NaNoWriMo Eve

 

My word, our heroine has done it again. A whole year has gone by and it’s suddenly NaNo Eve!

I planned all along to do NaNoWriMo. I do it every year – it’s a given I’ll participate. I have my spreadsheet ready for tracking my progress and a general outline of what I want to write. I’m neither pantser (anymore) nor planner, but rather a hybrid. I feel both approaches have merit, especially when it comes to NaNo.

If you read this blog when I regularly updated it, you’ll already be aware of my NaNo Curse. It gets me every year. Something unexpected comes along and I have to navigate my way around or through it in order to survive and win NaNo. Sometimes, like in 2016, it just doesn’t work out for me. (That was the year both my son and I were in the hospital for a while.) I’m anxious as I write this, wondering what form the NaNo Curse will take this year. Will I get past it? Tune in and fine out, dear Reader.

My personal goal every year is to meet the point I want to reach before Thanksgiving. This year, Thanksgiving is rather early, the 22nd. It’s going to be a challenge considering I’m out of the habit of writing daily. My hope is that this year’s NaNo puts me in BICHOK mode daily once again. I miss writing with all of you.

So lots of anxiety and hopes wrapped up in my approach to NaNoWriMo 2018. I’m as ready as I’m going to be, barring picking up some creature comfort supplies today. How about you?  Are you ready?

NaNo is all about challenging one’s self, so bring it on!

#NaNoWriMo: Stop with the Waffling!

This originally appeared on the #amwriting site a couple years ago, but bears repeating.

Photo by TheCulinaryGeek

November 1^st is just around the corner, a mere handful of days away. For wrimos, Halloween / Samhain is spent in anxious anticipation of the stroke of midnight. Wrimos spending this time alone talk to themselves, coaching themselves to jump through that midnight gate with vigor. Those at write-ins with other wrimos? Well, they experience a group dynamic I like to call hooting crazitude. (Come on. It’s fun to say.)

You – yes, you – can still be caught up in the excitement that is NaNo. Have you been compiling pro and con lists? Perhaps you think you just don’t have time for it. Maybe the idea of writing that much in one month is too daunting to contemplate. Are you in the midst of a work-in-progress and simply don’t wish to step away from it to start something new? Do you sigh and wistfully say you just can’t do it?

There are so many reasons people state to explain why they don’t want to do NaNo. Don’t get me wrong: I respect another’s choice in the matter. A simple “I don’t want to do it” makes me nod and back off. NaNo’s not for everyone. It is, however, for many people who think it can’t work for them.

• The spirits of encouragement and camaraderie during NaNo are not to be underestimated. Put those on your pro list and underline them for emphasis. Whether you’re in it to be utterly nuts and compile a novel full of “plot bunnies” and challenges (see nanowrimo.org Forums for more info) or you’re working on a more conventionally legitimate project, you’ll find people ready to support you and keep you going.
• The NaNo Rebels group is going strong again this year. Check out this link about NaNo Rebels on the nanowrimo.org site for official info about the Rebels. If you’re in the middle of a WIP and don’t want to set it aside, write nonfiction, or write in formats other than novel-sized ones, you can participate by being a NaNo Rebel. The goal is the same: 50k new words on your project(s).
• Consider setting a different goal for yourself. No one says you have to write 50k words. No, you won’t “officially win” NaNo by writing 20k words. You may write your heart out during the hours you have available, though. You may be pushing yourself in ways you never have in order to reach the goal you set for yourself. That’s NaNo, baby!

The whole point of NaNoWriMo is to push yourself and just write. Gag and tie up that inner editor who makes you go over everything you write as you write it. Just. Write. No matter what, it’s a great exercise for anyone who gets into ruts because of that inner editor. If you need to set a different goal for word count, no matter. The exercise and purpose for it are the same.

So no more waffling! Whether you’re a pantster, a plotter or somewhere in between, it’s time to stock the cabinets with food for easy meals and snacks, get your favorite source of caffeine ready and clean off your writing space. (Trust me, it’ll become cluttered enough during November.)

Write on, wrimo!

I have done NaNoWriMo for several years. It’s a huge reason I began writing after a 15-year hiatus. On the NaNo site as JC_Rosen (isn’t that clever?), I’m open to buddy listing. I usually use the #NaNo hashtag in addition to #amwriting during November. Join us! We do sprints. Progress measurement is up to you.

SPILLWORTHY by Johanna Harness Debuts

Congratulations to my dear friend, my mentor, Johanna Harness, on the publication of her novel SPILLWORTHY! It’s a remarkable story told in such a clever manner, the reader will inhale it in one sitting. The characters are beautifully exposed in their own writing. As the story unfolds, the suspense builds urgency. SPILLWORTHY is so worth your time. If you found this book, you were meant to find it.

SPILLWORTHY, by Johanna Harness

Surely you know Johanna Harness, at least by name, if you’re a writer or reader on Twitter. She created the enormously popular #amwriting hashtag and community. Whether you know her or not, take a look at her bio at the bottom of this piece.

Have you read the excerpt Johanna posted? Oh, do read it! It’s a choice segment from the start of the story which introduces a charming, somewhat jaded young man. Reading it will make the next part of this blog make more sense. Go on, take a moment. We’ll wait.

See, the fascinating mind of Johanna Harness suggested writers put together cameo appearances of one of *our* characters within the SPILLWORTHY world. That’s what’s coming next. So much fun to write! My character, Dawn Garson, writes in first person. She appears in the first book of my Mirror saga, as yet unpublished.

Did you read the SPILLWORTHY excerpt yet? Yes? Good. Here’s Dawn’s cameo, which does NOT appear in the book:

 

SPILLWORTHY, Cameo of Dawn Garson

Encouraged by my sons, I took a vacation in this world. Of course, they didn’t know of my sojourns into the other one. Having heard so much about Portland, I chose it as my destination. The last two days proved it was the right place. So green and lovely.

I’m not exactly made for tromping around sightseeing, but my cane and I made good use of the time. I found myself in a little neighborhood not far from the hotel which suited my budget. Glancing around, I caught sight of a second hand store. On impulse, I crossed the street to it and browsed a bit. I found a pretty blouse and a couple of beautiful coffee mugs which would be practical in both worlds.

As I left the store, still stuffing the new items into my shoulder bag, a shop window grabbed my attention. It was a music shop, a lot like the one in which I worked so many years ago. While the medium changed over the years, music store windows did not. This one was plastered with promotional posters, still album cover sized. Rampant images and color gave way to… what was that?

I honed in on the unlikely poster. It was not a poster at all. In fact, it looked like a pizza box top, complete with a couple of grease stains. Dense handwriting covered it. I stepped closer and read about Keats. It was like stepping into a cloud of happiness. The writer not only analyzed Keats’ writing well, the prose was positively lyrical. Clearly, someone with a poet’s soul wrote from his joy. I wished I could meet him or her and share a meal, just jabbering about whatever came up. Giddiness bubbled inside me at the thought.

Hungry by then, I stopped in at a nearby pizza place. I guess I was inspired by that not-a-poster. A couple supreme slices later, I had the rest boxed up to put into the minifridge in my hotel room. As I left, a kid quietly stopped me and asked if I would give him the leftover pizza. Poor kid was grubby and wore clothes made for someone of another size. I didn’t have to think about it. “Yes, please take it and enjoy. It’s still warm.” His face lit up and after thanking me, he walked to the corner and sat next to an old man with a dog to share the feast.

Portland. Such a good choice.

 

Johanna Harness bio, as taken from Goodreads: Johanna Harness writes middle grade and young adult stories in both Northwest and fantastic settings, often forgetting which is which. She created the #amwriting community on Twitter.

My opinion of her bio? Far too short, but once the writer starts on a complete picture of this woman, it’s hard to stop. Not just a talented writer, she’s a mother, wife, homeschooler, caretaker of critters large and small, and so much more.

You’ll want to read SPILLWORTHY, available in paperback and Kindle format. I predict awards and great things for this novel and for Johanna herself.

 

Ready Or Not, Here NaNo Comes

You probably know I do NaNoWriMo every year. I’m a big believer in what it can do for a writer, whether casual or professional, young or … uhm… not young.

I planned to plan this year. My goal was to approach this NaNo the way an author “should” approach a project: all plotted out with chapter / scene notes. I even expected myself to master a new-to-me piece of writing software in time. I started prepping with a song in my heart (The Pretenders – Precious).

When the song in my heart turned to non-writing difficulties, I floundered. Perhaps I should confess at this point I’ve never approached a writing project the way an author “should.” With everything else going on, I poked at my project here and there. It was easy to say I’d work on it when I had time and ability to devote attention. I managed to put together five pages of tightly typed outline before packing it in and deciding my NaNoPrep was a big fail.

Oh, and Scrivener? Bigger fail. Never got to it at all.

Frankenstorm came along and absolved me of my guilt. I’m not minimizing Sandy’s devastating effects to so many. We were blessed and the impact here was just inconvenience. I couldn’t work on the computer, therefore it was beyond my power. (See what I did there?)

Oh sure, I was frustrated. All my good intentions to pound out more prep! As I relaxed into the windy night, I remembered something important. NaNo can also be fun. What? That’s right, you heard me: FUN. For heaven’s sake, I have a general outline for each of six acts of the novel as well as those five pages of scene notes. I have my comfortable Word. Why all the agita?

I face this last day before the first long night of NaNo at ease. I’m doing some prep today, but it has only to do with creature comforts for the coming month. The more I think about past NaNos, the more I recall how much I appreciated the little things, like my fingerless gloves and knowing there was enough flavored coffee creamer, being sure there was food so my guys didn’t go Lord of the Flies on me. (I’m not kidding about the fingerless gloves. Even a cheap pair with the tips snipped off. Trust me on this.)

Is there such a thing as too much prep? Perhaps only if it saps the creative spirit from the process. Maybe NaNo2013 will find me fully prepped and yet eagerly awaiting the midnight bell. NaNo2012 has me prepped enough – but more importantly, tugging on the reins. Bring it, NaNo!

Lucky Sevens Meme!

I’m not so great at following through on things like chain mail or tagging. I freely admit it. It might just have something to do with motivation. I’m with @GroovyMystery (James Huskins) on this one, though. It just looks fun. Having read his entry in the meme made me laugh. Then he tagged me. Considering I was still grinning, I went for it. Thanks, Jim!

Here’s how it works:

*Open the document for your current MS/WIP

*Go to page 77

*Go to line 7

*Copy the next 7 lines (sentences or paragraphs) and post them exactly as they are written. No changing or cheating!

*Tag 7 authors and let them know.

Here we go, a taste of the MS I’m editing:

I tried not to glance at the chair nearby. My back and legs ached from yesterday’s exertions, from the cold bed and from standing during this inquisition.

I threw a look Verante’s way. He stayed quiet throughout, leaning lightly against the wall. He watched the Highest. I looked away quickly and pressed my lips together hard. If I weren’t mistaken, there was a slight grin on his face.

Earlier, when I protested at a statement, the woman made a disgusted noise and turned to Verante. She found no support there. He shrugged and put up his hands. “Looking to me for information yields you nothing, sister,” he said to her. She scoffed again and pinned me with those wide, bright eyes of hers. Sister?

“That false king has no right to destroy the people’s true heritage. What else could come from prizing your science so much?” She was nearly spitting the words. “Why else name a Court Scientist?”

I opened my mouth to try to reason with her again. She continued her diatribe. “Why a Stranger of all the possible people in the land? Why did the Strangers only start coming into the world after he took the throne? He is tearing our world apart!” I closed my mouth. There seemed little point.

Earlier in the interrogation, she pressed me to speak of the King. “He’s a good man, a kind man who cares for the smallest in his Kingdom.” When this made no apparent impression, I searched for something that I might offer, something to show him in what the Highest would see as a positive light. “His belief in Those Who Guide Us is very strong. It is a defining point of his life and his monarchy.” There, I thought. That would help.

The woman’s eyes grew wide and shocked. I threw a pleading look at Verante and caught sight of him just as he closed his eyes and slightly shook his head. That was when she got out of the tall, carved chair and began to stalk about the large room. Furniture was scattered about, a table with several chairs here, a more comfortable if aging stuffed chair there, in addition to what acted as her throne. I tried not to think of the furniture. The mere idea of the chair so close made me more aware of the discomfort that filled me.

And now to tag! I tag thee, @gripemaster, @Buckeye_BethM, @jennspiller, @MisaBuckley, @Mariam_Kobras, @icypop and @jas_chronicles.

NaNo Prep and Plotting

As our heroine is poised to begin her NaNoWriMo preparatory work, dear Reader, she finds herself mulling methods. (She also finds herself procrastinating by noting the many options in this blog article.) I’ve written about plotting before, but I’ve learned a good deal in the meantime. Perhaps I can summon some of it into something worth reading. Let’s try, yes?

While the title here is “NaNo Prep and Plotting,” most of this information is applicable to any project. As an example, I recently used clustering to plot a flash story. It just wasn’t showing itself to me via the usual means, so I tried something different. Voila! There it was, exposed and waiting to be written.

Johanna Harness, founder of the #amwriting site and hashtag on Twitter, has explored many plotting methods. As a result, her blog is often my go-to for information which is accessible and useful. I’ll use a couple here as well as other sources.

I call my entire process of prep “outlining.” That’s misleading. While I begin with a basic – and extremely loose – outline, I may more deeply explore the plot and/or characters using other methods. Having recently discovered the benefits of clustering, I will likely use it at some point. Describing arcs for structure may figure into the preparation. You get the idea.

I consider myself a combination of a pantser as well as a plotter. No matter how carefully I plan and plot, my story ends up wandering into places I hadn’t known existed. Secondary characters take on lives of their own and become far more important than intended. Never fails – thank goodness! As such, I don’t plot so tightly there’s no room for breath and movement within the structure of the plan.

Right. Time to address some plotting methods:

Clustering: The reason Johanna Harness suggested I try clustering for my short story is the oddities of my migraines. That is to say, I can write with a migraine, but cannot plot or edit. Johanna sees clustering as a right brain/left brain process. It uses (*gasp*) pen and paper and is simply bubbles of words all over the page, just willy-nilly. While it goes against all my instincts, I found it immensely helpful – even with the migraine. (YMMV) Check out Johanna’s blog article for more on clustering. She speaks to it far better than I.

Snowflake Method: Randy Ingermanson is generally known as “The Snowflake Guy” and his Snowflake Method for novel writing is immensely popular. This article is chock full of interesting ideas on what he calls “designing a novel.” As no two novels are exactly alike, no two snowflakes are, either. His position is, however, novels can be designed. This article teaches how to do that. Please read the entire article to get the full impact.

Phase Drafting: It’s Just a Phase is an article from 2003 by Lazette Gifford. It’s no less useful today. Lazette brings fresh thoughts to the subject of outlining a project. She leaves room for growth and fleshing out the story. Don’t miss this one.

Big Board Planning: Here’s another one from Johanna Harness’s blog. Do you cleverly organize your ideas on note cards or post-it notes? (Do you think you should but don’t?) I didn’t start the post-it notes idea until Johanna showed me Big Board Planning. It’s as simple as taking a large poster board and putting your cards or post-its on the board. I use a tri-fold board so I can fold it up and put it somewhere safe. Johanna has some ideas for how to organize the colors and placement in this article so please do give it a read.

There are more to be found. With NaNo breathing down my neck, my goal is to at least get the outline done using clustering as needed. Big Board Planning beyond that will be gravy. I may need to take breaks writing in November to BBP my way through a section. Who knows? Anything can happen during NaNo. (Twitter users, many of us will be using the #NaNo hashtag. It’s shorter and we get a good group of encouraging wrimos. Please join us!)

I’m interested – what works for you when you work on a project?

Getting Down with Your Bad Self

Are you a perfectionist? So many writers are. (Even our heroine, dear Reader.) We want to get that chapter just right before we move on to the next. What happens? We get frustrated and more importantly: we lose our momentum.

Momentum in writing a rough draft is crucial. It is the tool which allows a writer to get down the bones of the story, explore beyond the margins of any outline handy and discover plotholes. Oops! Fill them in while you go if you can, mark them for later contemplation if you can’t. Momentum! Thy name is first draft!

NaNoWriMo is an excellent tool for teaching this technique. It’s how I got past my perfectionism, in fact. Seriously, if you have trouble with building and maintaining momentum, you can dig into NaNo come November. Take all the time you want to prep for it, but once November 1st comes, it’s all about the momentum. Don’t worry about word count. (Yes, I know. NaNo is supposed to be about word count. Be a maverick! Set your own goals.) Just get that story’s skeleton down. Anything else is gravy. Get that draft down with your bad self!

Don’t want to do NaNo? No problem. Set your own high standards and goals. I like to set a time limit for getting the first rough draft of my novel completed. (No, I’m not telling. Everyone’s is different.) I plow into it, discovering new aspects to characters and story as I go. That, to me, is the most exciting part of staying dialed into momentum.

What’s yours? Please leave me a note to let me know what you think. I’m always interested in new techniques.

FlashFic Update: No Part Three

Our heroine promised to turn “Planet P4-98” into a novel during NaNoWriMo later this year, dear Reader. That’s much bigger than I expected it to be (would you believe I started out to make it a single flash?). As a result, I decided to stop forcing the story into flashes. Instead, I’ll be plotting and notecarding and bigboarding behind the scenes, all in preparation for NaNo.

I’ve been dragging my heels on this decision, kidding myself that Part Three only needed to make the leap from my mind onto the blank document. It refused to do so. I finally listened. I’m a little slow sometimes.

Thank you for the encouragement you offered in your comments. Each was happily received. I hope you’ll stick around for more #FridayFlash as I get back on the rails. Again. (Barring going into exile. Again.)

Writer’s Block, Pervasive Myth

Writer’s block? I do not think these words mean what you think they mean.

Our heroine will accept that there is Writer’s Pause, dear Reader. A short period during which the writer is overwhelmed with “what happens next” or “how do I get out of THIS one?” But Writer’s Block? Not a chance.

Writing begets writing. Build some momentum. Get in there, perhaps not even on your project, and write something, anything, ridiculous things, what you ate that day and why, whether an elephant would look better in fishnet stockings and who’d try to get them on him in the first place. Okay, maybe not that last one. The again, that might be fun.

Remember first drafts are always lousy. Repeat it out loud. Repeat it every time you stall in your writing. Push yourself to write, even if it’s something you know will need a revision when you get to the second draft/edit/revision. (No, they’re not the same thing.) Just get the bones of the story down.

I’ve been known to leave notes about a scene in my first draft and move on to the next scene or chapter. The more notes, the better, but sometimes one line is enough.

Just remember: writing begets writing and momentum is a trump card. Play with words which have nothing to do with your project or  put notes as to the next scene. Just keep going.  You’ll find you really do have something to say.

After all, you’re a writer.

NaNo10: Is it over yet?

Ah, NaNoWriMo, stealer of Novembers for so many. You pluck us out of Halloween celebrations and plunk us down in a world obsessed with the commercialization of the holidays. For USA participants, you made balancing Thanksgiving with writing a family-based challenge. Why do we love you so?

Yes, our heroine took part in NaNo10, dear Reader. It is as inevitable for me as the coming of the commercials for Black Friday and Cyber Monday emails.

There are any number of reasons why people do NaNo. Some of the most popular reasons are the fun of the group involved, the pressure, the mutual support system and reaching beyond what might otherwise be possible. Recognize yourself in any of those? I do it as a celebration of the spirit of creation, a way of reminding myself to let all the other stuff fall away and **just write**.

I lucked out this year. I didn’t discover my notes for the plotline were corrupted until after I hit the 50k, halfway through the book. Now I’m sticking with it, rewriting the second half of the book’s outline. After that? Of course I’m going to write it. When the first draft is complete, NaNo will be over for me.

Is it over for you yet? If not, if you want to continue writing the novel or start editing what you already have, come join us in Twitter’s #PostNaNo. Many of us are supporting one another, encouraging each participant, to meet the individual’s goals. I’ve already told you mine. What are yours?