Angela Scott
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#NaNoWriMo? Why it works for me

10/15/2012

19 Comments

 
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This year will be my fifth time participating in November's National Novel Writing Month, or better known as NaNoWriMo. For those who haven't heard of NaNoWriMo before it is basically spending the entire month of November, all 30 days, writing a 50,000 word novel. Sounds tough, huh? To be honest, most days it's quite the challenge, but to walk away at the end of the month having met the 50K goal is a remarkable feeling, and that's why I keep coming back to it year after year.

I've participated four times and four times I've met the goal, pushing myself to do it. This year will be no different. But is it worth it? Is it worth neglecting family and friends and forgoing a clean and tidy house? For me, I say yes. This somewhat stressful undertaking is how I work best. Without goals and a bit of pressure, I tend to mess around and accomplish nothing. True. I'm horrible like that. I work best under deadlines. And November's end of the month deadline of 50K words is just the thing I need to get me writing and being creative again. I can't wait. 

But how can a novel written in one month be any good? It's gotta be nothing but pure crap. To be honest, sometimes that's exactly what it is--crapola--and that's okay. It's a first draft and first drafts tend to be crap. It's the rework that makes it better. Now, some will rework their "masterpiece" and improve on it. Others will not. Some will polish and refine and turn it into something awesome before publishing. Others will not. It is what it is. But even before NaNoWriMo came into existence, this idea of pushing first draft novels to publication before they were ready has always been around. It's nothing new. Me? Send a first draft to publication? OH HECK NO! Never! The rewriting and editing process, though a big ol' pain in the tuckus is necessary and some what magical at the same time. It's amazing to see a rough draft come together.

So whatever came of the four NaNoWriMo novels I've written over the years? Well, the first one written back when my youngest was a baby (she's now nine) will never be seen by anyone. Ever. I wrote it. I felt incredibly accomplished, and that was plenty good enough for me. The book is horribly written and so it is locked away in a vault buried deep under the sea. Which sea? I will never tell. The second book is in a similar situation. The only difference is that someday I would love to come back to that story, rework it, and maybe publish it in the future. But as it stands--it sucks. I can admit that. 

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Now the other two novels have come a long way. The third time back in 2010 I participated in NaNoWriMo was with WANTED: Dead or Undead, Book #1 in The Zombie West Series. Since then, WANTED has been picked up by Evolved Publishing and has won a few awards--Winner of The Kindle Book Review 2012 Best Indie Books, YA and also The League of Utah Writers 2012 Golden Quill Award 2012.

Survivor Roundup, Book #2 in The Zombie West Series and the fourth book that I wrote using NaNoWriMo will be published the end of this November.

And this year, I will use NaNoWriMo to write the first draft of Book #3, Dead Plains. That is my hope anyway--fingers crossed.

So NaNoWriMo works for me. Actually, it's worked very well and so I couldn't imagine missing it this year despite being EXTREMELY busy trying to get Survivor Roundup ready for its release date (editing, editing, editing). It should be a fun and interesting month for sure :)

What are your feelings about NaNoWriMo? Are you giving it a go this year? If so, leave your NaNoWriMo handle/name and lets be writing buddies and encourage each other along. I'm Calynnblue, by the way (a handle I picked years and years ago).

19 Comments
Rachel
10/15/2012 03:24:41 am

Sure! I'm listed as Mac Andrews :)

Reply
Angela Scott link
10/16/2012 03:35:58 am

I'm having a hard time finding you, Mac Andrews. I'll keep trying, but in the mean time buddy me Calynnblue and then I can buddy you back :)

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Sonya Johns
10/15/2012 08:25:50 am

This is my first year attempting NanoWriMo and I have to admit I'm nervous. I really want to hit the 50,000 word count..lol..I'm listed as SJohns :-)

Reply
Angela Scott link
10/16/2012 03:40:28 am

First year--that is awesome! It'll be fun. I love Nanowrimo to just get a whole lot of people from all around the world writing. It's amazing. I can't wait.

I buddied you :) Best of luck.

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LynneInPborough link
10/15/2012 05:19:08 pm

Well done!! Good luck on your second launch and enjoy your fifth nano.

This will be my third year of doing nano. First two are still very rough drafts which I'm editing. I'm doing a bit of planning and hoping for 75K so there's more words to edit after november!

LynneInPborough if you're interesting in buddying.

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Angela Scott link
10/16/2012 03:44:10 am

75K? Holy cow! That's awesome. I've seen people write way more than the 50K and I'm always impressed. For me, if I can hit the 50K without falling to pieces, then I'm doing good :)

I've buddied you :) Best of luck.

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Taryn Elliott link
10/15/2012 08:48:45 pm

Good luck! I've had nothing but success with NaNo--and some people say it's too fast, but in reality--when you're a FT writer, you better be doing 1600 words a day min.

And I've published two of my NaNo's. So...crap? Not so much. ;)

I'll be doing it as well. I'm all ready for the madness.

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Angela Scott link
10/16/2012 03:47:09 am

You are totally right. Authors should be writing at least that amount every day (I'm not doing so good. Dang it). But I do look forward to Nano every year to give me that jump start. It's fun to write without holding back.

I'm ready for the madness too! :)

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Sara Cluff
10/16/2012 01:49:02 am

Last year I did NaNo on my own (I didn't actually register or anything), but I wanted to do it for fun to see if I could. I actually hit the goal and even went back and polished it up. Then I wrote two more books to create a trilogy. No, they aren't published or anything, but I was happy I did it and can now say I've written three novels. Plus, my family loves them, and to me that's all that matters. This year, I'm signing up and hoping I can accomplish the same. I'm listed as sjcluff.

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Angela Scott link
10/16/2012 03:49:01 am

That is amazing about last year. Isn't it amazing that feeling we get when we achieve a goal? It totally is. It'll be fun this year.

I've buddied you! Best of luck.

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Lynne Favreau link
10/16/2012 02:30:33 am

I agree, I'd never get my work out of my head without NaNo. I'll be trying for my third win this year. And I love going to the write-ins. Who knew there were so many other writers in the area? This year we've given ourselves a nickname, The WriNoShores!
I'm lfavreau.

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Angela Scott link
10/16/2012 03:34:33 am

We have a group in my area as well and it is fun to get together (though I must admit, I haven't done so in a couple of years--too busy). But the group atmosphere is awesome.

I've buddied you :) Best of luck.

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jenn link
10/17/2012 08:59:16 am

I am registered {wpbjenn} and I must be crazy but I am considering giving it a go again this year. Crazy because I haven't even been able to maintain a MONTHLY blog post; crazy because I really need to be focusing my efforts on other work; crazy because I just can't imagine adding one more thing to my to-do list. But I am going to try. I think. Maybe it will break me loose of all the not-getting-it-done garbage?

Good luck!

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Angela Scott link
10/18/2012 11:59:09 pm

I'm right there with you--crazy! I have so much to do and yet I still want to do this. So yeah, you and I must be nuts :) Let's be nuts together.

I've buddied you. This will be fun. It will. Let's just keep telling ourselves that.

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Jean Giardina
10/18/2012 01:33:03 am

Great post! So glad to see published authors coming back again and again to the NaNo challenge.

I won last year and am still working on polishing the novel; hope to query in early 2013. This year will be my 2nd NaNo. I've selected a MG ghost story as my project. You can find me at Jean_G.

Happy writing.

Reply
Angela Scott link
10/19/2012 12:02:50 am

A MG ghost story sounds awesome! I love NaNoWriMo because it allows you to get a great portion of a rough draft put together--in a short time. I LOVE the feeling of putting my inner editor on the back burner and just being creative. It's almost like a high kind of feeling.

Have fun this year, then edit your manuscripts and get out there and start querying :)

I've buddied you! Best of luck.

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Amanda Fanger link
10/18/2012 04:25:39 pm

I'm signed up for my first go with NaNo this year and looking forward to it! I discovered NaNo last Thanksgiving and vowed to participate this year. In between times, I found out about and took part in JuNoWriMo, so I have an idea of what's coming. Although I didn't win in June, I've got a better idea of how to proceed in November.

I'm on NaNo as "Amanda Fanger" - I'll look you up and add you too :)

Great post by the way!

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Angela Scott link
10/19/2012 12:11:46 am

I didn't even know they did a June one. I guess it's a good thing I didn't know--I would've wanted to participate when I really, really couldn't have :)

I've buddied you! Let's have a great time and best of luck to you.

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Derek Hawkins link
10/20/2012 05:16:48 am

NaNo is a blast. It's even better when you're in a region with active participants and you can get together for write-ins, shed that 'lone wolf in the woods' sitting-at-your-laptop-alone feeling. Back in it this year, after taking '11 off to move 500 miles the week of Thanksgiving. 2 losses and 4 straight wins. I always look forward to NaNo as a way to get half or more of 100K novel done and out of my head. :D

wrytersblock is my id.

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