Proof the Basics

Here's evidence that you always need to proofread your marketing material. Especially make sure your company name, address, phone number and email are correct.

Another Year, Another Novel

As we near the end of October the chill in the air can't diminish the excitement that accompanies the final days of the month! For some, the excitement is the anticipation of Halloween-costumes, celebrations and the sugar rush of too much candy. But for some of us literary folk, the excitement is the anticipation of National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo for short)-characters, write-ins and the rush of too much caffeine mixed with lack of sleep and constant creativity!

Imagine: writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days! Last year was my first year participating, and I did it! I "won" by hitting the word count by the end of November. It was not an easy accomplishment-late nights, piles of laundry, kids to bed on time every night so I could write after they were asleep, frozen chicken in all shapes and sizes quickly oven-heated for dinner and spending every waking moment thinking about what I would write next.

And the finished novel? It's terrible!

Am I still proud of it! Of course. The important thing to remember about NaNo is meeting the goal of finishing-there's no expectation that what you've written is good enough to show a publisher (or your spouse, or your cat). My first novel is tucked away on the computer...created but probably never to be read again.

I still love my main character, so maybe in a future NaNo I'll bring her back to life in another story.

This year I'm doing more planning, because I'd like my 2009 novel to have a plot that actually moves the story along (last year's character spent nearly 1,000 words making dinner) and auxiliary characters that have a little more depth than the ones in last year's foray (some of them I didn't even bother giving names!).

This year, I'm more prepared. I have a completed outline-20 chapters all lined up and ready to go. I have writing tips (and an idea how to use a short first person narrative in my third person story). I have character development sheets that are somewhat filled out. I even already named my protagonist, antagonist and two secondary characters.

I also am prepared for writing. I have a new notebook laptop I got for Christmas last year that I can use to write this year's novel. I've been in contact with some other local writers to do a few write-ins for moral support to keep going. I added writing buddies to my NaNo profile, and I might even use the forums to ask more questions than last year (other writers give great advice and guidance when you're stuck on a character or plot point.)

I'm raring to go! November 1 can't come soon enough. I'm already planning on taking a little Halloween nap so I can be awake after midnight to get a good jump on my word count. Maybe I'll even let the kids have some Halloween treats in the morning so the sugar rush wears off early so they sleep!

Will you join me for NaNoWriMo?