The WDC NanoLounge

Okay... so it's only my second year doing NaNo, but I learned a lot last year!

First off, you need a plot. Maybe. That one's up in the air if you ask Chris Baty. He believes you can throw characters at a page and they will eventually do their own thing. Me? I need a plot. If you have issues thinking of plots like I do, there's an awesome forum out there called "Adoptables." Lucky for people like me, other people have too many plots, or plots they couldn't get to work, and they toss them up for adoption.

Then, you decide how you write. Do you outline something within an inch of its life? Do you jump in and hope it turns out okay? Are you a mix of both? Well, October is the time to get it all worked out. Until NaNo, I thought I was a "seat of my pants" kind of writer. You know, it turns out that doesn't work well for me when I'm dealing with a longer work. I at least like to know the general direction of my story and who my characters are. This year, I did character sketches before NaNo started instead of having to stop part way through and doing them. Oddly enough, this year's story jumped into my head, too. So, I have a general outline in place. Nothing too rigid, but enough to keep me going at supersonic speeds to the end.

If you are a perfectionist. Umm. Yeah. You might not like NaNo. However, if you're capable of locking up your perfectionist side in a closet for a month, you might find that the insanity that is NaNo is a blast. You might even learn this is, in all honesty, a good way to write. It's the first time ever I've gone from start to finish (big deal that finish!!) without editing my piece to death and killing it. There just isn't any time to edit if you want to win. So get a move on!!

I can only suggest one more thing, and it's the most important thing. Walk in believing with all your heart that you can do this, that you can win. Walking in with a doubtful heart and mind will sabotage you. Be sure to not listen to any voices, internal or external, telling you that you can't possible write 50,000 words in a month. A voice might tell you that you're insane, but that's okay. It's an insane challenge you're taking on. Just remember, tens of thousands of people every year win that challenge. So this year, you're going to join them.

Erin

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Ready for NaNoWriMo 2010!!

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