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: 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?

Script Frenzy prep: your writing schedule

Screnzy is just a a few days away! Do you have a story and outline? Characters? Are you ready to sit down at your desk (or wherever) and put words to paper? Of course, coming up with the story and characters is only part of the challenge. Because anyone can some up with an idea for a story. What separates these people from writers is that writers actually do the writing. Now is the time to start thinking about how you're going to get it all done. That is: when are you going to write?

When you write depends, of course, on your daily schedule, and what kind of person you are. For example, I work from home full-time. Since my kids are still very small, I have to work around their schedules. So I've just transitioned into an early-morning schedule. I do as much writing as I can in the few hours before they wake up, try to do a little while they're napping (if possible), and then finish once they're in bed at night. My intention is to incorporate Screnzy writing into my regular daily schedule, maybe substituting freelancing during nap time for script-writing (since little gets done during that time, anyway).

I know that, often, life gets in the way of writing challenges like Screnzy, but having a schedule may help you feel like you don't have to spend every spare moment writing. Just be sure to budget enough time to get in your daily page count, and when it's time to write, you have to actually write.

Screnzy is an exciting writing challenge. I always look forward to it because I rarely write scripts. I'm either writing articles for clients or the coffee house book, which is prose. Screnzy is a nice break from the usual for me. And even in the years I didn't participate, I enjoyed reading other people's adventures in script-writing, encouraging them, and looking forward to the next time I could participate.

Screnzy is fast-approaching, and for all those participating, it's going to be crazy, hectic, and very, very fun! If you haven't decided whether or not you're joining in, you still have time. Check out the website, talk to other writers who are taking the challenge. And when April 1st rolls around, just start writing!

Screnzy Prep: crafting your characters

How's your ScriptFrenzy prep going? Do you have your story? There's still plenty of time to get ready so you can join the big, crazy adventure of writing 100+ pages of script in 30 days.

Part of the background work for script-writing is creating your characters for the story. The more you know about your characters before you start writing, the easier it will be to write them. This is especially important in scripts since it's all dialogue; you need to know your characters to be able to make their conversations believable, after all.

I use the life interview in Atkinson's Gift of Stories as the foundation of my character biographies. It's quite extensive, and may not be needed for something like Screnzy, but it's a great resource for writers. You don't have to use that, of course. You should use whatever works best for you and your characters. Some people just jot a list of character traits for each character, some people write quick biographies, and I've known some people to invent journal entries for their characters to better get in their heads.

When you create your characters, you have to think about how they fit into your story. What is each character's role in the story? That will help guide your bios. For example, if you have a minor character who is only in a scene or two, you probably don't need to have a full background with family history, quirks, preferences, and what the character's house looks like. Conversely, if you have a character who is in nearly every scene, he or she is likely going to need to be more three-dimensional.

You don't have to write character biographies. Just like you don't have to outline. But it can help. It might make Screnzy go a little more smoothly. Take some time today and think about the characters in your story.

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.

Vacation-ready office

[ETA: I'll be leaving tomorrow (Wednesday) morning instead. A family member is in the hospital, so I need to move my vacation up a few days.]

On Saturday morning (very early), Bean, Bunny and I will load up in the car and drive about 20 hours to visit my family in Illinois.

This week, in addition to getting my house ready to be a quasi-bachelor pad for a few weeks (Hubby is staying home) and packing, I'm getting ready to work from the road.

Since my office is paperless, and all my work is online articles/posts right now, it's pretty easy to pack up my office for vacation. In fact, all I'll have to do is put my laptop, calendar, notebook and a couple of books in my bag and it'll be ready.

I have to make sure I won't have any deadlines on my driving days this weekend, but other than that, the work itself is ready.

I will be letting my clients know I'm working from the road, though. I'll still be working while I'm on vacation, but I want them to know I'll technically be out of my office, and unreachable during the days I'll be driving.

I wish I could leave my work behind for the few weeks I'll be gone, but I'm just thankful I get to go at all, so I'll gladly make it a working vacation.

What do you do in the office to get ready for vacation?

NaNoWriMo Prep: Outlines

[NOTE: This is a NaNo prep article I posted last year, and I thought it was worth repeating. Enjoy!]

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's that time again!  Writers everywhere are signing up, ordering shirts, and declaring their participation in NaNoWriMo 2010.  And in their excitement, they're thinking about their novel idea for this year.  (Do you have yours yet?)

I'm a bit of an organization freak, so every year I create an outline for my NaNo novel.  Even if you're not a big fan of outlines, it might be a good idea to create one for NaNo.  It'll help keep you on track as you're writing, since time is such a factor in the event.  I can't speak for you, but many times when I'm writing without an outline (even a very rough one) I tend to ramble and end up in a very different place than I intended when I began.

The good thing, though, is that outlines are very personal things.  Yours can be a very detailed and elaborate outline (as mine usually are) that gives information about what happens in each scene, or a very generalized outline that just gives a sentence or two covering each of the major plot points.  Or it could be something completely different.  You have to figure out what works for your writing style.

Regardless of what kind of outline you make, though, I do recommend that you create some sort of outline, even if it's just some notes jotted to help you remember what your plan is for the month.  It will give you a writing plan, and help you flesh out your story idea a little bit.  Sometimes I've had ideas and, after outlining, I've discovered that the idea is better as a short story rather than a longer project (or vice versa).  Or I've figured out that the idea isn't developed enough.  Outlining now will help keep you from getting to November 20th and realizing you really have a problem with your novel.

It might help get you excited about the month, too!

So take out a piece of paper, make some notes, and see what develops!

Outline: Complete!

I'm already getting excited about NaNoWriMo this year. I think it's because the web badges got released early, and when things start happening on the website, I usually start gearing up for the event myself.

So I started developing the idea given to me by Hubby earlier this year. His suggestion was to write about participating in NaNo for the first time with a little one at home (because it really does change everything, in case anyone was wondering!).

So over the past couple of weeks, I've been letting that idea follow me around and grow. A few days ago, I started working on my outline for the novel.

And I just finished it.

I know some people shudder at the mere thought of creating an outline, but not only do they help me organize my thoughts, but creating an outline is a way I can start working on my NaNoWriMo novel before November first.

I'm happy with the outline, and the way the story idea has developed. (Sorry, but you'll have to wait a while before I reveal my story idea to you. I need to make sure it's finished developing, after all.)

If you're thinking of participating in NaNoWriMo this year, you may want to wander over to their website and check things out. You can get the rules, find your local support group on the forums, and order your NaNo gear (although the t-shirts for 2009 aren't available quite yet). Looking at all that's already available to support you just may inspire you to work on your own NaNoWriMo outline. November will be here soon!

Happy scribbling!