Bring It On, NaNoWriMo!

So, life kicked me in the butt today, but rather than letting it discourage me, I’m saying to hell with it, and letting it encourage me instead. You know what goes great with soul-crushing disappointment? C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y!!! (Seriously, there’s a reason for the “tortured artist” stereotype.) I’ve been getting back in my art groove this month with the infamous Inktober art challenge, but behind the scenes of that I’ve also been prepping for next month’s writing challenge NaNoWriMo. Two creative and grueling challenges in two months? Oh, hell yes. So, bring it on National Novel Writing Month. I’m ready for ya this year.

I even did a thing and signed up for the official NaNoWriMo website. If any of you guys are on there too, let’s be writing partners in crime and root each other on! 😀 You can see my official NaNoWriMo profile here! 🙂 It’s pretty sparse right now since I just signed up and haven’t had much time to check out the site yet, but there will be updates/content to come–especially once November hits!

So, who else is getting in on the NaNoWriMo fun this year? The more the merrier! 😉

Getting Ready for NaNoWriMo 2018

Hey, everyone! 😀 I’ve really been enjoying getting to post a lot more again this month, but I wanted to give you guys a heads up that I’ll be taking the month of November off from blogging to focus on participating in National Novel Writing Month (aka: NaNoWriMo), or “Nano Rhino” as I like to call it. 😉

Taking part in the challenge to write 50,000 words in one month is always difficult, but it’s also a lot of fun. It takes a lot of time and effort, so I’m heeding the advice of The Shameful Narcissist, and avoiding distractions throughout the month that could hinder my word count goals throughout November. Sadly, this means no blogging for the month, but I think it’ll be the only way I’ll reach that goal and complete the challenge successfully this year. Things are always so busy, so I’m going to have to devote any free time I can get to working on my writing. Plus, it’ll really help me reach my goal of having my first draft for my book DONE before the start of the new year. It’ll be a lot of work, but I’m hopeful I can bust my ass and get it finished.

I’ll still be posting more throughout the rest of October, and I’ll miss all you fabulous people in November, but things will return to normal again come December. 🙂 I’d love to see this first draft finished by the end of December. It’s been a while since I’ve completed a first draft for a book I’ve written. I went through a notorious project hopping spree (something I’ve always been terrible about) but I’m feeling really committed to this current project I’m working on. I want to see it finished and I’m going to do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Are you planning on participating in NaNoWriMo this year? Got any big projects you’re working on that you’re excited about? Let’s talk about it! I love the creative process, no matter what form it takes, so I always enjoy reading about what you guys are creating and working on. ❤

 

NaNoWriMo 2017: Let’s Do This!

It’s that time of year again, guys! As many of you know, November 1st marks Day 1 of NaNoWriMo, aka: National Novel Writing Month. (Otherwise known as that 30 day span of time where you never see your writer friends because they’ve gone into that annual highly caffeinated full-blown hermit mode to reach that 50,000 word count.)

Last year was my first stab at NaNoWriMo, and I can honestly say that I went into it all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Something like this:

And then when it came toward the end of November I suddenly found myself feeling more like THIS:

Needless to say, things did not go exactly as I had planned. BUT, quite possibly the best thing about not succeeding is learning from your mistakes you made the first go around. That’s why I chalk my first attempt at NaNoWriMo as a valuable learning experience and not a “failure”. As long as you pick up on what hindered your goal and keep at it, it isn’t really a failure anyway. 🙂

I know that my number one NaNoWriMo nemesis is that damned backspace key. I am a compulsive nut about re-wording things over and over again to make them sound “just so”. (Not a good habit to have when working on first drafts.) Thankfully, I don’t have this habit while blogging. I just wing it and keep going. I’m really going to try to avoid deleting things at all costs. Just keep pushing forward. That’s the goal.

50,000 words in 30 days is the mission. It can be done. It isn’t easy by any means, but I’m really planning on passing that finish line this go around. Some of you might remember when I decided to challenge myself to a similar goal I dubbed the “Necro Rhino” since my boyfriend and I call NaNoWriMo “Nano Rhino” and this was me resurrecting the challenge in a different month after my little nano rhino bit the dust well below the planned word count. I may have not made it during 2016’s NaNoWriMo, but I did during the Necro Rhino challenge I set for myself, so now that I know I am capable of doing it, I am hoping to go for the gold this time around! 😀

Another useful tool? Those heavenly caffeinated beverages. Coffee? Sure! Red Bull? You betcha! I can sleep in December when NaNoWriMo is over. 😛

Good luck to all of you who are participating in this month’s dash to reach at least 50,000 words! I saw a lot of people make, and even surpass, that goal last year, so don’t get discouraged. We’ve got this, people! ❤

Bring On the Writing Memes!

Today is another busy day, but I’m doing my best to squeeze in some writing where I can! As well as doing some shopping for a certain BFF of mine’s upcoming birthday. (Cupcakes and Machetes, you spoiled bitch, you!) 😛 ❤

I also wanted to squeeze in a quick blog post, so prepare yourselves, Memes Are Coming! Writing memes to be exact! 😉

This is probably true.

FACT: I am beyond guilty of this. My main character is still known as MC in my first draft at this point. But I can tell ya all about how she looks, her back story and family history, etc. lol  /FAIL.

Also, if I were ever to be put on trial for murder, my google search history would probably condemn me to life in prison. Hey, man, writers gotta do their homework on grim topics sometimes. 😛

Hmm . . . some of you may have not been alive long enough yet to get this meme.

Truth! I’m a total plot hopper. I write around.

This is so true. I have to prepare like I’m about to present a business project any time I am asked to explain what the hell I’m currently writing about.

lol And this is why I’m so horrible at explaining what I’m writing about to people. It’s almost like it’s easier to write the whole damn book than to briefly explain it. 😛

So, yeah, those are the writing memes I decided to share! 🙂 Do any of these memes strike true to you when you’re writing, too?

Maybe tomorrow I’ll post some writing inspirational quotes I like if I can squeeze it in. Happy writing/blogging, everyone!! ❤

Staying Focused While Writing

So, sometimes my thinky thinky parts do a wee bit too much imagining. Having inspiration for your writing is a good thing, don’t get me wrong, but it can be hard picking which ideas to work with when so many come popping into your head.

C’mon, Brain! Get. It. TOGETHER.

This overabundance of story ideas has resulted in me being what I affectionately refer to as “a raging plot slut”. Meaning that it is very difficult for me to commit to one story and stay 100% focused on it. Things will be going fine and then an idea will pop into my head, and suddenly I’m onto that story, and then before I even know it I’m suddenly working on another, and so on. I don’t mean to be a raging plot slut. It just sort of . . . happens. (Apparently I keep tripping and falling into other stories.)

Now, I know for some writers that this is done with great success. They can juggle multiple projects and continue to make progress on all of them. You writers are to be applauded. I however, have not yet perfected this seemingly mutant-like ability. Maybe one day I will get there, but today is not that day. That said, I’ve actually been doing really well at staying focused and carving out some real progress on a single project since the end of December. Not a long period of time, sure, but it’s a start. Small victories are still victories. 🙂

So as far as 2017 writing goals go, I’m just going to continue trying to work on this one writing project and see how far I can get with it.

What about you guys? Any writing goals for the new year? Are you the type of writer who can juggle multiple projects or do you commit to one and only one until it is finished?

Mix. It. UP!

I am a firm believer that variety is often the spice of life. This, too, applies to writing. Earlier this morning, I stumbled across this helpful little writing tip from Gary Provost and figured I’d share my find:

Does it work for all writers? No. Of course not. Though it is something to think about, I suppose. 🙂

I love that writers have so many different voices with which to spout their tales, so of course what works for some will not work for others. And that’s okay! In my opinion, there are no true rules to art. And writing is indeed an art. So use your voice (whatever voice it may be) and get out there and get writing!!

Soooo True

Just wanted to post a little something silly for now. Sometimes you just gotta sit back and poke a little fun at your own madness. 😛

NaNO-NO-NO-NO-WriMo: 2016 Flunkie

I know it isn’t quite the end of the month yet, but I also know that my first attempt at NaNoWriMo is a sinking ship at this point. But you know what? I’m okay with it. Surprisingly okay with it, actually. The outcome was hardly as victorious as I had hoped for, but it was a valuable learning experience none the less.

This month wound up being much busier than I had anticipated and I didn’t quite figure out how to manage my time properly until it was too late. Of course I plan to continue writing and next year I’ll don my warpaint and try again. (And hopefully do a LOT more writing and learning between now and then.)

Epic fantasy writer, Patrick Rothfuss, wrote a great piece about his first attempt at NaNoWriMo back in 2011. One has to appreciate his honesty and wit when reading it. Plus, he included this amazing achievement for all us losers out there! 😉

So, despite knowing that I will not complete the 50,000 word challenge this year on my first attempt, I know that I will continue writing. I will also try again next year, and prepare for it better. I’ll know how to manage my time better and I’ll hopefully have learned more about writing between now and then to be better equipped in taking on the beast that is NaNoWriMo. Best of luck to the rest of you out there who are getting so close to your 50,000 words. I look forward to trying again next year. 🙂

Nano Rhino

Misunderstandings happen. Sometimes hilarity ensues because of it.

While talking to my boyfriend on the phone last night I started to say how NaNoWriMo is coming up.

That is not what he heard.

He asked me to repeat myself and I did, this time stating what NaNoWriMo meant: National Novel Writing Month.

He proceeds to tell me that he had thought I’d said “Nano Rhino, as in a very tiny rhinoceros.” 😛

Something Random

Hmmm . . . it would seem that my author backspaces frequently . . .