And so it begins for me! The NaNoWriMo countdown! Any who have followed my blog for a while know that I LIVE for NaNo in all its marvelous forms. From Camp NaNo in the summer to full fledged NaNo in November! So please bear with me as I will am planning to write much the next couple months and take you on this journey with me. That said, I am rather excited for NaNo this year. I am once again ML and as I have been struggling with my writing I am hoping that this give it a kick start, and get me back fully in my writing groove. I have to make my 50k with my role as ML, so here is to an exciting idea, and a productive NaNo!!!
I have once again found my excitement for writing, now I just have to manage to get back in the habit of writing. With that in mind, I have been neglecting my blog a little as I am trying to plan for my novel this year. I think I have finally decided on what story I am going to write, but now is the hard part of planning some base characters, having them tell me their names, setting up some of the back story so I know a bit about the world they will be taking me to.
Now, I am more of a pantser, so this whole planning thing is a little hard. I no longer find it constricting as I have learned much from a few helpful websites and my own trial and error. Every year I participate in NaNo I have learned more about my writing style than I could have ever learned from any amount of books! I have also been reading through my newest copy of Writer’s Digest. It is one of the most helpful things I have found for inspiring my thought process and helping to learn new things for my writing craft. This months copy has been most helpful indeed.
So with that, what have you found to be helpful? What resources have taught you the most? What has been the most helpful to your writing? Are there websites you return to again and again? Are there books that are full of little flags and notes in the margin? Please share! I love learning of new resources.
Random Acts of Writing 
It always feels great to get back into the writing spirit! It’s rejuvenating isn’t it? Stephen King’s On Writing was a great resource for me. The book is much more interesting than many other books about writing. I also enjoy his writing quotes, many of which came from On Writing. Quotes about writing in general are among my favorite resources. There’s something special about a sentence or two that says so much 🙂
I have not managed to read his book yet, I have heard bits and pieces of it and I really do want to read it. I have only heard good things on his book, I think I will have to add that to my list of next to read. I have a whole bookshelf of writing books, some I return to again. Writing quotes, well quotes even, I love them! They are one of the most inspiring things in life!
I do love WRITING FICTION by Janet Burroway (and two other authors). But really, the best inspiration I have for writing is to read books I enjoy. I write fantasy, so I read my favorites (SABRIEL by Garth Nix; LORD OF THE RINGS by Tolkien). When I’m serious about writing, I put the craft books away until I need them (like if I have a question).
As for websites, this is a good one for writers: http://crimsonleague.com/
You are so right, putting the “craft books” away and just writing is the best one could EVER do!!! Writers write, and reading about writing, no matter how much it helps your mindset will never ultimately do anything.
Reading books by our favorite authors is another really great one! I do that reguarly. I love looking at my favorites, seeing how they pull of their books. What pulls me in. I think it shows me more than any “how to” ever could.
Crimsonleague is a WONDERFUL resource! I have greatly enjoyed that site.
Another vote for Stephen King’s “On Writing”. And I’ll recommend Pinterest for writing quotes (if you’re curious, you can find my board on writing here: http://www.pinterest.com/ckpins/writing/).
If you want to get into the habit of writing every day, I recommend http://750words.com. It sends you a reminder to write every day and gives you a distraction-free white page to work on 🙂
Good luck in November!
750 is a great writing resource! I love the month long competitions they have, and the fun little badges!
Pintrest, another great resource! I like to create boards for the books I am working on, it is a great way to have visual inspiration.
Persoanlly I also use http://www.yarny.me which is one of the best places I have found for writing online and gives me the ability to always have all of my writing right at my fingertips, whether I am on my phone, tablet or computer!
I can’t wait until NaNo! I started a few days late last year (my first time). This year I’m going to bend the rules and continue with that same book. Mostly going to use the spirit of that exuberantly creative site to urge me toward finishing the first draft. The constant encouragement! The celebrations of every little victory! The shout-outs of word counts! I. Can’t. Wait!
Oops, must be careful. I might get all hyped up over this and not be able to sleep. (*breathes deeply.* Calm down. You’re heading for bed in just a couple hours. Breathe in… and breathe out.)
😉
I too have been a NaNo Rebel! Really it is all about getting those words down on the paper!
I can’t wait myself… although now days I tend to save the Rebelry to Camp NaNo *grins*
I share your enthusiasm!!! I can not wait for the NaNo call to begin!
Yeah, I’m excited about NaNoWriMo, too!
Sorry, I really don’t have any tips… I have done NaNo 3 times before now, and hit my word goal each time, and I only did it by carving out ‘writing hours’ (around work and 2 small kids) and then using it to write – no b.s., no procrastination. It was a bit hard at first, then I really enjoyed it.
I have always hit my word goal as well. With a lot more on my plate than this year, so I know I can do it!!! I just have to find the right story, the one that sings to me *grins*
I love it! I love the challenge of it. The excitement… So much about NaNo that I love!!! Good luck to you!!!
I have to stop reading these posts – I have NaNo fever and just no time to squeeze it in. I haven’t really missed a year since 2008, although some years I’ve had to hit the word count writing 15k of rubbish on the last day. I so much want to take part but I just can’t see how, as I’m already committed to writing 1000 words a day for the blog! NaNo enthusiasm is so infectious though.
On the subject of writing help I have to agree that I learn so much from the NaNo motivational emails and from just writing. Jami Gold’s website has some great planning tools for Pantsers though so I can definitely recommend that.
Yeah I stumbled across one of Jami’s things just this week, and really liked it! She has some great tips!
I have participated in NaNo since I first learned of it, and I don’t believe in too busy for NaNo *grins* I prolly should considering… My first year I had my do it myself wedding, my honeymoon, three or so trips to Mayo and my wife’s birthday *grins* Now granted, I had a wonderfully supportive wife who let me write through half of our honeymoon getaway… But the encouragement of NaNo is just too great! I live for the rush of it all *smiles*
I hope you get to participate again soon! Have you checked out Camp NaNo? I really enjoy those as well, although I do not find them the same as Novembers NaNo…
Haven’t done Camp Nano, will definitely look into it. This year I’ve been doing this daily blog thing, so I’ve been writing 25k words of fiction a month (plus 10k words of blog) for the whole year. There wasn’t time for anything else! My reason for not doing NaNo is as much to do with not being about to write two novels at the same time!
Hurrah for supportive spouses: I couldn’t have done my daily challenge this year without hubbie taking the kids for hours at a time when I haven’t found time to do my post…
Yeah, trying to write two at once would be a challenge! *grins* I totally should do that… just to confuzzel them and swap up their story lines some *laughs* yes… this is sounding like a marvelous plan *grins*
To actually write two at once, I don’t know that I could, I mean, I could work on one that is just needing rewrites, but I don’t think I could do two “first drafts” at once…
I find even when I’m editing one and writing another I swap protagonist’s names around. I have to do a search replace to make sure I’ve kept the right names!
Give it a go, why not? Could be interesting… Have your protagonists meet each other in one scene!
ahhh, the joys of NaNo allowing you to just write! *grins* I might even have to do that!!! I like it… *nods*
I don’t have any trouble between my stories, not sure why…