Greetings fellow WriMos or prospective WriMos! We're just days away from the fierce frenzy of a writing whirlwind. Today, I want to give you a final pep talk to keep pushing forward when things get rough. Because they will get rough. Unless, of course, you're someone who never experiences self doubt and can sit down …
Continue reading "Some Final Words of Advice Before NaNoWriMo Begins"
Let's dig into what has become my favorite part of the NaNoWriMo prep process: getting my life in order. I wish I could get my act together this well the rest of the year, but there's something about the deadline of NaNoWriMo (and the deadline of getting ready for NaNoWriMo) that makes me want to take …
How are we feeling future WriMos? We're just a couple weeks away from the big month, and I don't know about you, but I'm a mix of excitement and nerves at the prospect of getting 50,000 words done in a month. Even after nine years of doing this, it's always the same for me: hope …
Before embarking on a journey of writing 50,000 words as part of National Novel Writing Month, there are a number of logistical steps I like to take to help myself log big word counts during the month. In more than ten years of participating in, and successfully completing, NaNoWriMo, here are five of my tips …
Continue reading "5 Logistical Tips for a Successful NaNoWriMo"
Once I have the characters figured out in my story, I turn toward developing the story. Now, some of this does involve plotting, which isn't everyone's cup. Good news: Most of my story development steps are plotting free. They'll still do wonders to help get you thinking about the journey your characters will take. And …
As we prepare for National Novel Writing Month, which officially begins November 1, let's start at the heart of every story: the characters. I'll forever come back to the same tip I read in the first fiction-writing craft book I picked up. "Story is what happens to character." That's what James V. Smith Jr. wrote …
Back by popular demand, for the next 31 days, I’m going to share my tips for having an awesome National Novel Writing Month. But first, a brief Q&A: What is National Novel Writing Month? Affectionately known as NaNoWriMo, it’s a 30-day writing challenge in which writers around the world set out to write 50,000 words …
Laura Chapman 