On NaNoWriMo and What I'm Doing For the Next Month

So November looms just around the weekend and you all know what that means: It's NaNoWriMo time again! For the unfamiliar, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, and the idea is to start on November 1st, and write a 50,000 word novel by November 30. For more information, see http://www.nanowrimo.org.

I am not doing NaNoWriMo this year, although I am hanging around on the forums a bit, and I will be concentrating on getting some writing work done. Since I am going to be revising and editing, and not writing something new, I am not officially a participant. But there are always questions from those who are. Not that I consider myself any sort of expert, but I have participated in NaNoWriMo three times, and made the 50k all three times. I'm just going to outline a few things that have worked for me. I hope you find something useful, and good luck!

First, don't be intimidated. Sure, it looks like a huge thing. Write a whole book in just one month? Don't think of it like that. Actually, a lot of people don't completely finish a novel in that 50,000 words, But it does get you a good start. It will need work and revising and probably a good bit of rewriting afterward, but this month of drafting gets you off to a good start.

Second, tell people you are doing it. This accomplished two things. It helps those around you, the poeple who will be most affected by your sudden need to lock yourself in your room and write, to adjust to your month of writing. This applies to anyone you interact with regularly: parents, siblings, spouse, roommates, friends. if they are warned ahead of time, they will have time to adjust. The other thing it will do is keep you honest- and working. If people know you are writing for the whole month, they will ask you about it. That alone can keep you writing when you hit those inevitable slump periods.

Third, set daily word count goals. Try to set your goal at above the 1,667 minimum you need to make the 50,000. For example, when I do NaNoWriMo, I set my daily goal at 2,000 words. It's a reasonable goal that I can usually make in a few hours work. At that rate, I would hit 50,000 words on November 25. This has real benefits. If you can write more than you need to at the beginning of the month when your energy and enthusiasm are peaking, you will build up a stockpile of words for those days when you can't get as much done, And don't kid yourself- it will happen. Your day job demands overtime, you get a bad case of the flu, your kid gets a bad case of the flu- you name it. It will happen. And if you are in the United States, you also have Thanksgiving in November, and that can interrupt your flow. For me, we are the ones who host Thanksgiving dinner, which means I have company for a few days, and can't always sit down for the time it takes to up my word count. Having a backlog of words done helps get me through those few days without alienating any relatives!

Fourth, set aside a specific time to write. Don't just assume you will sit down and write your story at some point. Because you won't, If it's not a habit now, it will be almost impossible to ingrain that habit if you made it part of your scheduled day. I'm luckier than most in that I do not have a day job to worry about, so I can pretty much schedule my writing time when I am at my best. (For me, that is mid-afternoon.) Look at your day, and look hard. Find the best time to set aside a couple hours to write. Early AM, before everyone gets up? Lunch hour? Afternoon, after school? Evening, after the kids are in bed? The point is, set the time aside, and make sure everyone, yourself included, knows that this is your writing time. Hang a sign on your bedroom or office door, if you need to. Making writing a regular part of your day will help make it a habit.

And last, stop obsessing! Just write. Don't worry about the details now. Plenty of time for that later. Tell the story. Draw the characters. Move the plot along. Add interesting bits and pieces. Just write it. Keep going. Don't edit. Don't re-read unless you must to jog your memory on where you are (especially helpful if you've jumped around in the story a bit). But only read what you have to. Most of all, write, write, write. This post is just a few tips I've learned in past Novembers. I'm no expert, nor am I trying to say this is the only way. Everyone has to discover what works best for them in this writing game. Best of luck getting that 50,000 word novel done! Start on Tuesday, write every day and you WILL do it! Oh, and have fun, too!

The Sword Edged Blonde by Alex Bledsoe

The Sword-Edged Blonde by Alex Bledsoe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Like sword-and-sorcery? Mysteries? Raymond Chandler? Sam Spade? Humphrey Bogart? If you answered "yes" to any of those (or even if you didn't), you should read this book. It's just that much fun to read- a fast-paced, solid mystery that does not disappoint.

The plot revolves around Eddie LaCrosse, an aging sword jockey for hire. He accepts a seemingly run of the mill job to locate a missing princess, which leads him to his homeland, a place he has avoided for many years due to the memories of his own past that remain there. But his childhood friend, Phil, now king, enlists Eddie's help to clear the queen's name. She has been accused of killing her own child, the heir to the throne. In the course of his investigation, Eddie must come face to face with the past he's tried to forget.

The story is narrated by Eddie, and the first person POV works quite well here. There are touches of humor, plenty of action and a complex enough plot to keep you reading. The mystery is well served. All the clues are there, and the ending builds from them nicely.

The real strength of the novel is the characters. They are real and believable, even if there are some bits that might seem a little far-fetched in the world building. (Parking tickets for horses?) But they are forgivable in the context of this story. There's a bit of romance, a bit of tragedy, a bit of revenge. Sometimes, characters make bad decisions, just like real people.

The plot moves along at a fast pace, making this an easy read. If you are looking for a good fantasy/mystery, with interesting characters and a decently complex plot, this is definitely a book to check out.

View all my reviews

Postcards From the Edge by Carrie Fisher

Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher


It's been a while, and I apologize. Life has just been very busy over the past few weeks, and my attention has been elsewhere. I've been too tired to actually sit down and write up these posts. Things have settled now, so I should be back to posting more regularly. And to reading, as that has suffered, too! This book was a departure from my usual fantasy and science fiction reading material. I could claim the Carrie Fisher/Star Wars connection, and there is some truth in that, since it was knowing that Fisher was in Star Wars that made me look at the book. I also have to admit that I didn't have really high expectations, but the book surprised me.

It is the story of Suzanne Vale, a young Hollywood actress, who details her life as a drug addicted Hollywood starlet trying to cope with the glitzy, glamourized world she lives in.

The book starts with Suzanne in a drug rehabilitation facility, a place where she really doesn't think she belongs. The first part of the book is written as a series of short (postcards?) diary entries from Suzanne and another addict, Alex, who is a screenwriter and thinks he is in love with Suzanne. After her discharge, the story turns to a more conventional narrative style and follows Suzanne as she tries to fit back into the world of Hollywood: shopping, making a movie, even spending an entire depressive week without getting out of bed. It's funny, sharp, emotional, and told as only someone familiar with Suzanne's world could. It is fiction, but Fisher's life experience certainly plays a large part.

This was a good break from my normal genre, and generally, a fun read.

View all my reviews

Blood of Ambrose by James Enge

I'm a bit behind on reviews. Sorry about that. I am trying to catch up as I can.
Blood of Ambrose by James Enge
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Twelve year old Lathmar VII is heir to the Empire of Ontil. Standing in his way is his Lord Protector and uncle, Urdhven, who wants the throne for himself. Urdhven has killed Lathmar's parents and many of the royal household, and Lathmar knows his own days are numbered. He is rescued by his ancestress, Ambrosia Viviana and her brother, Morlock Ambrosius. Together with Morlock's apprentice, the dwarf Wyrtheorn, they must not only defeat Urdhven, but also the dark magic force behind him to restore Lathmar to his place.

I found this a very interesting book. It has some plot twists and turns that keep the story moving along and kept me reading, but the real fascination is in the characters. On the surface, the story is Lathmar's coming of age, and he does grow in many ways by the end. It is also in large part, Morlock's story, even though much of what we learn about the one known as The Crooked Man is through flashbacks. It is not a bright, happy story for the most part. There is a definite somber edge that permeates the entire book. Oddly, despite that, there is a lot of humor there, as well. The exchanges between Morlock and Wyrtheorn are especially amusing, as is the almost constant affectionate sibling bickering between Morlock and Ambrosia. Even Lathmar seems to have a healthy dose of his family's dry, cutting humor.

The magic system is well drawn, and the world building is good. The style of the prose is crisp and dry, but reads quite well. The omniscient point of view can be a bit hard to get used to, and I found it leaving a slightly disconnected feeling as I read, but it does work well for this story. There are hints at Arthurian legend sprinkled throughout. There are some very intriguing details in here: a screaming, flying horse and a mechanical spider, to name two. And crows- murders of crows that are used by Morlock as messengers and spies. All in all, a good story that kept me interested and eager to read to the end.

View all my reviews

Well of Darkness (Sovereign Stone #1) by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Well of Darkness by Margaret Weis


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This story is apparently based on a role-playing game, but since I am not into RPGs, I've never heard of it. I have, however, read many of Weis & Hickman's books, and generally enjoy them. This was no exception.




I will warn readers that this is a very dark story. It begins with the choosing of nine year old Gareth to be the whipping boy for Prince Dagnarus (the authors will forgive me, please, for wanting to read that as Prince "Dagnabit" every time! I do have an odd sense of humor.) The whipping boy soon falls under the control of the charming, spoiled and selfish Prince. When Gareth shows an adept's talent for magic, especially the forbidden Void magic, the prince sets out to use his whipping boy to wrest the kingdom from his older brother, the Crown Prince.




The story uses the four familiar races in fantasy: human, elf, dwarf and ork. But all three are given a twist. The elves have a very complex political and social system, dwarves are master horsemen and orks sail the sea and are fishermen. It makes for interesting reading, and puts enough spin on each race that they don't fall into stereotype.




The main draw to this book is the world building, something these authors do excel at. Each race is distinct, with its own politics, religion and social structure. Where they come together, the overlapping differences and divisions make up the background for the main story. The setting is confined and we don't see a lot of the other races' homelands, but the human world (where most of the story takes place) is well-drawn and detailed.




There is little to relieve the dark tone of the book: Gareth's parents care more for their position in court than for their son, Dagnarus is vain and bent on defeating his brother and becoming King, Gareth is torn and guilt-ridden, unable through most of the story to face up to Dagnarus. It could be a bit off-putting to some readers because of the tone. I found it fascinating.




I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy at some point.




View all my reviews

Progress Report, and a Warning

No book review this week. Sorry. Next week. Maybe even two.

Thought I'd update my progress this time around. I've just about done with the first pass through the Work-In-Progress. That's the one where I try to pick up the misspellings and egregious grammar errors, as well as the really obvious bits and pieces of story. Reading through that draft now to make notes on what needs changing, filling in, expanding, cutting, etc. Oh, yeah, and I still have to finish the ending!

I've got the first 2 chapters out to a reader for crit. Always important to get another set of eyes (or two) on a work in draft. Too often, what seems obvious to me is a "Huh?" moment for the reader. And there are always a few mechanical errors I miss. The goal is to get this thing in finished form by the end of the year. Right now, that seems like it should be on track.

And the warning: It's one that you hear a lot. We all know it, and at one time or another, we all get bitten by not doing it. What happened? Well, yesterday, we had no internet service here at the house all day long. Ok, I thought, that is probably a good thing, since I will have to get some work done and I will not have the temptation of social media to distract me. (Yes, I close all that stuff when I am working, but the possibility of it is still there, niggling at my mind.) And I did get a fair bit done. I had moved the laptop from my desk to the living room, where I could put my feet up to work. Put the computer aside, and got up, WITHOUT HITTING THE SAVE ICON. Oh, yes, I see you all cringing out there! Of course, I came back and the thing was frozen. Couldn't get it working again. Thankfully, when the BaldMan looked at it after work, he managed to get it running. Took a remove and replace of the battery, and why that worked- no clue. But I did lose a chunk of work. I am not happy, but I have only myself to blame. And I lost the time twise- once yesterday, and again today when I had to redo it all. Will I do that again soon? You can bet not. Will I do it again eventually? Probably. Will it bite me in the ass again? We'll see. Until then, I repeat, as a warning to you all: Save early, Save often!

Spirit Gate by Kate Elliott

Spirit Gate by Kate Elliott

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Spirit Gate is the first book in Kate Elliott's Crossroad's series. The story is set in the Hundred, a land in trouble. For many years, the Guardians, an almost god-like group, dispensed justice and kept the peace. Now the Guardians are gone and presumed dead. The reeves, who ride giant eagles, patrol the land and have been the peace keepers for many years. But now, the reeves are losing the respect of the people and are becoming unable to do protect the people. A deadly, mysterious force has invaded the land, with an army that kills and lays waste to everything in its path. One reeve, named Joss, after suffering the loss of his fellow reeve and lover and sinking into years of rebellious, self-destructive behavior, is beginning to regain his resolve. A band of trained militia from outside the Hundred, led by the resourceful Captain Anji, come into the Hundred in exile from their own land. With Anji is his wife, Mai and one of her uncles. Together, they try to combat the forces intent on ripping the Hundred apart.



Sounds like a pretty standard plot, but the real interest in this book lies in the characters. There is a whole cast of people involved in the story, to more or less degree, but even some of the minor characters are well-drawn and personal. The female characters are strong and resourceful, and able to forge a place in what is, for the most part, a male dominated world. Mai in particular shows growth, appearing at first to be rather biddable and unassuming, despite an inner resolve. As she realizes that her new husband chose her because he recognized many of those strong traits in her, she grows more confident and willing to use skills learned in her family's merchant business to help Anji as he and his men get pulled deeper into the conflict.



The world is interesting and well drawn, with mythologies and religious aspects that come into conflict as the outlanders make their way into the new land. At times, the details can become a bit confusing, but don't take away from the enjoyment of the story. There is some introspective narrative, especially with Mai's uncle, as well as some instances of info-dump, but no more than with any first of a trilogy novel.



In all, it was an interesting and engaging read.



View all my reviews