NaNoWriMo prep: committing to the challenge

Once again, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is approaching, and it's time to start thinking about how to cram novel-writing into an already busy schedule and life.

I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year in an attempt to finally finish the coffee house book. (Since the story of the coffee house book has changed so much since I first wrote it for NaNo--and I've essentially started over with all the background work--I've decided it counts to write this month.) To do that, I'm making a double commitment/challenge. This month, I will finish the background work needed to start writing the coffee house, and during November, I will write the first draft of the coffee house book.

For those who have never done NaNoWriMo, let me explain. The event takes place in November every year and is the opportunity for the "someday" writers to sit down and actually get it done. The challenge is to write 50,000+ of a book in 30 days. I have participated off and on since 2004 and "won" twice. (And really, the coffee house book began as an idea for NaNoWriMo.) For those who participate, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience, reminding you that you can make time to sit and write the story that's been following you around for years.

Yes, it's difficult. And I have a dear friend and fellow writer who did it and then swore to me--and everyone who would listen--she would never do it again. But I have another friend who did and not only has she done it every year since, but also participates in Camp NaNoWriMo throughout the year.

Now please don't think that you have to write a finished novel in 30 days. That's not what this is about. It's simply about putting the words down on the page. Sure, the overall goal is to write a novel, but the real goal is to prove to yourself you can make the time to write.

That's the biggest excuse, isn't it? You say you don't have time to write a novel. I've even used that excuse recently. But NaNoWriMo takes that excuse away. Because if you can write a novel draft in 30 days, there's no reason you can't carry that over to the rest of the year to tell the stories you want to tell.

If you've never done NaNoWriMo before, I urge you to try it this year. I'll be doing it right along with you. You never know what you're capable of until you sit down and actually try it. Take the challenge and on December 1st, you'll have a story. Even if you don't hit 50,000 words by the end of the month, every word you write will be one more word you didn't have on October 31st, and that's something, isn't it?

Are  you doing NaNoWriMo this year? What are you going to be writing?

Renew Your Spirit Sunday with an untitled poem

I wrote this poem recently and would like to share it today. Poetry is a good way to renew your spirit and find connections with the world around you. Enjoy!



an untitled poem by the Coffee-stained Writer

alarm clock
crack of dawn
big yawn
coffee drip
don't trip on the
hall rug
rugrats
damn cat
blouse is pressed
get dressed
keys in hand and
out the door
in once more for
a forgotten file
toddler smiles
one more wave
"You two behave!"
in the car
country road
for an hour or so
meeting 1
meeting 2
coffee break
take a call
work through lunch
watch the clock
coffee break
out the door
file in hand
watch for deer
in the dusk
big hugs
big meal
time for bath
say your prayers
here's your bear
story read
and in bed
quiet moment
space to breathe
leave the dishes
soaking
soapy
'til tomorrow's
alarm clock
crack of dawn

Working partially remotely

One of the good things about my shiny, new job is that I work partially remotely. Part of the week I work from my home office and part of the week I work in the company office.

Working from home is not a new concept to me, so that wasn't a big deal. The transition I had to make was working from home only part of the week. Not only do I have to shift mentalities based on where I'm working that day, but I have to make sure I prioritize my task lists in a way that uses my time wisely based on where I'm working that day.

Working from home

The days I work from home are usually more productive in terms of actual writing work. Since I'm not in the office there are fewer distractions. I may have phone meetings, but most of the days are spent creating words and rearranging them. The team is always just a phone call, email or IM away if needed, but those days are quiet days of work.

Working in the office

The days I work in the office are the days I touch base with my supervisor and team and go to meetings. These are also organizational days. One of my days in the office is always at the beginning of the week (Monday or Tuesday, usually), so I get my weekly task lists in order, find out what everyone else is doing for the week, and make sure I have what I need to work from home on my remote days. Sometimes that means interviewing a coworker or doing research, other times that means getting materials together and having a one-on-one meeting with my boss.

When I was freelancing, I had to prioritize projects, stay on track with deadlines and make sure I had what I needed from clients in order to get work done. The same is true in my current job, but now I have the added benefit of being able to touch base with team members and coworkers to help me.

I haven't been at my shiny, new job very long, but I think working partially remotely is more of a challenge than being in the office all the time or at home all the time. Like anything else, it's about finding a balance that works for you, as well as staying organized, but shifting your mindset a few times a week can be difficult sometimes. (Not to mention getting used to writing with my shoes on....) But I'm glad I have the schedule I do. I like being able to have days at home to devote to writing, and I like having days in the office to connect with the team and get organized.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of your work schedule?

Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week began today, September 30. This week celebrates literature that has been challenged and/or banned (usually in school districts). It's a week to draw attention to the great stories that people all over the country--and world--try to silence.

To remember that censorship is never okay.

Yes, banning books is a form of censorship. Taking stories away and hiding them from readers, pulling them off library shelves, says that it's okay that some people's stories should not be shared. That certain people should have the power to decide what should and should not be read.

I could spend a great deal of time and space talking about censorship and why everyone has the right to be heard. And I will spend time talking about censorship and the dangers of silencing voices in our society. But first I want to challenge you to find a challenged/banned book and read it this week. Take a little time every day to fight censorship by choosing to read a book others have tried to hide from readers. There are many lists available here.

I will be reading a banned book this week. And seeing all the books that have been challenged and/or banned even in the last few years has prompted me to take on a challenge for my reading next year. I'll be attempting the 100+ Books in a Year Reading Challenge again next year, and I've decided to further challenge myself to make at least half of the books I read next year to be challenged/banned books.

Harry Potter and Huckleberry Finn are not the only books that have been challenged or banned in recent years. In fact, you might be surprised by some of the titles that are on the lists.

Please read a banned book this week. Give voice to these authors. Let them know that their words matter.

Happy (and banned) reading!

Renew Your Spirit Sunday with Autumn

I love fall. It's probably my favorite season. I love that the weather is cooler, and it's time to start pulling out the cozy clothes and blankets. I love watching football games, finding warmth in my morning cup of coffee and the leaves changing colors on the trees.

It's been a hot summer here, and I've felt bad that the kids haven't been outside as much as I would have liked. Now that fall is here, the weather is getting cooler, and the kids can be outside more. We can play at the park, go on walks, have picnics, and all the other fun, outdoorsy, let's-be-in-and-among-nature stuff I like to do with the kids.

Puck is noticing that things are different now, too. The other day he noted that it was "cold," and that the leaves were starting to fall off the trees. Autumn is fun with a toddler who's noticing the sudden change in the seasons. I think we may have to jump in a pile of leaves when there are enough to rake up.

How are you spending these cooler days and evenings?

September Writing Goals

Typical task/goal lists

As I said in a previous post, September is a fresh start for me in a lot of ways, some of which have to do with my fiction-writing life. As a result, I've set some goals for myself this month that will help me get the collection back on track. Here's what's on my list for September:

• Finish the character biographies for the coffee house book.
• Write the outlines for at least two additional books in the collection.
• Begin the character biographies for one additional book in the collection.
• Begin the chapter-by-chapter outlines for the coffee house book.

I know it looks like a short list, but each component has a separate list of things that have to be done for that particular item to be done. So it's more than it appears. (Isn't that usually the case?) And as each task is crossed off this list, it will be replaced with a new one so I'll be able to continue pushing forward in the collection.

I think September is going to be a good month.

Chapter-by-chapter outlining

There's a lot of background work
for the collection!

I'm an outliner when it comes to writing. It helps me think about the story as a whole. And, in the case of the collection, it will help me think about the community of the people and their stories, and how everything fits together.

I already have a basic outline for the coffee house book, as well as synopses for the other books in the collection. Since I'm still doing all the background writing and research, what I have is fine for now.

However, as it gets closer to time to actually start writing the coffee house book, my intent is to take the outline a step further by creating detailed outlines for each individual chapter. I think I've mentioned before that the characters are the driving force in the books, and because of this, the simple outline I currently have for the coffee house book is adequate for background work, but is really a skeleton outline. I need to fill in the holes to be able to move forward.

Essentially, what I intend to do is sit down with the coffee house book outline, and write the chapter outlines as if each chapter stood independent of the rest of the chapters (and collection). When I have that done, I'll fit the chapters together within the larger work of the coffee house book (there is a loose story arc that ties the chapters together, after all), and think about how the coffee house book fits into the larger collection. When all those threads are put together, I'll have an extremely detailed outline for the coffee house book, and I'll be ready to start writing!

Not every story needs this kind of outlining. Many stories I've written don't. But because of how integrated everything is in the collection, I think it's necessary to do. Tedious, maybe. But necessary.

Do you outline before you write? How detailed are your outlines?

Even in the midst of chaos, there is writing....

I haven't done a lot of writing-for-pleasure this month. I started a new job career and have had many changes occurring in my personal life, so other things have taken priority. And yet, even as busy as I've been, I can't stop thinking about the coffee house book.

The good news is that after Labor Day weekend, things will be a little different, and I'll actually have time to make time for the collection.

I have been working on the coffee house book a little, here and there, but only moments at a time, and just enough to remind me that I do need to write it, and the stories will never leave me alone until I do.

Examples of my writing task lists

I have a list of notes and tasks that I need to do for the collection. I still have a lot of background work to do for the collection. I need to do some research into a few areas so I feel a little more confident writing about them. More importantly, I haven't finished the character biographies for the coffee house book (or the rest of the town), so that's the first priority. My coffee house book outline is solid, so once the background work is done, I'll be ready for the first draft. And I know a few people who will be eager to read a draft when it's ready.

I wish I could start writing the chapters or the biographies I have, but this collection just doesn't work that way. The characters in the coffee house book are interwoven with each other, and with the characters in the other books. I have to have a good foundation for that before I start writing.

I have started stories that didn't get finished. I've started novels that didn't get finished. And those characters were content in the half-scribblings I did for them, storing the pages away in a folder or a drawer. But these characters are different. The collection is different. The coffee house book has been following me around since 2004, and no matter what else I work on, or where else my writing takes me, the coffee house characters are there, begging to be written. And now I can finally tell their stories.

Well, hello, weekend.

My first week at my shiny new job has come to a close, and I'm still here!

It was a bit of a chaotic week at the beginning, but I enjoyed the craziness, getting to know the members of the Marketing Team, and sort of getting settled into a new routine. (Of course, this "routine" will change after next week when I go partial-remote, and then again at the beginning of September since Puck and Tink will be home and thrown into the mix.) It's been a good week to get me started.

Of course, this Friday is different from any other Friday I've had in about four years because it actually means something. Now that I'm no longer a freelance writer, I have weekends again, and I know that tomorrow morning I can sleep in and I don't have to work. It's strange to think that. I'll be able to get caught up on housework, do some reading, maybe even hang out with friends. And I don't have to work.

One particular thing I'd like to do this weekend is to get the coffee house book back in shape. I've been greatly neglecting it (but haven't stopped thinking about it) for quite some time due to many of the changes in my personal life, and now that my schedule is different, I may actually have time to finish up the background work for the collection and write the coffee house book. Finally.

I will take some time this weekend to talk about my job a little more, and some other fun, exciting things that are coming up. In the meantime, have a happy Friday!

Closing up shop....

Today is my last official day as a full-time freelance writer. Monday will be my first day at my shiny new job. (Squee!)

It's a strange feeling to know that on Monday I won't be a freelancer anymore. I'll still be freelancing for a little while; I have some projects to finish up before I'm completely done, but those will be on the side, and my primary focus will be on my new position as a Marketing Communications Writer. It's been strange closing out the freelance side of my life. I've been freelancing since 2008, and now I won't be anymore. I have to change my mindset quite a bit. Not only do I not have to allocate part of my time to seeking clients and work, but I'll get my weekends back. I liked having a flexible schedule as a freelance writer, but I'm looking forward to the structure of my new job. I know that when I get home, I can be fully at home and give my full attention to the kids. (And if that isn't enough, I'll have free time to dedicate to the coffee house book!)

I'm not fully sure what to expect yet. I have an idea of my responsibilities, of course. I know what a copy writer in a marketing department does. But this is a new field for me. Starting Monday, I work for a company that creates software for the heavy duty trucking industry. I know a little bit about software and technology, but the trucking industry is new to me.

The good news, though, is that I'm in the marketing department. I can do marketing writing. I've done it before. In fact, my new job description is very similar to the job description I had when I was working at my alma mater. I liked that job quite a lot, and I'm looking forward to flexing some of those writing muscles again.

I still have lots to do before Monday, but I'm ready. It's time to bid farewell to the freelancing adventure and start a new one.