November is National Novel Writing Month 2019 (NaNoWriMo)

 

 Have you noticed that some of your favorite authors are a more than a bit frazzled today?  Have some been missing from their social media accounts or letting you know to expect not to hear from them for a while?  Well that’s because it’s that time again! National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo is a month-long creative writing challenge that takes place every November. During the month, participants from all over the world are challenged to write a 50,000 word first draft of a novel.

From the official site:

The rules are simple. Starting after midnight local time on November 1, writers begin drafting a new novel (or a fresh re-write of an old one). Planning and outlining beforehand are allowed and even encouraged, but continuing a current work-in-progress is not officially sanctioned by NaNoWriMo.

To win — or complete the challenge of writing a 50,000-word novel in 30 days— you’ll need to write an average of 1,667 words per day. Once you’ve hit the 50,000-word mark, you can upload your novel to the NaNoWriMo website to verify your word count. No prizes are awarded, though winners are given banners and certificates to display if they chose, and winner’s t-shirts are available for purchase in the store. And of course, you’ll have a brand-new draft of a novel, and the satisfaction of knowing that you rose to the challenge — in many ways, the biggest prize of all!

Do you have to be a professional writer to participate?  No!  Anyone who wants to join in can.  So, again from the official site, are some tips:

Why should you participate in National Novel Writing Month?

Maybe you’ve always wanted to write a novel but have never found the time. Maybe you’ve tried writing novels but have never managed to finish them. Maybe you’ve written novels before but are frustrated by how long it takes you. Maybe it just sounds like a crazy, exciting challenge.

Whatever your reasons, you won’t be alone. People come to NaNoWriMo from all writing backgrounds. But perhaps the biggest driving factors are:

• It teaches you how to get your butt in the chair, turn off your inner editor, and get the work done.
• It shows you that finding time to write a novel is possible, with the right commitment.
• Because you’re writing so fast, you learn about craft quickly, and will almost certainly see improvement from the beginning of your novel to the end.
• It takes something solitary and turns it into a social event.
• It’s a great opportunity to join (and learn from) a community of writers who are all striving to create an uber-efficient writing routine.

And speaking of writing communities, one of the great things about NaNoWriMo is that thousands of other writers have been exactly where you are — and most of them are only too happy to offer their own pearls of wisdom about how to get through the challenge.

We’ve compiled 41 great tips from both authors and editors that we hope will provide an extra gust of wind at your back, as you take off towards NaNoWriMo2019.

Tips for winning NaNoWriMo 2019

What Should You Write About?

1. To win, you must LOVE the book you’re writing

“Write the book you love, not the one you think you should write,” says Nathan Bransford, author of the Jacob Wonderbar series. “If you’re creating something you aren’t head-over-heels in love with, you’ll peter out before page 50. Make something you’ll be proud of for a lifetime.”

2. Understand what people like to read

According to editor Tom Flood, you must “make sure you read contemporary publications in your genre and age target. As they say: write to the current market.”

If you’re unsure what your genre and target market are, check this post out.

3. Know your characters intimately

“Why do you want to write a really shit novel of an unsaleable length in a very short time?” asked Harry Bingham, the author of Talking to the Deadwhen we contacted him for a NaNoWriMo tip. “But if you must… make sure you know your characters. Know them intimately. Know them better than you know your husband, your wife, your child, or your best friend. Know them intimately, give them a challenge — then write like the wind.”

So everyone….happy writing, happy reading, and listening!  It’s November!  A very literary month…no matter your endeavors.

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, November 3

• November is National Novel Writing Month 2019 (NaNoWriMo) .
• This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
• Release Blitz & Review Tour – Sally Malcolm – Twice Shy (A New Milton Novel)

Monday, November 4:

• Release Blitz Graveyard Shift by Jenn Burke
• BLITZ Irises in the Snow by Isabelle Adler
• Blog Tour Consorts of the Red King by Eden Winters
• A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review : First Priority (Priorities #1) by Este Holland
• A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Earthquakes (New Amsterdam #4) by Kelly Wyre
• An Alisa Review: Wolf, in League (Wolf #3) by A.F. Henley

Tuesday, November 5:

• Release Blitz – Anna Butler – Taking Shield Series
• Release Blitz – Crossing the Line: A Dirty Angels MC/Blue Avengers MC Crossover by Jeanne St. James
• Cover Reveal,Signal Tour – V.L. Locey – The Christmas Oaks
• A MelanieM Review: He Dreams Magic by Emme C. Taylor
• An Alisa Review: Rules to Break (Davey’s Rules #2) by Susan Hawke
• An Ashlez Review A Hive of Secrets and Spells (Cupcakes and Sorcery #2) by Ellen Jane