National Novel Writing Month, or better known as NaNo, occurs in November. This is a time when everyone and anyone puts forth the effort to write a novel, or at least the beginnings of a full fledged novel. The goal of NaNo is to write 50,000 words in 30 days (about 1667 words a day). But 50,000 words isn't really a full novel. If you accomplish this goal, you may have about a novel that is 2/3 completed. You could actually write a complete novella in the 30 days but not a full-fledged novel.
I have participated in NaNo for several years now, mostly as a cheerleader and the "official word keeper" for our region but I did write a novella or young adult novel one year, although I didn't really start writing it until late in the month and it took me a couple of weeks into December to complete it. I hope to edit that story within the next few months, once my series is more stabilized and the state stories are just being plucked up by my illustrator for layout and all, and publish it.
So how does one go about finding ideas to write at the frenzied pace of 1667 words a day? Ideas are everywhere and as long as you have the burning desire to meet the challenge, you can accomplish this task with very few problems.
Some folks start planning several months ahead by outlining and developing characters and scenarios that they would like to see occur in their novel; some folks wait until the last minute to come up with the topic for their novel. Those who outline and plot and plan ahead of time seem to be more invested in their writing than those of us who write by-the-seat-of-our-pants. On the other hand, some very good writing has come from the "pantsers." So how do you know which is the way to go? Experiment.
I don't outline so much as I have a system for my stories. Since I do mostly short stories and there is no real plot in them, outlining wouldn't work for me. If I were to ever jump into doing a 75,000 word or more novel, I might try outlining some basic plot points. Or if the idea had been brewing for a while, I would probably do some generalized outlining. Until then, I will remain a "pantser" and am accepting of that.
If you have a couple of hours a day to spend writing, I challenge you to participate in NaNo. You can sign up at the NaNo website and take the challenge. See if you are an outliner or a pantser.
State of Wilderness, State of Quarries, State of Reservations, State of Successes (first four and in that order) are published already; State of Heights will be released within the next couple of weeks. E :)
--
Elysabeth Eldering
Author of the Junior Geography Detective Squad (JGDS), 50-state, mystery, trivia series
by Elysabeth Eldering
STATE OF WILDERNESS, Book 1 of 50 now available.
STATE OF QUARRIES, book 2 of 50 now available
STATE OF RESERVATIONS, book 3 of 50 now available
STATE OF SUCCESSES, book 4 of 50 now available
STATE OF HEIGHTS, coming October 2010
STATE OF NATURE, coming January 2011
STATE OF ACCELERATION, coming February 2011
STATE OF IMAGINATION, coming May 2011
WHERE WILL THE ADVENTURE TAKE YOU NEXT?
TRAIN OF CLUES, available August 2010
http://jgdsseries.blogspot.com
http://jgdsseries.weebly.com/
http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com/
Member SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators), Carolinas region
Member Sisters in Crime, Greenville Chapter
An interesting choice of subject matter, Elysabeth. Good luck with the series.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting me, Robert. I tried to give you a good writing article - lol. See you all in the postings. E :)
ReplyDeleteElysabeth Eldering
Author of the Junior Geography Detective Squad, 50-state, mystery, trivia series
Where will the adventure take you next?
http://jgdsseries.blogspot.com
http://jgdsseries.weebly.com
Great question. For me, it depends on the writing, but I think with a task like a whole novel (especially in the NaNo month) I'd definitely require an outline or I'd lose the plot (in both senses of the world!).
ReplyDeleteI love Nanowrimo. Great post Elysabeth. I'll see you there!
ReplyDeleteElysabeth, good question. I'm thinking seriously about Nano this year, and have jotted down some plot points -- but it's far from a full outline, and I'm also not sure that this is the novel I'm going to write {wry grin}, as there are a couple of others clamoring for attention ...
ReplyDeleteMargaret
Magdalena, I think if I were to write longer stories, I'd probably outline. I'm envious of folks who can put out 90,000 word novels and have something worth reading. I also know that I'm a pantser and love the short stories since there isn't that much to really outline. Hope you are participating in NaNo and have already started your outline. If so, see you in a couple of weeks around the forums there.
ReplyDeleteNancy, I love just being able to socialize with local folk who are participating. I don't mind that I don't really accomplish any large goals during the month. I'll probably get some writing done though. See you there.
Maggie, if you haven't done NaNo before I recommend it at least once. Seems that once you get th rush of doing the first one, you keep coming back. The story that is the most prominent will be the one you furiously work on through the month.
If anyone wants to friend me on NaNo - I'm elysabeth42 - and I'm sure if you searched out "elysabeth" you wouldn't find too many and of course, probably no others in South Carolina - lol. So look me up and friend me if you are interested and I'll cheer you on and encourage as I do all my "buddies." See you all there - E :)
Elysabeth Eldering
Authof or the Junior Geography Detective Squad, 50-state, mystery, trivia series
Where will the adventure take you next?
http://jgdsseries.blogspot.com
http://jgdsseries.weebly.com
Great article, Elysabeth! The Nano thing doesn't work for me. The forced word count puts me on edge. But I know a few authors who have been incredibly successful with this method.
ReplyDeleteDarcia,one reason I don't really try to write novels - I can't really stick to the forced word count as I have too much else going on in my life. But I continue to cheer my friends on and that is satisfactory enough for me since I will participate in a word/work war with one of them and sometimes I'll even do a few word wars with some of my friends. (For those of you who are new to NaNo, word wars are when you set a certain amount of time and set a limit of how many words you want to get written in that time limit and then you work as hard as you can to accomplish that goal. For me, a word/work war is basically me setting a goal of getting so many jobs transcribed or edited while my friend is writing on her novel; we usually go for an hour at a time and then see how far we got and go for more. The wars are fun because you tend to push yourself knowing that you are warring against time and someone else.) -- Hope you all at least check it out.
ReplyDeleteDarcia, one thing for you since you are self-pubished is that you could use that time to finish a novel or do editing or something that you tend to put off and that would keep you on a deadline so to speak. Anyway - see you all there (those who do take the challenge) and may you reach your goals, whatever they may be - E ;)
Elysabeth Eldering
Author of the Junior Geography Detective Squad, 50-state, mystery, trivia series
Where will the adventure take you next?
http://jgdsseries.blogspot.com
http://jgdsseries.weebly.com
Nano sounds intimidating to me, but maybe someday I'll try it.
ReplyDeleteJanet, it's only intimidating if you don't build a support system. It's fun and frustrating and exhilerating and all kind of emotions wrapped into one month. Go ahead and try it, friend me and I'll cheer you on. You can always work on something that is totally different than your current works in progress and give it a test drive. I think you can set your word count lower so that you don't feel the big pressure to do the 50,000 words. (I know at least on the Young Writer's Program area you can and possibly on the regular one, so that should take out some of the intimidation there.) If you meet your set goal, then you can consider yourself a winner. I say go for it - see you there - E ;)
ReplyDeleteElysabeth Eldering
Author of the Junior Geography Detective Squad, 50-state, mystery, trivia series
Where will the adventure take you next?
http://jgdsseries.blogspot.com
http://jgdsseries.weebly.com
Elysabeth,
ReplyDeleteGreat information. I think I agree with Darcia, forced word count puts me on edge too.
Martha
My pleasure, Elysabeth.
ReplyDeleteI do a little of both!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pep talk Elizabeth. I definitely want to do NaNo, but not this year. I'm involved with a huge production and I'm ghostwriting my debt away this year. Next year will be my year.
ReplyDeleteI love your book series, and I want to cheer YOU ON to keep writing!
Please vote in my picture book contest.
http://naturemadesleep.net/stories/377
Great article, Elysabeth. I would love to try Nano one year - when I wouldn't be overstressed, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what path I would take, the prior outline or the seat-of-the-pants. I've worked with both on short stories, but not sure the sotp would be enough for a whole novel.
I am usually a "by the seat" kind of gal. But most of my work is not long...PBs, poetry, mag stories, etc.
ReplyDeleteBut for NaNo I'm working on an outline for an MG my daughter gave me the idea for. So, this time around -- I'm a planner. Though - I might still hang on by my fingernails a bit if I get stuck!