It's almost here! Tomorrow! I can't wait to start my novel, titled Let Down Your Hair. I've even been dreaming about it, how crazy is that? Tonight's a busy night for me, being Halloween and all. I'm celebrating my last night of freedom by going on a ghost tour of a mansion in Newport (Belcourt Castle, for those who are curious) and possibly attending the pep band costume party off-campus. Midnight will find me in front of a keyboard, ready to go. It's still not too late to sign up! Do it, you know you want to!
I may post a beginning excerpt tomorrow, depending on how many words I can get in before I pass out from exhaustion. No matter what, I'll aim for an excerpt by Monday. See you then, and happy writing!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
NaNoWriMo and the Student
Some people wonder if it's possible to write 50,000 words while being a full-time student. It is -- but it is hard. In '06, as a senior in high school, I was taking a full load of classes and working part-time, but despite all that I was doing, I blame my failure to finish on a combination of senioritis and general laziness. In '07, I was determined to succeed. Two failures in a row is just embarrasing ;). It's determination that's really the key. A handy trick is to find someone else who is writing, and try to beat their word count every day. For example, if a writing buddy writes 2000 words in one day, try to write 2001. Stay above 1667 words a day, and you'll be golden!
Editing has no place in NaNoWriMo. Really. I know, I know, editing is important. Save that for NaNoEdMo (known to the common people as March.) Editing takes up far too much time when you're busy with schoolwork and general life duties, and all spare time should be dedicated to writing.
It's okay, if you're struck by writer's block, to skip a scene or two. If you have an idea for something that will happen in the future, go for it, and fill in the blanks later. Some writers may say this is a bad idea, but it works for me. Sometimes writing a future scene helps me to figure out what to do to get me there. If you're really stuck, try it. Just don't forget to fill in the missing pieces.
If you work hard enough, and budget your time carefully, you'll be fine. Don't let your schoolwork slack, though. Most professors don't understand when you say, "But it's NaNoWriMo!" (But hey, maybe you can convert them to the challenge. Then they may understand.)
Editing has no place in NaNoWriMo. Really. I know, I know, editing is important. Save that for NaNoEdMo (known to the common people as March.) Editing takes up far too much time when you're busy with schoolwork and general life duties, and all spare time should be dedicated to writing.
It's okay, if you're struck by writer's block, to skip a scene or two. If you have an idea for something that will happen in the future, go for it, and fill in the blanks later. Some writers may say this is a bad idea, but it works for me. Sometimes writing a future scene helps me to figure out what to do to get me there. If you're really stuck, try it. Just don't forget to fill in the missing pieces.
If you work hard enough, and budget your time carefully, you'll be fine. Don't let your schoolwork slack, though. Most professors don't understand when you say, "But it's NaNoWriMo!" (But hey, maybe you can convert them to the challenge. Then they may understand.)
Sunday, October 26, 2008
No Plot? No Problem!
Hello, and welcome to my blog! To those of you who haven't heard about it before, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. For ten years now, the challenge to write 50,000 words in the month of November has been extended to those crazy enough to put pen to paper and rough it out. My blog title is the motto of NaNoWriMo - the point is not to create the next Great American (or wherever you are) Novel -- it's to get your ideas out on paper. Create a character, or a basic idea, and run with it. See what you can do.
This is my third year attempting the NaNoWriMo challenge. In '06 I failed miserably, finishing with only 10,000 words. '07 was much more successful - I finished, with time to spare! Unfortunately, in what I now lovingly refer to as the Great Windows Fuck-up of Summer '08, I lost the majority of that novel. That leads me to today, 5 days until the insanity of November begins. I have a basic idea, a main character and a cast of supporting characters, and no clue what I'm going to do with them. Bring on November! I'm planning on blogging at least twice a week, so check back for updates with snippets of my novel (as yet unnamed... hey, at the very least check back to see what I name the damn thing!) and updates on my mental status. I can do it!
It's not too late to sign up yourself! Just visit www.nanowrimo.org and sign up today! Hope to see you there...
This is my third year attempting the NaNoWriMo challenge. In '06 I failed miserably, finishing with only 10,000 words. '07 was much more successful - I finished, with time to spare! Unfortunately, in what I now lovingly refer to as the Great Windows Fuck-up of Summer '08, I lost the majority of that novel. That leads me to today, 5 days until the insanity of November begins. I have a basic idea, a main character and a cast of supporting characters, and no clue what I'm going to do with them. Bring on November! I'm planning on blogging at least twice a week, so check back for updates with snippets of my novel (as yet unnamed... hey, at the very least check back to see what I name the damn thing!) and updates on my mental status. I can do it!
It's not too late to sign up yourself! Just visit www.nanowrimo.org and sign up today! Hope to see you there...
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