Contents:
NaNoWriMo helps ideas become things. I wrote 10, words in one day. It made me feel like I could do anything. I managed to win that year, too. Bask in the glory of victory. Fix it. Finish it. NaNoWriMo helps you fill the sandbox. I had plenty of ideas, and many starts, but no completion. Then one day my year-old daughter was given an assignment to write a 15,word novel for NaNoWriMo. I was encouraging her, letting her know that she could accomplish anything if she set her mind to it, when I thought I should put my word count where my mouth is and join her.
There was no from-scratch pasta sauce that month. But I plodded ahead. I was surprised to find that my biggest challenge was finding my writing rhythm. I put on 10 pounds that month, but I wrote the story—all the way through to that ever-elusive ending. Sadly, there is no one-month path to publishing … NaNoPuMo, anyone?
After that first year, I convinced a friend to join me, so I would have a partner to meet and write with in the daylight hours, far from food temptations. If I can do it, so can you!
It helps to have a general idea of your story and characters before you begin, but once the clock starts, get cracking! You can fix it when you sit down with a smile to read your completed draft a month later, red pen in one hand and giant latte in the other nonfat, of course. Limited time offer. Order here. My first finished book is thanks to NaNoWriMo. The experience was a whirlwind of creativity, as I was forced to put aside my Inner Critic and Grammar Nazi a rowdy bunch that like the last word.
By the end of the 30 days, I had a manuscript of which I realized I could only keep less than half, but that was OK. I knew exactly how I wanted to edit my manuscript—and I did, over the next couple months. Forcing yourself to write 50, words in 30 days is a bit like putting paint into a shotgun and pointing at a blank canvas. One day, though, I just felt the overwhelming need to start writing.
What I did was write at every opportunity. My month-long power session produced far better work, and was the best thing I ever did with my writing. WD Books : This book takes an interactive approach to help you complete your write-a-thon step by step, with expert instruction accompanied by spreadsheets to track your progress.
Includes worksheets, day-by-day planners and brainstorming exercises. No Plot? No Problem! Chock full of brain-stretching exercises, this book will have you running to keep up. When I started getting serious about writing, one of the first things I did was seek out like-minded individuals.
I love the idea of banding together with others poised for the same goal. Our competitive streaks help us shine. The trick is getting extra words in the bank early. Things always pop up as the month goes on. You will also be more burnt out by the end of the month, meaning that both the quality and quantity of your writing may suffer.
Normally I edit my words in my head before the poor things can even get on my computer screen, so it was very freeing to just get it all out because of a deadline. One month to create a story that had been brewing in my mind for years. And it was a challenge.
I would berate myself every second I stared at that blinking cursor. It would be a half hour, an hour, as my eyes darted back and forth between the screen and the glow of the TV.
But I soon discovered that just typing away was the key. And out of the nonsense came a thoughtful sentence, and then another, and another.
I had to sift through a lot of garbage to find a few treasures. But I found them. Read about them here. You know how they say you need to unplug? Turn off the TV, the iPhone, the Internet, all of it. If I needed a break I picked up a book. Every time I read, I got an idea for what to write next. Write anything, write everything. Read what you love. And in the end know that you are a real writer.
For so many authors, the idea of writing a 50,+ word novel in 30 days is enough to get them worked up into a frenzy of stress. And while writing a full draft in. A practical step-by-step method to writing the first draft of your novel in 30 days.
You always had a story to tell. And it may take longer than a month. But you can do it! My co-author Erin McRae and I wrote our first novel a 70,word gay romance in a month. Having each other as an audience kept us going, and wanting to be able to share it with others kept us going fast. We did the next two drafts in a month each as well, and then submitted. Our book was published by Torquere Press in September, and the publisher has bought its sequel.
Sharing it with others is your reward for the work. Also, if you do have a co-author, find one in another time zone! I was in Europe for my day job for a big chunk of our writing cycle, while Erin was in Washington, D.
With the six-hour time difference, one of us was working on the story at almost all times. I had fallen behind early with my word count, and then started obsessing with trying to catch up. An apt comparison is running, where one may set out to run four miles a day, but some days runs may be shorter or longer based on how the runner feels on the trail. I wanted to try to write the book in 30 days. My plan was 2, words a day minimum, and February was a great month to attempt such a feat, as it can reach degrees here in northern New York.
I outlined my ideas most of which never made it in—my work tends to take on a life of its own and not conform to my plans and made myself comfortable at the kitchen table with my laptop and Bob Marley playlist. That first week I drank 21 coffees and wrote over 26, words, averaging 3, a day. The following week I wrote another 24, words, averaging 3, a day. By now the plot was getting thick, as were my character worksheet folders. I was writing 6—10 hours a day, getting up early so I could do most of my writing while my daughter was in school. I finished the book in 18 days at 70, words—not a heavyweight, but a good size for my genre.
As I write this it is No.