19 October 2011

To NaNo Or Not To NaNo...That Is The Question...

Up For A Challenge? 

     ...AND...    Neutral_120_100_white

Both ROW80 and NaNoWriMo offer challenges to get you writing!  Which will you participate in?  Hmmm...Maybe both?

I've set some 'pre-NaNo' goals.  If I achieve them, I'll be joining the challenge.  Here's what I've accomplished so far:
*  written a loose premise sentence for my novel.
*  established the main and secondary characters of the story.  They are not named, nor are they completely fleshed-out.
*  begun a 'what-if' page
*  begun a 'what's expected' page
*  roughed-out between 40 and 50 scenes of the novel

I'm almost ready to begin outlining.  If I can complete a story outline and solidify my characters, I'm in!  I'm moving along a good clip right now, and I hope to carry this momentum through November.

Fun Features...

I've hit my goal in visiting 5 blogs per day (Mon-Fri) so far this week.  Here's just a few of the great things I've discovered in my travels...  

Gene Lempp posted great links to check out for those considering joining NaNoWriMo as well as those already committed.  This post is packed with information and help, so take the time to check it out.  It will probably help you prepare for this huge challenge.

Gene also features a great series, Designing From Bones, with great writing prompts, historical information, and idea producing finds.  I cannot recommend it enough.

The Daring Novelist posted 'Dare To Be Bad', which grabbed my attention.  Will you step out of your comfort zone, or continue to play it safe?  Can we, by playing it safe, ever realize our full potential? 

Pop over to Ruth Nestvold's blog to read how John Locke's How I Sold 1 Million Ebooks In 5 Months is shaping this author's marketing strategy.

Where to BelongLooking for a book to devour over the weekend?  Support fellow ROW80 author, Wendy Jane, a.k.a. W.J. Smith, by picking up her book, Where to Belong, available on Kindle and in paperback at Amazon as well as at Smashwords. 

Here's a tiny excerpt Wendy sent me to showcase...

“What’s it about?” Madison asked as he tugged at his messy hair.
He paused in his self beating and studied her. “Are you just asking to be nice or do you really want to know?"
She nodded, “I want to know.”
“Well,” he started, his expression turning serious, “that’s sort of the problem. In my head, it’s beautiful and organized. As soon as I start to sketch it out, it gets ugly and jumbled.”
“Alien? Animal? Human? Superhuman?”
Chase tilted his head as if she were speaking in a foreign language. “Human,” he answered slowly, sounding uncertain.
“Past? Present? Future? Post apocalyptic?”
“You rock!” Madison flinched and matched his wondering gaze.
“What’d I do?”
 “I’ll explain later,” he declared as he stumbled off the tall
stool and backed away from the counter. “Thanks!”

Preparing For Beta Reads...

The typing is underway for Her Dark Baron.  I have nothing fun to say about this.  I gave myself two weeks to type the roughly 24K word novella.  I'm not sure I'll hit this one, people.  I'm plugging away.  We'll see.

Reading To Gain Knowledge...

I'm beginning chapter 5 in Outlining Your Novel, by K.M. Weiland.  I'm still loving this book.  I'm also using the practices for my NaNo novel as I go.  Two birds.  One stone.  Happy Nadja.

21 comments:

  1. Love the way you've set up your blog. And spotlighting fellow ROWers...what a great idea.

    All the best as you prep for NaNo and work toward your other goals.

    Have a great day.

    TTFN

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  2. Your NaNo prep sounds like it's going well. I'm definitely in for it this year, and I have done so much less than you. I was worried about it before I read this, now I'm really worried.
    I hope your week continues to go well.

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  3. Oh I'll have to check that book out. I'm still on the fence about NaNo too. UGH.

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  4. I'd admire anyone who can do NaNo. I had thought about it too and if I wasn't planning on doing a vacation in November, I probably would have tried.
    So I'm glad I found #Row80.

    But I think you're doing good prep.

    Good luck.
    Mark

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  5. Thanks for all the encouragement! I don't know if I CAN do NaNo...but it looks more and more like I'll give it a whirl. I'm off to do some plotting/planning!

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  6. What a great breakdown to get ready for NaNo! Good luck Nadja. It sounds like you're doing well with your goals :)

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  7. Thanks for the link. You're awesome :) And way to go with Her Dark Baron. You'll get it. The beta reader phase scares me, but always turns out kind of fun. I'm planning to do NaNo. This past month has really messed up my groove, but I'm hoping NaNo will be a good reset and distraction. Not entirely sure I'll finish, but I'm going to try. Row is definitely an easier pace that doesn't make me want to pull my hair out.

    Keep up the good work!

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  8. sounds like you're doing well, best of luck getting it all ready for nano.

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  9. NoNaNo. At least for me. I just don't write that quickly. I meander, and edit, and revise as I go along. More power to you, though. Sounds like you have a great base for it. It's always better when you have a solid idea of what you want to do... then it's just the doing it. Which, you know, is completely easy... right? RIGHT?

    Writing is hard. :-/

    In other news... soak up that knowledge! Like a sponge. A blue sponge.

    XD

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  10. I'll be doing NaNoWriMo. It's a fantastic creative rush! I've done it every year since 2003. I love it. The community is wonderful.

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  11. Please NaNo! Mine and Lena's support group is now up and running, would love it if you stopped by even if you decide on November 1st not to take part....but I think you have been tempted enough!

    You can find us at http://nanofunnotfear.wordpress.com/

    Well done on all your hard work and I hope the rest of your week goes as well as the start!

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  12. I'm planning to do NaNo this year. From what I've read, it seems like a lot of the ROWers. Hope you'll end up joining us!

    Something you mentioned caught my interest... The 'what if' and 'what's expected' pages. Is this something that you talk about more here on your blog? I would love to read more about the process... :-)

    Thank you, too, for sharing all those wonderful links! I'll definitely check them out.

    Until next check in... Take care!

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  13. I'm almost ready to commit, Em! Just keep fingers crossed that I can maintain this level of productivity! Ha!

    I'm worried, Matt, as I also take my time writing, contemplating just the right word I want to use to convey my thoughts. I don't know about this hurry up writing...but it's all about stretching myself as a writer. So....Eeeep! Here I go.

    Dawn, I'll visit by to explain, but I cannot take credit for the idea. K.M. Weiland is the one to salute...ha ha.

    Glad to hear you'll be NaNo-ing, Christine, Katy, Wendy, Raelyn, and Newto...Don't forget to check out NaNo Fun Not Fear Support Group that was started by ROW's Lena and Em!

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  14. I think just planning on doing NaNo is amazing, whether you think you can do it or not! Super duper luck to you!!

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  15. Wowzer. Great links. Missed Gene's on nano stuff. Adding him to my reader so that doesn't happen anymore. Good luck typing up Dark Baron. Don't kill your arms and try to rush it. We're on same chapter in Outlining your Novel. She has great insight and I'm incorporating all her ideas. Having fun 'what iffing'. Here's hoping you do nano - it will be quite an experience.

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  16. Oh! The typing! I curse myself - again. (I did this with Claiming The Prize, too!) But, I just don't like typing while writing. I wonder if this will hinder my NaNo enjoyment...??
    Ha.

    I'm plotting/planning/what-iffing over here too! Here's to successful bids at 50K in one month, Robin!

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  17. And Wendy... You are very welcome! I'm glad to do it.

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  18. 24k in two weeks is 1714 a day. You can do it!

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  19. You know, when you break it down like that, it doesn't seem so insurmountable a task. I'd better get typing. Ha.

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  20. I'm sure you'll make it. I'd get myself a mocha and push on through. Treats work. LOL. Good luck!

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  21. That sounds great, J.R. I think we should get something in the works for December 10th -ish. Maybe a weekend bash or something? Wonder if we could get something like a 12 Days of Christmas Reading thing going with other authors? Hmmm. Ideas are swirling.

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