NaNoWriMo Tips and Tricks

Happy writing month to all my fellow writers out there.  Yesterday was the start of the fast and furious novel writing month. I've been taking part in this for 8 years now and because I've learned a few things, I'm sharing them with you. 

Also if you're on twitter follow #NaNoWriMo15 or #NaNoWriMo for updates from writers everywhere! 

Here are my past posts:

1. Are you thinking about it?
2. Tips 1
3. And finally, it can happen to you: Authors who wrote their first draft during NaNoWriMo and after edits and revisions, became published.

Most importantly, have fun with it!

NaNoWriMo Update

As of this morning, I'm halfway towards my writing goals. This last few thousand have been tough to write, just because it's at the point in the novel where I'm not sure where everything's going. But I do have some ideas. I've been participating in NaNoWriMo for five years (And won the four previous years). I heard about a year before my year, in the middle of November, so I couldn't join that year. Since then I've written three YA novels (one verse novel about a girl in college during her first year, one fantasy novel about a girl fighting for control over her kingdom, and one Christmas romance about a girl who's family owns a tree farm) and one cozy mystery about a travel writer who's writing about her best friend's inn opening and there's a murder at the party. The 5th year, I'm writing a sequel to the cozy mystery called Killing Mr. Darcy where the main character and her best friend head to the Jane Austen festival in Bath, where an actor who played Mr. Darcy on stage, is murdered. 


Here are some tips I have about completing NaNoWriMo, which is great in motivating me to write.

1. Get a notebook and in October start plotting by chapter - write down something that will happen at each chapter so you have something to write about
2. Plot at least halfway through the novel - I like the to stop there, because I don't always know where I'm going and I like my characters to lead me there.
3. Stop writing for the day in the middle of a scene or when you know what's going to happen next. it makes it so much easier to start the next day. 
4. I try for a word count for 2000 daily because I know there are going to be days when I just don't have time to write. It's nice to have a little cushion.

Are you writing this year? Good luck if you are! 

NaNoWriMo

This afternoon, I will be starting my 5th year as a NaNoWriMo participant. I'm under YAbooknerd - feel free to add me as a writing buddy. 

This year I'm writing a sequel to the cozy mystery I wrote last year. It takes place during the Jane Austen festival in Bath, England and is tentatively titled Killing Mr. Darcy. I was plotting some of it Tuesday night and I'm itching to start.

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For those of you in CT writing, The Otis Library will be hosting a Write-in for all ages on November 19th from 6-8. Bring your manuscript and add to your word count. We'll supply the addictive cookies.

We're also hosting Rosemary Harris for a fantastic night about writing. 

Get Your Write On! With author Rosemary Harris

Like writing? Listen to mystery writer Rosemary Harris talk about writing and the business side of getting published at 6:30 in the Community Room on November 14th .

*This program is for teens and adults*