Tis The Season To...Wait...Write A Novel?
With NaNo upon us at last, fingers are nimbly plucking out letters all over the globe in pursuit of the elusive and fickle 'muse of the accumulating wordcount'. Come on, NaNo Buddies - Nail it! ;}
Belvedere, a new children's book by fellow ROW80 author Rebecca J. Fleming can be previewed by clicking the link! Take a peek and offer up some hearty congratulations over at her blog! Congratulations, Rebecca!
Insecurities Got You Down? Stop By the Insecure Writers Support Group, hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh
Head over to Publishness where the talented and hilarious Angela Brown offers a treat to trick your fears back into the closet - where they belong!
I'm not sure I can top Angela's take on the age old problem of insecurity...
So, I'll tackle another troublesome issue - Leaving The Comfort Zone
That's right! I said those four ugly words that have us all inspecting our shoes for ...well, scuffs, gum, or anything other than having to face this challenge.
I've discovered that to grow at all, whether as a writer, a woman, a mother, or in any other facet of my person (chef, historian, baker, teacher, or my plain old irritating know-it-all-self) I have to try new things. Putting myself out there - an open invitation for humiliation - is hard to do. I like my comfort. Same old same old is safe. Trying something new is definitely NOT safe. But, it must be done if I'm to get anywhere I'd like to go, right?
That's why I decided to
drum roll, please... ha ha. (I just love saying that) -
12 Days Of Christmas Reading Gift List
Fellow ROW80 author J.R. Pearse-Nelson and I are marking out the best way to feature the list - and the start date, if there will be a giveaway attached to the list, and all the fun details. If you're interested in adding your book to the list, or if you'd be willing to post a link to the list (What a fantastic way to give a gift to fellow authors that won't cost you a cent! Ha!) drop me an email - nadja.notariani@gmail.com and I'll be sure to fill you in on all the details. It's a pretty simple concept, as the Christmas season is so busy. I'm a firm believer that family is the focus of the holiday season, and I don't want to be frantically rushing around doing anything. I want to enjoy the season - and so do you.
So take a minute and examine the past month or two. How have you stepped out of your comfort zone to grow?
Insecurities? Noooo. It's too early for that! Wow, comfort zone. For one, I'm doing ROW80. I've been trying to be more active with my writing and the writing community at large. It's tough. I'm also pushing myself to do better about losing weight. So far so good, all be it uncomfortable. :) Hope you're doing good with your NaNo!
ReplyDeleteI've stepped out of my comfort zone by putting myself out there--by blogging, now being on twitter, and by moving closer and closer to getting my WIPs out there. (One short story done and should be up by the end of the month; a novella in the revising/editing phase; and now working on my NaNo novel!) I have always been so shy about letting others read my work, but I have forced myself to step out of that comforting circle of just writing for myself. Good luck this week on your goals! (And I love the reading gift list idea. Very cool!)
ReplyDeleteComfort Zone? I think I nailed getting out of that zone on Monday when I posted audio of myself singing while playing guitar. I think I'm set until next year. Oh, that's right, I'm doing NaNo, so jumping right out of the comfort zone again.
ReplyDeletePutting your work out there is definitely leaving the comfort zone. It takes a brave soul to do it--I think that's why I love the support of this community! Happy Insecurity Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteComfort. There's comfort in writing and publishing? Okay, kidding. You make an excellent point and I'll look around for something safe to try (kidding).
ReplyDelete~Kate
Less then a year ago I was an online ghost. No blog. No Twitter. Nine friends on Facebook, all family. Simply being here is out of my comfort zone (I do love my man cave). However, that said, I wouldn't trade how things are now for anything from the past. I've met so many great friends since venturing forth from the cave that going back now would no longer bring the contentment it once did. And so, forward, into the eternal unknown becomes its own form of comfort.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Nadja. Have an excellent week and kick some NaNo hiney :)
NaNo is definately out of my comfort zone but I am loving it! The most out of my comfort zone about it is early morning writing before work....I think I will need to pace myself else I will burn out!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work and what is your NaNo name so I can buddy you?
Great post, Nadja! I've had a case of the "think you're a writer" blues, but surrounding myself with supportive writers like me, helps!!!
ReplyDeleteSee my post last week about an incident with a family member. I've had some great feedback, too! I'm checking out Alex's group as well. Thanks for your post!
http://cfitewrite.blogspot.com/2011/10/so-you-think-youre-writer.html
Insecurities - Arrggh! They're such pesky nuisances.
ReplyDeleteYou honor me with your compliement. I'm blushing ever so :-)
And doing NaNo this year is a big step for me getting out of my comfort zone. I've been accustomed to taking forever and a day with coming up with a complete novel. Forcing out 50K words in a month is HUGE for me.
Oh dear, just gave myself the shivers lol!!!
I envision the Muse of Accumulated Word Count somewhat like a cross between Dracula and Shelob. A myriad of eyes, except instead of eyes you have keyboard keys. It would have ten legs tappity-tapping, of course, one for each of your poor, blistered fingers, and razor sharp fangs. Those would be used not to pierce the neck for blood, but rather to invade your skull and turn your brains to mush. Finally, the creature would implant an idea for a coming of age tale, involving a boy wizard, a sparkly vampire, and elves. So many elves. Mischief having been managed, the creature would turn into a bat and fly away, the only evidence of its fleeting presence a heaping, steaming pile of guano in the form of ~1700 words per day.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, guano is an extremely effective fertilizer and was once a key component for gunpowder (thank you, Wikipedia)... so all is not lost. Something beautiful can grow from the excrement, and it may just finish with a bang.
I forgot to mention... I think giant spiders are outside of almost anyone's comfort zone. Especially if they can turn into bats, too. So there. XD
ReplyDeleteHa! You've all made me laugh today! Thanks! Yes. Getting out of the comfort zone is tough - because no one can do it for you. You've got to haul yourself up by the bootstraps and kick yourself out of Safteyville - but each of us, in our own ways is doing just that.
ReplyDeleteMy NaNo name is Nadja Notariani - (creative, aren't I...)Oh, hush up with the gaffaws in the back...I'm saving it for NaNo...lol.
I left my comfort zone big time in the past two months. I admit to not liking it but I keep going. Good luck on your promotion.
ReplyDeleteheh Getting out of the comfort zone can be pretty scary, but as you said, it's the only way you'll grow and see what you can really do. I was kind of terrified of becoming a tutor (I'm not really a confident person, and I hate any form of public speaking), but after doing it for a semester it's not only given me more confidence, but it's helped me more fully engage with and understand the stuff I'm teaching lol
ReplyDeleteP.S. Thanks for the mention :D
this year well ROW80, Rachaels challenges putting flash fiction out on blogsite - blogging - nano - attending a storytelling course (oral!!) yup forgotten what comfort zone feels like now - must see if i can find way back and have a little holiday there!:)
ReplyDeletegood post and I'll be getting intouch about the christmas list
Oh gosh, the past few months have been a major exercise in challenging my insecurities and fears about writing publicly. Every piece of flash fiction that I post, every blog post that I put out there... it sparks a bit of fear every time I hit that 'publish' button, but thankfully, the fear is starting to recede and 'fun' is settling in. With NaNoWriMo, I'm writing in 1st person POV for the first time since I was... 12? So that's a major leap for me, too, but this tale demands 1st person. Anyway, I am so glad that you are venturing into the NaNo waters! Have a great rest of the week!
ReplyDeleteI don't know what it is about NaNo that differs from the rest of the year. I guess my inner editor attacks me until I like them away for NaNo. Keep up the good work and thank you for sharing fellow Rower's work. Very nice :)
ReplyDeleteI've stepped out of my comfort zone by pressing myself to finish a novel in three months--the story I wrote before that took 1 1/2 years to complete.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with NaNoWriMo! :)
I've left the comfort zone of having a handful of people read my work to proclaiming myself a writer EEEK! I want to write a post about imposter syndrome--I should post that on the first Wednesday of December--since I suffer from that. My comfort zone is fading into the wallpaper, never doing anything to attract notice.
ReplyDeleteHere I am, yelling, LOOK AT ME! Sheesh!
I think I've said a quick "goodbye" to my comfort zone a long time ago in the creative writing for children class :-) Since then my confidence has endured many beatings but what can't break you it only makes you stronger.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with NaNo.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I don't realize I've stepped out of my comfort zone until I think, "Whoa, I can't believe I did that."