Do You NaNo?

Greetings, fellow writers. It's November, and I was wondering if you're doing NaNoWriMo this year.

What's NaNoWriMo?

Welcome to National Novel Writing Month. On November 1, writers of all kinds — published and aspiring — set off on the challenge to write the first draft of a novel by the end of the month. Approximately 50,000 words in 30 days.

From its start in 1999, the inspirational internet phenomenon has grown and officially became a non-profit in 2006. The challenge has moved beyond one ink-stained wretch alone in a room to group write ins online and in person. They've added programs for writers to prepare for the November challenge (NaNo Prep in September), Camp NaNoWriMo in April and July, and the Now What? program for those who want advice on what to do with that newly completed draft or manuscript.

I've never done the official month long program, though there were times when I was on deadline and it sure felt like I was trying to write 50,000 words in one month. This year I've decided to take the plunge because I need inspiration to finish a manuscript. I figure I should be able to do that by November 30, right?

Have you done NaNoWriMo? What was your experience like?

Shari Randall is the author of the Agatha Award-winning Lobster Shack Mystery series. As Meri Allen, she pens the Ice Cream Shop Mystery series. Her Lobster Shack characters will return in the short story, "The Queen of Christmas," in the December 22 issue of Black Cat Weekly Magazine.

NaNoWriMo, Here I Come

By James M. Jackson

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times; it was the return of true vacations involving travel; it was enjoying those trips without putting (virtual) pen to (virtual) paper.

This year I took two long vacations, the first to Iceland and Greenland. I just finished the second, a month-long road trip to the national parks and monuments of Utah and Arizona via many National Wildlife Refuges. They were great.

I have worked this year revising three novels, publishing one novel and a bunch of audio books, marketing, maintaining my website, creating blogs for WWK, and working on a Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime anthology for next year’s publication. What I have not done is write my next novel, which was a 2022 goal.

November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Those who join the fun try to write at least 50,000 new words during the month. My novels run up to 100,000 words. I need two NaNoWriMos to satisfy my goal.

Well, I can’t have two successful months if I don’t have one, so starting today, I will average creating at least 1,667 words a day. To help me reach that objective (because I hate embarrassing myself), I’ll post my daily results on the front page of my website (https://jamesmjackson.com).

It won't be easy. I have other obligations, and I am not a fast writer (and I don’t have even the barest of an outline to work from). But heck, what are challenges for if not to push us past our comfort zone?

Readers, please share if you have any goals or “to dos” you’ve put off until it’s (almost) too late. I’d like to think I’m not the only one.

* * * * *

James M. Jackson authors the Seamus McCree series. Full of mystery and suspense, these thrillers explore financial crimes, family relationships, and what happens when they mix. You can sign up for his newsletter and find more information about Jim and his books at https://jamesmjackson.com.

Behind the Scenes of a Double Release by Jennifer J. Chow

November is a busy month for me. It’s not because of NaNoWriMo, which I’m unofficially participating in. And it’s not because of Thanksgiving, which I’ll be hosting this year. Instead, November is a double release month for me. I have the Midnight Hour anthology releasing on November 9 and Book 3 in the Sassy Cat Mysteries coming out on November 30.

 

Originally, the two landed on the same release day, but the publication dates have since shifted. I’m actually glad for the change. (It’s kind of like when I thought I’d be theoretically happier raising twins instead of a single baby—before realizing how much work that would take.)

 

My two new book babies have opposite literary personalities. My contribution to Midnight Hour is a short story while Mimi Lee Cracks the Code is a full-length cozy mystery. “Midnight Escapade” is also grittier; Kirkus Reviews says: "Jennifer Chow follows two old high school friends whose decision to meet in an escape room has unexpected consequences."

 

Mimi Lee Cracks the Code is in the same vein as my previous light-hearted Sassy Cat Mysteries, except this time it features a romantic getaway to Catalina Island gone wrong. Publishers Weekly says, “Chow offers original characters, clever banter, and a laid-back California vibe. This is perfect for lovers of crime-solving animal cozies.”

Differences in Marketing

Dual releases mean different ways of marketing:

MIDNIGHT HOUR	MIMI LEE CRACKS THE CODE
Collaboration between authors who share resources	A dedicated marketing team focused on online reach
Multiple virtual bookstore events across the nation	An official in-conversation event with another author and a few local bookstore events
Fun videos (Dynamic promo graphic and TikTok video)	Fun giveaways (e.g. Riddling Mysteries and Mysteries for the Modern Reader*)

 (*The Mysteries for the Modern Reader giveaway is happening now until November 19.)

Certain things remained the same. Both books got trade reviews, with Midnight Hour earning a starred review from Publishers Weekly. They also both made it on must-read lists: Midnight Hour on Black Fiction Addiction, and Mimi Lee Cracks the Code on POPSUGAR.

Division of Labor

To keep track of two releases, I created a master calendar. Next to each activity or event, I make sure to specify which book I’ll be focusing on. I have updated bios on hand: mine is on my computer while the anthology contributors have listed theirs on a shared document. I’m also planning on marking passages in advance for each book, so I’ll be prepared for a reading. 

Observing Self-Care

Admittedly, all of this can be stressful. That’s why I make myself:

·         Take a break: I pause to go outside or just daydream for a moment

·         Focus on the near future: Concentrate on things I need to do one week at a time

·         Get a treat: Celebrate completing an item on my to-do list, whether that’s a reward of a mug of steaming tea or a slice of cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread

 

How do you balance multiple pressing tasks?  

NaNoWriMo by Annette Dashofy

 

 

For those unfamiliar with “NaNoWriMo,” the letters stand for National Novel Writing Month, an annual challenge that takes place in November. The idea is you sign up at the website and commit to write 50,000 words, a complete first draft, in thirty days.

 

The mere thought of that many words in that short period of time has always made me slightly hysterical. Plus I always had a really good excuse for not participating. I was either on deadline for a work in progress, or edits were due, or I was working on an upcoming release… There simply wasn’t an opportunity to focus so completely on blasting out a first draft.

 

However, I’ve frequently “borrowed from the NaNo energy,” as I called it, to write more than usual. That was my plan for this year as well.

 

Several of my writing buddies announced they’d signed up. It still wasn’t enough to put myself through the stress. But then two things happened.

 

First, one of those writing buddies said she was doing NaNoWriMo as a distraction from everything going on in the country. A distraction. Hmm. That might work.

 

Second, near the end of October, I signed with an agent! And not only for the new series, but for the next Zoe Chambers Mystery too! She’s submitting a proposal based on the first three chapters and synopsis because the book itself isn’t finished.

 

Which brought me back to NaNoWriMo. While you’re supposed to start a new manuscript at the beginning, I didn’t see any mention on the website about NaNo police. No one would come knocking on my door to see what I was working on. Fatal Reunion, my Zoe WIP, was at 35,000 words and progressing at a snail’s pace. I estimated it would finish out at about 85,000 words. I may not be great at math, but even I can calculate I needed roughly 50,000 words to complete the manuscript.

 

The universe was speaking to me. And I took the hint.

 

As I’m writing this, I’m happy to report that I’m on track. In order to meet the 50K word goal, I need to average 1667 words per day. I’ve only missed the mark once, and having anticipated that slow day, I’d written extra words for several days prior.

 

It’s been easier than I anticipated. I have to turn off my inner editor. I’m using a lot of weak verbs and adverbs just to keep plowing ahead. I’ve hit research speed bumps and learned to type brackets as placeholders until I find the answers I need. And I’ve trained myself to keep pounding the keyboard even when I feel I’ve run out of things to say. Yes, the stuff I’m putting on the page is absolutely horrid. But it’s easier to fix words than to stare at a blank page.

 

Fellow Writers Who Kill, have you ever tried NaNoWriMo? If so, how did you do? And readers, have you ever taken on a challenge that felt overwhelming? Tell us about it.

Understanding by Nancy L. Eady

It didn’t take long after I started writing in earnest before I discovered that non-writers do not understand writers on certain crucial issues. Here is my top ten list.

1)    Writers anxiously await non-writers’ opinions of our work when we let them see it before sending our story or book out into the cold, cruel world. We will not assume that they liked it if we don’t hear from them. The longer it takes to hear from them, the more we fear the writing is terrible.

2)     Writers cannot control our characters. They have a will of their own. Yes, we are creating them. Yes, we build the world around them. But then they take over. To push them to act in a manner contrary to their nature is to invite a revolution, or even worse, a complete strike a/k/a writer’s block.

3)    Writing is not nearly as lonely a profession as non-writers think. We meet fellow writers through many types of organizations – local, regional, national, and virtual. Various list-serves and other contacts keep my email box humming, while on-line communities on Facebook and Twitter keep up a running dialog between authors.

4)    Our fellow mystery writers are not competitors but colleagues. Business people selling products have the hardest time with this concept. Unlike laundry detergent, where buying Tide means I’m not buying Gain, buying Book A does not mean a reader will not buy Book B and then Book C. The more enthusiastic readers of mysteries out there, the better.

5)    Finishing the first draft is only the first step in writing a book. After that, developmental edits, copy edits and proof reading remain. We may have to rewrite our book yet again to satisfy agents or publishers. And yes, the rewriting and editing can take longer than writing the first draft did.

6)    Writing is hard work. It requires time and dedication. While writing, we are not free to discuss homework, our plans for next weekend, what we want to watch on TV or whose turn it is to walk the dog or take out the trash. We may not even hear the non-writer the first three times he or she speaks.

7)    NaNoWriMo. To be fair, not every writer gets NaNoWriMo either. (NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month, where hardy souls set a goal of writing an entire novel during the month of November. NaNoWriMo has become quite the annual writing event.) 

8)    Receiving an email from a fellow writer is a friendly wave that lights our souls.

9)    We write because we can’t not write. Our writing won’t let us alone. Yes, life interferes at times and we put it aside for a while but we are always compelled to return.  

10)    A subtle bond exists between writers that transcends political beliefs, religion, race, creed or life-style. Only fellow writers understand the power, the pleasure and the pain of putting your ideas on paper and watching them take flight. A fellow writer understands the euphoria of being in “the zone.” Frustrated by writer’s block?  Fellow writers have been there, done that. A fellow mystery writer won’t bat an eye when you post a question on-line asking about the best way to kill someone, the best weapon to use and what poisons work best.

If you are a writer, what have you noticed non-writers fail to understand about us?  If you are a non-writer, what are some of the oddest things you have discovered about writers? 

Contemplating NaNoWriMo and Keeping Promises

by Paula Gail Benson

For the last few years, I’ve participated in National Novel Writing Month, not always by planning to complete a 50,000 word novel, but by setting writing goals I want to accomplish for the month. I didn’t register on the website this year, but I did choose a few projects to finish. So far, I’ve made good progress.

I wondered why November was selected as the designated month. According to Wikipedia, the founder, Chris Blaty, began the observance in July, then moved it to November to “take advantage of the miserable weather.”

Perhaps November might be a month when fewer activities would lure a person outside and writing by a warm fire could be encouraged, but it’s also leading up to an action packed holiday season. With so many events on the horizon, so much added to an already overloaded schedule, why would people want to add one more obligation, particularly one of dedicating oneself to writing more than 1,600 words per day?

Could it be because at Thanksgiving we tend toward an retrospective mode? As the end of the year approaches, we take stock of what we’ve accomplished and what we have left to do. We contemplate what we want to be remembered for as we gather with family and friends. Maybe we even recall those holiday times when the congregated children were asked to play the piano as entertainment, with each selection being measured against the others for achievement.

With Thanksgiving, we are grateful, but also observant. We appreciate what others have done and try to figure out the legacy we’re meant to create.

Several articles I read about the benefits of NaNoWriMo mention that it emphasizes prioritization. Rather than putting other obligations first, participants are encouraged to place primary focus on writing and let others in their lives know writing will take priority. Group support helps participants make the practice a reality.

Yet, why choose this time, when so many other tasks loom large--like holiday shopping, food preparation, gift wrapping, and mail--to put writing first? Maybe it’s to take time to affirm, in the rush of the season, that what you have to contribute through writing is important. It’s your own work, your own voice being heard--even if only by yourself.

NaNoWriMo originated in San Francisco and a significant group event is held there each year. The Night of Writing Dangerously is a fund raising “write-a-thon.” The first 250 people who contribute a set monetary amount to the organization are invited to the party, which features food, speeches, and bouts of writing. An invitee who reaches 50,000 words during the event is invited onstage to ring a bell and be recognized.

Gigi Pandian, a writer I greatly admire, hails from San Francisco and used NaNoWriMo to achieve her goal of writing her debut novel. The fact that she wrote Artifact during a time when she had been diagnosed with a serious illness and was facing many life changes makes the achievement all the more commendable. Since that time, she’s gone forward to create a second series and win an Agatha this year for her most recent short story.

How do we let people know what our lives stand for? Through the work we do. And, by work, I mean the labor of our hands, the contributions of our hearts, the communication of our ideas, and the stories we feel obligated to tell.

Did you participate in NaNoWriMo this year? Whether you did or not, what promises have you made to yourself about your writing?

NaNoWriMo and the End

Today is November 1, otherwise known as the first day of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo or just NaNo). During November, writers around the world aspire to write 50,000 words (aka a novel-length piece) in a single month.

There’s an official signup where you can track your progress, encourage others, and “win” by completing the task, but there’s also plenty of people who do it unofficially, working on their own with the hopes of cranking out nearly 2,000 words daily to complete the task.

Though I’ve never officially done NaNo, I think it’s a great tool for many writers, especially those particularly affected by writers’ block, or who thrive on a community banded together for a common goal. I also love the spotlight it gives to the writing world and the work and artists who fill it.

That said, I’ve noticed that in years past, most people are focused on crossing the finish line.

They just want to get to 50,000 words in a month—quite the feat, indeed. (Even though 90 percent of the people who do NaNo most likely know that 50,000 words is normally too short for a novel and that they will have to add another 10,000 words at least, and that they will have to do extensive revision before sending anything written in a month out to agents and editors. RIGHT?)

And, with all this focus on “the end,” I thought I’d share a conversation I had this week with a coworker. We went for a walk on our lunch break and began to discuss books. She’s an avid reader, and involved in a book club. When we discussed what she was currently reading, she said she was halfway through Gillian Flynn’s Dark Places. This, of course, led me to ask if she’d read Flynn’s monster hit Gone Girl. She nodded, but then chewed on her words for several seconds.

“Did you like it?” I asked, before adding, “I loved it.”

She bit her lip. “I did—until I got to the end. I mean, what the heck?”

Now, I won’t give it away, just in case there’s someone reading this who hadn’t read the ending. But basically, and this is what I told her, the ending, as innocuous as it is, is the most twisted thing about the novel—which is saying something.

Many people I know didn’t like it. In fact, I didn’t like it, per se, though I totally respect the genius stroke Flynn had in leaving so many readers uncomfortable.

For me, even with the ending, the book was brilliant and I recommended it to many, many people. But for this reader, it left her too uncomfortable. She didn’t recommend it and she didn’t see the movie when it came out, even though it was nominated for all sorts of awards and had an all-star cast. And yet, she was giving the author another chance. Because even though she didn’t like the ending, it, like the book, stuck with her, and propelled her to read more.

So, dear NaNo warriors, when you get to the end—whether it be this month or next—make sure it counts. No two readers will view your ending the same way, so make sure it’s the right one for you.

NaNoWriMo

Some of our readers probably have this tattooed on their inner wrist; for those of you not so dedicated to this craze, the initials stand for National Novel Writing Month. You can check out their website at http://nanowrimo.org.

The basic idea is to encourage people to write that novel that is in them—or at least 50,000 words of it—during the month of November. The objective results in an average of 1,667 new words written each day. It costs nothing to join the party. “Winners” get to brag, receive discounts on writer-related stuff, and have 50,000+ first-draft-quality words.

It started in San Francisco in 1999 when a bunch of guys decided that being novelists might enhance their chances at getting dates. I kid you not. It’s morphed into something much larger. But today I will focus on one individual’s reason for joining up this year (and I assure you it has nothing to do with enhancing my dating opportunities.)

Question: Why in 2015, when I have many things on my plate, have I committed to writing 50,000 words in November and opening myself to embarrassment if I don’t reach the goal?

Answer: Because other things are distracting me from writing new words.

In January 2015 I taught an online course (Self-Editing) for the Kiss of Death Chapter of Romance Writers of America. It went extremely well. I received lots of positive feedback, and I liked it a lot. But it didn’t help me write anything new.

Then I entered the Kindle Scout program with my novel Ant Farm and spent thirty days promoting the heck out of the nomination process. I was successful and received a contract from Kindle Press, but that isn’t writing new words either.

I attended Donald Maass’ weeklong workshop on “Writing the Breakout Novel II” because I wanted to make my novels even stronger than they were. I have been applying what I learned to my next Seamus McCree novel, Doubtful Relations. I rewrote that entire book based on the workshop, sent it to beta readers, and am rewriting based on their feedback. But that isn’t writing new words either.

In July I was elected president of the largest chapter of Sisters in Crime, the Guppy Chapter with over 600 members. I’m proud to say the Steering Committee has done some great things in the four months of my presidency, but it takes lots of time to coordinate that work. And (say it with me now, you know the refrain) that isn’t writing new words either.

This year I’ve taken some great trips; I’m teaching some bridge lessons in October and November; I have given presentations at various writing groups; I’ve attended several mystery conferences; and I am redoing the Self-Editing course in January 2016, this time for the Lowcountry Sisters in Crime Chapter (check it out here if you are interested). But, (all together now) that isn’t writing new words either.

So I am committing to writing 50,000 new words in November. And I will. You can be my buddy if you’re into NaNoWriMo (I’m JMJackson054). Once November is over, I’ll fess up on how I’ve done, but I am confident that by the end of the month I will have at least 50,000 words of Empty Promises (the fifth Seamus McCree novel) on the virtual paper.

How about you? Anything planned for November other than Thanksgiving? (And yes, I know our Canadian readers already celebrated Thanksgiving this month, but somehow choosing Remembrance Day, or Veterans Day just doesn’t have the same festive feeling, eh?)

~ Jim

Speed Writing

It's the midpoint of November and writers throughout the world are gathering together or secluding themselves to strive to produce 50,000 words within thirty days. NaNoWriMo, the annual November writing marathon embraced by both novice and seasoned writers provides a format and structure for: (1) focusing on a novel or a group of projects (last year, I read about a short story writer writing as many short stories as possible); (2) testing writing skills, endurance, and disciplines; and (3) connecting with a community of supporters who can offer ideas and encouragement. On the nanowrimo.org website, participants will find a strategy for producing the word count, a place to track progress, and a map displaying worldwide word counts from 2013. The daily goal is to produce 1,667 words or about six and a half typewritten pages.

The NaNoWriMo challenge brings writers the opportunity to squarely face the question: is speed writing good writing? The answer may be different depending upon the writer asked. Some find speed writing important to produce and reach the end of a first draft, which then is extensively edited during the revision process. Others suggest that speed writing is the only satisfying and inspired way to complete a project.

Jim Denny's Writing in Overdrive: Write Faster, Write Freely, Write Brilliantly (2013) provides a number of examples, including his own, where speed writing has produced some amazing results. In 2012 and 2013, Denny reports completing seven nonfiction books, each between 50,000 to 70,000 words, in seven consecutive months, or one per month. He first began using speed writing in 2001 when he received a four book contract that stipulated he complete the four novels in four months with a $100 a day late penalty for failure to deliver on schedule. (He accomplished the task with some latitude since he negotiated a thirty day grace period per book before the penalty applied.)

Denny mentions a unique method that Ray Bradbury employed in first expanding his short story "Bright Phoenix" into the 25,000 word novella "The Fireman" in nine days. Bradbury found a room of pay typewriters at a university library and paid ten cents an hour, working about five and a half hours a day (at an average of 2,800 words per day) for approximately forty nine hours at a total cost of $9.80 to complete the novella. Later, when he was asked to turn "The Fireman" into a novel, he experienced writer's block. Not until he returned to the pay typewriters in the library did he add 25,000 words to finish the book, again in nine days, which became Fahrenheit 451. Denny says the moral of the story is: "If you want to write brilliantly, write quickly."

As further evidence, Denny points out that John Steinbeck penned the first draft of The Grapes of Wrath in June through October 1938; Agatha Christie completed the first draft of her first novel in two weeks; Barbara Cartland, at her most prolific phase, produced twenty three novels in 1983; and during his thirty-four-year-writing-career, Charles Dickens averaged 175,000 words per annum.

Denny notes that most professional authors aim for 2,000 words per day. He quotes a journal passage from the time when Steinbeck was writing The Grapes of Wrath: "There are so many things to go into this book. . . . I'll get them all in if I just relax . . . and only worry about the 2,000 words of each day's work." [John Steinbeck, Robert Demott, ed. Working Days: The Journals of The Grapes of Wrath, 1938-1941 (New York: Penguin, 1990).] Denny suggests that in the beginning, a writer set a goal of 500 words per day. If a writer begins January 1st and keeps to the 500-word-a-day schedule, he will have 100,000 words by July 19th.

I found two other books that provided insight for improving daily word count totals. N. P. Martin's 1,500 Words Per Hour: How to Write Faster, Better and More Easily Using the Simple and Powerful Speed Write System for Writing Mastery (2014) is a short book with the major premise of "do all your thinking before you write." Martin also advocates planning before writing.

Similarly, Rachel Aaron's 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love, which originated as a blog and later was expanded to an ebook, describes her process in going from 2,000 words per day to 10,000 words per day. One suggestion made by both Martin and Aaron is that a writer begin each writing period by making a thumbnail sketch of what he intends to accomplish in his writing for the day.

What's your opinion about speed writing? Have you tried it? If so, do you recommend it?