The alternatives to NaNoWriMo

I’ve mentioned before my experiences with the National Writing Month. This year, I will pass on the grueling ordeal and opt to explore alternatives to writing goals.

Some authors/writers who write on a different path;

Unofficial NaNoWriMo- Sharing her writing goals for the month and created a Facebook page for anyone who wishes to do the same.

MiniWriMo- 250 words a day seems reasonable, but also allows for works-in-progress, daily writing exercises, short stories, or even journals.

GloManiFesto stands for Global Manifesto Writing Month where you write ‘a public declaration of intentions, opinions,objectives, or motives, as one issued by agovernment, sovereign, or organization.’

My 500 Words: An Alternative to NaNoWriMo- Keeping a reasonable word count per day.

As you can see, there are many ideas floating around out there to make November a productive month.

Feel free to post your own thoughts, ideas, comments, or goals for November Novel Writing Month.

Technorati Tags: nanowrimo,writing,authors,novels,publishing,plot,character,conflict

The dread of NaNoWriMo

I haven’t decided if I will join in the many other writers for the National Novel Writing Month starting November 1st. It’s a grueling test of writing endurance; writing 1700 words a day, reaching 50,000 within one month’s time.

The pros include;

Sets word count goals. Even if you were to match half the word count, you may find you’re writing more than you did before.

Forces you to write through whatever writer’s block. I found it rather cathartic, at times, to write through issues such as style and creativity. The idea is that you can always edit and clean it up later.

Gives you a 50,000 word novel at the end of the month. You may find you’re ahead with chapters and word counts than if you didn’t join the contest.

The cons include;

The word count can be grueling. My hands ached from all the typing, which I tried to get out of the way in the early hours of the day. Some days I had to double the count due to setbacks or other issues, but I still managed to complete the novel.

You may not be entirely happy with results such as quality. I realized when it was completed that I wasn’t happy with the quality of the story at all. Despite plotting beforehand, I found the last third of the story took a life of its own. The characters took over and led me in other directions I didn’t like.

The 50,000 word count is more of a novella than novel. This is around 200 pages, and some publishing companies might not want to look at it. However, you will have the bulk done, ripe for the editing process, and you can add more details and scenes at that time.

And what do you get if you reach your goal? You get a printable certificate and a graphic to post on your web site or profile. I would also suggest giving yourself a reward, such as a new book, a cupcake, a trip to the spa, or whatever else you deem worthy of the feat.

 

Source: blog.grammarly.com via Sharon on Pinterest

 

Technorati Tags: nanowrimo,authors,novels,writing,editing,fiction,contest

Steps towards publishing

Preparing your novel for publication requires three basic stages a writer should understand and practice.

The creative stage- This is the first draft, where you let your word roam free with your muse to guide to to unfold a story. Don’t concern yourself too much with punctuation or spelling. You’ll be revising and often will delete section while changing entire sections. Write freely and get the basic framework of the story to paper (or word file). Its important to get to the end where you can then make whatever changes to shape it into a novel.

The editing stage- This step includes editing to fix scenes, improve character, and make sure your story is compelling with enough description without being boring, and reworking the plot so it reads smoothly. This stage also adds a focus to your style and voice as a writer, as well as adding or deleting scenes that make everything work.

The polish stage- The polishing includes making sure the manuscript fulfills not just basic storytelling but follows the guidelines of whatever publishing method you’ve chosen. Generally this means one inch margins, with a title page, double spaced, and in a Times New Roman font. Check your headers. Some places want page numbers, author’s name, and other information included on every page. Check your grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Work your story to greatness.

You can often save time with the second stage by knowing your craft. Understand your grammar and punctuation rules, and be mindful of your spelling and word usage.

If you’re practiced enough as a writer, there’s less editing as well. I think this is why most authors suggest to would-be authors to write everyday. It’s to hone their craft. You can’t master a skill without practice, after all.

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A letter from my Inner Editor

Dear Frootbat31 (aka Sharon);

It has come to my attention your muse complains to the lack of fiction writing here of late. She blames me. I suppose I must take some credit, to the point of wanting quality work in timely fashion.

I do not feel asking you to maintain a level of quality is asking too much.  If I didn’t nag and point out those flaws, I cannot imagine how your writing will turn out. Your incessant habit of using the passive voice frustrates me to no end.

I realize, however, that getting that first draft is crucial to the writing process. In that, the Inner Muse is correct. She’s also right that you haven’t produced much in the way of fiction for the past few months, and that is also a concern of mine. I hope my occasional comment to the error or misspelling is not the cause.

As your inner editor, I’m afraid its not my job to coddle you. The Inner Muse is more than adequate to help you with that. I have the tough job in shaping your talent, such as it is.

If I back off a bit to give you room for that creative gibberish, I will do so, providing you promise I get to move in with my might red pen to correct, shape, and otherwise fix whatever problem you create.

I feel I’ll have all the more to critique, and am more than wiling to give you space.

Are we agreed then? Please respond in a timely fashion.

Your Inner Editor

PS- Do not tell the Inner Muse of my opinions of her. She’s overbearing as it is now.

———————————

Dear Inner Editor;

Yes, I would greatly appreciate if you back off while I’m in the creative process and I am more than happy to give you free rein in the editing process.

So as long as we all agree on our roles in this storycrafting process, I think I’ll be able to write better, and to write more.

Thanks,

Sharon

PS I might have let something slip the other day talking to Inner Muse, just to give you a head’s up.

————————————

What would you tell your inner editor? What do you think the Inner Editor would say in response?

Technorati Tags: inner editor,writing,novel,authors,blog,fiction,nonfiction,creative muse

Self publishing and the future

I’ve subscribed to The Creative Penn a while back and find so many articles that pertain to writing as helpful and informative. The article on self publishing, with Steve Lewis from Taleist, I found very intriguing because it discusses possible changes we’ll see in 2012 in the self publishing market.

I feel self publishing will explode on the market, threatening the traditional publishing companies if they don’t keep up with the times. We’re already seeing authors turning to Amazon Kindle publishing, such as Deepok Chopra, which means publishing companies need to amp up the stakes.

As a writer, I find a strong appeal on making more profit, keeping my copyright, and offering my writing to the world wide web, as opposed to going through the process of submission and rejection of traditional publishing.

But traditional publishing validates you as a writer, as one of my fellow writers argued. Someone of substance approves your writing is good enough to print means you’re a real writer. I don’t really agree with this.

Most authors face a number of rejections, even the best sellers. Diary of Anne Frank was rejected 16 times. Harry Potter was rejected 8 times. A Time to Kill by John Grisham was rejected a dozen times.  This means someone along the submission line rejected this best selling book as not being worthy.

I prefer the idea that readers get to decide if my writing is good enough- not a book business. And  yes, you’ll find crap in the self-publish genre, but with many sites adopting a reviewing feature lets the cream rise to the top.

What are your thoughts on self publishing? A good thing? A bad thing? Does it have a future? Will you submit to publishing companies, or do you plan on self publishing?

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NaNoWriMo Challenge!

For those participating for the National Novel Writing Challenge (the official one),  hope you have your fingers warmed up, typing ready, and strength of willpower prepared for this approaching month.

Best tips I know for this event:

• Learn to shut off your inner editor as you write. You can spell check and fix things when you do your editing later.
• Don’t let an ‘off day’ deter you. You can make up the time. I know of one woman who lost 20,000 midway through and still managed to hit the 50,000 word mark by Nov. 31.
• Remember if you’ve signed up via their site, your friends and family should be supporting you- not competing. That same woman who managed her 50,000 word count found a number of times to cut me down through the month rather than help by offering words of encouragement. Surround yourself with positive, supportive people to help you- not those who would hold you back.
• Reward yourself if you’ve hit your word count for the day. For some, this might be a piece of chocolate, a bubble bath, or a foot massage from a good friend/lover.
• Remember why you’re doing this. Although there’s a number of reasons, for myself, I joined to see if I could write that many words in a day. I also wanted to challenge myself. For other members, I heard reasons such as ‘finishing a story completely’, or ‘make writing a daily habit’ also comprised of reasons.
• I highly recommend No Plot? No Problem by Chris Baty which gives tons of tips for the NaNoWriMo but also just about writing as well.

If you’re not joining the official NaNoWriMo, consider joining my Alternative Challenge, where you choose your own word count, on a current or new project, which can include fiction or non-fiction. See my page on the rules and graphic you can post on your web site!

Wordcount tracker

Nanowrimo Meter

Wordcount Meter

**Writertopia meter- adds a mood and cartoon to the meter

How to add the wordcount toolbar to MS Word 2003

MS Word wordcount information

Technorati Tags: nanowrimo,chris baty,no plot,novel,fiction,wordcount