National November Writing Month is my new favourite time of year. For thirty days each November, writers from around the world come together to write a minimum of 50,000 words – the average length of a children’s novel and a good first crack at adult fiction.
I love NaNoWriMo because of the inherent motivation of the task. While I am a dedicated writer, the accountability inherent in NaNoWriMo – the daily tracking of words counts, checking in with your buddies, the enthusiasm of the NaNoWriMo staff – make me more likely to hit my daily targets.
In preparation for NaNoWriMo this year, I have been building my outline with Kristen Kieffer’s The Pre-Write Project, which basically helps writers build their story bible in advance. It has been an amazing resource to get me thinking!
Now that I have my bible complete, between now and Sunday and I will do a preliminary plot planner using the techniques I’ve learned from Martha Alderson, The Plot Whisperer.
For the first time, I will be entering NaNoWriMo without completely pantsing it. The book I am embarking on is complex and will require a tremendous amount of research, but getting the bones done during NaNoWriMo will make a huge difference!
For some reason, when I search my user handle on the NaNoWriMo page I come up empty, so if you’d like to become buddies, drop me a line here and I will find you!