nov 10th. (This means interviews, guest blogs, a release party, and all the other fun stuff that goes with a new release.) Then there is the little fact, that I’ll be away and be starting Nanowrimo two days late. Our youngest is now at afternoon kindergarten and that means 10 hours a week disappear into the great abyss. Plus, pre-Christmas craziness. Birthdays. School commitments.

Doing NaNoWriMo for the first time is probably not insane, let’s face it – you don’t really know what it’s like until you’ve tried it. But there really is no excuse for the torturing of families beyond that once. That being said, I don’t know anyone who has only done it once. That’s the hook, you do it once just to see - but it’s insidious, it gets in, before you know it, thirty days are gone in a haze of word counts and challenges.

It’s like a drug.

It’s crystal meth for writers. (But even cheaper and easier to obtain.)

I’m sitting here dreading every second yet knowing I have to do it. The sad thing is I’ll love it while I’m doing it – while in the clutches of the frenzied writing watching that word count go steadily higher. Resenting every interruption, neglecting everyone except my characters. Living on adrenaline and coffee. Unable to sleep unless I’ve written at least 2,000 words a day, but not being happy until I achieve more.

It’s a drug.

I’m an addict. Hello, my name is Cat Connor and Nano is my drug of choice.

I fully expect to find NaNoWriMo on the DEA drug information list in the next few years, the effects are far reaching and it’s most definitely open for abuse. It’s worldwide and they’re already pushing it to kids.

Roll on November; I can’t wait to start my fourth Nano experience! I may be away from the keyboard for the first few days…but I’ll be writing longhand so I don’t get behind in word count.

So anyone else doing Nano?

You know you want to.

Cat Connor is a crime thriller writer. Catch her blog at:

http://catconnor.blogspot.com/
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Or on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/catconnor
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Are You Writing A Novel Next Month?

Are You Writing A Novel Next Month?
By Rachel Kaufman
http://www.mediabistro.com/mediajobsdaily
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Love it or hate it, NaNoWriMo is just around the corner. Eleven days away, in fact.

The madcap write-a-novel-in-30-days project is now in its 10th year. Haven't heard of it? Check out the About page on the site. In essence, however, the idea is that people all around the world will be "competing" (on the honor system) to write a novel (actually 50,000 words, which counts as a "novella") within 30 days. Some are crap, some have been published, by real publishers nonetheless (Sara Gruen's Flying Changes and Water For Elephants both started life as NaNovels).

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