NaNo Planning

I know that NaNoWriMo (NaNo for short) is kicking off in just five days, but better late than never when it comes to planning, right?

And this time, for once, I’m not joking around. Planning is crucial if you’re jumping into this annual November writing challenge. 

So for those new to National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo/NaNo), let me explain what it is (or just borrow from their website as they put it so well):

 “NaNoWriMo is a non-profit that believes in the transformational power of creativity. We provide the structure, community, and encouragement to help people find their voices, achieve creative goals, and build new worlds—on and off the page.” 

Which in practical terms means this: 

Every November, writers from across the globe hunker down to write a novel, with the goal being 50,000 words completed by the end of the month. This roughly translates to 1667 words per day, and while these writers are putting in the work, they’re also able to network and gain support online and in-person. 

I’m a fan of NaNo and generally participate because I’m motivated by a challenge. But I have never completed 50,000 words, and I’m fine with that because I have achieved the goals I’ve set for me. 

Well, most of the time. And that’s why planning is so important. 

Before starting NaNo, I recommend taking the time to think about your writing goals. Because here’s the beauty of this challenge: it can be about writing whatever you want but it works best if you know what you want. 

Do you have a completed novel that needs serious revision? NaNo can help you do that. 

Do you have 25,000 words of a novel you’ve been working on all year and want to push yourself to get to 35,000 words by the end of November? NaNo to the rescue!

Do you want to write 10 poems, or three articles, or five essays in 30 days? Yep, NaNo can help you with those goals, too. 

And of course, it can help you write 50,000 words of that novel that’s been stuck in your head forever. It’s a writing challenge, and you get to choose what and how you need help. 

Now, because it is all about novels, you’ll find a ton of information specific to novel-writing but that doesn’t mean it won’t translate in some way to what you’re writing. Check out all the writer’s resources, starting with NaNo Prep (and yes, it’s modeled on starting in September but you only have five days. Read fast!). Not only does NaNo Prep give you a calendar, outlines, exercises, and other tools, but it also gives you more in-depth information about how you can get involved and get that accountability that you might crave. 

But if that’s too overwhelming, check out a couple of Pep Talks, guaranteed to get your writer motor running. 

Finally, I know that some writers like to just sign up for NaNo and write by the seat of their pants. “Words on the page!” is their motto. And though I heartily agree that one must have words on the page, I’m not keen on wasting my time. If I’m going to challenge myself to write every day or thereabouts in November, I want the finished product to be a decent effort. 

But that’s me. I think about what I want to accomplish during NaNo and plan how I can get ‘er done. Sometimes I succeed mightily; sometimes, not so much. And like I said, I’m fine with that. As for you, dear writer, you do you. And good luck!

~Cathy C. Hall (who coincidentally has about 25,000 words in her latest WIP and would REALLY like to get to 35,000 by the end of November)

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10 comments Cathy C. Hall, goals, NANO, NaNo Prep, NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, Pep Talks, writing challenges

Friday Speak Out!: Carole’s Five Tips for Facing Computer Problems

by Carole Mertz

As a writer, you should always remind yourself you’re unique. However, when it comes to learning how to face and fix computer problems, for example, you are not unique. Others have likely faced the same problems and found solutions.

You, the writer, have your own particular set of values, skills, accomplishments, and fears. Here are five tips to help you when facing frustrating challenges. (You may need these, because facing a computer glitch may seem to rob you of your personal values, skills, and sense of accomplishment, while causing your fears to loom large.)

1. When a seemingly insurmountable obstacle stops you short, remind yourself all solutions take time. Approaching the problem in a relaxed state will yield results sooner than from a state of high anxiety.

2. Even the most often published writers face technical difficulties at almost any level of the professional writing process. You are not alone. Tackle what you can, to the best of your ability.

3. If you are unable to solve the problem yourself, reach out for help. Realize if friends or family can’t help, you may have to pay for solutions with hard cash. Try to slow yourself down. Most problems don’t need smack dab immediate solutions.

4. Inability to do something does not indicate failure, it simply indicates inability to do something.

5. When technological problems are overcome, don’t forget to thank those who helped you. If you solved the problem, thank yourself with an ice cream cone or other reward of choice.

One of the best dreams I ever had was one in which, facing an obstacle I couldn’t overcome, I simply went around it. (I try to recall this dream in applicable moments. In certain situations, going around may be the only solution. (Having solved my most recent technological challenge was so rewarding I didn’t even need the ice cream.)

* * *

Carole Mertz began writing 10 years ago and has followed WOW! Women on Writing ever since. She has poems, essays, and reviews in various literary journals including Ascent Aspirations, Conium Review, Dreamers Creative Writing, The Ekphrastic Review, MER, Working Writer, and others. She is book review editor at Dreamers Creative Writing, reads in prose and poetry for Mom Egg Review, and reviews regularly at Eclectica. Carole’s first poetry collection, Toward a Peeping Sunrise, is forthcoming from Prolific Press, 2019.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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2 comments Carole Mertz, computer problems, Friday Speak Out, obstacles, tips for writers, writing challenges

November: A Month of Writing Challenges and Literacy

Yesterday, Sioux posted about NaNoWriMo. Yes, I can manage to write 5 minutes a day on my novel when I’m meeting another deadline. But I’ve never succeeded at NaNoWriMo. As Sioux pointed out, size matters. Because I write for children and teens, my work tends to run short in the world of novel writing. Fortunately there are other challenges out there. As should surprise no one, I’m putting them together to create my own.

My personal favorite was Picture Book Idea Month or PiBoIdMo. It used to be in November but organizer Tara Lazar moved it to January and changed the name. StoryStorm is now in January. Instead of focusing on picture books, it focuses on story ideas in general. I kept going after the challenge ended and at this point I have 251.

Not bad, but I want to challenge myself to focus on picture books during November. Why? Because I’m going to be researching and writing a new picture book. I’m also meeting a deadline for teen nonfiction so I’m going to need all the help I can get to also think about picture books. Thus my own personal PiBoIdMo challenge. Will I be able to come up with 30 picture book ideas? I think I can! (Get it? Picture book humor!)

Unless you are writing a young adult novel, challenging yourself to write 50,000 words in a month is a bit ludicrous. A really long picture book is a 1000 words. The sweet spot is somewhere between 200 and 500 words. Do the math and NaNoWriMo comes out to somewhere between 50 really long picture books and 250 really short ones. Fortunately Debbie Ridpath Ohi, a writer and illustrator of picture books, created the DailyWords Challenge.

Debbie is a wise woman and she knows that we need a challenge that meshes with our writing style. Do you need a specific number of words a day? Pick 100 words, 250 words or 1000 words. Or maybe, like me, you do better with a set amount of time. Debbie has badges for times from 15 to 60 minutes a day. I’ve chosen 15 minutes since I can always chose to work for a longer period of time.

But I'd like a little help to focus on picture books during this 15 minutes a day.  Fortunately November is Picture Book Month. This is an international literacy initiative. Throughout the month movers and shakers in the picture book community post about what makes picture books so essential to world literacy. They have scheduled posts by author/illustrators, editors and librarians. Teachers and school librarians are invited to make use of the lesson plans, coloring pages and other items posted on the site.

So, no, I won’t be writing a novel. My middle grade novel is resting for a month.

Instead, I will be drafting a new picture book. To do that, I need to focus on this special form. I’ll do that by brainstorming ideas, reading inspirational posts by people in the know, and working on my book at least 15 minutes a day. Anyone care to join me?

--SueBE

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5 comments NaNoWriMo, PiBoIdMo, Picture Book Month, picture books, Storystorm, Sue Bradford Edwards, writing challenges

When Obligations Get in the Way

I have a confession to make. Last night, I realized I forgot to write my blog post, which was due today.

I know. I know. Shame. But you know how life is.

Maybe you’re a parent, like me. I have two children who participate in activities almost every day after school. I cook dinner so they can eat healthy foods, and I clean up afterwards for my own sanity. I help the kids with homework, remind them to clean up after themselves, and interfere when their fights get physical. I cuddle with them at night so they remember that I love them.

Maybe you work in a stressful job, like me. I’m a teacher, and I work all day, and then I keep working when I’m at home. Always a glutton for punishment, I have a second teaching job teaching AP Language and Composition sessions to super-eager juniors (sense my sarcasm) on weekends for extra income.

And, like everyone else on the planet, I have other obligations, like doctor appointments, and grocery shopping. I know I need to keep up with friends so I don’t lose them, keep up with my parents so they don’t worry, and throw my poodle’s favorite toy so she doesn’t drive me crazy with her barking.

The list goes on, and on, and on, and on.

You’re with me, right? You know what it’s like. So, when life gets in the way of writing, try some of these strategies:

1. Take a deep breath - Sometimes, writing seems like a chore, and we never want our passion to be something we have negative feelings towards. Taking a deep breath helps expel the negativity.

2. Make a list – By making a list of the obligations from which we can’t immediately escape, and completing them as quickly as possible, we'll feel less harried. This leaves room in our schedules to write.

3. Find a quiet place – With distractions everywhere, excuse yourself for an hour. You’ll be amazed at how productive you can be when there is nothing to stop you.

4. Just say “no” – Over-obligation is a problem. Explain to your friends and family that you need a little time to regain your sanity, and say “no” to invitations for a week or two.

5. Remind yourself you aren’t alone - We all write, and we’re all in this crazy rat-race together. It’s okay to give yourself a break.

I can vouch for these ideas. I used each of them this morning and, voila! Blog post! Even if you don’t make all your deadlines, it’s important to regroup and keep writing a positive element in your life. Hopefully trying some of the tips above will help keep you on track.

Have any great tips for keeping your sanity? I’d love to hear them!


Bethany Masone Harar is an author, teacher, and blogger, who does her best to turn reluctant readers into voracious, book-reading nerds. Check out her blog here and her website here.

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3 comments deadlines, finding time to write, how to write when you work, keeping positive, parenting and writing, writing, writing challenges, writing obstacles

Camp NaNoWriMo

I have something of a love/hate relationship with summer.  I love that my son has time off.  But I hate trying to get things (my writing) done around his busy schedule.  I'm writing this on Tuesday and he has this day off.  So do several of the friends that he works with.  That means my dining room is wall to wall life guards.  I don't think they have indoor voices!  

The problem is that I manage to meet hard, fast paying deadlines and not much else.  Writing for fun? Work on my novel or either of my picture books in progress?  Forget it.

Fortunately, I just read about a spring and summer time version of NaNoWriMo.  Camp NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) takes place in April and July.  

Like NaNoWriMo, it is a great way to draw inspiration from your fellow campers.  Of course, since this is writing camp, you're fellow campers are all writers and most of them are in the same situation I am. They are trying to squeeze writing into a busy summer schedule.  

Unlike NaNoWriMo, you aren't expected to draft a novel in a month.  That's right - there is no 50,000 words in one month goal. Honestly, I have trouble even typing that.  I know I can write 15,000 words a month, but 50 thousand?  

If you feel the same way, you'll be relieved to know that Camp NaNoWriMo allows you to set your own goals.  Maybe you want to draft a chapter book for young readers.  Set an 8000 word goal.  Maybe you just want to get back into your novel.  Would 100 words a day do it?  200?  Set your goal to 3100 or 6200. 

The point is that the goal is up to you.  This is your camp.  

Speaking of camp - you even get to participate in a cabin.  This is perfect for those of us who are more than a little introverted.  Campers are organized into cabins.  This is a group of up to 20 people who are your "writing buddies" for the month of July.  You can register for Camp NaNoWriMo and be randomly sorted into a cabin with other campers.  Or, if this seems a little too like sleep over camp, you can join with a group of friends and form your own cabin.

Personally, I’m a lot more comfortable with this flexible program than the more heavily structured NaNoWriMo. If this sounds like something that would help jump start your writing this summer, you can sign up here.  Questions?  Check out their lengthy but informative FAQ page.

Me?  I’m just debating – duffle bag or backpack?

--SueBE

To find out more about Sue Bradford Edwards' writing, visit her blog, One Writer's Journey.  Sue is also the instructor for Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults. The next session begins August 14th. 

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5 comments Camp NaNoWriMo, NaNoWriMo, writing challenges

What I Didn't Know Before Becoming a Writer

Seeing my name in print makes the job worthwhile. 

I was scrolling through the writing advice boards on Pinterest when a blog post titled “What I Wish I Had Known Before I Became a Writer” caught my eye. The post (written by a novelist) had some good points, but many of them pertained to misconceptions about what her life would be like after she published a novel. I decided to take this topic and spin it a bit to reflect my own journey as a writer, which consists mostly of public relations, human-interest stories for magazines, and freelance editing.

Here is what I didn't know before becoming a writer:

Writing jobs don’t always pay as much as you think they will. Nowadays, traditional newspaper jobs still exist, but they are slowly being replaced by titles like “digital content specialists” and bloggers. When I first graduated from college, I thought I was going to go work for a newspaper and support myself entirely from that salary. Boy, was I wrong. When one of the newspapers I was interviewing with let the salary drop, my heart sank. I ended up taking a job in an advertising agency as a media assistant, and still had to keep my job working at a local restaurant on the weekends to supplement my income. The job didn't require a whole lot of writing--mostly number crunching and a press release here and there. Writing seems glamorous, but jobs in the industry often don’t pay what you think they will.

You will find yourself taking jobs that don’t necessarily require creative writing. I don’t always spend my time during the day reporting, interviewing, and writing. Sometimes I write advertising copy, work on content management for websites, and fact-check lists before they are published in magazines. They aren’t always glamorous jobs, but they pay a respectable amount of money and the work is there each month if I want it.

Writing is only part of the job—marketing is another. That was the gist of the post I read that inspired this article. The novelist lamented on how much time she had to spend marketing her work after being published. I also feel like I have to spend a lot of time keeping visible on social media accounts, thinking up article queries to pitch, keeping track of invoices and payments, working on projects for regular clients, etc. Then I find myself sitting in front of my computer at 9 p.m. and telling myself to open up my latest manuscript and get back to work rewriting. More often than not, it doesn’t happen.

Don’t get me wrong. I love being a writer and all the opportunities it has given me over the years. People are usually impressed when I tell them what I do (I don’t mention my not-so-impressive salary). But there is a constant tug-of-war between me telling myself what I should be working on (hard and fast deadlines) and what I want to be working on (unpublished manuscripts, essays, writing contests). Not to mention the self doubt that plagues me with little whispers of "You'll never be good enough," even though my clips suggest otherwise. I struggle every day for that balance.

What do you wish you had known before you became a writer?

Renee Roberson is an award-winning freelance writer and editor who has worked in public relations, media planning, magazine publishing, and also works as a dog walker for supplemental income. Visit her at FinishedPages.com.

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3 comments Renee Roberson, what I didn't know before I became a writer, writing advice, writing challenges

Doing a Writing Challenge

We are in the age of writing challenges: NaNoWriMo, PiBoIdMo, or WNFIN . Whatever you write, someone has probably come up with a challenge for it. They all seem to have these cute acronyms to go with them too!

I'm currently doing a writing challenge. Well, it was actually an introspective mom challenge from MOPS (see, I have an acronym, too, which stands for Mothers of Preschoolers) that I turned into a blog challenge because (and here's the key) I need a blog challenge. I want to write on my blog more. I want to write a non-fiction book based on some of the things that I'm blogging about. (Fiction still seems to elude me currently with my schedule and stress level.) And this brings me to my first point about writing challenges:

Only do a writing challenge if it fits in your writing goals/career.

Would Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo) be fun for me? Of course! I love picture books. I have written one and published it, and I have written countless others. I have a six-year-old, and I used to be an elementary school teacher, but I don't want to be a picture book writer. I thought I did, but I realize now that's not true. Talk about a hard genre to break into and/or be successful in and/or be good at. WOW! It's really like poetry (which also eludes me).

My point is if everyone is doing a certain challenge (NaNoWriMo), but you don't want to write a novel, don't do the challenge. It is hard and a waste of your time. Find a challenge or make your own with your writing group that fits with your career/writing goals.

Don't stress out if you get behind.

I will admit to you right here that I am behind on the MOPS challenge. I should be blogging one of their questions every day, but I can't seem to make it work; so I have been doing chunks of them at one time. It still fits my goal of posting more on my blog, and the questions make me think about things I want to write about. BUT I am not going to beat myself up about doing the challenge this way.

I've heard a lot of writers talk about how they lost NaNoWriMo. This is because they didn't make it to 50,000 words in 30 days. Did you make it to 30,000? 10,000? Guess what? The challenge worked somewhat because I guarantee you that you have 15,000 words more on a novel than you would have had if you had NOT done the challenge. A challenge is designed to be motivating and difficult, but not soul-crushing. If you are really hard on yourself because you didn't meet the challenge, then this is not the kind of thing to put in your writing routine.

Have fun.

Say what? Writing is supposed to be fun? (wink, wink) Yes, have fun while doing the challenge. I really think our lives are so consumed with goals and the need to make money and book sale numbers and stats and blah, blah, blah--that sometimes we forget writing is supposed to be fun. (smiles) Even if you are writing something serious, you can have fun by sharing your challenge success on social media or with your family at dinner and talking about the joy that writing is bringing to you. So, I'm sticking with this point and maybe even suggesting it's the most important one!

My MOPS blog challenge is going on at margoldill.com . I'm answering questions about being a mom, but also about my darkest days, loving my body, relationships, and more. So I would love you to check out a post if you have time.

And if you have taken part in a writing challenge, let us know about it below in the comments. OR if you plan to.

Margo L. Dill is a writing coach, published children's author, blogger, editor, and instructor. She works full-time as an editorial assistant for a farm media company and as a mom, and part-time as a writing instructor, freelance editor, blogger, girlfriend, best friend, and writer. Find out more at margoldill.com. To sign up for her WOW! novel course, go here. 

photo above courtesy of MOPS--at the end of the 28 days, we should be ready to do ONE BIG THING. 

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4 comments blogging, Inspiration, Margo L. Dill, writing challenges

Friday Speak Out!: Give the Writer a Sandwich. Please.

by Vicki Wilson

I was on a diet.

It was a few months after the holidays, over which I’d eaten much chocolate and more prime rib than a good-sized tyrannosaurus rex. And then everyone in my family had a birthday with cake and ice cream and then it was after Easter and I needed to drop a few pounds.

I’m a writer. A work-from-home, hungry writer. I measured, and the refrigerator is thirteen feet from my desk. The pantry is closer. The pantry has potato chips.

On the first Day of the Diet, I sat down at my computer with an apple and my cup of coffee all creamed up with skim milk. I sipped and nibbled while I opened my emails. “This isn’t so hard,” I thought. “My mind is occupied. My coffee is good. I don’t need a bagel. I don’t need cream cheese. I don’t need one of those Boston cream doughnuts. I certainly don’t need scrambled eggs.”

In one email response, I typed “steak” rather than “stake.”

Lunchtime came (at 11:30 a.m. because 11:30 a.m. is lunchtime when you’re on a diet). I made a healthy turkey wrap, sat back down at my desk, and felt as though confetti should fall from the ceiling, both to celebrate my dietary parsimoniousness and that it was lunchtime. When I looked up from the writing I was working on, I was surprised to find my turkey wrap gone. Writing is a hazard when you’re on a diet. You can become too absorbed in what you’re composing and completely miss that you had a meal. This is not encouraging for your dieting mind, which by this point was obsessed with a turkey bacon club with extra mayo with a side of fries and a large Coke rather than a nice turkey, lettuce and tomato wrap (which had already been eaten).

Then, dinner.

No, not yet.

2 p.m. I ate baby carrots and thought about pitching someone an article on whether hunger can make you wild-eyed and nutty as a fruitcake (I noted that the mention of fruitcake did not make me want fruitcake and I congratulated myself on not being too far gone).

Dinner?

Nope. 4:30 p.m.

The phone rang and I jumped on it like I was grabbing for a rope to leap out over a swimming hole. Hunger distraction. It was my husband. We made small talk. Then, “What do you want for dinner?” he asked me.

Oh, goodness. What did I not want? I wanted mashed potatoes with butter. I wanted lasagna. I wanted macaroni and cheese.

“Maybe a grilled chicken salad?” I said. “I’m on a diet.”

“Right,” he said. “Okay. You want me to pick it up?”

“Sure. Or, maybe, why not just a cheeseburger?”

“A cheeseburger? What about the diet?”

“Okay, just a hamburger.”

“Okay,” he said, and hung up.

I didn’t need a cheeseburger. I was a work-from-home writer. I had cheese in the fridge, thirteen feet away. Right beside the pantry with the Lays.

I had everything I needed.

* * *

Vicki Wilson is a freelance writer and author who also occasionally writes plays. She lives in New York with her husband and son. You can visit her at www.vickilynnwilson.com or follow her on Twitter (@Wilsvick).
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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3 comments diet, food and writing, Friday Speak Out, Vicki Wilson, work at home, writing challenges

Word Challenges: Motivation to Write

photo by wwarby on Flickr.com

It sounds crazy that writers need challenges to write. When I tell my non-writing friends that I am stuck on a work-in-progress or most of my writing time is dedicated to freelance, I can tell they don't get it. But you, if you are reading this blog, you are probably a writer. And hopefully, you get what I mean when I say: writers need motivation. We need to spice it up--or it is super easy to get in a rut and not actually produce new creative material for publication.

This is the exact problem almost my entire critique group was having in the spring. We all seem to have things going on in our lives that are getting in the way of producing any words at all. We love each other, so we still met--sometimes one person out of six would have something for us to critique. Or we would brainstorm if one of us felt stuck. But let's just say, none of us were producing anything close to the 20 pages we could have turned in for the others to read and critique.

So at our last meeting, someone suggested doing a daily word challenge. Every day for 90 days, we should commit to writing 250 words. When we go on retreat in the summer, we will pick a winner of the challenge--and this winner will get a monetary prize--which is the person who wrote the most and the most consistently over the 90 days. And it is working! Our word totals are probably triple what they were all spring in just one week. I'm struggling a little still, but I know why; and soon, I will be able to get on track and add my daily totals to the spreadsheet too.

This isn't the only word challenge you can do. You can do "word sprints", also known as "word wars." What this entails is either physically being in a room with other writers or online at the same time. You set a timer for an agreed upon time (usually less than 30 minutes), and you write as many words on your manuscript as possible as quickly as you can. (It's sort of the same philosophy as NaNoWriMo--just make progress, you can revise later.) When the time is up, everyone shares their word counts, and the person with the most gets to say: "I won the word war."  There could be a prize, like chocolate, if you so desire.

You actually don't need other writers to do a word sprint. You can just compete against yourself and try to beat your personal best, too.

Do you have any word challenges you do to keep yourself motivated and progressing on your work-in-progress? If so, please share them. We would love to hear about these ideas here!

Margo L. Dill is a children's writer and published author as well as an instructor for the WOW! classroom. Check out her books on her website.

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1 comment critique groups, Margo L. Dill, work in progress, writing challenges, writing motivation

'Tis the Season For Writing

I’m not sure how or why November became the call to challenge for writers. But if you’re looking for writing motivation, you’re going to find it in the eleventh month.

Got a novel percolating in your brain? Sign up for National Novel Writing Month and try to push 50,000 words out in thirty days. The NaNoWriMo folks can tell you exactly how many words you’ll need to write each day, if you want to win this challenge. Suffice it to say, you’ll need a lot of words to make the daily count.

Is poetry your pleasure? You’ll be interested in the November 2012 Poem-a-Day Chapbook Challenge. You don’t even have to sign up for this challenge; you just need to write your poems according to the daily prompt. When the month ends, you’ll send in your manuscript for judging, and your chapbook of poetry could be a winner!

Perhaps you’re drawn to children’s books? This is the last day to officially sign up for Picture Book Idea Month. That’s right—idea. You don’t need to write an entire manuscript every day. You only need an idea. One sweet, massively brilliant idea for a picture book. And at the end of the month, you and your 30 ideas are eligible for prizes.

November truly is a writer’s bonanza! And if you’re the kind of writer who needs/enjoys a push, I hope you’ll sign up for the challenge that suits you. But if you do, I hope you’ll think about the time you’re investing, and make that investment pay off for you.

I know writers who've completed a NaNo novel—only to dump those 50,000 words in December. And yes, to complete a novel in a month means plot holes and character gaps and let’s face it—an awful lot of crummy writing. But I’ll bet you’ll find an awful lot of fine writing in that manuscript, too. You most likely have an idea that you really love, if you’re going to take the time to write 50,000 words about it. So, sure, give yourself some time off. But come January, give that NaNo novel a fighting chance.

The same goes for your poems and picture book ideas. Polish up your favorite daily poems. Take a cherished idea and follow through with it. Turn it into a picture book manuscript. Get your work critiqued by your writer’s group or at a conference, and send those poems and picture books out into the world for an opportunity at publication.

Come on, writers! By the end of November, you may have astronomical word counts. Make those word counts count!

~Cathy C. Hall

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2 comments Cathy C. Hall, National Novel Writing Month, novel writing, Picture Book Idea Month, picture books, Poem-a-Day, poetry, writing challenges, writing motivation