Countdown to Nanowrimo

Argh, we are almost ready to write for Nano and I feel like I'm not... ready. 

I managed to pull an outline together (thank you Hiveword) but my character motives, my settings, my story world could use a lot of thinking today. 

A few of my friends tell me that a lot of people must cheat to win during Nanowrimo.  And what if they do?  It's more important for me to know that I don't cheat as participants are allowed to prep with outlines, etc as long as no actual story writing is done till tomorrow. 

I'll be using paperback writer's 3 questions technique to develop my characters. 

The idea of Nanowrimo is to have lots of fun. 

I'll need to repeat this to myself all through the first week of November and then it'll be easy (easier?) to get through the month. 

Good luck. 

Story Structure post on YouTube

Dan Wells has a some great YouTube videos on Story Structure.

If you need help with figuring out the acts of your story check this out.  It's helped me and got me excited about taking the Nawrimo plunge once again.

Wish I'd found Dan's videos last year.  Better late than... you know.   

Note to self:  read one of Dan's books and see just how he works this structure magic. 

Nanowrimo. Do I or don't I?

It's that time of year and once again I am doubting my abilities to compete in Nanowrimo. 

It's not that I don't want to write but it's more a sense of frustration knowing that I am unlikely to take the time to properly edit my first draft I will be spewing into the world.  Maybe it's just that I'm lazy or maybe I just doubt my ability to come up with a decent story. 

I know I can write and win the word count but...  Hmm, but wait!  Should I really be hoping for more than a first draft?  Only I can change my future. 

I used to say to friends that I'm going to write my future the way I want it to be.  When did I forget I had the power to do that? 

Nanowrimo will be a DO this year.  Guess I just needed to see this in print. 

Good luck to everyone that competes and remember it's up to you if you actually want to get your story edited one day and into the big bad world.  Spewing a story out is one thing, getting a decent novel out of it is the step after. 

The Big Cut: Editing Your Novel

I do enjoy creating creating fictional worlds.  Now my worlds are not that wonderful nor do I think I am by any means a good writer.  Look how I struggle to write a simple blog. 

Nanowrimo 2013 was the 8th Nano novel (novelette?) I've written and only one of those novels did I ever attempt to edit.  It was during the year I convinced myself to sign up for an online class with Holly Lisle, How to Revise a Novel. 

I'm not an affiliate of Holly, nor perhaps would she want me to be because I really sucked at her class.  I managed to keep focus on the class for a few months and then allowed myself to be distracted yet again by all the glories and distractions of the web. 

You would have thought I'd learned from my previous online class (the year before?) which was Holly's, How to Think Sideways.  By the way I do think both classes are very good (if you actually follow through) and have great forums that I still visit when I'm being all writer-like, which I admit is not often these days. 

Self confidence is what it boils down to for me.  I was not confident in sharing the stories I had written but I did learn how to churn them out.   I think I was scared, and am scared, to succeed. 

There are lots of comments out there about how horrid Nanowrimo is but to get you to do something you've always wanted (like write a novel) it worked for me but my follow through, editing my novels, has not happened quite yet.  Fine I did partially edit the one novel and maybe it's time I got back to it.   

To succeed in writing you have to spit out your story and then edit it and that's the way it works.  You must get something on paper/online first so you have something to mold into shape.  I will see none of my stories be the way I want them to be if I do not edit and mold them. 

So I've got my free winner code from Nanowrimo again and I wonder will I get yet another free printed book, unedited, as I have before?  Last year I gave my free code away because I wasn't willing to inflict that kind of torture on my bookshelf yet again.

Besides Holly's class there are some good books out there too.

Self Editing for Fiction Writers would probably be even better if one did the exercises in it.  Right?  What's stopping you?   

Have you trained yourself to edit?  Do you bother to edit?  Are you one of those who have trained themselves to spit out a perfect story/post without nary an edit?

Don't lose focus, edit, and if you don't know how read up on it or join a class.  Let yourself succeed and maybe I'll follow through too.  

Off the bucket list

I'm always amazed at people who actually start to work on a bucket list.  

In 2006 I surprised myself but jumping into Nanowrimo and writing what turned out to be quite the tale of narcissistic drivel.  Still it was like writing a novel and I'd had a taste of what I'd wanted to accomplish.  

Every year since I've pushed myself to not only participate in Nanowrimos but to try and write almost every day.  I've got even more dreams and figure I have to work towards them.  

Lately I've thought about quitting but figure lots of writers must do the same so why not try to keep going just a little bit more?  If nothing else I'm practicing getting my meaning across to others.  

To I feel ready to hit the big time yet?  Far from it.  

Is your writing where you want it to be? 

Race to the finish line for Nanowrimo 2013

I reached 50,000 words November 24, 2013 and was proud of myself.  I was tempted to jump in the air but I'd only cause myself a dissservice. 

My challenge was to reach 50K on the 24th like I had last year.  Next year, if I participate, I will have to reach it on an earlier day.   Mind you next year I'll tell myself it must be by the 24th so I'd best stop this cycle somehow.  

The challenge for me now is to keep writing to the end of November and not just throw my hands up in victory.  I am meeting this challenge so far. 

Remember if you don't write, you won't finish your writing.  Edit next month or after you achieve your goal.      

Have you reached your goal yet?  Even if not for Nano do you have a set writing goal for every day? 

Write the story, finish the race!

Okay down to the count with Nanowrimo and it'll be another win year for me.... yah!  Assuming that I will continue to write the thing tomorrow and don't push delete. 

But don't you ever wish that not only could you get to 50,000 words but that you could actually finish writing a story and not just run the race?  Come up with an actual decent ending and feel good about what you wrote?

Of course a lot of this has to do with editing after Nanowrimo is over but what about the not giving up on your original idea?

I often find I've changed my mind as I write my story and have other ideas I want to pursue but I have to keep typing to get to the end of the thing.  One day after editing perhaps I can actually figure out what I wanted to convey to readers and to myself.  Maybe I'll follow some of those other leads to add depth to my story and write a different story entirely.

Ever wonder where you are going with your story?  Or are you simply tired of the whole thing and just want it done i.e. to be at 50K words and win?  You can win you know.  Keep writing.