What I'm Doing this Month

And my inspiration for the month:

So here I am, typing away even when I have SO much other and don't know if I will reach 50K. I might fail this year, but at least I'm trying:D

Here's how I make NaNo work:
1. Let myself write crap.
2. Set a consistent time that works for me. (for me it's 5am, but we can't all be early risers)
3. No internet until I've written 1k. (It's amazing how that ups my productivity.)
4. Do sprints (15 or 30 min., whatever floats your boat) Join a group or a sprint online (twitter is great for this.
5. Take a day off. I take off Sundays and my Mondays are usually high word count, amazing.
6. Remind myself that even if I don't reach 50K, I'm learning and growing from the process. Still, I push for 50K, even when it's hard.

I have a guest post planned, but otherwise this blog will be rather quiet this month. If you're doing NaNo be my buddy and we can cheer each other to our goals!

2011 NaNo vs. 2012 NaNo

When I started my 2011 NaNo I had a only two responsibilities: 1-take care of my four-day-old, and 2-write a new book. On the outside this might look challenging, but I'd had my easiest birth yet (don't worry, I'll spare you the details) so recovery was easy and at least for that 1st month, my newborn did a lot of sleeping. My mom, friends, and husband did all the cleaning and the cooking, and NaNo was attainable.

This year, I have a rambunctious 1-year-old, three older children (that I now homeschool), piano lessons to teach, and multiple commitments with my church, in addition to all that cooking, cleaning, and getting dressed, which, let's face it, I barely did in last November.

Some things are the same.
1. I'm determined to win.
2. I have my CP's to keep me accountable.
3. I use those bribery methods and number nerd activities I mentioned earlier this month here.
4. I get most of my writing in before 8 am.
5. I am loving the community feeling of writing with so many of you.
6. I'm pantsing my novel.

Look for a post soon all about pantsing-for now, here are my NaNo stats:

Day 19:
Days I wrote at least 2 K: 14
Days I didn't write at all: 3
Word Count: 39,049

If you've done NaNo before, how does this year compare?

Keep plunking away at those keys
and
Go.
Write.
Now.
:D

IWSG-NaNoWriMo Number Nerd

The first Wednesday of every month is IWSG, a bloghop hosted by the amazing Alex J. Cavenaugh to encourage and inspire each other and a safe place to admit our writing doubts.

Welcome to November, the month where my house is messier than usual, my children get fewer baths, and I wear pajamas all day long.

This is my second year doing NaNoWriMo, and having landed an agent with my NaNo LOVESENSE from 2011, I'm a big believer in the power and the excitement of writing with a large support group. I am crazy about updating my word count and seeing my bar graph jump. I am afraid of letting it drop below midline, so for the 1st three days I pumped out 10K, averaging over 3K a day, twice the 1,667 word average. I'm adding this widget to my side bar so that during the month my progress will be visible here, as well as on NaNo.




If you're doing NaNo and starting to feel pressure, I'll give you a little advise that helped me.
1. Always write forward.
2. Give yourself permission to write crap.
3. Take a day off. I write 6 days on, with a rest day on Sunday. When I come back to my MS on Monday inevitably I've figured out plot points and I have a big writing day-usually 4K.
4. Do writing sprints. I prefer the 15 minute variety-and if I'm on a roll I take it to 30.
5. Bribe yourself-I have to write 1000 words before I'm allowed to get on the internet. I also have food reward that I can't eat until I've reached a goal-written so many more words, another scene, etc.
6. Write to fun numbers and update you word count often. Seeing that bar graph jump gives me the excitement to write just a little bit more.

NaNo is daunting, but it is achievable. Believe in yourself and get back to that WIP:) If you're doing NaNo let me know and I'll add you to my buddy list:)

A Glance Backwards

Jan 2010-I began my writing journey with best friend Kathryn Purdie.

February-December 2010- Katie and I didn't know what we were doing, so spent a lot of time writing a chapter, sending it to each other, then making HUGE rewrites. I didn't get very far in my story, The Golden Wood, a twist on Beauty and the Beast.

January of 2011 I found WIFRY online and Katie and I pulled strings to be there together.

February 2011-3 days after registering I found out I was pregnant with #4. With my morning sickness I had less than quality writing for the next 4 months

June 2012-Attended WIFYR with Kathryn. We took Louise Plummer's Class and found our awesome Crit. Group

July-Promised myself I would not go backwards-forced myself to write forward until I had my 1st complete draft of The Golden Wood .

August 25th-Finished my MS!! Did Happy Dance, Glowed for an entire week.

September and October 2011-Worked on revising MS. Got ready for baby. Slept as often as possible
              Baby boy born Oct. 27th! Healthy, Happy, and Yikes-At Home!

November 2011-did my first NaNoWriMo challenge. And I won! My MS-The Girl Who Could See

December 2011-1st revision of NaNo


Up Next: 2012 Goals

What I Learned from NaNoWriMo

1. Even though I had a brand new baby boy, sleep was at a minimum, AND I was a literal milk machine, everyday I was driven to write, specifically to get my word count up. I was addicted to updating my word count on NaNoWriMo's site and watching my chart soar. I had to stay about the line-even the thought of dipping below the average made me afraid that I wouldn't finish. So I pushed myself and kept my fingers clicking away even when I didn't know where my story was going (which was often since I started only with a basic concept and NO plan!)

2. Taking a day off (Sundays) really helped me see my story clearly, and gave me a break so I came back stronger each Monday.

3. My Crit Group were wonderful supporters-we became a much more positive, cohesive group during Nano. Instead of tearing down each other's writing we were each others cheerleaders-rejoicing in each day's success. We emailed our daily word count and our last line to each other--I blamed my boring last lines to new babyhood and wondered (secretly) if my crit partners were stopping on super cool lines.

4. My husband thought I was crazy for the entire month. "You're not getting enough sleep, the house is a disaster, I'm cooking all the meals, and you're writing AGAIN."

5. When I'm writing for word count I overwrite big time. On my first read through I cut out 7,000 words.

6. It took my almost 2 years to complete the 1st draft of my 1st novel. Writing a complete draft in a month (with new baby) I felt like a superhero.

7. I want to do NaNoWriMo every year--to be part of something so big, to be able to write crap and still feel successful-I loved it.

NaNoWriMo Winner