NaNoWriMo

A collection of 69 posts

NaNoWriMo

Resisting the Siren Song of NaNoWriMo

So, it’s that time of year again. The time to start thinking about writing novels in November. Even though I do not do NaNoWriMo every year, not a single November has passed since I first participated in 2005 that I haven’t thought about it. This year I told

blogging

2015: A Good Year For Writing

Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve made writing resolutions for New Year’s. I do not take resolutions lightly, as my “finisher” personality type usually means I won’t easily let them go. In the past couple years, I’ve expanded the types of writing I’m doing

A Year in the Life

2014: My Writing Year in Review

It’s easy for me to get discouraged with how long some of my writing projects take. I will be finishing up my second year of revising my Rapunzel retelling in 2015, and I always want to be writing more than I actually am. But when I paused to take

freelancing

NaNoWriMo: Why I Did It

This is the NaNoWriMo post I wanted to write last week, but I was just too tired. And I think this will be my last post dedicated to NaNoWriMo until next November. I’m still not recovered enough to regain my regular writing “discipline.” At the end of my NaNo

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo: Week DONE!

I had a very thoughtful post about NaNoWriMo planned out in my head, but right now my brain is just too exhausted after a long day of work to produce it. Oh, and did I mention that poor head was also responsible for writing over 50,000 words last month,

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo, Week 4: What I'm Looking Forward To

Here it is, the last week of NaNoWriMo! Somehow this month that seems both far too long and far too short always comes to an end. My novel has about 8,000 words to go and the main dilemma is resolved. I may end up having to write some filler

fairy tales

NaNoWriMo Week 3: In Which I Fall Behind

Here I am on Week 3, and I have fallen behind — it’s always my goal to attempt to keep up with my regular writing commitments (journaling, blogging, reviews) while I’m doing NaNoWriMo, but if I have to choose, I choose my novel. November only comes once a year,

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo Week 2: What Not to Give Up

Last week, I wrote a post with tips for clearing more time for novel writing. This post is the counterbalance to that one — these are the things I recommend you DO continue to make time for, even in the midst of your novel-writing frenzy. You’ll be glad for the

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo Week 1: How to Find the Time

Well, I am up to my eyeballs in NaNoWriMo and it’s only day 3. After a productive write-in on Saturday, a somewhat grueling coffee-shop stint on Sunday, and an early morning of writing the bare minimum today, I gave my “So, You Want to Write a Novel (in a

fiction

Doing NaNoWriMo? How to Get Started NOW

NaNoWriMo begins in a week and a half, which means your time for any pre-NaNo prepping is drawing short. Although NaNo rules require that you not write a single word of your novel before November 1 (and I’m no cheater!) there are several things you can do right now

fairy tales

NaNoWriMo -- I'm doing it.

So, I told myself I would do NaNoWriMo if I finished my Rapunzel novel by November 1st. That’s not going to happen. (I don’t think). I’m still going to do NaNoWriMo. I got off track on Rapunzel because of unforeseen work disruptions which led to me ending

article writing

Cheryl Klein Plot Master Workshop - Go If You Can

I’m not real big into writing conferences. I tend to skip over pages about conferences in writing magazines, and my mind sort of shuts off when I read advice about how to pitch at conferences, or how they are a good way to “get your foot in the door.

blogging

Finish Novel by October 31? Challenge Accepted

A library friend of mine asked me to come to the library in October to share “tips” on completing NaNoWriMo since I’ve “won” it several years in the past. I agreed. And then I realized that if she is asking this of me now, November is not very far

fiction

Write the Thing You Aren't Ready For

The January/February issue of Horn Book magazine contains a great editorial called Books for the Ages. In it, Roger Sutton argues that: “Nobody ever became a better reader by sticking with books they were ready for.” It reminded me of something one of my creative writing teachers said when

NaNoWriMo

Dark Crystal Authorquest - The Final Stretch

I’m entering the final stretch of the Dark Crystal Authorquest, and much as in the frenzy of NaNoWriMo, I’m starting to feel as though I hardly have any words to spare for non-Authorquest writing endeavors. I did manage to write last week’s  Young Adult Catholics post while

authors

My Marketing Revelation

Last week, I went to a community ed class about how to market your book put on by Sarah J. Pepper, a local author who has achieved success through both traditional and self publishing. I always wonder when I show up at these things whether I’ll learn anything new,

fiction

NaNo'Ers, I'm With You in Spirit

Although I usually take one year to “recover” between attempts at NaNoWriMo, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at November the same way again. This year, I’m on “recovery,” still working on the novel I pounded out last November (I’ve discovered that novels

fiction

To Outline or Not to Outline: A Question Only You Can Answer

A few weeks ago, as I fretted over my Dark Crystal submission (which I still haven’t started), one commenter authoritatively told me I must write an outline for it. I did, and I am, because it’s such unfamiliar territory for me that I just feel a lot safer

fairy tales

Knowing When to Turn it Upside Down

Although I hate to do it, I find my writerly energies pulled in too many different directions right now, so I’m taking a break from Rapunzel. Ironically, this is the story I most want to be working on, and I think that’s ultimately why I have to do

editing

Pulling up the Weeds

At about this time last month, I planted my first garden since moving to South Dakota, and my second garden in my whole life. My first garden was almost 100% neglected, and I still got some vegetables at the end of the summer, which taught me that cucumbers and zucchini

fairy tales

Rapunzel and Research

Last week after I finished a scene on my Rapunzel novel, I was struck with the conviction: I have to research now. My initial plan with Rapunzel was to do as much research as possible before NaNoWriMo began last November. I was able to do some research, but not as

blogging

My Last Day of One Job, Embarking on Another

Yesterday was my last official day as Teen Services Librarian for the Marshall-Lyon County Library. My heart is sort of breaking over it–I loved that job so much, but it was a two-hour commute, one way, once a week. I’m still processing all of that, and might blog

editing

Week 4: As NaNoEdMo Kicks My Butt

As I feared might happen, NaNoEdMo is kicking my butt. Although I’m only slightly behind schedule, finding a “catch-up” time in the near future seems bleak. I was right when I predicted that the requirement of actually putting in the time would make this harder for me than NaNoWriMo,

editing

NaNoEdMo: A Little Like Being Locked in a Tower

Well, March is just a little over halfway over, and I’m barely a smidgen over the halfway mark for NaNoEdMo, clocking in this morning at 26.88 hours out of 50. Despite putting in an hour and a half per day, the edits sometimes feel as if they are

Catholicism

Tuscany Prize Winner - Free E-book!

Hey, folks! Do you remember many moons ago when I entered the Tuscany Press contest for Catholic fiction? Although my manuscript was retained (and later rejected) for their young adult fiction startup, I did not win any of the prizes. But now you can all check out who did! For