NaNoWriMo 2018: Diary of a Novel in Progress

November 1, 2018

It has begun.

The madness that is writing a novel in a month.

The month of November no less, a month in which most Americans plan on at least two days of vacay with family and friends to indulge in feasts, football and holiday shopping. That mere thirty days quickly shrinks to twenty-eight, possibly twenty-five once a writer factors in Thanksgiving, Black Friday and recovering from the two!

In order to succeed and "win" NaNoWriMo, we can't dwell on how little time we have, but must instead forge forward. It starts at the beginning, even if the beginning you write is the end.

That's how my NaNo began this year. Having no outline or plan—just a general idea of some intriguing characters floating around in my subconscious—I began writing at the end.

When the best way out is through (to paraphrase Robert Frost), then maybe the best way to begin is to know where the "out" is.

At least that's what I'm hoping.

Onward to day 2.

November 2, 2018

It was a shaky start, and I still feel like what I've written is mostly shite that will be axed completely. Perhaps it's because I'm writing by the seat-of-my-pants this year, with no outline or plotting ahead of time. Or maybe it's because though I've written some short stories and other bits and pieces this year, I have not written a novel in over a year so I'm rusty.

At the same time, I have to say I'm enjoying the process more than I have for a while. It's coming from the subconscious and imagination. I'm feeling my way into the story. 

The word count at the end of day 2 stands at 3417. I'm a wee bit ahead of the target. That's a good thing because I've got a comic-con all weekend so I may not be able to write for a few days. 

I hope I can eke out some time, though, because more important than the number of words is the fact that after even two days in a row, I'm starting to "feel" the story. I don't want to break the spell!

How is your NaNo coming along?

NaNoWriMo Tips: An Ongoing List of Writing Tips & Links to Helpful Articles

Whether you’re writing your first novel this month during NaNoWriMo, or maybe writing your tenth, I’m reserving this space to gather helpful tips and ideas I’m gathering from across the net. If you have a helpful tip or link, please add it in the comments. :-) I’ll keep adding to this over the month.

Having trouble kickstarting your creativity? I found this post quite encouraging. It helped me understand why the daily writing habit (which I'm out of at the moment but hoping NaNo will change that) is so important. 

Creative Flow and Brain Wave States by Suzanne Murry

Incidentally, I’ve been using music with embedded brain wave stimulation for years. If you’re interested in trying it, I recommend Solfeggio Harmonics by Source Vibrations (link takes you to iTunes (not an affiliate link).

Ready, Set, Write! NaNoWriMo 2018

Photos via Green Chameleon, Thought Catalog & Raw Pixel

It’s no secret.

I’ve had a wicked-bad case of writer’s block for the better part of a year now.

Or perhaps “writing block” isn't the best way to describe it. Maybe it's more of a “finishing block.”

I’ve started over a dozen short stories and three separate novels in the past twelve months.

I’ve finished a grand total of 0.

I’ve completed six novels in six years. This dry spell is not typical for me.

The good news is that I have identified some of the gremlins gunking up my works. I’m got a plan on how to eradicate the little buggers (at least for now).

One of the best ways I know to get back into anything—exercise, healthy eating, writing—is to just get back on the horse and ride every single day.

Last week my post was about how to get and keep fans. One of the three points was about consistency (you can see the full post here). I have failed at my goal of greater writing consistency this year, but I'M NOT GIVING UP!!

Over the past ten years of my writing journey, I’ve learned that there aren’t many hard and fast rules in the world of writing. But there is one, and I’ll state here as black letter law:

There is no limit to the amount of editing you can do to a draft, but you absolutely cannot edit a draft that does not exist.

And this is where NaNoWriMo comes in. I “won” NaNoWriMo (I’ll use WriMo from here on) in both 2011 and 2012. I produced two finished novels from my work in those two WriMo years (Emily’s Trial was published in 2012 and Emily’s Heart in February 2014).

One of the great benefits of WriMo is the commitment the writer makes to herself to write every day (or nearly so) for a month. I recall feeling that it was easier to stay focused on the story because I was firmly planted in it by writing every day.

For me, stopping and starting while working on a novel can cause stall outs that turn into long-term parking. Perhaps you can relate to this.

My writing is rusty right now. I’ve been out of the daily writing habit for over nine months. Every day, I’m staring at a blank screen. I’ve full on planned three different novels (one of them I have outlined five different times!). Talk about a stall out! I’ve talked myself into assuming the story would suck before I’ve even written it.

The thing is, I know better. I talk with writers at comic cons and book festivals frequently, and the advice I give is to keep pushing through. Don’t read back over what you’ve written because you’ll talk yourself into thinking it sucks and not worth continuing. 

I know this because I’ve done it, but learned not to. That’s how I produced six novels (rather than giving up on the first and never writing again, something I know lots of people have done).

I know that I’m not alone; that the fear of the blank page affects most writers, even capable and experienced ones. (Check out this bit of advice from one of my favorite authors, Barbara Kingsolver.)

The bottom line: I refuse to give up on the stories cawing at me like crows from pillars in my mind. This year I’ll use WriMo as a tool to get back on the horse and ride.

Are you with me?

Who else is doing NaNoWriMo this year? 

Drop a line in the comments if you've done NaNo before and let us know how it went? Any hints or tips?

And if you're a WriMo "virgin", shout out your intention to give it a try this year.

NaNoWriMo November: Happy ThanksNano by Laura Kirwan

NaNoWriMo'ers, you're in the home stretch. Only seven days left! How are you holding up?

Today I have a guest post by author Laura Kirwan that perfectly sums up this stage of the NaNo experience. And she has some great advice and cheerleading for all writers.

And only seven days left to enter the November NaNo Book Giveaway with loads of books from 5+ authors. Many chances to win - Rafflecopter at the end of the post.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy ThanksNano!

by Laura Kirwan

Ready for Thanksgiving?

For many of us that answer isn't “No,” or even “Hell, no!”

It's NaNo!

A festive NaNoWriMo place setting brightens your holiday table!    

Along with being a sugar, caffeine, and adrenaline laced literary frenzy, NaNoWriMo is an excellent excuse for dodging Thanksgiving food assignments.

“Oh, Mom, I'd love to bring Great Aunt Edna's traditional marshmallow, sweet potato, fruitcake Jello salad with the maraschino cherry-pecan-coconut topping, but I'm at a crucial point in the story and I've only got six days to finish and WHEN WILL YOU PEOPLE STOP STEPPING ON MY DREAMS?!?!?!”

Admit it. We've all had that conversation at some point, right?

But with only six days left, what if you have twenty five thousand words to go? You keep telling yourself--hyperventilatingly (how's that for an adverb?)--“I don't want to lose NaNoWriMo! I want to be a writer, not a failure!”

Shhh. Relax. It's okay . . .

I've done NaNoWriMo twice. The first time I didn't officially sign up and only managed fifteen thousand words. The second time, I registered and managed not quite twenty thousand words.

But here's the thing. That first NaNo “failure” grew into my first published novel.  The second “failure” will soon be my third published novel.

Don't get me wrong. NaNoWriMo is a great thing to do. I highly recommend it. But, what separates a NaNo participant from a published author is what you do the other eleven months.

So, if that arbitrary November 30 finish line seems unreachable, and you really want to throw in the towel and enjoy Thanksgiving?

Do it.

Remember, if you hit the finish line with only twenty thousand words, you still win. You have a solid start and you've accomplished what most people who claim they want to write never even attempt. YOU GO, YOU!!!

Only don't tell the family until you show up for dinner so you can dodge making that scary Jello salad. Instead, bring homemade cranberry sauce. Totally easy, better than the canned stuff, and everyone except the die hard traditionalists will enjoy it much more than Great Aunt Edna's festive pile of crap.  

Cranberry Sauce:

Rinse a bag of fresh (not frozen) cranberries. Drain and place in a saucepan with enough liquid to cover. (I use orange juice for the extra flavor.) Many recipes will tell you to add a cup of sugar, but I don't like it that sweet, so start with less and taste it as it cooks. Keep in mind that you can add more sugar later if you need it, but you can't take it out. Bring the pan to a boil and simmer until the berries have all popped and the sauce has thickened a bit (the longer you cook it the thicker it will get.) Add sugar if needed while still hot. Refrigerate before serving.

Then, pour yourself a tasty beverage, pat yourself on the back, and celebrate the words you've already written. You own NaNoWriMo, and you own Thanksgiving. GO, YOU!!!

Impervious (City of Eldrich-Book One)

Impervious by Laura Kirwan

Meaghan Keele faces menopause with no husband, no kids, and a job she hates. At her brother's request, she moves to Pennsylvania to help care for their dying father, taking over his job as lawyer for the town of Eldrich.

What Meaghan doesn't know is that law was her father's day job. Gateways to magic worlds riddle the nearby forest. Impervious to magic, he solved magical disputes and guarded the human world. Without him, old enemies are stirring.

Meaghan knows people are keeping secrets and soon finds out why. She's impervious too. Her office manager and her secretary are witches. Jamie, her handsome young assistant, isn't exactly human. And Meaghan is expected to take over both of her father's jobs.

Struggling to accept her destiny, Meaghan is soon drawn into a brutal struggle in another world and a budding romance with John Smith—exiled king, town drunk, and Jamie's estranged father.

Laura Kirwan, Author

Laura Kirwan is the author of Impervious and Crushed, the first two books in the seven-book City of Eldrich contemporary fantasy series. The third book in the series, Gods and Swindlers, will be published in December, 2015. A former municipal attorney, Laura grew up in Pennsylvania and now lives in Arizona. Learn more about Laura and her books at laurakirwan.com. 

Links: 

mailto:info@laurakirwan.com

http://laurakirwan.com

http://www.facebook.com/burntbarnpress

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