December comes riding

The wind is rattling leaves and tossing them from the trees.
The moon is clear and smiling, whispering farewell to the geese.
The road is a dark ribbon against the snowy moor,
And December, she comes riding--
     Riding--riding--
December, she comes riding to the NaNo writer's door.

Over the cobbles she clatters and clashes on the heels of the clock.
She taps with her candy cane lightly, but the writer's door is locked.
She whistles a tune to the window, her breath a swirling frost,
But the writer cannot hear her.
     The NaNo writer ignores her.
Within his story, the writer is lost.

The wind is rattling leaves and tossing them from the trees.
The moor is clear and smiling, whispering farewell to the geese.
The road is a dark ribbon against the snowy moor,
And December, she comes riding--
     Riding--riding--
December, she comes riding to the NaNo writer's door.

You cannot turn her away, pen monkey.
You cannot delay her for long,
So let your fingers fly tonight.
Dear NaNo Writer, keep writing--
     Writing--writing--
NaNo Writer, keep writing before December's light.

NaNoWriMo: the final week

It is the last week of NaNoWriMo, folks. We're in the final stretch of frantic scribbling and a mad dash for 50,000 words.

Though I haven't been participating in NaNo this year, the month has still been a whirlwind for me, and I can hardly believe it's already nearly the end. I don't know where the month went.

For those who have been scribbling away in their free time, I can only imagine how you feel today looking at the calendar.

The advice I have for you this week is don't give up. There is still lots of time left, so I urge you to keep writing. Don't worry about your word count, just keep writing until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday. There's still time, so don't give up!

Now get back to writing, and good luck!

NaNo pep talk: the second half

Congratulations! You're in the second half of NaNoWriMo! Hip hip hooray!

Celebrate! You deserve it!

I know that it might be getting hard, but the advantage you have now is that you can look back and see what you've done, then use it to motivate yourself to keep writing.

When you feel yourself slowing, look at your word count. Know that you've done that all on your own, and if you can write that much in the first half of the month, there's no reason you can't at least do the same in the second half of the month, right?

You've accomplished so much already. You should be so proud of yourself! The point of NaNo is to show yourself that you can make time to write your story. And whether you've got 500 words, 5,000 words, 15,000 words or 45,000 words, you've done that!

Yes, keep writing. Keep at it. Know that whatever happens between now and December 1st, you have words on the page, and that's what's most important!

Happy scribbling!

How's your NaNo?

This s technically the second weekend of November, since the month was kind enough to start on a Friday, which is nice for WriMos. (Ends on a Saturday, too. Isn't that nice?)

This is a good weekend to keep pushing through on your word count. It's still the beginning of the month, so chances are, you're still scribbling away happily, and making good progress on your novel.

I don't mean to scare you, but there will come a point this month where you'll sort of hit a wall. Or at least a hedgerow. And you'll slow down. You may feel like the story is stuck or you'll want to go back and read what you've written or something that will dull the magnificent glow of the first part of the month.

That's okay.

It happens when you're writing a novel any time of the year.

The important thing is to keep writing now. Don't worry about what's coming next, either in the month or in your story. Just keep writing. Focus on the excitement and watch that word count rise every moment you spend at the computer (or typewriter or notebook or parchment).

You've already been writing. You know what to do and how to do it. So just keep doing it!

Happy scribbling!

NaNoWriMo begins

Happy National Novel Writing Month!

While I'm not participating this year, I hope to be some kind of an encouragement to all of you who are. I've been where you are on more than one occasion, and I know both the joy of the first day of writing, and the panic of the 10th, 15th, 25th, and 30th days.

Now is the time to write like mad. As the month progresses, it becomes more and more likely that life happens. That's not a bad thing, but it may mean that you can't hit your 1700 words every day. By using the excited motivation you feel today to get ahead, you can bank some words for later in the month.

It's a wonderful time to be writing!

And the great part is that if you're not sure what you're writing (or not sure if you even want to participate), there's still so much time! Don't worry about hitting 50,000 words. Just write.

Good luck!

Do You NaNo?

I've decided not to participate in NaNoWriMo this year. After my recent move to Florida, job change, and crazy personal life, it would be too much.

NaNoWriMo is designed to prove to people they can write a novel in 30 days. I know I can. (Although I may participate next year to write one of the books in the collection since the coffee house book will be finished.) I have plenty of freelance and fiction work to do in November.

That being said, if you're on the fence about doing NaNoWriMo, I encourage you to try it. The beauty of NaNo is that even if you don't "win," you still win. Because no matter how much you write in November, you'll have more written on December 1st than you did on October 31st. That makes it worth it.

It isn't just about writing a novel, either. NaNoWriMo provides a community of writers for you to write in. There are people all over the world getting ready to write a novel next month. You can connect with them through the forums or through local meet-ups in your region and find crazed writers just like you.

It's a wonderful adventure. And while I'm not officially participating, I'll be using the event as another reason to work on the coffee house book (maybe I'll even attend a local write-in or two).

Are you participating this year? What are you planning to write?

NaNoWriMo is coming....

If you've read my blog very long, you probably know I'm a big advocate for National Novel Writing Month. I've participated several times (won a few), and I think it's a great opportunity to prove to yourself that the only thing standing in the way of finishing your book is you.

I have made the decision this year to not participate in NaNo. I know I can write a novel in 30 days. I've done it. And I think it's more important for me to take that time I would spend working on a NaNo novel and work on the coffee house book instead. So that's what I'll be doing instead.

However, I know that there are readers here who are super excited about participating in NaNo (and yay for you!), so I will be posting some encouragement along the way, as well as updating you on my progress on the coffee house book as you work on your NaNo novels.

Usually the Office of Letters and Light (the organization that makes the NaNo magic happen) launches all the new goodies on October 1st every year. (Although new t-shirts and coffee mugs are already in the shop, so check them out!)

Even though it's still the beginning part of September, NaNo will be here before you know it! It's never too early to start thinking about what you're going to write, whether you're participating in NaNo or not.

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? Will you be working on a different project in November instead?

NaNoWriMo pep talk: the final stretch

We're in the last week of NaNoWriMo, folks. I can hardly believe how quickly the month has gone (for a lot of reasons).

How's your word count looking these days? On target? Ahead? Behind? Keep pushing! There's still lots of time to hit your writing goal before the end of the month.

And, as I've been saying all month, even if you don't hit 50,000 words by the end of the month, whatever word count you have is that much higher than it was on October 31st. That's a success! So keep writing, word by word, until the very end!

While the focus of this month is to hit 50,000+ words in 30 days, I want you to remember that when December 1st arrives, writers don't just quit writing until November 2013. You are a writer. Keep writing. Sure, whatever you write may not "count" for NaNoWriMo anymore, but this month is just a tool to show you that you can make time to write. You may not be able to maintain the crazy hours writers tend to employ to write for NaNo, but even if you spend 15 minutes a day working on whatever active project you have, you'll make progress. The time exists, and November proves it.

The key is to carry the motivation to use your time differently through the rest of the year. Can you stay up just half an hour later? Can you get up half an hour before the rest of your family? Can you spend half of your lunch break with pen and paper?

The time to write already exists. You just have to remember to keep using it the way you have this month.

Keep making time for creativity. Keep telling stories. And happy scribbling.

NaNoWriMo pep talk: the second leg

I'm sorry I've been absent from the blog. Life has been busy. But whenever I've seen NaNo posts on my Facebook or Twitter feeds, I've thought of you, dear writers, and wished you luck.

We're halfway through the month, if you can believe it! That means you should have about 25,000 words.

If you do, great! That's wonderful! Keep it up!

If you don't, don't worry! Keep writing! You can do it!

Remember that NaNoWriMo is about proving to yourself you can make the time to write. You don't have to prove to anyone else, and it's not a contest. Whether you end the month with 50,000 words or 50 words, you'll have more words on December 1st than you did on October 31st, and that's an accomplishment!

If you're finding yourself slowing down or getting stuck, there are lots of things you can do to jump-start your writing. The folks at NaNoWriMo have been posting prompts on Twitter frequently (for example, add a bottle of vodka to your story with bonus points if one of your characters drinks it). Or jump to another part of the story.

Whatever else you do, just keep writing, one word at a time. You're doing great! Keep it up!

Happy scribbling!

NaNoWriMo pep talk: starting strong

It's the first weekend of NaNoWriMo, folks! Hooray!

Have you started writing yet? Have you met your word count goal for the first couple of days?

The beginning of the month is usually good, isn't it? We start strong out of excitement, ready to tackle a new, fun project.

I have a traditional job, so the majority of my NaNo-ing will be on the weekends before the kids are up in the mornings, during afternoon quiet time, or after they've gone to bed. This first weekend is key for me to set the stage for the rest of the month. I have to start strong. Not only for the momentum to carry me through the rest of the month, but I know that if I start next week behind, it'll be even harder to catch up as the month progresses.

The good thing is that the first weekend of the month is always exciting. Your story is just starting, the month is just starting, and your eyes and mind are full of nothing but the potential of the story. If you want to write ahead a bit, this first weekend is the one to do it. Take advantage of the motivation you feel (and the energy from caffeine and enough sleep) to push through 2,000+ words a day so you'll be able to start next week in a good place.

This is a fun part of the month for NaNo. Since you're just starting out, setting the scene allows for detailed descriptions. Introducing characters includes descriptions and (can include) lengthy conversations. There are no plot holes or writing yourself into a corner. There's no getting stuck on the next step or whether or not you've got enough story to make 50,000 words. None of that matters right now because it's the beginning of the month. All you have is the beginning of the story, and you can let that propel you forward.

Remember, no matter what happens for the rest of the month, whatever you write this weekend will be more than you had on October 31st. And if you start strong, you can use the momentum through the rest of the month.

Happy writing!

NaNoWriMo: here we go!

It's the last day of preparation for NaNoWriMo, ladies and gentlemen. It's the last day to get organized, scribble notes, create characters, and come up with outlines before the crazy, creative adventure begins tomorrow morning (at midnight tonight, really)!

In addition to prepping your story, remember that today is also the last day to prep your life for NaNoWriMo. Make sure your toolkit is ready with the drinks, snacks, music, and supplies you need. Make sure your house is ready to be basically abandoned for a month.

If you still haven't committed to the adventure, I urge you to consider it. There's still time! You don't need anything other than the desire to write a book in a month. And less than 2,000 words a day will get you there.

I'll be right there along with you this month, writing the coffee house book. (Yes, I am aware that it technically breaks the rules to qualify as a NaNo novel, but I'm writing it nonetheless.) I've done NaNo in the past, and I've both hit and missed the 50,000-word count goal. This year, my focus is on finishing this draft of the coffee house book, regardless of the total word count. That is, after all, the spirit of National Novel Writing Month.

Open up a word document (or a new notebook and pick up your pen), brew a cup of really strong coffee, and watch the clock.

Good luck and happy scribbling!

NaNoWriMo prep: your writing schedule

NaNoWriMo begins in about a week, and it’s time to start thinking about exactly how you will make time to write these 50,000 words that need to be written.

The month is about proving to yourself that you can write a novel. And that’s wonderful! The coffee house book idea began as a poorly developed and badly written NaNo novel. But with all the time spent gearing up, planning, organizing, and outlining in October, we may forget that, come November 1^st, you have to actually sit down and write the thing! For many of you—particularly if you have adventures outside of your home known as a “traditional job”—creating a writing schedule can help keep things organized and make sure you have enough time to write your novel while not being at risk for getting fired or having small ones rise up in protest due to lack of sustenance.

This is the first year since 2007 that I’m participating in NaNo and have a traditional job. So this year is going to be a bit of an adjustment for me. That’s why I’m making a schedule. Not only do I have the responsibilities of taking care of Puck and Tink and helping my sister host Thanksgiving dinner, but I have to do it while the hours of 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. are blocked off.

This year I’m faced with the challenge of making time to write 1,667+ words every day in the month of November without having the flexibility to write for NaNo first and write for work afterward.

Remember that life comes first. Always. It’s important for writers to set aside time to write. It’s important for the family and friends of writers to understand that writing time is needed. But it’s more important for you to be a present and important part of your family. Don’t neglect your life to write this story. If something comes up, it comes up. Address it, then get back to writing when you can. Life happens. And without it, we wouldn’t have anything to draw from for our stories. So if life needs to get in the way during NaNoWriMo, so be it. The story will be there when you get back.

Think about when you’re most productive. Since you’re likely going to have to sacrifice sleep, decide where you want that sacrifice to occur. Are you the type that gets up before everyone else in your house to have a quiet cup of coffee? Get up an hour earlier (even a half-hour would be great) and use that time to write. Conversely, if you’re the type that stays up long past everyone else, write once the family has gone to bed. Or both! Find a time of the day that works for you and stick with it. You know your writing style best.

Think about how long it will take you to write 50,000 words. How fast do you write? How well does your story lend itself to quick writing? If you’re able to churn out 1,000 words in half an hour, you’ll only need about an hour and a half a day of writing time to hit the goal. But if you’re a slower writer, you’ll need to set aside more time each day. Don’t short-change yourself out of writing time in your schedule.

 Be flexible. Remember: this is meant to be fun, and to figure out what works best for you. It’s great to set aside two hours in the morning to write every day, but if you’re finding that you struggle to get going, consider trying to write at a different time of day to get your NaNo novel done. Don’t lock yourself into anything. (No one will know, anyway!)

There’s no need to write out a formal writing schedule (unless you feel the need, I suppose), but know when you’re going to write. And when you decide be sure to tell your family. If they know you have specific times set aside to write (and to not write), they’ll know to leave you alone during those times. (Having a silly “writing hat” works well to let little ones know you’re busy!)

The time to write exists. You just have to carve it out within your schedule and just get yourself in the chair to write when it’s time.

Happy scribbling!

NaNoWriMo prep: creating the characters

Do you know who the characters in your NaNo novel are going to be yet? Do you know who they are? What they look like? Their careers? Their hobbies? Do you know how they interact with other characters?

Knowing who is going to be in your story can be an important part of your preparation for NaNoWriMo. After all, it's the characters who populate the world you create. And the more you know about them, the more real they will seem to the reader.

I'm a big fan of using Robert Atkinson's life story interview from A Gift of Stories, which I've mentioned before. This interview template has been incredibly valuable to me as I'm doing background work for the collection, but may be a bit too in-depth for some people to use in preparation for NaNoWriMo.

Whether you use an in-depth biography or just a few bullet points about who the character is and his or her physical appearance, knowing something about the characters before you start writing will give you a starting place for the characters' personalities, as well as help you keep things consistent as you write and develop your story.

Do you have a method for creating your characters? If so, what is it? If not, why don't you use anything?

NaNoWriMo prep: finding a story

It’s still early in October, so there’s still lots of time to get ready for NaNoWriMo. One good way to help prepare is to, you know, come up with a story. Some people do just start writing on November 1st without a plan or even an idea, but having a story before you start will give you a direction.

I’m writing LitFic this year, so my story is sort of...complicated. It’s one of those “Do you want to know what happens or what it’s about?” kind of stories. But I do have a story to get me started.

As you think about how to approach NaNoWriMo, the important thing to remember is that the goal is simply to get you writing. You don’t have to have the plot for the next great American novel. You just need a story to tell. It might be serious or funny or silly or full of plot holes. All you need is a story.

I’m a big advocate for outlines, but I know it’s not everyone’s favorite background work. So instead of an outline, think about Freytag’s Pyramid. The elements are: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement (resolution). If you fill in basic events for each of those elements of Freytag’s Pyramid, you’ll have a basic story for NaNoWriMo. It can be as simple as that.

You may decide you want to sit down on November 1st and just start writing whatever comes to mind. If you do, great. I admire that; I can’t do that. But if you need a starting point, the best place to start is a basic story arc. If you know where you’re starting and where your story is supposed to go, filling in the rest will be easy.

Do you have a story idea for NaNoWriMo already? If so, what is it?

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?

NaNoWriMo Pep Talk: the last half of the month

Today is the 16th of November, which means we're officially in the last half of NaNoWriMo, ladies and gentlemen.

I can hardly believe how quickly it's gone by. I hope you've all been able to get big word counts every day and that you've nearly reached your 50,000-word count goal for the month! If not, that's okay. Just keep writing! There's still lots of time to finish. And even if you don't hit 50,000 words by the end of the day on the 30th, you've got lots more writing now than you did on October 31st, so be happy!

I'm not going to lie--the last half of the month has always been the most difficult for me. Your motivation is likely waning, your story may not be as robust as you initially anticipated, and as Thanksgiving approaches, you may be finding less and less time to work on your NaNo novel.

There are things you can do to keep your story moving forward, unusual as they may be.

If you've written yourself into a corner, well...change the architecture. Make it a dream or something. I know, it may be a cheap escape, but that's what revision is for. November is about getting words on the page.

If you've run out of plot, add a character. Or a conflict. Or transport your entire cast to a new location. Crazy, I know. But crazy adventures call for crazy action.

Whatever else you do, just keep at it. Even if you only get a paragraph down in a day, it's a paragraph more than you had yesterday. And it's a paragraph closer to 50,000 words by the end of the month.

You can do this. I know you can. So close this browser window, open you NaNo novel, and keep writing.

Happy scribbling!

NaNoWriMo Pep Talk: pushing through the mid-month slump

NaNoWriMo is fast-approaching the mid-month mark. Can you believe you've been scribbling for almost two weeks already? Are you at 25,000 words yet?

If you're not, that's okay. The word count goal for November 10th is a little over 16,000 words. And if you're below that, it's okay. Because even if you only have 1,000 words written (or even less!), it's more than you had on October 31st! How is your writing going?

A lot of people start to slow down as it gets closer to the middle of the month. The initial excitement and adrenaline of NaNoWriMo is past, lengthy descriptions of characters and setting are likely already written, and you're getting to the meat of the story. So it gets a little harder to write it.

Keep writing. Keep pushing through, page by page, word by word. If you have to, add more description. Add long, convoluted explanations by your characters. Just keep writing.


It will get better. Because even though the middle of the month can be a nightmare, the end of the month is so sweet! You'll start on the downward slope of your NaNoWriMo mountain. You'll see your word count inching closer and closer to 50,000 and your adrenaline will start pumping again. You can do it. I know you can. All you have to do is keep putting words together today, tomorrow, and the next day. Keep writing.

And then the month will be over. And you'll have written a novel in 30 days.

Sometimes inspiration strikes inconveniently

Writers across the globe are scribbling furiously this month as they participate in NaNoWriMo. It's a fun adventure, and shows writers that regardless of your schedule or situation, you can make time to write about 2,000 words a day, and focus on a novel to get it done.

I'm not officially participating in NaNo this year, but I am working on the coffee house book. Focusing on one story is good. It lets me get into the characters and story. But, as can happen with writers, focusing on one story leads to a new, shiny idea begging to be written. It's happening to me right now, in fact. I have an idea for a story I think would be fun to write--much more fun than slogging through character biographies and background information for the coffee house book.

What do you do when this happens to you? Do you take a little time to jot ideas down? Do you use the shiny, new idea as a way to break from the WIP when you feel stuck? Do you ignore the new idea until you're ready to write it?

NaNoWriMo prep: developing your story

Before November 1st rolls around, it's really a good idea to know the basics of your NaNoWriMo* story. You don't necessarily need to know every detail of every step in the story arc, but knowing you have a story arc (and what it is) will certainly help you as you scribble about 2,000 words each day. You're less likely to write yourself into a corner or be at a loss for what comes next if you already have a destination (or resolution) point in your mind before you start.

Here are a few things to think about as you develop your story:

Beginning


Where does your story start? Do you have an established world or situation that changes at the beginning of the story, or has the change already occurred? What characters are important to setting the scene for getting the action of your story going? How do you want to introduce your readers to what's going on?

Middle


What is the climax of the story? How do you get there? What happens immediately after? How do the characters react to what's going on?

End


How does your story resolve? Does it resolve? What happens to your characters when the story ends? What do you want readers to take away with them from the story? Is there a "moral"? How do you reveal it to your readers without actually stating it?

November is just around the corner. Yes, it may still only be the beginning of October, but time goes quickly, and NaNoWriMo will be here before you know it. What do you know about your story? Is it enough to start writing it? Are you ready for this scary, fun adventure?

*NOTE: NaNoWriMo's website will be relaunching for 2011 on Monday, October 10. This means that it's likely to be a bit laggy as people poke around the site and order their shirts for this year. If you log on, be patient. You can also follow NaNoWriMo on Twitter for updated info about the site and goings-on.

NaNoWriMo 2011: let the fun begin!

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's that time of year again.

We're less than 30 days from starting the writing adventure known as National Novel Writing Month. I wasn't originally going to participate in NaNoWriMo this year, but my schedule is going to be changing to give me more time to work on fiction, so I decided I can at least use the NaNo time to work on the coffee house book. (All the work I've been doing on it has been background, so I suppose writing it "counts," doesn't it? Either way, I plan to write 50,000+ words on the coffee house book during the month of November.)

If you haven't already, it's time to start planning and organizing and working on all those background notes you're going to need in order to write 50,000 words in 30 short days. Yes, you can just jump into a story on November 1st without anything other than an idea, but being a somewhat organization-obsessed person, I'm all about the preparation. Wouldn't it go so much more smoothly if you had character biographies and an outline and background notes and a setting map?

Over the next few weeks I'm going to walk you through some of the steps you can use to help prepare yourself for NaNoWriMo 2011. And, before you know it, we'll be smack dab in the middle of a big, crazy, scary, fun adventure. Who needs sleep, anyway?