Tag: NaNoWriMo

  • Gearing Up for NaNoWriMo


    Wow!  Is it really October eighth?  In another month we’ll be through the first week of National Novel Writing Month.
    I’m attempting to stoke the artistic fire with activities like those mentioned in my previous post.  Likewise, I’ve joined a “Walking in this World” workshop.  There is a great group of folks delving into this Julia Cameron book together, so I’m excited about everyone’s potential.
    Meanwhile, I have no firm idea what I’ll write for NaNoWriMo, but I am writing.  A little travel (for pure pleasure – good times!) seemed to boost my moral and give new perspective, kicking off this creativity.  In fact, yesterday was the first day I haven’t produced at least a few hundred words of fiction since returning home.
    My WIP is actually a rewrite.  I felt the finished but un-submitted manuscript deserved a fresh take.  Maybe, come November, I’ll just keep going on it and count toward that 50,000 word count goal starting with whatever hits the page on the first.
    What about you?  I hope you’ll join in the NaNoWriMo challenge.
    –

  • NaNoWritingCrazyMixedUpNeedMoreCoffeeMo

    Are you doing NaNo?  (National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo.)  This year, I got off to a slow start because a) we’ve moved, b) I started a new job, c) I had a house guest the first weekend, and d) my dad’s in town this week.  Never a dull moment in Noonyland.  But here’s what I’ve learned:

    1. It’s like weight loss – so what, you had cake yesterday?  Right NOW, you’re not eating cake and you can have a salad.
    2. Write.  Write about why you’re not writing, don’t feel like writing, are too tired to write.  Whatever you’re feeling, put it on the page.
    3. All words count during NaNo.
    4. Keep writing.  Your story doesn’t suck; that’s just the inner critic talking.  Keep going.
    5. If your story sucks, keep writing it.  How many people do you know who have completed a novel-length manuscript, even a bad one?  Give yourself permission to be a beginner and just write the damned book.
    6. Write.  And when doubt strikes, write more.
    7. Coffee helps.
    That’s my list of 5 things I learned from NaNo.
    I may have lost my ability to count due to excessive coffee consumption.
    Write on!

  • NaNoWriMo Inspiration

    Today I’m striving on this fifth day of the National Novel Writing Month to create a word count worthy of the challenge – 50 thousand words in thirty days.  I’m grateful gracious A. Catherine Noon introduced me to the concept and encouraged me to throw down the gauntlet in 2011.  November has never been boring since.

    During this, my third year, I find NaNoWriMo website pep talks very moving as well as motivating.  That gifted, successful folks take time to bolster upcoming newbies warms my heart.  Today’s inspiring words by Catherynne M. Valente, author of twenty poetry and fiction books, are an excellent case in point.

    Here is my favorite line:

    To show up to play, puff out your chest like a damn proud toucan, and get s**t done.

    I can’t argue with that logic.  Now I need to post this tidbit and go follow her advice.  Happy writing!

    – 

  • Update, News, and Goings-On

    Hello, world!  I’M CAFFEINATED!

    Let’s see.  What’s new in the land of Writer Zen Garden?  WE HAVE A NEW MEETUP GROUP!  I’m so excited.  We are the Writer Zen Garden and joining up is free.  If you join, you will be prompted to set up a Meetup account, if you don’t already have on; you will then be kept apprised by email of events and goings-on in person.  If you’re interested, please check it out:

    Writer Zen Garden

    We are running two workshops at the moment.  The first is Walking In This World, using Julia Cameron’s book by the same title.  The second in her bestselling Artist’s Way trilogy, Walking focuses on expanding our creativity and learning tools that help us stay on the page.  It runs every other Sunday and we had our first meeting yesterday, October 13th, at Pumping Station: One.

    Secondly, we will have a Prompts Circle.  Our first meeting is this Saturday, October 19th, also at Pumping Station: One.  If you want some new ideas to play with in your writing, or just need to get back onto the page, join us!

    Finally, National Novel Writing Month is coming!  Every year in November, thousands of writers around the globe participate in the madness that is NaNo.  If you haven’t heard of it yet, or if you haven’t signed up for this year’s madness, visit their website.

    That’s all the news for now.  We are hard at work on Submission Guidelines for the blog and some more announcements throughout the rest of the year, leading up to our big announcement in January.  Be sure to stay tuned!