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So much for the plan

August 1st 2008 22:51

According to the plan I made months ago, today would mark the official start of the NaNoWriMo season. According to the same plan, I would have finished editing my 2007 novel by now, send it to a few trusted first readers and wait for their reactions.

The plan also says that I have to think about my next novel from today on because I have to be ready to pour it out in three months. I managed to pull one out of my hat last year, but it's a wild, unruly beast and making it presentable takes more strength than I currently have. I have no intention of creating another monster like it.

So this is the part of the plan to which I have to stick. I have to be brutal: no plan, no novel. No excuses.

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Posted By: Sonya 1 - Category: writing, NaNoWriMo

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NaNoEdMo starts Saturday

February 27th 2008 06:10

I can't believe how quickly time flies. It's March 1 on Saturday, which means NaNoEdMo has as good as begun.

NaNoEdMo is a good thing for people who need a challenge to get on with the editing. While I love that kind of pressure during NaNoWriMo, I have never had much luck with NaNoEdMo. I don't enjoy editing, but when I get down to business, I want to do a good job. I don't want to go through endless round of editing what I edited. I guess that's why I dropped out of the challenge within the first week whenever I decided to do it.

This year, I'm doing something else. I'm not going to pretend I'll make it this year. Does my 2007 novel need editing? It sure does, and I will edit it. But on my own terms, and in my own time.

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Posted By: Sonya 1 - Category: writing, NaNoWriMo

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So what happens after NaNoWriMo?

December 4th 2007 18:16

November is NaNoWriMo, so what is December? Well, NaNoFiMo, of course - for all those November novelists who want to finish their novel before they lose touch with it. Certainly a good idea, but December is too busy for me every time, I have never finished my novels in December.

Then there's NaNoEdMo in March - an excellent opportunity to fix all these continuity errors and fill in the holes in the story you frantically produced in the previous November (though you can any other manuscript you think need a good edit).

Another excellent opportunity to finish or edit your novel, or even write something completely new, presents itself in April with April Fools. You choose your goal yourself, that is what I like about the challenge. This year in April, I edited my 2006 NaNoWriMo novel - an awesome experience, I can tell you.

In June it's time for Script Frenzy, which is brought to you by the same people that are responsible for NaNoWriMo. Only this time, the challenge is to write a screenplay.

JulNoWriMo is the July version of NaNoWriMo - for all those people who can't make it in November or who can't get enough of the on month novel writing madness.

If you look around all these sites, you will find many more writing challenges throughout the year, including year-long adventures like NaNoWriYe and NaNoPubYe.

Whatever you do, keep writing!

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Posted By: Sonya 1 - Category: writing, NaNoWriMo

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Short Guide to Writing a Novel

October 20th 2007 18:54

I have another BBC link for you, this time on novel writing.

This brief how-to is perfect for NaNoWriMo - especially if you're writing your first novel. All the important bits are in there, you don't need to know more.

In my opinion, too much theory terrifies people with yet little writing experience. Sure, you need to know the basic rules, but gaining some experience is much more important. Write, see what works and what doesn't work - then find out more about the theory.

That is why I think NaNoWriMo is such a great thing. It makes people write and gives them little time to worry about dos and donts. There is only one rule writers need to know: Writers write.

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