Tuesday, November 02, 2010

A Month of Writing Madness

If you are one of the thousands upon thousands of writers signed up for NaNoWriMo, you already know that November is National Novel Writing Month. This year, I am among the crazies authors who are attempting to write a 50,000 word book in a month.

50,000 WORDS!

I know that sounds like an impossible task, but if you break it down that's only 1,667 words per day. That's about seven manuscript pages. That seems more doable, right? Seven little, measly pages a day. You can do that!

For some writers, NaNo means tuning out all distractions, ignoring school and work and friends and family and personal hygiene for the next thirty days. It means loading up on caffeine and potato chips and Twizzlers, disconnecting from the internet, and yelling at anyone who dares to ask them a question.

This is a little extreme--and I personally think that going to extremes leads to quick burnout, but hey whatever works for you.

For me, NaNo means going to the office (cough Starbucks cough) every day. I mean EVERY DAY. I'm not usually a write every day kind of writer, unless deadline looms, and I feel pretty guilty about this. But for this one month, without a contracted deadline driving me, I'm going to write every day and finish the book.

As my grandfather always said, BISHOK: Butt In Seat, Hands On Keyboard

What about you? How many Buzz readers (and Bees) are participating in NaNo this year?

Hugs,
TLC

teralynnchilds.com
@teralynnchilds

7 comments:

TinaFerraro said...

Best of luck to all of you who are participating!!!

sunnynikki said...

This is my first year doing it and I feel pretty good so far. I'm trying to avoid the all consuming mode and go for the slow and steady.

Good luck to everyone!

Jessica said...

Planning to go home and post BISHOK in huge letters above my favorite writing chair!

nymfaux said...

I'm in it to win it!!!

I'm doing my best to limit my extraneous internetting (like now), and I've been doing so-so, just need to keep plugging away, amidst all the distractions!!!

I think I might borrow Jessica's idea of posting BISHOK on the wall above my laptop. ;)

stephhale said...

I'm plugging along pretty good. I just wish the Nano site wasn't so incredibly slow!

C.R. Evers said...

I'm not doing NaNo, but I am dedicating the month to finishing my current WIP.

Good luck to everyone no matter what your goals!

Wendy Toliver said...

Good luck, Tera! I'm not doing it myself but I am working hard on a new proposal so I'll be over here in Utah in my (home) office typing away! I've written 4 MSS pages so far today so that's pretty good, eh? LOL