NaNoWriMo Tag And Plans

NaNoWriMo really is my favorite time of year.

I woke up and declared my writing project.

My idea to write 50,000 words in the month of November. National Novel Writing Month. And this year, I have a PLAN.

How about you?

Let’s be NaNoWriMo writing buddies.

In order to get in the writing zone, I wanted to share this survey as a way to focus.

NaNoWriMo tag questions from Natalia Leigh.

1. How many times have you participated in NaNoWriMo? How many times have you won?

We have a long, complicated relationship.

I found it when I ran a group for young writers (that I’m too old for now. Hi.)

First year, I got to 35K, with subsequent tries anywhere from 10,050 to 256 words.

2. Are you a pantser or a plotter?

Pantser. See above answer.

3. What are the titles of the projects that you have attempted/completed for past NaNos?

Changed titles and projects many times, except for the ones with decent word counts.

First one was a realistic romance/family saga thing, because I was young and into those books. Yes, really.

Also attempted an epistolary novel, but I got sick of writing letters to myself. There’s also been a book of poetry that I journaled, typed and printed, and then pasted, with actual glue, back into a journal. That was an interesting year.

Then there was a nostalgic time-travel piece, and last year was something on divorced parents spending Christmas together, which I took from life, and a Christmas road trip.

4. What are you working on for NaNo this year?

Actually, actually? A book of essays. Memoir, I suppose.

And this year’s participation badge is so sparkly, I don’t want to disappoint it.

5. What is one tip that you’d give to someone else that is participating in NaNo?

Do it.

Every day is new. It’s about honoring your writing time. It’s about slinging words, any words. It’s a giant global write-in. It’s not a test.

For more practical tips read these posts from other writers:

How To Write A Book In One Month

and

Prepare To Crush NaNoWriMo

and

NaNoWriMo Tracking Tools (including accountability groups)

If you need extra writing inspiration check out my post 38 Places To Find Writing Prompts.

6. What was the inspiration for this novel? Do you remember when the inspiration hit you?

Inspiration hit me about 38 years ago.

But seriously.

My fiction brain is fried. So I’m finally going to write the nonfiction essays that have been rattling around for years. Expanding on blog posts I’ve written on life with a disability, and being a third-culture kid who grew up.

And not a novel, but that’s the current writing project.

7. Read us the first sentence from your NaNo novel last year?

‘Whose idea was this?’

About a dinner party. And possibly a general question.

8. What do you plan to do with your manuscript after NaNo?

Pitch it.

9. Are you prepared for NaNo? Are you nervous?

I love the buzz of NaNo, the connectedness, and the excuse to put one word after the other.

This year I’m looking forward to cutting the bullshit and getting back to why I started writing, and what I’m trying to say.

Recently, I’ve been dealing with stuff where I am just a number, even though I know I’m not.

Looking forward to getting back to my travel stories, and my human stories, and my sarcastic stories.

I promise they won’t be boring, and I have snacks.

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo?

What’s your project and goals for the month?

May the words and coffee be with us all.