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It's November--and you know what that means! Or maybe you don't, in which case I'll tell you: it's NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH! And the way I see it, November is a time to celebrate all writers, not just novelists. That includes you. Get ready for the writing frenzy with episode 027 of Write Now.
What is NaNoWriMo, and is it right for me?
NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month (because who wants to say that over and over?), and over the years this has become a sort of marathon for writers. The challenge? To write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days, from November 1-30.
Yes, that's nearly 1,700 words per day. Yes, that's insane. But it can also be kind of fun, and a great way to get into a daily writing habit.
Keeping NaNoWriMo realistic.
NaNoWriMo is a positive, inclusive event that encourages everyone to tell a story, and I love it for that. But it can also be incredibly difficult to meet and keep up with the daily word count.
That's why I advocate participating in NaNoWriMo without the expectation of winning (i.e., reaching the 50,000 word count by November 30).
Instead, set a daily writing goal that is more reasonable for your situation (e.g., 170 words a day, 800 words a day) and focus on reaching that goal every day in the month of November.
Thinking about giving it a try? Friend me on the NaNoWriMo site and we'll do this together.
And don't forget to enjoy the pep talks by some of your favorite novelists along the way.
Book of the week.
I'm a huge fangirl of Kelley Armstrong, who writes PNR (paranormal romance) for adults. So when I saw she'd published a YA series, I was curious to see how it would differ.
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong is the tale of 16-year-old Maya -- or at least it's the beginning of her tale.
Because as much as I adored Maya's character (for once a whip-smart, funny, and likable heroine so much unlike Bella Swan), I had a hard time grappling with the fact that I was essentially reading 25% or 33% of a story.
I love YA series, and I love cliffhangers. But I have really little patience with partially-told stories.
A full book's worth of story should establish expectations that it then follows up on. If it ends on a cliffhanger, that's fine, as long as the reader feels satisfied (if tense, and excited for the next installment) by the final page.
But with The Gathering, none of my expectations were met or fulfilled, and the abrupt, anticlimactic ending wasn't a cliffhanger so much as a "meh." It wasn't enough to lure me in to buying the next book (of which there are currently three).
Keep up-to-date with my book-related adventures on Goodreads.
Tell me your thoughts.
Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? Or have you done it in the past? I'm eager to hear all about your experience, or what you hope to get out of it!
Submit your own thoughts or questions on my contact page, or simply email me at hello [at] sarahwerner [dot] com. I can't wait to hear from you.
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