What my first #Nano has taught me

By Zee Monodee

Hey beautiful people!

Amid all the Nano madness, it almost slipped by me that I was supposed to post here today, about my experience as a first-time Nano participant. So where do I start telling you what a journey it has been since November 1?

I regularly describe myself as the quintessential headless chicken. Mind, I am organized, but to someone other than me, I just might look like a hot mess. Bridget Jones has nothing on me where being a basket case is concerned (just ask my husband!).

Now add the need to write 50,000 words in one month and you get...a freak show!

I'm a stay-at-home-mum, and November is prolly the worst month ever for me because my son is on summer break and my stepson, too, will be haunting my house during those free days. There's still chauffeur duty (to gym, jujitsu, all that lovely hoopla), and I seem to be on call in the kitchen 24/7 because growing boys will eat everything and the kitchen sink in a single day. I'm also a housewife, meaning I have no helper or cook or sous-chef to lend a hand around (that creature known as the hubby is at work all day).
I also hold a 'day' job (yes, I can work in my pyjamas and on my own schedule), in that I'm an editor with clients and deadlines and needing to answer to a boss. Life/work doesn't come to a standstill in November, sadly.
Then, too, as proud as I am to say this - I'm a 2x cancer survivor - I also hate this tag because it means I am not exactly able to power on at 100% the way 'healthy' people are. Yes, I do feel fine, but it's been 9 years since I last heard "you're in perfect health" coming from the mouth of a doctor.

And yes, I'm getting to my point, bear with me, please.

So I am the quintessential headless chicken turned freak show...but guess what? Today is November 20, and I am 893 words short of crossing the 50K mark on my Nano story.

My point would be? This:

If you want it hard enough, you can get/do it. It isn't simpler than this.

They say half the battle of fighting cancer is in the positive attitude. That's hard to do when you're chucking everything but your guts for 72 hours straight after a chemo session. That's almost impossible when you find yourself burnt like a nuclear bomb survivor 2 weeks before your radiotherapy sessions are supposed to be over. And it's like moving mountains when the biopsy results return and you hear that evil, evil M word - malignant.

But people the world over battle cancer everyday; I'm proof of the pudding. And I've seen folks with better-on-paper results and prognoses than mine not make it, because they didn't have the rage to fight.

So 50,000 words in under one month? Fight for it! Nothing will come unless you make it come to you. Find the time. Better yet, make the time. If I could do it, you can, too.

They say that where there's a will, there's a way. Clicheed idiom, but it became a cliche for a good reason - because it's the truth.

Will I attempt Nano again next year? You bet.

Will I try to write 50K in under a month again throughout 2014? Never on my life! I've got just enough in me to manage the freak show for a month, and not longer!

Believe in yourself, and only then will you reach the stars....

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Submission opportunities with Carina and Entangled

Carina Press, digital arm of Harlequin, are running a submission opportunity guaranteeing feedback and a response within 6 weeks. The catch is that you need to submit a completed/full masnuscript by midnight on Thursday 11th October. You can find out more here.

Entangled Press is running a boot camp for Nanowrimo via Savvy Authors. Spaces are filling up quickly, so you'll need to be quick. Check it out here. If you're not interested in submitting to Entangled, then check out the Savvy Authors general Nano bootcamp.

And if you're asking "what is Nanowrimo?" ... check it out here.

Writing can be fun???

Today we welcome guest blogger David Seven, NaNoWriMo Municipal Liaison for Port Elizabeth:

So it is now nearly two thirds of the way through NaNoWriMo and as I write this I am slightly ahead of schedule (Slightly). This year I went for the slow and sure approach rather than the fast and furious. What I mean is that I am writing the whole novel by hand. Madness? Possibly; But enjoyable madness.

50000 in 30 days is madness and we all need some way to make it fun for us as we do it, as with any writing. For you, that might be wearing a silly hat while you write, or rewarding yourself for every thousand words. For me, the way to make it fun, is to feel the old-fashioned delight of watching word after word appear indelibly on my page. It fills me with a sense of satisfaction like no other, even on the days I only write 50 words. Writing by hand makes me feel more like a writer, and less like a typist. It makes it feel more like creativity, and less like work. It lets me put the book down with a feeling of accomplishment at the end of each day, which I will never get from switching off a computer.

What makes writing fun for you? How do you keep it interesting for the time it takes to struggle through? Why am I asking so many questions?

You can visit David at his blog: http://davidseven.wordpress.com/ or at the official Nano site.

It's My NaNo. I Control It!

By now you're twelve days into your novel writing and you're bang on target with your word counts ... aren't you? No, well, welcome to the club! If you're one of those incredibly disciplined individuals who are on target ... move on my friends, you're perfect as you are. If you're not ...

So you're behind on the required 1,667 words per day which you will need to write to actually make it to the finish line with enough words in the bag ... erm manuscript ... and you're wondering what temporary insanity made you take on the challenge in the first place? Fear not for you are not alone! Most of us have a life and, yes, it does get in the way at times. Who am I kidding? It gets in the way all the time. Or, do we use it as an excuse? What me? Never! Well ... maybe just a little.

Right. Let's recap then. You took on the challenge because you want to write 50,000 words during November. And then you realised that it wasn't going to be as easy as you first anticipated, or perhaps, you thought it was going to be hard - just not that hard. Which leaves us with an enormous reality check. We have 18 days left to write our book. It's enough. Oh yes it is. If you want it badly enough you'll find that extra hour before the kids wake up, during your lunch break or while you're sitting on the soccer pitch watching your little darling play his heart out. Because you can have it all. You just have to have the guts to go out and grab it.

So what are you waiting for? Go back to that document and write, write, write.

It's NaNoWriMo time!

NaNo started yesterday. Are you signed up and writing frantically? Or have you just realised what today's date is? It's not too late!

NaNo Kick-off

With just three days to go to the start of NaNoWriMo, I hope by now you've got at least a rough idea of what you're going to be writing.

If not, here's a short checklist:

• What type of novel are you writing - paranormal, chick lit, suspense etc?
• Do you know your characters? And not just their names but an idea of who they are as people, their backgrounds, their goals etc.
• Where is your novel set?
• What are the major conflicts that will keep your hero and heroine apart?

Okay, now you're ready to get started. Or are you?

I highly recommend that in the next three days you clear your desk, do your filing, clear out the cupboards, and get that spring cleaning done. Finish any task that you might grab as an excuse not to write during November.

There are kick-off meets around the country this week-end, so if you want to join in and meet like-minded people and get inspired, take a look at the calendar at http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node%252F259. If you're in Jo'burg I look forward to meeting you at the Mugg & Bean in Melville on Sunday.

The 2009 Presents Contest

The deadline for the 2009 Harlequin Presents contest is rapidly approaching. If you would like to break into the Harlequin / Mills & Boon market, then this is your chance to submit and be noticed.

Why?
Because with only 150-200 entries and a response time of only one month, you're going to have your opening chapter read much sooner than if you submit through the slush pile.

What?
Harlequin is looking for the first chapter and a 2-page, double-spaced synopsis for a novel aimed at Harlequin Presents (published here in SA as Mills & Boon Modern and Modern Heat). To check out the guidelines for these lines, click here.

How?
Details of how to enter are available here.

But ...
The deadline is 2nd November, so you only have 3 weeks in which to submit.

If you already have a completed novel ready to submit, then go for it!
If you haven't even started, don't worry - it's not too late. I'd suggest you use the next 3 weeks to write the first chapter and synopsis, then take the opportunity of NaNo to complete the novel in time for that wonderful request you're going to get from the Harlequin editors ...

[Yes, I know that's not the NaNo ideal and they'd prefer you start a new novel on 1st November - but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to get ahead in this business!]

The next blog post will give tips on how to write a winning chapter, and after that we have some wonderful news for South African romance writers. So keep checking in here ...

How to prepare for NaNo

Right, so you've decided to give NaNo a try and you're feeling motivated. How do you begin?
Well that depends entirely whether you're a pantser or a plotter.

A pantser writes by the seat of the pants. A true pantser will sit down on 1st November, open a new Word document and simply start to write, letting the characters emerge and the just enjoying the ride to see where the story takes them.

A plotter will spend the entire month of October getting to know the characters, interviewing them, creating a detailed synopsis, perhaps even detailing what will happen in each chapter, and when Day One rolls around will simply start filling in the novel with actual words.

Most of us fall somewhere in between. You have an idea before you start where you want to set the novel, who your main characters are, and what's going to happen to them. If you're writing romance you'll have a rough idea what conflicts are going to keep the hero and heroine apart, and how they're finally going to resolve those conflicts and get their Happy Ever After. The rest will slowly unfurl as you write.

Me, I started as a plotter. I had little tables indicating what would happen in each chapter. Then as I wrote everything would change and I'd spend half my time revising my beautiful tables. I discovered that change is a good thing. Now, I start with the characters and their conflicts, and let them lead the way - often they know what works better than I do! I've learned to trust my characters, but I still have to start with a frame-work.

So how about you - are you a plotter or a pantser?

Wanna be a NaNo winner?

If you want one of these ... you're going to have to work for it! And I mean work!

I earned myself one of these last year when I hit over 51,000 words in November - and I intend to do the same this year. When you get right down to it - it's not such an impossible goal to achieve! But you have to be prepared!

So how did I do it? Well I thought about my hero and heroine all throughout the month of October. I knew who they were, where they had come from and why they would react the way that they did! I fell in love with my hero - which every self-respecting romance writer has to do - and gave him a heroine I knew he wouldn't be able to resist.

On the 1st of November I hit the ground running. I knew I'd have to write a minimum of 1,667 words a day so I set myself that target. I kept track of my word counts religiously and in the days that I didn't write, I knew I'd have to catch up the words in the days that I did. Yes you heard right - there were days I didn't write and I still made it!

In total there were 7 days throughout November when I didn't write. There were days when my total word count was less than target and then of course there were days when I was in "the zone" and I wrote four or five thousand words! It is completely and utterly exhilirating to finish a 50,000 word novel in one month! The sense of achievement is tremendous! I cannot recommend it enough.

If I had to think about the best tip I could give you ... don't edit! Do NOT go over what you've written the day before. You simply don't have the time and if you did do it you run the risk of your internal critic interfering with your progress! So beware!

Remember ... all that matters is that you reach your word count! Trust me, when you do you'll know what I'm talking about! Euphoria!

Official Nanowrimo

The best way to achieve your Nano goal is to keep motivated all month. I'm not just talking about chocolate. Support and understanding from your family go a long way, but even better is the encouragement of other Nano writers, people in the same boat as you.

The official Nano site is at www.nanowrimo.org. This is where you log in, create your identity, keep track of your word counts and when you finally succeed, this is where you claim your recognition. You can also meet writing buddies here, people who will help you feel like you're not alone and that you really can do this. If you join up on this site, please also join the South African regional group and let them know who you are. The municipal liaisons arrange local events for writers to meet and greet. If you're in Johannesburg, I hope to see you there!

eHarlequin's community site also runs a forum group for Nano participants. Though no-one there keeps tracks of your overall score, the forum is a fun place to hang out (when you really should be writing!) and participants get to post their favourite line of the day which is always good for a laugh or some inspiration. The community site is at www.eharlequin.com.

You can go Nanowrimo alone, but unless you really are a tremendously disciplined person (in which case you probably don't need Nano) I strongly recommend that you don't. At the very least, find a writing friend that you can suffer along with, compete against, laugh with or moan with. It'll keep you on track and motivated.

Of course, we'll also be here to post encouragement and to listen to your woes. So don't be a stranger ....

Nanowrimo

What is Nanowrimo?

Also known affectionately as Nano, National Novel Writing Month takes place every November, challenging writers to let go of all their hang-ups, of their inner critics, by pushing them to write 50,000 words in one month. That is an entire category length novel in just thirty days!

Why? Because so many people start novels, then lose motivation and never finish. Or worse, get stuck in permanent revision syndrome and never get beyond the first few chapters. Writing an entire novel in 30 days teaches you discipline. You'll have good days and bad days, but by making time every day to try to hit a target of 1,700 words, you'll get into the habit of writing, and once the habit is formed you'll be a better writer for it.

The best thing about Nano is that there is no time to sit and think about whether what you've written stinks or not. You just write. In the now immortal words of Nora Roberts (and I paraphrase!): you can edit a bad page, but you can't edit a blank page.
It is perfectly acceptable to think that what you've written is awful. But just keep writing. Yes, you'll probably land up deleting or rewriting whole chunks in the editing process, but that's okay. It's all part of the process. The sense of accomplishment you'll get from just finishing something, even if it's something that still needs a whole lot of polishing, is unbeatable!

Even if you don't achieve the whole 50,000 words in the month, anything you write will be more than you had before. You'll still feel awesome!

I failed miserably with Nano last year when my day job exploded all over the place, but I walked away with more than 15,000 words on a new novel - a novel that less than a year later has been completed, polished and submitted. I owe that to the push that Nano gave me. And this year I'm determined to win a Nano medal!

Throughout October we'll be sharing tips on how and where to sign up, how to prepare for Nano, as well as personal stories from past participants.

So are you all fired up now to join us for Nano 2009? Let the countdown begin ...