This post is for everyone who hasn’t yet dropped out of NaNoWriMo. And really for everyone who’s pursuing a long, hard effort they believe in. Whatever your struggle, you’re playing a long game. Persistence is the key. If you’re still hanging in there for NaNoWriMo, you’re entering Week Three, today. By now you’re probably tired. You may have missed a few days, or fallen short of a few benchmarks you’d set for yourself. You may have begun to wonder if this is…
The Artdog Image of Interest Will you or won’t you? Here’s one more thought as we approach National Novel-Writing Month, AKA Na-No-Wri-Mo. Remember: one week from today, it starts! Some of my friends enjoy the challenge and find it motivating. But I have to admit that this cartoon character’s response is usually my strategy: This is because I write slowly. The “will you or won’t you” writer who answers “yes” writes fast. Na-No-Wri-Mo is for people who prefer to get it all…
The Artdog Image of Interest Are you ready? Each year in November, it’s National Novel-Writing Month, AKA Na-No-Wri-Mo. Each year in October, I consider participating. Will this be the year? For those who do plan to leap in, It’s a good idea to plan ahead. It’s not “cheating” to think about the project in October (or earlier). Do some research. Get thoughts about worldbuilding, character-creation, and other aspects of the story well in mind before the writing starts. It’s not even cheating…
I’m writing this post from the edge of Table Rock Lake, in the Hollister, MO area, at a resort managed by Bluegreen Vacations called Paradise Point. I’m enjoying a mini-writing retreat there with my friend Dora Furlong, who set up this trip. Here’s the view (across an arm of Table Rock Lake) from our balcony at Paradise Point. Neither of us is officially participating in Na-No-Wri-Mo, but both of us are trying to make progress on our current projects. And what a beautiful setting for our efforts! The physical beauty of the land…
It occurred to me the other day that I’ve got not one, but two projects ideally set up for a Na-No-Wri-Mo style writing blitz On the eve of the event itself, no less! If ever there were a year when I was perfectly set to participate, this is it. What is “Na-No-Wri-Mo“? you may ask. That is short for “National Novel-Writing Month.” It’s an annual event, held November 1-30 of each year. Participants attempt to write 50,000 words or more in a month (50,000 words is the minimum length for a novel, according…