It’s no secret that NaNoWriMo starts Tuesday. Initially, I wasn’t so sure about participating. I joined and completed the 50K words back in 2009. But—I must say—it's the one novel of mine that needs the most work. Normally, I like taking my time when I write, so being a part of NaNo goes completely against my natural writing style.
But then there’s my WIP, which I am good 63K words into already. The idea took root years ago. I put proverbial pen to paper in July of 2010 (first draft, mind you). I intended to complete it this past July. Didn’t happen. Life had other plans. I bumped my self-imposed completion date to October 1st. That came and went, and my manuscript still sits on my hard drive—incomplete. So…I need a jump start, something to help me write everyday. NaNo is just the thing to do it.
I’ve had an idea floating around in my head since spring. My characters began to take a shape over the summer beyond the simple blob of ideas they originally were. My plot was a brush stroke of impressions until the past few weeks. With NaNo, I fully expect lots-o-revisions to the manuscript, but that’s okay. I am trying hard to set myself up for as much success in November as I can.
As a plotter, I have…
ü Developed my characters with internal and external conflicts
ü Picked out my geographical setting and sub-settings for the novel
ü Started an outline (I have 3 ½ days to finish it *biting nails*)
ü Printed out gobs of checklists & outlining materials, and dusted off my index cards
If you’re a writer, are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? Do you think you’ve set yourself up for a successful month?
Ha! Cute cartoon!
ReplyDeleteNaNo scares me. But I am going to write as much as I can this coming month.
Sounds like you are prepared though. Good luck!!
Looks like fun but I like to go at my own schedule, my last one I did in 24 days and the one I'm on now will be done in a day or two making 21 and both well over 80,000 words. So I think I can hack nano..haha....I just like doing them when they strike me and not in a certain month.
ReplyDeleteI'm not participating in NaNo. :( Just my own version of revising-- NaNoREVIMo. Posts like this make me really wish I was, though! I guess I'll just live vicariously on this one this year.
ReplyDeleteLove that cartoon! ;-) Good luck with NaNo. I am not going to do it this year. Too much stuff going on. I hope to live through all the work I have to get done. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm doing it this year just to force my butt in the chair and get it done. Whether or not I come up with 50,000 words remains to be seen and doesn't even matter - if I come up with 30,000 words I'll be thrilled. Best of luck with everything. And, like Jennifer, NaNo scares the crap outta me.
ReplyDeleteI'm contemplating this ... or a hybrid of it ... either with my WIP or another idea.
ReplyDeleteI signed up last year, but ended up watching from the sidelines - which I'm doing again this year. It seems to stressful to actually participate, you know?
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