#NaNoWriMo – It’s in the Bag!

Well, this year’s NaNoWriMo challenge has proved especially tough, and it is only my second attempt at the contest! It was easier to write last year partly because I was writing the sequel to my debut novel and the story was already planned, and partly because my daughter was under 1 and therefore easier to entertain.

This month, in NaNoWriMo 2012, my novel has literally been a surprise to me. My title is The Vampire of Blackpool. It probably won’t stick, but it was all I could come up with in time for the challenge. My story has literally developed every time I sit down to write. I have no prior understanding of my characters or the plot. All I knew in the beginning was that I had a female vampire living in solitude on the outskirts of Blackpool. She was a traditional vampire, feeding and killing humans with no sense of remorse. It was supposed to be a horror story.

It hasn’t quite turned out that way, but I am still happy with the developments. My vampire, Meredith Hanson, has been on a killing spree. A vampire hunter is also chasing her and they have so far battled to near-death and then engaged in conversation, albeit brief. She feels something for him, but she is confused. Meredith has also become intimately acquainted with a young nurse who just happens to be a witch, and this sub-plot has taken me by surprise during the last couple of days.

The icing on the cake for NaNoWriMo 2012 has been the arrival in my story of a familiar face from the Redcliffe novels. Detective Jack Mason has arrived on the scene! He has travelled up from Cornwall to Lancashire, and it seems that he and Meredith have a history. We might learn a little about it soon enough, but I am not sure. I will give Meredith free reign to tell her story. My muse has suddenly woken up and seems very eager to share. Wonderful!

So, as it stands, I am now at 38,493 words. I have to write another 11,507 words in just 8 days. The estimate is to write 1,439 words per day, according to my stats on the NaNoWriMo website. This means I will finish my novel on 29^th November. Perfect! And, a little early but I’m feeling generous, Merry Christmas!

#NaNoWriMo - Beginning to Panic

My weekend did not turn out to be quite so productive as I anticipated. My dreams of sitting in an ancient library, tapping away at my laptop, never transpired. I was kept away from NaNoWriMo, busy with the family; sightseeing, exploring, and enjoying fresh air and good food. I had a thoroughly relaxing break. But I only managed to write another 1000 words.

Returning home yesterday, the panic began to bite. The finish line looms for NaNoWriMo 2012. I had only written 26,430 words. It would be a disaster. Last night I was too exhausted to even look at the computer, and so I opted to go to bed early. This morning I was distracted with mother-daughter activities, which continued into the afternoon.

Tonight I finally sat down at my computer and began to write. I had to do it for NaNoWriMo. I will not be beaten! I wrote another 2000+ words and got my word count up to 28,828. Then I consulted the NaNoWriMo tools on my author dashboard on their website. It was not looking good. I needed to do at least another 2000 words to be in with a fighting chance.

Now I am up to 30,162. Phew! I am back in the game, although it is still very touch and go. My current estimated finishing date is Dec 4^th. Not good enough. I will finish on Nov 30^th if it kills me! By my calculations, I have to write roughly 2000 words per day to bring it back under control. I have to write 30,000 words in the next 10 days. Watch this space…

NaNoWriMo and Crazy November

We are just into day 7 of NaNoWriMo and the month is already crazy busy! I was set back on the first day by a last-minute excursion to a local theme park. We had free tickets, they had a special Halloween theme, I couldn't say no! Anyway, I got back on track with my NaNoWriMo project by hitting the keys for two days of furious writing. My novel is still very vague, and this is the first time I have sat down with absolutely no idea of what I am writing. It is quite exhilarating really, when I transform a blank page into a work of prose.

Well, after that mad dash to get started, I was hit by a sickness bug which wiped me out for 2 days. I was so not impressed! Actually I really needed some rest, so I took the opportunity and tried not to let the little NaNoWriMo demon shout too loud. Today I got back on track, wrote another 4000 words, and am almost up to speed. According to the official website stats I will now finish my NaNoWriMo project on Dec 5th. That is not good enough. I must do better. I will do better tomorrow, after I have slept!

So, away from the crazy month of writing, there are several other things demanding my attention in November. I have already done a live author interview on a local internet radio station, 6 Towns Radio. I have scheduled a live interview with a community internet radio station, KTPF, later in November. This has yet to be confirmed but I am already looking forward to it. And all of a sudden I have several author interviews to prepare for various websites. I hadn't even consciously planned them, they just sort of happened. Don't you just love events like that? It's all excellent fodder for the pre-Christmas sales promotion.

Ho Ho Ho!

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Here We Go!

It is finally here! NaNoWriMo, that magical month of writing abandon that has haunted and taunted me, always lingering somewhere in the back of my conscious mind, always whispering that it would be here soon and I had better get my affairs in order. Well, November is here, and I missed the first day. Oh dear!

It wasn't my fault, honest. My best friend procured free tickets to a local theme park, and the season closes this weekend. They had a special Halloween entertainment package, and I hadn't experienced it since I worked there several years ago. We had to participate. So, I allowed myself one more day off, and today I intend to get stuck in. I will write double the daily quota of words for NaNoWriMo. I will. I definitely will...

So, I have sat down in front of the computer with my daughter safely in bed where she will (hopefully) sleep for another hour. The dog is curled up on the sofa and won't demand his walk until later in the day. I am distraction-free. The moment has come. I stare at a blank page. The unwritten words taunt me. They whisper to me, but I can't hear them. Where do I begin? How do I start? I am about to write yet another masterpiece, but I cannot form even the first sentence. This is not looking good.

I will not give up. I will not be defeated. I succeeded in NaNoWriMo 2011, and I will damn sure do the same with NaNoWriMo 2012. At least I have a story. Now all I need to do is call on my Muse, tempt her out of hiding, and let my fingers do the talking... See you on the other side folks!

Make Time to Write your Book with NaNoWriMo

November is National Novel Writing Month, affectionately known as NaNoWriMo to its regular participants. NaNoWriMo is a great idea. I joined the organisation in 2011 for my first time, and it was brilliant for me because I got the opportunity to write the sequel to my first Redcliffe novel. Up until that point I was distracted with the arrival of my first child, the upheaval of being a new parent, and the associated confusion and planning about whether or not I should return to work and how our family system should operate.

Anyway, I heard about NaNoWriMo and decided to give it a go. It is called a competition, but there are no financial prizes or rewards. It is free to join, free to attend, and all that is required is that you attempt to write 50,000 words during the month of November. 50,000 words in 30 days. Wow! It seemed like an impossible task, especially since I don’t usually find the time to write every day. In fact at the time I was lucky to write once a week. Now I realise its potential.

NaNoWriMo gave me the opportunity to test myself, and to learn that actually I can write every day when I put my mind to it. I didn’t have to stay up every night writing until the early hours (although I did on the occasions when my Muse took over), and my daughter was not neglected. I still managed to run a household and do all my usual chores and required tasks. Many people are in awe of my achievement. My fellow NaNoWriMo winners simply smile indulgently and we bask in our shared glory.

Some people might say it’s all well and good to write 50,000 words in 30 days, but where do you get your inspiration? For most natural writers, the words are already there just waiting to spill out. Once we set out a quiet time, a personal space, and an open invitation to our Muse, we can write a whole book within a short space of time.  The good people at NaNoWriMo have set up forums and chat rooms where writers can encourage each other. We can share ideas, assist with queries, and generally offer support based on our individual experiences.

There are also regional groups that physically meet up in pubs and cafes, to swap updates and continue the push to succeed in the NaNoWriMo challenge. My local group meets in Chester, and while I was unable to make any of their meetings in 2011, I might have a little more freedom this year, depending on circumstances of course. It doesn’t matter either way, because the option is still there, and we are all connected via email and forums on the website.

Are you a NaNoWriMo winner? Have you participated in the past but not quite reached the golden 50,000 word challenge? Or have you never attempted it? I suggest you go for it. Try it out. Even if you don’t complete the challenge, you will end the month with a fresh new manuscript underway, and you will be in the practice of finding time to write. It might give you the push that you need to shut out all the other hundreds of daily distractions in life, and to write your masterpiece of a bestseller. If you want to know more, their website is http://www.nanowrimo.org/. See you at NaNo!

We Approach the Witching Hour!

Wow, when did it turn into October? I say this every year, but this one really is flying by! October is a popular month for book promotions, especially by Indie authors. That is why I will be flogging my novels for all they are worth in the run up to Halloween. Well, they are paranormal after all! With a dash of horror, a fair bit of romance, and some good old fashioned conflict to sink your fangs into...

 

Aside from selling books, we are now in the run-up to National Novel Writing Month. If you are not familiar with NaNoWriMo (as we regulars fondly call it), this is an opportunity for authors old and new to crack on with their manuscripts. Perhaps you have a new story underway but are just not getting very far with it. Maybe you have one in your head but don't know where to start when it comes to writing it down. Fear not! The crew at NaNoWriMo are on hand to offer help and support, guidance and motivation when you need it.

The whole thing is voluntary, but they will try and sell you merchandise or get you to donate towards running costs. I quite understand why they do this, and I will contribute what I can, as I'm sure everybody else does. You basically register on the website, set your profile details, and start writing. There are lots of forums and you can meet fellow authors, both within your genre and without. NaNoWriMo also arrange regular weekly meetings in person around the UK and US. You simply have to join the relevant forum to your local area, in my case Chester, UK.

I wasn't sure whether to participate in NaNoWriMo this year. It was my first attempt in 2011 and I did succeed, and you can read the finished result in my novel Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel). See, had to get some promotion in there! It was very useful for me because I have a young daughter and struggled to find time to sit down and write. Using NaNoWriMo gives you the oppportunity to dedicate proper time to your writing, without all that fiddly editing nonsense in the middle of your manuscript.

Oh, and incase you were wondering, NaNoWriMo starts in November. The basic task is to write 50,000 words during the month of November. Enjoy, and see you there!

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