NaNoWriMo Nuggets of Wisdom

Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month

Today's the big day. Writers all over the world are pounding out word after word, straining to reach the 50k goal by the end of the month. Go, little NaNoWriMoers! Write your hearts out!

But I'm not doing it this year.

Not that I'm averse to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), mind you. I've just got way too much life hitting me upside the head at the moment. Don't panic. I'm still writing. I'm simply not stressing out over making the 50k mark.

Don't let that hamper your fingers on the keyboard, though. Be a champion and go for it. And while you're at it, here are some nuggets of NaNoWriMo wisdom . . .

Don't spaz out over word count.
If you don't make your word goal one day, don't flip out. Make it up the next or the next. It's kind of like a diet. If you blow it one day, that's not a free ticket to stuff your face full of chocolate cake from there on out. Hop back on the bandwagon the next day. And if you're really on a roll one day, write extra and bank those words for days you're not so prolific.

Take risks in your writing.
A lot of those 50k words you write are going to get edited or changed later on, so type like mad and write whatever's on your heart. Don't worry about "doing it wrong." At this stage of the game, there is no wrong. You're capturing ideas, not spit shining them to a fine sheen.

Save and back-up.
If you're going to the effort of grinding out gobs of magical word crafting, then back it up, Hoss. Jesus saves. So should you. Trust me, it will be an ugly weepfest if you don't and your computer crashes.

Writer whether you feel like it or not.
There are 30 days in November. Chances are there's going to be a day or two when you just don't feel like being creative. In fact you'll have days when you're pretty sure a drunk clown could create something more exciting than what's in your feeble brain. It's a lie that you can't write unless your muse shows up. Suck it up and write anyway.

Unplug.
The interwebs are a wonderful thing -- and way too distracting. Shut off your internet. Here's a program to help you: Freedom.

There you have it. All the best to you Nano champions! I shall eat chocolate in your honor all month and cheer for you at the finish line.

5 Motivational Writer Hacks

post by Michelle Griep

The first week of NaNoWriMo is drawing to a close. Some have already crashed and burned in a fiery explosion of defeat. Others are limping along, hoping to make it but wondering if they've got what it takes. That's who this post is for. The dragging. The lame. Those with the sweet-mercy-I'm-going-to-fail demon screaming in their ears. Here's a lifeline for you. Grab on.

5 MOTIVATIONAL WRITER HACKS

Play some music.
There's a reason movies have soundtracks. It's inspirational. Put some moving music on in the background while you write.

Shut off the internet. 
Facebook, Twitter, Drudge, YouTube . . . these are the giant, sucking leaches draining your creativity. Stop the madness. Shut off your WiFi connection.

Take a walk.
Staring at a screen for hours on end isn't healthy. Stretch your legs while you work out a plot point. Breathe in some fresh air when fleshing out a quirky character.

Sleep.
Question: who can think straight when careening through life on only a few hours of sleep?
Answer: no one

Psych yourself up.
Don't just walk away from the keyboard when you've finished today's word count. Think about tomorrow's. Rev yourself up about the next scene. If you're not excited to write it, your reader won't be excited to read it.

What Really Happens During NaNoWriMo

post by Michelle Griep

You no longer make nutritional food from scratch. Say hello to stupid filled-with-toxic-waste convenience foods. Eventually you skip the frozen pizza and go straight to desserts. The month ends with you curled in the fetal position in your underwear on the floor, covered in Hershey wrappers and empty bottles. You don't even drink . . . that you remember.

You will meet inadequacy. No, not with a stiff handshake. Throw your arms wide and embrace your new BFF. 29 of the 30 days you will feel like a shmuck because you didn't reach your bajillion word goal for the day.

You will soar on the wings of ecstasy and plummet to the pit of despair . . . every five minutes.

You can't quit your day job, so you stay up all hours typing like a fiend. Sleep is a sweet memory. Invest in some quality makeup, you're going to need it, even if you're a man. Go on. Run over to Macy's and whip out your credit card. I'll wait.

You will wonder who in the world came up with this particular form of torture? Was it the ancient Romans, perhaps? No. Aliens? Maybe. Much time will be wasted as you Google search this lead, which in turn leads you to YouTube, where you watch hours of cat videos and a few explosions, which leads to the dark side of cat explosion videos.

You will find camaraderie and solace in the arms of complete cyber strangers. At first it creeps you out because hey, isn't this how deadly viruses are spread? But as the days wear on, you don't care anymore, and end up inviting potential axe murderers who write slasher stories to your Thanksgiving meal.

This, all of this, is what really happens during the NaNoWriMo event. Don't say you weren't warned.

The FitWrite Challenge

post by Michelle Griep

It snowed today. As in white fluffy stuff. As in it's only freaking October! And a not so funny thing happened when I pulled out my winter clothes. They're too tight. Either the Fat Fairy sprinkled evil dust on the Rubbermaid storage containers . . . or I ate way too much ice cream this summer. Either way, I joined the FitGirl challenge to whip this chubby body into shape before Thanksgiving hits.

Which got me to thinking . . . why not issue a FitWrite challenge to prepare for NaNoWriMo? You game?

The 3-Step FitWrite Challenge

1. Get a craft book and cram some knowledge into your head.
Of course I have a few suggestions for you:
    - Save the Cat by Blake Snyder
    - The Plot Whisperer by Martha Alderson
    - Writer Off the Leash: Growing in the Writing Craft by little ol' moi
                                **Still on sale for $4.99**

2. Figure out your plot now. 
Map out your scenes. Just a sentence or two will do it. Put time into the front end of this and you'll be able to write the story faster without getting stuck on plot glitches.

3. Pull out your calendar and schedule your writing time. 
You fail to plan, you plan to fail. That's just the way it is, Hoss. Write down how many words or scenes or chapters or whatever it is you want to accomplish on each day.

There you have it. The gauntlet is officially thrown down. Even if you're not doing the full 50k for Nano, you can still give this a whirl and make some headway on your manuscript.

Writing Advice in Six Words

post by Michelle Griep

Whewie. I'm a little bleary-eyed and cotton-mouthed from all that partying last week. I kind of feel like sleeping it off a bit more, but before everyone dies of suspense, here are the three grand prize winners of a new book . . .

Robin Elizabeth Mason

Zekkaina Solo

Caryl Kane

Congratulations ladies!

Now that all the partying is finished for another year and I've packed away all the confetti and balloons, it's time to get back to writerly business.

NaNoWriMo begins in less than a week, folks. Are you ready? Never fear . . . I've got two ideas for you to get your writing engines all revved up.

First off, Writer Off the Leash: Growing in the Writing Class is on sale for the next few weeks. Only $4.99 for a paperback that you can dog ear and highlight all you like. And only $0.99 if you'd prefer the ebook version.

Secondly, if you need a quick shot of writing advice, pop on over to The Best Writing Advice in Six Words and either read some nuggets of wisdom or submit six words of your own. You can also check out the same six word mania on Twitter at #NaNoSix. Here are some examples:

- Don't write anything you wouldn't read.

- Write. Drink Coffee. Write some more.

- Write more words than you delete.

And my personal favorite . . .

- Can't say something nice? Try fiction.

Feel free to share some of your favorites in the comment section.

Yanking Away Your I-Don't-Have-Time-To-Read Crutch

Shh. Listen. Hear that? It's the clickety-clack of thousands of keyboards, fingers pounding out words in a NANOWRIMO tribal thrum. Oh . . . and that off-beat tapping noise interrupting the sweet, sweet flow? Ignore that. It's just me, thumping away with 3 of my fingers on my right hand. Yes, I'm still bandaged up, but even so I managed to limp my way through 1k words yesterday.

Whether you are or aren't part of the crazed typing frenzy, don't let all this writing stop you from reading. In fact, don't let anything stop you from reading. Delving into a fat piece of literature is good for you in oh-so-many ways . . .

Toughens Your Skin

Yeah, I know. Winter winds or too much sun can do that too. But I'm talking about your precious little psyche. Fear of failure can be paralyzing, but when you read stories of characters that overcome their fear, it gives you hope that maybe you can do that too.

Earns You Time

Think you don't have time to read? Au contraire, Hoss. Reading might seem like a time waster, but in actuality, literature allows you to experience a range of emotions and events that would take a lifetime--if ever--to encounter.

Kicks Your Self Confidence Up a Notch

Via character and story, books show you that maybe you're not as big of a freak as you thought you were.

Makes You a Better Citizen of the Human Race

Reading stories from different points of view -- a native Hulu, a futuristic cyborg, an Aztec, whatever -- stretches your comfort zone and develops empathy for others different than yourself.

And those are just a few benefits of reading. There are a gazillion more. I'm not saying you need to kick back and let your family fend for themselves while you eat bon bons on the couch and peruse through War and Peace. Even as little as ten minutes a day is good. The point is to sneak in a few paragraphs on a consistent basis, and before you know it, you'll have read a stack of titles.

Nano Frustrations

NANOWRIMO kicked off on Saturday, and wowzer . . . lemme tell ya, folks, I was smokin' hot, or my keyboard was. 1400 words in an hour and a half. That's like Guinness material for me. So yeah, I was feeling pretty good, dang sure I'd be able to meet the NANO challenge this year. Woo-hoo! Look at me! Writerly champion of the universe. I totally rock!

You know where this is headed, right?

Salted Brownie Caramel Trifle

We had plans to go to a game night at a friend's house later that evening, and I always bring something chocolate. Where better to find some chocolatey deliciousness than Pinterest? And I did. Mason Jar Salted Caramel Brownie Trifles.

It looked fantastic and I had all the ingredients, except for pint-sized mason jars. So I bought some, then brought them home and washed them. Does anyone else have a counter perpetually full of dishes to wash? I figured I'd wash those, too.

Very carefully, I put in the bad boy butcher knife that my 20 year old used in culinary school. It's wicked sharp, the best knife we own, so I'm careful about how I wash it.

And then Ada Clare, my 7 month old bundle of fuzzy muzzle love, got into something she shouldn't.

Bad Boy

By the time I returned, time was ticking away, I was in a hurry, and I'd totally forgotten about the bad boy in the dish water. I shoved in my hand and pulled out bloody stubs. Okay, so not really stubs, but LOTS of blood. You'd think there were sharks in the water. I howled so loud, my boy working outside on his car tore in the house.

Now there's something you may not know about me. I avoid doctors and hospitals like the plague, and even if I had the plague, I'd think twice before going. So my husband is used to playing MD with me, as in stitching or bandaging, you sicko.

Want to see the final product?

Home Made Splint and Bandaging

The middle finger knuckle is sliced clean across, so the slightest bend will break it wide open again, hence the plywood splint he whipped up for me out in the garage. The index finger is gashed down to the bone. I've still got total feeling and movement, though, so no worries.

Yeah, I'll heal, but I may not recover from a seriously hampered typing speed. All that confidence I'd built up on Saturday morning is gone. As for my NANO count, umm . . . let's just say pride indeed goes before a fall.

Kicking it Old School

NANOWRIMO is nearly upon us. The big writing frenzy begins on Saturday. I don't think I'll go for the full 50k, because really, who needs that kind of failure in their life? There's a reason I live in Realsville . . . way less stressful. That being said, I am going to up my game this year and go for 1k words a day, which will give me a sweet word count of 30k in one month.

And I'm going to do it all with a Pilot G2 pen.

Is it because I fear typing on a keyboard will give me carpal tunnel before I get grandkids? Or am I terrified of developing cancer in my hinterlands from having a laptop radiating crazy vibes into my flesh? Perhaps I am a closet masochist?

Nope. No. And nuh-uh. Turns out there are some legit reasons to write long hand. Pay attention class. You're about to get educated.

Prevents Distraction
Who doesn't pop over to Pinterest or Facebook when the going gets tough? I've been known to have 52 tabs open at one time, bopping from Drudge to Twitter to Goodreads. And yeah, better check my email because who knows when the New York Times might send me a message that I'm on "The List." Squirrel!

Shifts Your Brain Into Gear
Recent studies suggest that writing in longhand engages the brain in a way that's different from typing. Virginia Berninger (professor at University of Washington) says, ". . . pictures of the brain have illustrated that sequential finger movements activate massive regions involved in thinking, language and working memory." She also says handwriting differs from typing because it requires executing sequential strokes to form a letter, whereas keyboarding involves selecting a whole leter by touching a key.

So Long Internal Editor
While writing in longhand, there's no backspacing, deleting or re-working sentences to make them pretty. Sure, you can cross out sentences and re-write, but after the first few paragraphs, that usually gets old and you quit doing it.

Plus, writing with pen and paper is extremely portable and I don't have to worry about plugging in. But really, I just love the feel of a pen in my hand as it sweeps across the page. Ahh. Simple pleasures.

Rah! Rah! Write!

So. November 1st came and went. The Nanowrimo train pulled out of the station, and here I stand, suitcase in hand, looking down the tracks...with zero words under my belt. Kind of makes a girl want to run home and drown in a quart of Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey.

If you're one of those who are a day late and dollar short to the Nano party, you're not alone. Just because you haven't written 10k words by now does NOT mean you shouldn't start. Huddle up, team. This here is your pep talk.

Don't panic if your story isn't all mapped out. 
You should know your beginning, the end, and 3 major events that lead to the climax. Any more than that is nice, but don't let it stop you from starting your story. Getting bogged down in all the details can suck the life out of your creativity.

You get ideas when you write;

you don't just write down ideas.

Michael C. Munger

There's nothing magic about 50k.
Don't get me wrong...I'm not dissing the Nanowrimo goal. It's a noble effort. But (and I've always got a big but) pumping out words for the sake of pumping out words sometimes makes for major editing nightmares later on. Stretch yourself as far as you can by reaching for a high word count, but don't slit your wrists if you don't make it. What's realistic for you? I'm a happy camper if I do 600 a day.

This isn't a measure of your talent or ability.
Think about it. You could simply type the words "I wanna be a unicorn" 10,000 times and ding-ding-ding-ding we have a winner! Really? I think not. Nano isn't the master of your writerly gifts. God is. Don't confuse the two.

Writers write.
Do you really want to be a writer? Then write. It's that simple. 'Nuff said.

Get out on the field, team. It's never too late to begin a new story or even finish up one that you've started (which is what I'm doing). Adjust your goals if need be, but today make sure you write something.

Wingding Takeaway Value

I woke up this morning with a lampshade on my head, wondering why my tongue was fuzzy, and what is all that sticky goo on the floor? Yeah. The party is definitely over here at Writer Off the Leash.

But that doesn't mean the fun is! I received a lot of great reader ideas during the event. I've already incorporated one upgrade. Check out the blog roll on the right side of the page. You'll see a new addition. Redemption Draws Near is a blog written with a piratey flair and includes a lot of fun giveaways, so check it out.

Another new addition you'll discover on Thursday, thanks to reader Lis. Stay tuned for that on...uh...Thursday.

And as long as I'm talking about upcoming events, there's only 2 1/2 weeks left until NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month). On November 1, thousands of wannabe authors begin working towards the goal of writing a 50k word novel by November 30th. Any takers out there? I'll be in the sweaty pack of writerly animals straining toward the finish line. I'm not going for the full 50k, though. I just want to finish a manuscript that I'm half-way through. More on that on...uh...Thursday.

During the Blogaversary, I discovered a tool that might come in handy for pretty much anyone out there in cyberland that has a website or a blog. It's called Click to Tweet. All you do is insert the text you'd like made into a tweet, and it generates a URL for you to use. Handy and dandy!

The other tool I had a heap o' fun with was the meme generator. Want to make your own grumpy cat or Willie Wonka snarky posters? Imgflip is the place to go, even if you just want to play around. It's super easy to use and has quite a selection to choose from.

So thanks again, gang, for participating in the Wingding. Until next year and...uh...Thursday.

Epic Nano Failure

NANOWRIMO is officially over for 2012. Friday night at 11:59 was the last shot to enter any more words on my word count. My goal was a very modest 10,000 words, well below the standard 50k. So...how did I measure up?

A dismal 7258. But hey, that's 7,000 words more than I had on Nov. 1st.

Sometimes I wonder if having a "For Real" deadline would help. If I knew I had a 90k manuscript to hand in by April 1st, I imagine I'd be typing my little fingers to the nub right about now instead of leisurely drinking a cup of java and contemplating taking the dog for a walk.

For those of you who did crank out the full 50,000, I not only give you a palm-stinging high-five, but a hip-check and military salute as well. Kudos to you!

Just because NANO is over, though, doesn't mean the writing should stop. Even my sluggish word count is no excuse to roll over and play dead. After all, it was the tortoise who won the race. Check out these other sites that will keep you accountable for pumping out more words:

Inky Girl
I actually like Inky Girl better than NANO. Oops. Did I say that out loud? This site fits in a bit better with my writing style. The goal here is either 250, 500, or 1k words per day for six days a week.

April Fools
If you're too busy to write during the holidays, there's another challenge coming up this spring called April Fools. Like NANO, it runs for a month. Unlike NANO, you set your own word count.

750 Words
On this site, you earn points for typing in 750 words every morning. It doesn't have to be only on your novel. It can be absolutely anything.

And those are only a few sites. There are many more. All that to say...get out there and write!

Surviving National Novel Writing Month

Don't let NANOWRIMO overwhelm you. Here's my secret for surviving...

NANOWRIMO

Today's the day. I'm mapping out in detail the first chapters of my new story. I won't actually start writing it, though, until November. Why not let the ol' fingers loose on the keyboard right this very minute? One word.

Nanowrimo.

No, I'm not speaking in tongues. Most writers who've been around know exactly what I'm talking about. But for those of you who have no idea what I'm babbling on about, allow me to introduce you to NAtional NOvel WRiting MOnth. Get it?

The idea is to write a novel in a month. That's not my personal goal, but it is a great incentive to kick off a new manuscript knowing others out there are typing their fingers down to nubs along with me. There are other benefits as well...

• You can track your progress
• You can get pep talks and support
• You can meet fellow writers online

Last year was the first time I tried NANOWRIMO (which is traditionally held in November). I was a little nervous at first, wondering how I'd fit in writing with the beginning of the holiday season sucking up time, but the accountability did the trick. I wrote way more than if I hadn't given it a whirl.

So go check out the site and see if it's for you. I'll be here, mapping out my killer beginning scenes, ready to unleash my creativity on Nov. 1.

Drum Roll, Please

I started this blog the end of last October with the intention of chronicling my journey from start to finish on a novel. October was my thinking month. November was NANOWRIMO, when I began writing. Then it was hit and miss as to when I could grab writing time throughout the rest of the year. I'd hoped to finish it in 9 months, just like a 'real' baby. But alas. The dang thing was late.

Just like a real baby.

But I pressed on, persevered, and over the weekend...this is where the drum roll comes in...I FINISHED BRENTWOOD'S WARD! Ta-da! It took me 10 months, 11 if you count my thinking month, but hey, I finished in less than a year. That's a personal best. Here's a blurb:

There's none better than NICHOLAS BRENTWOOD at catching the felons who ravage Regency London's streets, and there's nothing he loves more than seeing justice carried out--but this time he's met his match. EMILY PAYNE is more treacherous than a city full of miscreants and thugs, for she's a thief of the highest order...she's stolen his heart.

So now that the manuscript is finished, what's the next step?

I've had 3 of my best crit buddies providing me feedback on each chapter as I wrote, but now that it's in one complete package, I've shipped it off to 2 of my other best crit buddies who will read and comment on it as a whole. While they're busy with that, I'll polish up the synopsis (which I rarely stick to). When I do get their crits back, I'll apply and send it off to my agent.

Then can I put up my feet and relax? 

Nope. I'll be too busy starting the second book in my Bow Street Runners series.

NANOWRIMO

Nope, I'm not speaking in tongues. That's writer speak for National Novel Writing Month and November is the month. I'm considering doing it this year...if I can figure out which novel to work on. With 3 different projects all floating around in my noodle, it will be tough to decide which to devote an entire month to.

If you've got a story running laps in your brain, here's the link for the challenge:

http://nanowrimo.org/