What better time to do it than NaNoWriMo?
(**Technically though, I will not have the full 30 days - my husband and I are going to Prague for five days at the end of November. I will actually have 25 days. Pressure!!**)
My husband is the most supportive person in my life and he has been pushing me to finally write a book. Seriously, every time I complain about reading a bad book, his response is to tell me that I can write something way better. I have lost track of the number of times he has told me, "Maybe you should write your own words instead of reading someone else's."
It's kind of hard though because of all the amazing books I have read this year. I am so intimidated. But I will never know what kind of writer I am unless I try. There was a time (years ago) when I wrote on a regular basis and even started a book of my own. Then life got in the way and I stopped writing as much as I did. Now I am finally ready to do this!
Here is how I am preparing to succeed at my very first NaNoWriMo:
1. Set goals. My goal for 25 days is to write 2,000 words a day. If I hit more, great. But if I write at least that much, then I will have no problem making my goal of 50,000 words.
2. A (very rough) book outline. I am trying to find that balance between too much preparation and too little. I want to have enough of an outline so that I know where my story is going, but I don't want to get stuck and feel like I have to follow it to the letter.
3. Turn off the TV! Don't get on the Internet! Seriously . . . NO SURFING UNTIL DAILY GOAL IS MET!!
4. Rewards? I think when I meet my daily goal, chocolate will be necessary. And if I write more than my daily goal, it will be crucial!
5. Don't edit! This one will be hard. But I just want to get the story down on paper (well, actually, on my computer). Editing will come later.
6. Schedule blog posts and reviews in advance! I am not going to be completely absent. I have a few discussions, reviews and top tens. I have even read all my ARCs scheduled to be published in November. I am super prepared!
Wish me luck!
1. Set goals. My goal for 25 days is to write 2,000 words a day. If I hit more, great. But if I write at least that much, then I will have no problem making my goal of 50,000 words.
2. A (very rough) book outline. I am trying to find that balance between too much preparation and too little. I want to have enough of an outline so that I know where my story is going, but I don't want to get stuck and feel like I have to follow it to the letter.
3. Turn off the TV! Don't get on the Internet! Seriously . . . NO SURFING UNTIL DAILY GOAL IS MET!!
4. Rewards? I think when I meet my daily goal, chocolate will be necessary. And if I write more than my daily goal, it will be crucial!
5. Don't edit! This one will be hard. But I just want to get the story down on paper (well, actually, on my computer). Editing will come later.
6. Schedule blog posts and reviews in advance! I am not going to be completely absent. I have a few discussions, reviews and top tens. I have even read all my ARCs scheduled to be published in November. I am super prepared!
Wish me luck!
Are you participating in NaNoWriMo?
**If you are participating, add me as a buddy here!***
**If you are participating, add me as a buddy here!***
Aw YAY! I just added you as a buddy, and I see you are already doing amazing! I am really, really happy for you that you have the support of your husband. He sounds like quite the catch :) I will be cheering you on (and also being jealous of Prague ;) )
ReplyDeleteOh, and the not editing thing? Killing me too! Good luck, I know you can do this!!
Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight
Thanks Shannon! Yeah, my husband is pretty awesome. I am glad I picked him. :) Not editing is SO HARD!! I have 4700 words now and 85% of it will need to be edited later. I just want to get the story down and then I can go back over it and add or take away as needed. Good luck to you too!
DeleteGood luck with this. I actually thought about doing this as well, but I just came up with an idea for my first novel and I have WAY too much research to do on it to participate this year. However, if I haven't finished writing a significant amount of the book by next year, I'm promising myself I'm going to do it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Davida! I hope you do participate next time. It is a great motivator. I really haven't written regularly (besides my blog) in a while. It's a great way to build my habit up.
DeleteJust added you to my buddy list :) Btw, Day 1 and you've already written over 400 words? That is a good beginning!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dinara! I just added you as well. Good luck!
DeleteGood luck! I am not a writer at all so I can't even imagine how hard it all is. But it is great you have support and a plan!
ReplyDeleteThanks Grace!
DeleteGood luck, Cynthia. I know you'll conquer this!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Joy!
DeleteGood luck!! I'm right there with you - it's so scary when you actually commit to doing something that you feel like you should have done ages ago.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear how you go!
bornandread.com, thank you so much!! I am terrified, but I know it is something I need to do.
DeleteBest of luck, Cynthia! I haven't worked up the courage to try this for myself, and I've got so much respect for everyone who does have the guts to go for it. I'm rooting for ya, girl :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Ramona! I can use all the good luck I can get. :)
DeleteGood luck! I did NaNoWriMo in 2010...I had already written and published five books, but I wanted something new, fresh. So I did it!
ReplyDeleteAfter NaNo, I kept working on it, via Round of Words in 80 Days, a writer's challenge...and sent it to Beta readers, etc.
Published it on April 1, 2014.
Enjoy!
Here is my MONDAY MUSINGS POST
Wow, that's awesome Laurel! I am so jealous. Publishing is the ultimate goal, but right now, I am just trying to write. I haven't written regularly (besides the blog) in a very, very long time. With NaNoWriMo, it is a great way to form my habit.
DeleteI'm so excited, all my favorite bloggers are doing NaNo this year! Congrats on your first year, it's always a good yet extremely stressful one. I actually only have half the month for writing this NaNo so we're in similar boats, Cynthia! You already have the best tips, especially about leaving yourself room in your outline (this coming from a notorious over outliner), but my tip would be to make sure to have fun! The best place is Twitter even if you're like me and just Tweet random coffee induced things. Oh and definitely with the chocolate, I think it's like impossible to win NaNo without it.... =D
ReplyDeleteAlso, you have an awesome husband, go him for encouraging you! Good luck, Cynthia! Now, to add you as a buddy (I'm still Nobody53 there by the way!).
Thanks so much Shay!! I am so excited. I am not sure how good my story is, but I am just trying to get it finished for now. I will be doing PLENTY of editing later, I am sure. And I added you as a buddy as well. :)
Deletegood luck to you, sounds very exciting. I personally never done it but have friends in real have that have and really enjoy it and ton of blogger friends are doing it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lily!
DeleteI wish you all the luck! Nano is how I wrote my first book! You can do it! Sounds like you have the right plan. The best advice I got the first nano is be okay with writing the crappiest draft you can. It's good just to start. This is my third nano... though moving from nano to publishing is another story! Good Luck Again!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Writing Pearls! Yes, I have a feeling this is indeed the crappiest draft ever created! But I am just trying to get the story finished. I will be doing PLENTY of editing later. PLENTY. Haha
DeleteGood luck Cynthia, you never know unless you try! I can't write but I'm jealous of those that can! And breaking down your book in to a word goal per day makes it sound more achievable but still ridiculously challenging to me! What genre are you writing in?
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Trish! I am trying really hard. It is debatable as to whether I can or not, but we will see. :) The book I am writing now is a YA contemporary.
DeleteGO YOU! And kudos to you for writing offline, I feel too isolated when I do that, but obviously I get distracted by the internet all the time. I'm also trying to find that balance between outlining too little and outlining too much. I definitely should have plotted more, but I'm also horrible at plotting and like surprising myself. The greatest thing NaNo has done for me so far is to allow me to turn off my inner editor and just get the words down no matter how crappy they are. I mean they REALLY are, but whatevs, right? I still have trouble with it sometimes, but mainly it's been working out so far. The best of luck to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Vlora! I am realizing that I did not flesh out my characters as well as I should have. Some of what I am writing is turning out to be more character development stuff that will probably be taken out later. It had been tough to turn off my inner editor, but it has also been kind of freeing. Out of 50,000 words, there will probably be 10,000 of them that will edit out later. Ha. But the important thing is that I am doing it!
DeleteYou are definitely prepared! Best of luck to you!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Lisa!
Delete