Well, I'm taking the plunge and participating the National Novel Writing Month this year. This is my first time, so I'm a little nervous and anxious, but I'm also excited as well. The project I'll be "noveling" about is called, "The Count's Lair." This is a paranormal romance and it's book 2 in my "Hungarian Moon" series.


Here's the blub:
Can a man haunted by an ancient curse fall in love? That’s what Count Anton Varga dares to explore when he meets beautiful and talented Lady Amelia Andrássy. Anton rediscovers Amelia in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, giving a concert and he hungers to pursue her, only he has a secret which he fears she will not accept. With the help and support of his friend and servant, Georg, Anton decides to win Amelia’s heart. Will the journey bring him the love he’s hungered for, or will it tear his heart apart?


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I first heard of NaNoWriMo when I signed up on Writing.com. At first I thought it was an ambitious goal, and I still do. Trying to get 50,000 words in month will be a challenge for me considering my other commitments - real life, my kids, my job... but writing is a passion for me and I'm really into Anton & Amelia's story so I'm looking forward to this. I haven't wanted to tackle a writing project for NaNoWriMo until now. I figure it will help motivate me to get a good chunk of the writing done.


NaNoWriMo supports young writers and they ask if you're willing to be sponsored, which I am. My goal is ambitious for me - $200.00. I hope to make it, but I know that it might be challenging given today's economic climate. As per their current stat, only 3.71 of those sponsored have earned over $81,000 which I think is great. If anyone would like to sponsor me, let me know. Send me an email and I'll send you a link.


NaNo's first year was 1999. They wrote in July and were out of the San Franscisco Bay area. The next year they got a website. In 2001 they saw a large increase in participants. Since then it's just taken off. In 2007 they had over 100,000 participants and over 15,000 reached the 50,000 word goal. Fantastic.


For NaNoWriMo, it's not the quality of work - it's the quanity. Put it down on your writing program and don't worry about editing it until December. NaNoWriMo will give you the skelton of a novel, you fill in the rest later.


Their website offers a lot of support. If you want to check out my home on NaNoWriMo, become a writing buddy, or just say "Hi." You can find me here at: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/526402


It's all about the written word.


Steph

 

I'll be working on my novel, "The Count's Lair" during NaNoWriNo this year! I'm a 1st time participant and I'm nervous but giddy at the same time. If you want to head on over there and sign me up as a buddy my user name is "StephB" Hope to see you there! Here's the official press release:

Contact:
Lindsey Grant
(510) 628-0327
press@NaNoWriMo.org

NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH:

THE LARGEST WRITING CONTEST IN THE WORLD!
No Judges. No Prizes. Winning Manuscripts Deleted. Appeal Remains a Mystery.

Oakland, Calif. --- www.NaNoWriMo.org --- August, 2009 --- There are some who say writing a novel takes awesome talent, strong language skills, academic training, and years of dedication.

Not true. All it really takes is a deadline – a very, very tight deadline – and a whole lot of coffee.

Welcome to National Novel Writing Month: a nonprofit literary crusade that encourages aspiring novelists all over the world to write a 50,000-word novel in a month. At midnight on Nov. 1, 150,000 writers from over 90 countries – poised over laptops and pads of paper, fingers itching and minds racing with plots and characters – will begin a furious adventure in fiction. By 11:59 PM on Nov. 30, tens of thousands of them will be novelists.
NaNoWriMo is the largest writing contest in the world. In 2008, over 120,000 people took part in the free challenge. And while the event stresses fun and creative exploration over publication, more than 30 NaNoWriMo novelists have had their NaNo-novels published, including Sarah Gruen, whose New York Times #1 Best Seller, Water for Elephants began as a NaNoWriMo novel.

Around 18% of NaNoWriMo participants "win" every year by writing 50,000 words and validating their novels on the organization's website before midnight on Nov 30. Winners receive no prizes, and no one at NaNoWriMo ever reads the manuscripts submitted.

So if not for fame or fortune, why do people do it?

"The 50,000-word challenge has a wonderful way of opening up your imagination and unleashing creative potential like nothing else," says NaNoWriMo Founder and Program Director (and ten-time NaNoWriMo winner) Chris Baty. "When you write for quantity instead of quality, you end up getting both. Also, it's a great excuse for not doing any dishes for a month."

If you would like more information about National Novel Writing Month, or would like to talk to participants from NaNoWriMo chapters in your area, please visit our website at www.NaNoWriMo.org, or contact press@nanowrimo.org.