Not writing... Working, though....

I am trying to come up with a new/cleaner/more streamlined signature and am doing that rather than writing. Sigh.

Stacy Duplease
Author of Historical Fiction, Blogger, & Journalkeeper

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: test 2

test 2

Test 2 of a new signature

Stacy Duplease
Author of Historical Fiction, Blogger, & Journalkeeper

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: test

My writing fiction & NaNoWriMo blog: test

How can anyone write 50,000 words in a month? (More NaNoWriMo Chronicles): Write that novel.

These are all dilemmas and questions at the same time:

~ How can anyone write 50,000 words in a month?

~ How can anyone write 50,000 words in a month--and have a life?

~ How can anyone write 50,000 words in a month--and work?

~ How can anyone write 50,000 words in a month--and raise children, and fulfill all of their other life responsibilities?

~ Is it even possible?

Is this something you struggle with as a writer? 

I think that all of these questions stem from one real question. The other questions are subsets of that real overlying question.

The real question, please personalize it, is: 

Can I write a novel? 

That is the most important question at all. 

Can you (I) really write that novel you've always dreamed of--whether consciously or subconsciously (and even sometimes unconsciously)? 

No. You can't. I know this for a fact. I have no doubt about my answer to you and I am not being sarcastic. You will NEVER write that novel. 

Never.

Ahh. You are thinking there is a catch.

There is no catch. 

You will NEVER write that novel because of you. You have already set yourself up to fail. Just asking the question already means you have failed. You've set yourself up to fail.

Tell yourself you WILL write that novel and NOTHING and NO ONE will stop you. That includes you.

Be determined. Quit being a statistic. Quit quitting. Quit telling yourself you can't. 

Let me tell you a little secret about the word 'can't'. Can't implies can. It implies you are actively, intentionally choosing not to do something. In this case, it would be writing the novel you've always dreamed of (even if you just got that dream yesterday). 

CHOOSE to write that novel from cover to cover. Be purposeful. Be intentional. Act on it. Quit paying mere lip-service to it and--do it.

It really is that simple.

If you choose to make writing a novel of 50,000 words in 30 days your priority, it will become one. 

How? Simple. 

What do you do with all of the REAL priorities in your life? Well, for starters, you don't let anything stop you from doing it. Nothing. No one. You have made it your priority and nothing gets in the way. You put it on your schedule and everyone in your life know it's there and knows not to get in the way of your priority. (Hint: I just told you how to do it. Read between the lines and apply to your life and your novel writing.) 

How will you write a novel in a month?

You will make it happen through intentionality. It will be your priority.

Now, I know that you as you write, you won't like what you write. You may even end up hating your main character (which means, in turn, you hate the entire book). You may want to throw the whole thing away. It's trash. No one would want to read it. It doesn't even make sense. It's not something that will sell. It's... Fill in the blank.

Stop. You control your thoughts. They do not control you. Change the internal voice recorder to: "There is a reason why this is called a rough draft. It's... You've guessed it. Rough. This is not the final draft. I will edit it to be the next best literary great. That's what sets all other novels apart. The editing. I will edit it so that I like.... Fill in the blank. But, I will write this novel. I will finish this novel." 

So, now, it's your turn.

Repeat after me:

"I, put your name here, WILL write my novel of 50,000 words and finish all 50,000 words by 30 November 2011."

And...

"I will write my rough draft version of my novel now and will worry about the editing to perfection later." 

Now, go and do it.

Quit allowing anything, everything, and everyone stop you. Write that novel! 

You can.

You will CHOOSE to do so.

You will figure out a way to eliminate, crawl-over, crawl-around, or crawl-under any and all obstacles and will write your novel. Period. End of story.

Tada! You have a written novel.

--

~ Stacy Duplease

Author of Historical Fiction (of Virginia and the U.S.) & Journalkeeper 

Latest Book: "Yorktown's Dawning" (Book 1 of 7)

Latest Historical Fiction Series: "The Chronicles of the Siege of Yorktown"

Next Book Planned: Jamestowne (Book 1 of 3) (NaNoWriMo Book 2011)

Participating in NaNoWriMo 2011 (NaNoWriMo). 

NaOWriMo Countdown

32 days 12 hours

--

~ Stacy Duplease

Author of Historical Fiction (of Virginia and the U.S.) & Journalkeeper 

Latest Book: "Yorktown's Dawning" (Book 1 of 7)

Latest Historical Fiction Series: "The Chronicles of the Siege of Yorktown"

Next Book Planned: Jamestowne (Book 1 of 3) (NaNoWriMo Book 2011)

Participating in NaNoWriMo 2011 (NaNoWriMo). 

NaNoWriMo Thoughts, Hints, Tips, Etc.

NaNoWriMo and the National Novel Writing Month of November is just around the corner. It starts in 33 way-too-short days. (Yikes)

Are you crazy enough to write a novel of 50,000 words in a month? (Don't forget Thanksgiving and the Thanksgiving weekend are in there as well. So, it's actually shorter than 30 days.)

I am. That crazy. So crazy indeed that I have now done it three years in a row. (Pray for me.)

This year, I know the genre. I even know the subject. It's the Jamestown Settlement in 1607 here in Virginia. Beyond that, I have no idea. None. Zilch. 

I am still trying to write the last half of a novel I am writing right now and haven't had much time to plan at all. Then again, I didn't realize NaNoWriMo was just around the corner until this weekend. 

So, if you are like me, how can you prepare for NaNo in 33 very short days?

The answer is carefully. 

The reality of the situation for me is this: I laugh. I really won't have a clue what I am writing about until Tuesday, 01 November. That's the reality of the situation. All of my head space needs to go to "Yorktown's Dawning" between now and then. I will set a few days aside in October to devote time to planning, for strategy, and hopefully meet up with a few people to start turning my mind in that direction. I will try to do a rough and very thin outline.

If I were to start to prepare for NaNoWriMo today, this is what I would do:

1 I would try to come up with a one-sentence hook. 

2 Then a paragraph hook. 

3 Then, the back cover material for the book. 

4 Then, I would write a rough and thin outline for the book. What I mean by that is I take a piece of paper and fold it in thirds. Each portion represents the 3-acts of my novel (the beginning, the middle, and the end). Then, I write a couple of sentences for each scene in each of those acts. I get the character names, setting, and a couple of words or a sentence of what happens in that scene. 

5 I walk into NaNoWriMo (or sit at my computer to be more precise) on 01 November and start. 

6 As time allows, I try to get more of an outline prepared. 

50,000 words in a month can be as simple as we make it. It's been simple for me. I refuse to have it any other way. Sure, complications come up. It seems like everyone and everything fights to divide my time in November of every year. However, I make it through. I finish. Why? I refuse not to.

Just like, I do NOT believe in writer's block. I refuse to succumb. It is a choice I've made. I worked and wrote for 7.5 years and I've written full-time for 2.5 years. I've never had writers block. I can always find something to write. I may throw some of it away later, but I keep writing. 

However, I also leave room in there for me to not make it and get 50,000 words done. I cut myself grace and tell myself I have the next month or two to finish writing a real novel of 80,000 words on average. Rome wasn't built in a day, as the old cliche states. And a novel is no exception. If I don't finish in November, there are indeed eleven other months.

I write full-time now. But, that wasn't always the case. I worked and wrote for years. How did I find time to write? 

The answer is simple. I STOLE time. 

What do I mean by that? It's something that I still do today. I write when I can--wherever I can. 

How do I steal time?

~ I have a voice recorder in the car. I write as I drive--through talking into my phone or mp3 player.  Red lights are my best friend! I get the most done then. Then, when I get home, I type it up.

~ I carry a journal with me at all times.

~ I write if I am on hold while on the phone.

~ Doctors office waiting rooms are down-times and I write.

~ If I am standing in a line, I write. 

~ I get up earlier--as necessary.

~ I stay up later--as necessary.

~ I limit my tv time and my reading time.

~ As I cook dinner I write.

~ I write in the bathroom as I get ready.

~ If my husband goes to do something, I steal a few minutes to write while he's gone--even if it's for 30 seconds.

~ As my husband watches tv, I write by his side. 

~ I jot down ideas in the middle of the night--as necessary. 

~ As I exercise, I am writing and planning in my head. I write everything down when I am done exercising so I don't forget what I came up with to add to my book.

~ Wait time to get my hair cut.

~ In the shower. That's the best time to come up with ideas. Keep a notepad in the bathroom at all times (or your cell phone so you can text yourself messages of your writing ideas)

~ I email myself my writing from my cell and send myself texts as necessary.

I am sure you get the idea. 

--

~ Stacy Duplease

Author of Historical Fiction (of Virginia and the U.S.) & Journalkeeper

of Remembering Your Present, LLC

  

Latest Book: "Yorktown's Dawning" (Book 1 of 7)

Latest Historical Fiction Series: "The Chronicles of the Siege of Yorktown"

Next Book Planned: Jamestowne (Book 1 of 3) (NaNoWriMo Book 2011)

Email: hisfiction@gmail.com

NaNoWriMo Countdown

As of 29 September, we have 33 days to go before the beginning of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

--

~ Stacy Duplease

Author of Historical Fiction (of Virginia and the U.S.) & Journalkeeper

of Remembering Your Present, LLC

  

Latest Book: "Yorktown's Dawning" (Book 1 of 7)

Latest Historical Fiction Series: "The Chronicles of the Siege of Yorktown"

Next Book Planned: Jamestowne (Book 1 of 3) (NaNoWriMo Book 2011)

Email: hisfiction@gmail.com