NaNoWriMo Week 3: Journey of Authorship

Hi everyone! It's time for a NaNoWriMo update!! Yay!!

Kendra with Reader's Edyn and Bona Fide Reflections are continuing our mini blog hop posts where we share the adventures of four NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) authors.  

Kenndra is highlighting two on her blog and I am highlighting two different authors on BFR. In addition, we are also posting an mini interview with two published authors who are using NaNoWriMo to write another novel. Again, we are featuring different authors and would love you to stop both of our blogs to get the full scoop of the craziness that is the writing process.

NaNoWriMo Encouraging Tweet #1

I will start off this post with Ann Marie Becker, a published author who is using NaNoWriMo to write a novel (don't forget to stop Reader's Edyn to see who Kendra is interviewing). Let's see what information Ann Marie can share with us and our other NaNoWriMo authors who are not yet published. 

Anne Marie Becker

Why are you participating in NaNoWriMo?

To challenge myself, to prove that I can do it, and to jumpstart a new project with as much enthusiasm as possible.  I spent a lot of this last year editing other manuscripts, saving my new project for November.  It built anticipation until I couldn’t wait to get my fingertips on the keyboard with a fresh new story.

What is your writing goal during NaNoWriMo?

The ultimate goal is, of course, 50,000 words, but I’m not aiming for the usual 1,667 words a day goal.  I’m hoping to do 2,500 words a day until Thanksgiving, then take a break with my family. It’s a grueling schedule, but doable, as long as you anticipate a couple days off for illness or a much-needed break.

In your opinion, what is the greatest advantage of NaNoWriMo?

I mentioned the building of anticipation until the story is almost bursting from my fingertips.  But, it also helps me keep a regular writing routine and reinforces what can be accomplished when I make writing a priority.

Is there a disadvantage of NaNoWriMo? If so, what?

If I don’t have a clear plotline in mind, I tend to go off course and waste valuable writing time later by trying to fix it.  I learned the hard way that sometimes it’s much more productive to take a day to daydream about the plot possibilities if I’m stuck rather than try to crank out words when I have no idea what should happen next.

Does it help to have writing buddies when participating in NaNoWriMo? Why or why not?

Absolutely.  NaNo (or writing any full-length book) is a marathon, but having someone to sprint with makes it more bearable.  When you have a goal as large as 90,000 words (which is what my books tend to be), it helps so much to break it down into smaller goals.  Saying I’m going to go write with so-and-so for two hours and produce 2,000 words makes it feel manageable.

What advice would you like to provide for NaNoWriMo participants who have never published?

NaNo is great for getting words down – an accomplishment in itself – but it’s not over when December 1^st arrives.  Challenge yourself every month to create new words, new scenes, new books, and press yourself to the next level – submitting, or resubmitting, or querying… whatever that level is for you, challenge yourself.  NaNo is a taste of that challenge, but capitalize on that momentum and keep going.

Good luck to everyone who is challenging herself/himself this month.  It’s so worth it!

You can reach Anne Marie Becker through:

EMAIL:  annemariebecker@me.com

FACEBOOK

TWITTER (@annemariebecker)

BLOGS: Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood: http://www.rubyslipperedsisterhood.com/

Not Your Usual Suspects: http://notyourusualsuspects.blogspot.com/

You can buy her book here:

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE 

CARINA

NaNoWriMo Encouraging Tweet #2

Kelly

Intro:  

• Name: Kelly Rubidoux
• NaNo Name: Soulswallo
• NaNoWriMo Goals:
• To write the best damn Zombie book ever - or at least write a book with Zombies in it.
• Contact: Twitter: @soulswallo
• Blog: Blog:  Reading the Paranormal
• Goodreadsl:  Soulswallo

Laurielu:  Is the story you are writing turning out to be a lot different from when you first started this process? Is this a good or bad thing?

Kelly:  I had NO CLUE when I first started writing this where it was going to go.  I knew I wanted to have zombies in it and I knew what my main characters’ names would be.  So, this story is light years beyond what I first envisioned.  Since everything that happens continues to amaze me, I’m going to go with this being a good thing.

FYI, some of the stuff that comes out of my head flat-out scares me. O.O Where did it come from and why is it in there?!?!

Laurielu:  lol Sounds like the story has a mind of its own,  What or who has been the biggest inspiration for you?

Kelly:  Amanda @ On a Book Bender has been amazing at keeping me inspired to continue writing even when I’m exhausted and emotionally spent.  She cracks her whip and makes me WORK.  She’s also been fabulous about reading my teasers and demanding more.  That makes me feel like maybe this story has something that people will want to read.

Laurielu:  Do you have any particular habits or quirks you MUST do when writing?

Kelly:  No, not really.  I do tend to write better when I turn Tweetdeck off, though.  That dang thing distracts me like you wouldn’t believe.

Laurielu:  How do your friends and/or family feel about your decision to participate in NaNoWriMo?

Kelly:  They have all been amazingly supportive.  Even my son understands that when I bellow at him “I’m writing!” that it’s time to leave me alone.

Laurielu:  Have you had to adjust any of your goals to meet the challenges “real life” throws your way? If so, can you share an example?

Kelly:  Ha. Ha. Oh, I’m crying on the inside with this question.  Yes. I have had a horrible, awful, no good real life challenge.  My computer crashed this last week and I lost everything on it.  Everything.  Including the first 30K words of my story.  *blink, blink*  Yes, it really is as painful as it sounds.

I’m still holding out hope that I’ll be able to retrieve it and have a whole story by the end of the month but… *cries quietly*  So, yeah.  I’m writing through my pain.  I don’t even know if what I’m writing makes sense with what I wrote earlier at this point.  I could be getting all the little details wrong.  BUT I’M STILL WRITING!

Thus far, I’m continuing to hit the daily goals but if that first 30K is really, really gone *weeps*, I’m going to have to ramp up my output to make up for it.

Name one thing you have learned so far that you feel is very important.

Backup your work.  *kicks stupid person who sent my computer that virus*  Backup your work because you might have a catastrophic computer failure and that’s just about the worst thing ever.

Laurielu:  (BIG HUG) I am so glad you did not give up.  Name one thing you have learned so far that really has no benefit.

Kelly:  During a Zombie Apocalypse, soap would be a highly sought after commodity.

Laurielu:  At this point, how is your sanity? 

Kelly:  Still missing.  Thank goodness!

Random thought: (enter here ) I am the NaNo Queen! Take that, Amanda, and keep your grubby paws off my throne!

NaNoWriMo Encouraging Tweet #3

Lou

Intro:  

• 
  Name: Liza Wethers
• NaNo Name :MonsterMaX3
• NaNoWriMo Goals:
• To actually write the book and NOT edit myself out of writing
• Contact: Twitter: @BtweenTheCovers (blog) or @MonsterMaX3 (personal)
• Blog: Blog: Between the Covers

Story Synopsis: 
Vampire Blues and Cute Shoes (Working Title)
A story about a woman who stumbles onto the supernatural world on THE blind date from hell. There will be snark, smart assery, and jackassery

Laurielu:  Is the story you are writing turning out to be a lot different from when you first started this process?

Lou:  Yes, it is. I originally saw my main character as part of a team, now she seems to be more flying solo with more of a supporting cast.  Is this a good or bad  thing?  *laughs* I don’t know yet, but it is an interesting thing. I’m hoping it will turn out to be good.

Laurielu:  I hop so, too. What or who has been the biggest inspiration for you?  In terms of writing? Lou:  Hmmm.... that’s very hard to say. I guess the most honest answer is, every single author I’ve ever read. Each one took me away, into the world they created, for a while. And those journeys gave me the desire to make a world of my own to draw others into. 

In terms of NaNo, I’d have to say it’s been my friends, of which there are many, who have been my biggest inspiration. They push, nudge, kick, bribe... whatever is needed to get me writing. 

Laurielu:  You have go to some amazing friends.  Do you have any particular habits or quirks you MUST do when writing?  

Lou:  Not really, other than when I’m struggling with a scene and am trying to play different scenarios out in my head, I require total silence. This sometimes leads to me super glueing my minions and puppy’s mouths closed. *waits for the police to show up at my door* 

Laurielu:  How do your friends and/or family feel about your decision to participate in NaNoWriMo?  

Lou:  My friends have been incredibly supportive, up to and including donning cheer uniforms and threatening butt kicking, when appropriate. 

Laurielu:  Have you had to adjust any of your goals to meet the challenges “real life” throws your way? If so, can you share an example?  

Lou:  This has actually been kind of a rough month for me. Minion has been sick, I have been sick, work has been brutal... I don’t know that I’ll even come close to 50,000 words. But, I’m writing. And I’ll keep writing, no matter my personal NaNo outcome.

Laurielu:  It sounds like you had a really rough week.  I am proud of you for keeping your on the ball, so to speak.  *pats Lou’s shoulder* Name one thing you have learned so far that you feel is very important.  

Lou:  I don’t have to be perfect. My writing, characters, story... they can be flawed on first pass. I don’t have to be exact on my first try.

Laurielu:  (hug) Awww.... I really am proud of you.  Name one thing you have learned so far that really has no benefit.  

Lou:  My need to be perfect and exact on the first try is REALLY, SUPER, EXTREMELY, UBER annoying. *laughs*

Laurielu:  At this point, how is your sanity? 

Lou:  *snort* I never had any, so I’m doing great!

Laurielu: LOL That was the same thing Kelly said. 

Random thought: (enter here )  I want french fries. And ice cream. *wanders off into food induced day dreams*

NaNoWriMo Encouraging Tweet #4

Thank you very much for stopping by. Don't for get to visit Reader's Edyn for the other half of this post. I will post another NaNoWriMo update soon.