Category Archives: NaNoWriMo

To outline or not to outline… #NaNoWriMo Prep

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So if you are participating in NaNoWriMo (and you really should) you might be wondering if you should outline your project or not.

Honestly, it is entirely up to you. There is no right or wrong way to do this.

If you have an idea and things that you really want to include you may want to do an outline or a checklist to make sure that you don’t forget anything. If you are just winging it, don’t worry about it.

I do a little of both. I hate outlines. They make me feel trapped. However, I do use them along with lists in limited ways. I have outlined what I am thinking when I don’t want to forget things. I hardly ever stick to it exactly. Mostly I just let the story take me where it wants to go.

If you aren’t sure what to do then try it out and see if you like it. If you don’t, trash it and try something else.

November is almost here!

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Are you ready for NaNoWriMo 2014?

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Have you started thinking about your project for National Novel Writing Month?

(If you don’t know what I am talking about you should check out the NaNoWriMo Website.)

50,000 words in 30 days can be daunting… especially if you have no clue what you are going to be writing about. Now is the time to really start focusing in on a vague idea of where you want to start. It is perfectly okay to let the story go wherever it wants to go. In fact I find that to be the way with the most fun.

I have begun to develop two characters and a general idea of where I want to start. I tend to start most of my writing with a character.

You can start with a situation, a character, a setting, or even a simple object. You can take a writing prompt and see how far you can take it.

The key is to find that starting point so you are ready to go November 1st.

NaNoWriMo ~ Day 20 Pep Talk

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You are 2/3 of the way there!!!!

We are in the home stretch.

Okay… so what does that really mean?

That really means that you should have 33,333 words.

 

So what if I don’t?

Don’t be scared. If you do 5,000 words everyday for the next ten days… you can still reach the goal!

 

Have I lost my mind?

Perhaps. But I want everyone to keep pushing forward. I freely admit that I had to tap out on the novel thing this month. Why? Well… life happened. As much as we don’t want it to during times like this… it snuck up on me.

All is not lost!

I have been writing. Just not a novel. I have been writing poetry. Crafting short stories that I have had in the works.

My plan is to publish the stuff I have done as a testament to those who couldn’t quite do the whole novel thing.

My prompts encourage you to write other forms if novels aren’t for you. Poets could have 30 poems by the end of this month. Depending on their length… that could be a chap book.

MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR YOURSELF!!!!

Reach your writing goal this month.

KEEP WRITING!!!!

Happy NaNoWriMo 2013!!!!!

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It is that time again!!!

 

NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH

 

50,000 words in 30 days!!!!

 

So, before you start coming up with excuses I should give you a pep talk.

  1. That is really just less than 1700 words a day.
  2. You aren’t supposed to be editing anything. That is what December is for.
  3. You can write a collection of short stories… just hit that word count.
  4. You can write a poem a day. Do a 30/30. You can create a book based on a theme or just write poems at random.
  5. It is about reaching the goal. It is about the challenge. If you think you can’t do it, then you can’t. So why not believe you can.

 

I am posting writing prompts that can be used for short stories, poems, essays, or prompts to keep your novel moving along.

 

So…

 

GET TO WRITING!!!

Happy New Year… I’ve been busy over here…

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Hope everyone is getting off to a great start this year. I know I am!

I have published my first personal project and I am so excited! This is the novel I wrote during National Novel Writing Month.

 

ARE YOU OKAY COVER 3

Check out the first chapter here, on my personal blog.

It is available in paperback for $12 via Createspace.

It is also available for Kindle and Nook.

 

So, what am I up to now… not resting of course. I am working on publishing the third project from Turtleberry Press, which is my second novel.  I am also writing. I feel like I am on a roll and I am going to ride it until the wheels fall off!

 

National Novel Writing Month ~ Sprinted in through the finish line…

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My track coach said you don’t slow up until the finish line is behind you.

 

So I clocked in 53,952 words and finished at 4pm today.

 

The big thing for me is that I set a goal and I saw it through.  I am so motivated right now to keep writing.  I am thinking of another goal to set.  I mean, I know I can do it now so I should keep at it.

Isn’t that how it works?

 

I know there is now editing and then doing my own layout work… I am my own worst customer… but let me celebrate this moment right now.

 

There doesn’t have to be a worldwide movement for you to challenge yourself.  You don’t have to write a novel.

Set a goal.

Give yourself a time frame.

Work hard to meet it.

 

And most of all… remember to surprise yourself!!!

 

Winner-180x180

NaNoWriMo Update ~ Day 21

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17,274 words…

I am so far behind the power curve.

 

Does it help that I have about 10,000 words floating around in my head?

 

If it doesn’t, it should.

 

Turkey day is going to slow some people down.  I need to gear up though.

 

I can say… this story is getting good!

 

To those doing this along with me… keep pushing.  We are in the home streatch.  Get as much done as you can.  Get as close to that goal as you can.  Momentum and motivation are everything!  The sense of accomplishment on December 1st is why I am doing this.  I am tired of having half finished stories.  I want to see something to the end.  Even if it means I have to write 3,000 plus words per day everyday until the end of this month.  I will do so until this story gets finished!

 

Happy Writing!!

NaNoWriMo update… Day 2

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Hi everyone!  Just wanted to give you an update.

Day 1 was a wash for me.  I spent it reviewing what I already had written.

Day 2 was amazing though.  Through a really tough mental period I was able to pull some ideas while meditating on some music.

FYI I am working on two novels at once.  Well they may end up being novellas… but whatever.  I have to multitask.  If I get blocked with one I can work on the other while I find my way out of any traps I fell into.

 

My tip:

Don’t be afraid to back up.  Think of this like driving… sometimes you have to go a little in reverse to get to where you can move straight ahead.

 

Happy Writing!!!

November is National Novel Writing Month

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I have been on the fence about participating because I failed miserably last year.  Then I spent the end of October reading a huge portion of my past works.  The unfinished stories really bugged the hell out of me.  Not one for quitting, I decided that I am going to give it a go again.

I have two projects I am working on, to satisfy my insane need to multitask.  My goal is to finish at least one of them by the end of the month.  I will probably stray from the typical way NaNoWriMo is done but I am going to document it all here on this blog.  I am not posting the actual novel on here.  But I will post my daily progress starting this evening.  The goal is 50,000 words by the end of the month.  The hard part for me will be the NO EDITING rule.  (Pray for me ya’ll!)

I think you should all give it a go with me.  The website is http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and you should go there and register.  There is all types of stuff on there.  In some areas they have meet ups.  There are tons of tips.

For all my poet friends and followers… why not write a poem a day for thirty days.  I am going to continue to post prompts up.  I will try to post one a day for those who need inspiration.  At the end of the month you could have a wonderful poetry book!

If you write non-fiction, you can still do this challenge.  Write your memoir.  Write about your favorite topic.

The key… JUST WRITE!!!

Feel free to comment on posts and let me know how you are doing.

Let’s do this!