I joined nano in 2005. I needed something to convert writing from something I thought about to something that I did.
Many of the novels I’ve completed this year have their roots in nano. Book of Secrets started off as a book called Pack in 2015 and then was revised for 2016. Relic was the 2017 nano book. Who knows maybe the seeds to some future books are lurking in previous nanos.
One of the complaints I’ve heard about nano is that a ‘real’ writer does a nano each month. That statement used to bother me. Imposter syndrome is rampant within the writer community as is the advice which says ‘if you aren’t doing it X, you are wrong’.
After a few successful nanos, I realized that having that deadline helped my butt in seat time. I decided to start a blog to give myself deadlines for writing. I also took a ton of classes. I started with craft and then worked to process classes.
I’m pretty sure if it were for nano all those years ago, I wouldn’t have figured out my process.
Now nano is something different for me. It’s a tie to explore or start from scratch. I’m cleaning off my plate, finishing Book 1 of Relic Series, blog posts to the end of the year written and scheduled, and the first three newsletters.
On Nov 1st I’m going to see if I can fast draft book two in the Relic series. Wish me luck!
What do you do to prep for nano?
Nano is new for me so I didn’t prepare enough. I wrote out an incomplete outline and partial character descriptions/motivations. Of course this is wreaking havoc on my daily word count. Just started, but Im averaging 800-900 words daily instead of 1,500 and staring at blank pages most of the time. This is the first time out the gate for me so what ever I end up with at the end of the month will be a plus.
Will do better next year now that I understand the concept.
Keep doing what you can. Its only the 4th. You still could make it. 😉
Thanks. I will 😊
1,667 words per day, every day, for 30 days. Too much for me, and another reminder that writing is what you do, not what you identify as.
Inspiration is for amateurs, and I am nothing more than a dilettante amateur.
Aren’t we writers because we write? 🙂
That’s the idea. I’m happy to see you carrying on and wish you good fortune as you go nano-a-nano with your latest work.