How I survived NaNoWriMo 2017

It is December, which means NaNoWriMo has once again come and gone. I once again took up the challenge. And a challenge it was! Last year being pregnant sucked all of the energy and brain power I had, making the year a "come from behind" win. This year I had a 6 month old bouncing baby boy that fills my days.

Nevertheless, I took up the challenge!

The month started out well. I decided to further two stories during the month. So the first to be worked on was book one in the Aarken Chronicles, no official title yet, the second was An Irish Christmas, the second in my Emerald Isle Trilogy.

Neither one had been plotted out, and I should know by now that for me that makes the writing process much more difficult. I am firmly in the "plotter" category as far as pre-writing goes.
Aarken ended up with a new total of 23,450 words. Before NaNoWriMo it sat at just about 8k. So I got a good chunk written and much more of the world building done. Somewhere in the middle of NaNo I was writing along when I realized I had done almost ZERO world building for Aarken. Sitting down with my notebook and some inspiring music, I did the leg work and now have much more of the plot for book one solidified, as well as more of the series overall figured out.

An Irish Christmas was sitting at roughly 5k before, and after NaNo is now at 11,761. So about double. Again, this was like pulling teeth for some of it. I'd be inspired, get through a scene or two, and then boom. Lost momentum since I didn't have the story better plotted out. About 3/4 of the way through NaNo I had to sit down and like Aarken, I had to plot out more of the story. With that done, I am hoping to finish the story by the end of January and be sending it off to Beta readers. I want to release An Irish Christmas either in late October, or early Novemeber next year. I better get a move on!

Now, as most of you know NaNoWriMo is all about hitting that glorious 50k, and if you can do math, you'll have noticed that those numbers listed above do not meet that 50k goal. In between writing in those two WIP's I also worked on editing. The story I chose was Wolf's Bite, the second in the Athruithe Trilogy. I had finished the initial first draft a few months prior and it needs some major rewrites/added scenes.

Though I didn't complete a full bright and shiny 50k first draft, I am still pleased with how much I accomplished. Especially since my entire family came down with a pretty nasty flu the week before Thanksgiving and we are still recovering!

How did NaNoWriMo go for those of you who took up the challenge?
You're a winner in my book if you wrote anything during November!
You can't edit a blank page, so any progress is worth celebrating.   :)

Why I love NaNoWriMo

Ahh, it's that time of year again.

The cool breeze, pumpkin spice everything, hot chocolate and cider, carving pumpkins, the changing leaves, Mosquitoes die in the cold pits of—oh there I go again getting away from myself.

It's fall! *canned cheering*

Which can only mean one thing for writer-ly types: NaNoWriMo approaches!!

This year will be the fourth time I have competed in the challenge and the second time I plan on writing two novels in 30 days. I have also participated in their summer program Camp NaNoWriMo several times.

There are so many positive aspects to this program, not the least is providing materials and support to schools and libraries across the USA. They have turned the month of November into a celebration of literary abandonment and the joy that is writing.

The concept is simple: write a brand new novel that totals 50, 000 words in the 30 days of November. So if you break that down, the daily goal is 1,667 words every day. Something that's a little more "bite sized", but at the end of the month you either have a completed novel, or at the very least, the start of one.

I will, of course link their website at the end of this post for curious clicking.

Below are just a few of the reasons that I really love, and support this program.


1.) It is a month completely dedicated to literary events that center around writing. It is one month out of the year that can give people the excuse to say "Not right now, I'm writing". Finding the time to work on your writing can be difficult for many people from many different walks of life. From the college/HS student, to the workaholic, to the stay at home parent. Finding even 30 minutes to yourself can be hard to find. But just once a year, telling your loved ones that you're concentrating on hitting a goal as lofty as writing a novel in a month gives credit to your efforts, and gives you a concrete timeframe.


2.) The challenge is fantastic for learning how to set a big goal, and break it down into smaller bite sized pieces. Most people, if not all, know that in order to attain a larger goal you should break it down into smaller steps. NaNo does that for people. It can be a stepping stone to working on other projects, both writing and non-writing related. You just wrote a book in a month, why not start that walking routine? Or saving money? Or eating just one more serving of fruits/veggies instead of the french fries? NaNo can be a spring board for other great habits, both with intangible and tangible rewards.


3.) NaNo brings together people in a way that I have yet to experience elsewhere. The site has the option to make a "region" your home location. Within that region there is a forum where people, anyone in the region, can start a "thread" or conversation. Other members can comment and even set up public meetings called "write ins". Usually Write Ins are held at coffee shops or libraries. They are events where the writers come, get food, drink, socialize, and best of all write! Writing can be such an isolating activity, NaNo combats that with the forums and local write ins. Writers now have a "built" in community of people who understand the ups and downs of writing. I met my entire writing group through NaNo, and they are honestly my best friends, mentors, and editors.


4.) One of the fantastic aspects to NaNo that I love is that it promotes writing to EVERYONE. Not just people who have been writing for years, or even went to school for it. But EVERYONE. That cashier at the local CVS? She has a story to tell. Your pastor? He has a story too. The Barrista at the local coffee place? The same. Creativity is not limited to people who have always been writing, it is for ANYONE who has ever had the thought "I could/should write a book." Writing is one of those activities where it doesn't matter your age when you start, unlike say Football. If you have a story in your mind, write it. NaNo encourages that.


5.) At the end of the month, whether you've written the 50,000 or 5,000 you have the feeling of accomplishment. You've attempted, or met a goal that not many people actually try to do. If you hit the 50k you'll feel like a winner. If not, even if you wrote 2,000 words you've still written 2,000 words that you hadn't before. No matter what happens during the 30 days, everyone who participates, who tries for this large goal, everyone can feel proud of themselves.

If you are a more serious writer, of course you could and should write throughout the rest of the year. But why not participate in something that is so exciting and brings so many different people together using the one thing they all love?

I for one plan on participating every year unless serious life events challenge that. But even then I'll probably still find a way to write extra during November. 



NaNoWriMo site:  http://nanowrimo.org/

Dealing with your inner "nay-sayer"

During NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) writers are told to lock up their inner editor, and to throw caution, and negative thoughts, to the wind and just get your words on paper.


But what happens the other elven months of the year if you are a serious writer? How do you deal with the negativity that often comes from your own mind when you don't have the huge community behind you?


This is such a critical element for many writers. Especially writers that may just be getting started on their journey. Often they are left staring at the blank screen, or page, and are intimidated by it. What if their work isn't good? What if no one likes their story or characters?


If you are really serious about your work, you simply cannot let this be the end of the road.


Fortunately, thanks to NaNoWriMo, and the tag #amwriting (Twitter and Instagram)many people are able to find, and build, an online community of writers. Many of these writers write not only during the month of NaNo, but throughout the year! They can be an invaluable source of commiseration and support. Each person helps to hold the others accountable. Sometimes you literally have to build your cheerleading section yourself! Just remember to be just as supportive to the others as they are to you! Everyone needs help and cheer every now and then.


But what happens if your cheering section grows dim, and the negative thoughts about your work creep in?


Reading about other writer's struggles can actually help. Often it helps to know that you are NOT alone in these feelings. They are completely valid, and everyone has them. The trick is to get them to be silent long enough to get words down on the page.


I will let those thoughts out only in small doses. I acknowledge them, validate what I am feeling, and then tell them to kindly go away, I'm working. That little negativity can actually help me be a better writer, it forces me to pay attention to certain aspects of my writing. However, the negativity that I allow back in during the editing and rewriting process HAS to be CONSTRUCTIVE.


Any thoughts that just claim that you suck, your writing is uninspired, and that your plot is uninteresting are not allowed. Maybe you do have those problems, but the comments must be able to be used for bettering the work. Not to bring you down. In order to have the best story you could, sometimes things need to be changed or altered. There is nothing wrong in this. I had completely re-written Through the Mountains at least three times before it was where I wanted it to be.


You cannot only listen to the negative. You must work to turn it into a situation where good can come of it. And you need that person in your corner that is going to support you, and you will at times need to lean on them. There is nothing wrong with that. Just keep moving forward, even if it's a baby step. It's a step in the right direction.


If you need someone in your corner, or are just building your online writing community, feel free to add me on Twitter and/or Instagram, my handle is @OnADragonsWing2.


Until next time, keep writing my friends!

How NaNoWriMo went this year for me. . .

Happy Post Nano!
Hopefully everyone made their goal for the month, either by hitting that 50k goal, or simply writing everyday. To me everyone who participates in NaNo comes away a winner.


This was my third year participating, and it was one of the most challenging thus far! The first two days I tried to get ahead as much as possible, but it wasn't much of a lead. I'm not sure if it was doubt about my self published book not really selling,  my doubt in my writing abilities, or the story itself. But getting those 1,667 words in every day was like pulling teeth on most days. Some scenes flew by, and were easy to write. I also had fun with some of the characters. But most of the time it was hard to put myself in the midset to write.


I really think it had to do with my own doubts, and not as much to do with the story itself. Honestly I had a bit of a break down and a cry one of the last few days. My fiancé was wonderful and put things into perspective once again with a steady shoulder for tears, and words of encouragement. If not for him I would probably have quit this year.


The end of the story was easily the best part about this book. It's the second in a trilogy, so almost every scene attempts to increase the tension for the third book while building on the themes and events from the first. I really am excited to continue to work on the trilogy...after a break so I can come back with fresh eyes.


During that break, I am going to be working on things for this blog. New series, possible writer interviews, reviews of books, just a lot of ideas that I have for this blog for the new year.
If you have any ideas, or things that you would like to see happen on this blog, please let me know!


How did NaNoWriMo go for you? Did you hit the full 50K? Or did have you a different goal? Please share in the comments below!

Now that NaNo is over...-WuW

Welcome to the post NaNo slump. A time to not only slack off, but to *gasp* make plans to review your monstrosity that is a first draft. It's okay if you fear going back to look at the hideous beast you've created; the goal of NaNoWriMo is to tell your inner editor "see you later", not to banish him/her forever. Eventually you want to let them out of the cage, and release them on your manuscript.


Just don't be afraid to look back, you might be surprised at what you've put down on the page. But don't be too hard on yourself. The whole job of that first draft is simply to exist. It doesn't have to be perfect, or even OK. You can only edit words on a page; you can't fix something that isn't there.


Usually after NaNo, I let the manuscript rest, at least until the new year. I go away and work on something else for awhile to gain perspective. And the first time I read it through, I only fix the obvious errors, like a missing word, or simple spelling. Or maybe I couldn't remember the name of something in the middle of a word war and need to look it up after having a place holder. But regardless, the first read through is to reacquaint myself with the book, and usually I have a glass of wine when I start. It makes the process more fun. It is actually FUN to see what you had to come up with in a short amount of time.


The next pass through is when I break out the red pen. And I am brutal to my own work. It's actually amazing I've "finished" editing a piece at all! This is the part where I get picky about details, about events, plot lines, and characterization. I make sure all of that lines up, and that there aren't any scenes missing. Once I fix all of that, then I let it rest for a little while before giving it another look over. After a third time, then it's ready for my editor, and my first beta reader.


Writing, I have found, is the easy part. After writing, most authors give their manuscript up. Saved to their hard drive, it collects electronic dust. Don't let it! Editing and revising is all a part of the writing process. Is it a lot of work? Yes. Is it worth is? Yes. Will it force you to be a better writer? YES!


So please, please, please, don't let this happen to you. Give it some time, and then go back and see what your wonderfully creative mind has discovered. Grow in the skills that writing requires, get a critique partner, or 5. You all will benefit. Even if you never publish it. You are building your craft and honing skills.


Plus, it's just fun. Until next time, keep writing! (Well, at least working on your writing ;) )

All about DRAGONS! -WuW

So while I was at NerdCon, waiting for the Patrick Rothfuss signing, I got to talking to the people sitting on either side of me. Like you do when waiting over an hour in line. While we were talking the young gentleman, and I'm so sorry I can't for the life of me remember his name, asked me a very strange (in my mind) question about my writing.
He asked, "How do you handle dragons?"


My first response was to shake my head and ask in return, "What do you mean?" I literally didn't understand his question at first.
He tried to explain, what he meant was how are they portrayed in my world. Are they intelligent, dumb beasts, or ferocious killers that hoard gold and steal maidens?


My answer was very simple, "They are just another character. Each one is different, and each one has their own looks, thoughts, and personalities. Just like the human characters."
It never occurred to me that there was a precedent for how to present dragons, that they had to be one way or another.


To me they play as important a role in the story as their human counterparts. And just like humans, some are "bad" and some are "good"- though I try not to have everything so black and white, but for the sake of discussion I'll reference them.


Take Feoras, the dragon you meet in the first book. (And honestly, he will probably always be my favorite) He is what is known as a traditional "western" style dragon. He has four legs, two horns that curve back over his head, and spikes/spines down his back and tail. He is heavily muscled, and his scales are a deep red over his back and body, with a gold cast to his under belly. His wings are proportionate to his body with a reddish color to the membranes.
But it's his personality that is so striking.


He is fiercely loyal and protective of not only Riona, but anyone he perceives as "his". He will go to great lengths to protect those he cares for, and becomes distraught when forced away from Riona. He thinks, he feels, and he has clear opinions on life and events happening. He even tried to name himself! He is clearly in the "good" camp.
As he should be since he's the protagonists bonded dragon!
Yes I suppose there are some "traditional" aspects to dragons that I included. He does have  a "thing" for shiny objects, though he doesn't steal.


He is, in his own words:
"I am fierce, strong. I am fire breather, I am sky hunter, and I am magnificent."

Deleted (Bonus?) Scene SPOILERS!!!

WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS A FEW SPOILERS FROM BOOK 1




Really, if you haven't read the book, this will give some things away..




I think you have been sufficiently warned....






This scene was written in early, when I thought that Damien and Riona would have been paired up. Yes originally they were going to end up together *insert audience gasp*.
I was young, and actually loosely based Damien on someone I was dating at the time. And of course I saw myself as Riona, and wanted them together. *barf* (I was 16 and impressionable)
Thankfully I learned my lesson about putting too much of yourself in the story and created more distance between myself and Riona. Through schooling I learned about plotting and how to create more tension and interest between the characters.


I deleted this scene after I got some major Writer's Block. Going back I realized that this "relationship" was not going to work for the rest of the story, and so it had to go. (This required some new characters to be created, as well as major rewrites of what was already laid down in the book)
But please, enjoy this (not really edited) deleted scene from Through the Mountains.

“Is that what this is about?” he walked around to face her. “You think that Taya is a, a, I don’t even know what you might think she is, but whatever it is, she’s not, alright?” she didn’t meet his gaze, she knew that she just couldn’t stand to see herself reflected in his eyes right then.

                  “Riona, look at me.” When she didn’t he added, “Please”. 

                  With the moon at her back she could see his blue eyes perfectly even without the help of her flames. There were tears in his eyes that hadn’t been shed, and she was sorry for causing them. She felt herself falling into his eyes and the flames that licked at her fingers slowly died away.

                  “Riona, I don’t care about some high chiefs daughter. I care about you. I have for a long time.” His hands on her arms tightened, “I’ve cared for you more than just our friendship.”

                  She tried to turn away, but his hands held her in place. She met his gaze again. What were they doing? They had to leave in a few hours on a journey that would probably be full of danger, and here they were talking about feelings? She didn’t want to be bothered by it.

                  ‘Listen to him, and your heart Little One.’ If she had been able to, she would have smacked Feoras for bringing her here where she could be cornered by Damien. She hadn’t even felt this cornered when she had stayed behind to protect them from the creatures in the forest.

                  Damien let her go and turning away sat on a fallen tree. She could see he had his head in his hands. “Do you know why in the months after we ran to the mountains, I hadn’t been around much?”

                  She had wondered that, often thinking that it was because he didn’t want to admit to himself that she was using magic. That and she had been a bit more preoccupied after Feoras hatched, she really hadn’t thought about much else other than how to hide a growing dragon.

                  “No.” she quietly made her way so that she was sitting next to him. He turned so that he was facing her.

                  “I was doing every odd job and task I could get my hands on to earn more money. Even trapping in the same mountains we had rode in, the ones that no one else would attempt. The animals are not as scared of men, and there are more of them.” He laughed. “But of course you knew that already.”

                  “Yes, that’s why I hunted there.”

                  “Well, I wasn’t hunting for myself or my family. I was hunting to sell the meat, hides, and antlers.” He kept twisting his hands in his lap. “I was saving the money I earned so that I would be able to buy my own plot of land.”

                  “It seems like such a stupid idea now, but at the time it felt right.” He looked up at her again. “The day you and your mother left, I was on my way to see her.” He paused and momentarily he stopped wringing his hands. “I was coming to ask her for your hand in marriage. That was why I had Sparrow packed, I was coming to give it to her as show of how I could provide for you.”

                  He stood suddenly and started pacing in front of her.

                  “I had known that you weren’t seeing any of the other boys in town, so I knew that you didn’t have any other offers to consider, and I had hoped that you and your mother would accept mine.” His fists balled themselves at his sides. “That was when I saw the huge furrows in the ground, and when I looked around everything looked as though you had left in a hurry without planning on coming back.”

                  He kept his face firmly on the ground he paced on. “I thought something terrible had happened. I thought you were dead.”

                  Riona felt a catch in her own throat at his words. Yes, she supposed it was possible someone might think that with how they left their home, but they had had to leave fast. They weren’t safe in the valley. Either the spectral Ryders would have come for them, or the people in the surrounding areas would have realized a dragon lived among them and they would try to kill Feoras out of fear.

                  Suddenly Damien dropped to his knees in front of her. “I know that we still don’t have the best of circumstances, but would you marry me?”

                  The question hung in the air between them. She could feel the electricity between them, and she found herself wanting to say yes as she looked into his blue eyes. Yes, she loved him. Yes, she had cared for him enough to not be running off with the other boys in town, despite their many attempts for her attention and affection.

                  “Damien, I…” She couldn’t respond. She didn’t know how to begin to tell him everything that was running through her mind. Instead she closed her eyes and listened to herself, to her heart. When she opened her eyes after what felt like an eternity, he was still there his blue eyes locked on her.

                  She reached and took his hands in her own. His were cold so she sent some warmth from her own into his. His eyes registered surprise and she smiled at him. She genuinely smiled. That was something she hadn’t done in months. He made her happy. That was all that mattered. She would fly to the moon and back, even threaten the Ryder that plagued her dreams to protect him.

                  “Yes.” It was a simple word but when she said it she felt some of the electricity between them heighten and she reached for him. His lips found hers and she felt heat from a different source than her magic.

                  After a time they broke off, but she stayed comfortably perched in his arms.

                  “Damien…”

                  “Yes.”

                  “I do really like this, but I still need to wash off before we leave.”

                  “Oh, right.” He stood up so fast she nearly hit the ground before he caught her. “Sorry.” He mumbled as he set her on her feet.

                  “It’s okay.” She stepped back and in the light of the rising sun she saw that just into the tree line Sparrow grazed with just a halter on. “Where’s your saddle?”Damien followed her gaze and shrugged.

                  “When I saw you two fly off I didn’t have time to properly saddle her up. I just grabbed her and came after you.” She reached for his hand.

                  “I’m glad that you did.” He looked at her, a smile on his face as he pulled her into himself. For being out in the cold morning, he felt warm to her as his arms came around her back.

                  “I should be getting back to start packing and get the horses ready.” He kissed the top of her head and started towards Sparrow when Riona coughed politely.

                  “What is it?” he looked genuinely confused at her coughing for his attention.

                  “I still need help with my laces.” She was nearly knocked to the ground in his hurry to help her, and she realized just how nimble his fingers were. She blushed when he worked on the ties that held her pants together at her hip. Holding them up with her hand to avoid any mishaps she let her corset fall to the ground after he finished the laces. She still had her shirt on and was covered.

                  He hesitated at the last tie on her pants and left his warm hand on her hip. Once again heat flared in her, somewhere deeper than where her magic lay, but still she didn’t want to do that while she was dirty and on a beach.

                  He looked up at her, his blue eyes shining in the dim light. She knew what the young people did in the barns when their parents weren’t looking. They weren’t supposed to know, or act like the adults. But when a young girl was in love with a boy her age, and was promised to a man old enough to be her father, everyone looked the other way. Even the boys and girls that weren’t to be married off, they sometimes snuck off into the woods or hay lofts at the festivals.

                  She blushed as she thought of the boys who had tried to get her to go with them. But she never had. She had only wanted Damien, but Damien had never asked her. In fact she was almost positive he had never asked any girl to go away with him either.  They had usually spent the festivals eating by the fire listening to the adults tell stories.

                  “I, I think you had better head back now.” He left his hand on her hip as he stood. Once again looking down on her she could see that there was a flush that had crept up his neck. “The others will be wondering where you went to.”

                  He bent down to kiss her again, she leaning into him. She really didn’t want him to leave, but they had to start their journey to Erskine. And she really needed to bathe. He held her tight and when they parted her cheeks felt raw from the whiskers on his face. Turning he made his way back to Sparrow and with one backward glance he rode off.

                  ‘Is he really gone yet?’ she knew that Feoras would be able to tell, she didn’t trust that he really had left. She felt him reconnect his consciousness to hers but there was a pause.

                  ‘Yes, he’s nearly there. Sparrow is a very fast horse for one that is carrying two beings.’ He seemed impressed that the pregnant mare would be able to carry both her foal and Damien.

                  ‘Horses do it all the time.’ She managed to wrestle off the rest of her clothes. It turned out that holding her clothes on hadn’t been a problem. It was getting them to come off of her sweaty skin. She carefully laid them out on a tree hanging over the water and waded in.

NaNoWriMo Tag!

So maybe I wasn't tagged, but I loved the video that Kristina Horner created on YouTube, and then a favorite blogger of mine, Raychel Rose posted this...So I just had to complete the tag too ;) (Link to Raychel's answers: https://raychelrose.wordpress.com/2015/10/31/the-nanowrimo-tag/ )


1. How many times have you done NaNoWriMo?
This will be my third NaNo, and I've also completed 4 rounds of Camp.


2. How did you first find out about NaNoWriMo?
I first found out about NaNo my freshman year of college. The college had a meeting about it  as they were running their own region (at the time-I don't know if they still do) so a friend of mine went with me to check it out. It sounded like such a great opportunity, but at the time I was working two jobs, I commuted a half hour to and from classes, I owned a horse, and was giving lessons/training other horses. At that time it wasn't right for me, but I never forgot about it! I competed in my first NaNo the November after graduating. :)


3. What was the name of the first novel you attempted with NaNo?
The title is Across the Sea and Hills, and it will be available on Amazon in February 2016 !!


4. Give us 1 sentence summary of what you're writing this year.
My project for this year  follows some of the descendants from my first trilogy while exploring more of the world, and introducing more characters. Also: more magic, more bad guys, and more dragons!


5. What's the best writing advise you've ever been given?
That as the writer you have to show up. Everyday. It doesn't matter if you feel "inspired" or not. I used to only write when the fancy struck me. And I barely got work done. By adopting the NaNo mentality of writing no matter what I have got more done in the past few years than ever before.
You can edit a bad page, you can't edit a blank page.


6. Did you ever take a year off from NaNo? Why?
Not yet! I hope never to have to.


7. What's your biggest inspiration when figuring out what to write?
Music, nature, reading other works, talking with fellow writers, reading fellow writers blogs and seeing what other people are working on.


8. Read us the first sentence from one of your novels.
The air was fiercer than she remembered the end of the spring cycles being.


9. Why do you love writing?
I love the creativity that goes into it, and how different that is for each person.
I remember sitting in my capstone English class, it was the end of the semester, and realized that each of the 14 people had written two stories. That was 28 completely different, individual, stories. No two stories were the same. I realized then that was what I loved about writing- the individuality of it.
Other than the fun it is to see your imagination come to life on the page, and then have readers love it as much as you do. That is a feeling like no other!

The A-Z's of NaNoWriMo- WuW

The A-Z's of the craziness that is NaNoWriMo


A- Aspirin!
B- Beta readers won't know what hit them
C- Caffeine is very necessary
D- Daily doses of inspiration
E- Everyday habit of writing develops
F- Fragments of real life make their way into the story
G- Google becomes your friend for fast research
H- Headaches from staring the computer screen late at night
I- Inspiration abounds
J- Just talk to a veteran for advice
K- Kick off parties are fun ways to meet other writers
L- Limericks may become involved
M- Midnight write ins
N- Nightly word count updates
O- Onomatopoeia
P- Plot bunnies
Q- Quick typing skills are developed (usually)
R- Rush of adrenaline as the deadline looms closer
S- Surge of creative energy
T- Thirst for more when it's done
U- Unbelievable fun
V- Vivacious Vixens are Vexing at times
W- Write In's
X- Xylophones sold at the white elephant fundraiser
Y- Your ideas actually fill an entire novel!
Z- Zany plot twists

Eureka! ...or not..?

When do story ideas happen? But a more interesting question is, How do they happen?
Is there a flash of recognition? An image burned in your retina so sharp you must write? Or like a photograph, does it have to be developed slowly? Or is it a polaroid, the images coming quickly to the surface?


Oftentimes, the answer is Yes.
No two story ideas come in the exact same way to the writers mind. Even ideas for the same story will be reached differently. Take me as an example. There will be times when I'll get what I refer to as a "flash". It could be a name, a place, a dialogue line, anything really. And it's quick. So I rush to find a pen and paper, or reach for the notepad on my phone. I know this flash will be gone soon, and I need to try to capture it before it's gone.
And then other times, I will sit and let my back brain percolate over an idea for a while. In this  instance, the characters, plot points, and any world building come slowly. Like moss creeping over stones. But they do arrive, maybe with some teasing them out from me.




One of my favorite quotes about writing is this:

The water does not flow if the tap is not turned on.


Writers have to show up, and start working. No matter if you feel inspired or not. So don't get down on yourself if you're stuck, or you think inspiration and ideas happen in a flash. Some do, and some don't.


Sorry this post is shorter...but NANAOWRIMO is upon us!!
Happy writing my friends ;)

Why I started Blogging- WuW

How is NaNoWriMo going for everyone? Good I hope!
Is it currently day four and I am a little behind where I want to be. I have 5,301 words, and will be doing some more writing as soon as I post this. If you want to follow or add me on the NaNo site, my user name is mandrews25 :)

Today I wanted to talk a little about why I chose to blog, and why I chose to continue to do so after starting it.
Initially this blog started during college, well, for a college class to be honest. My very first post can be seen here: http://malindaandrews.blogspot.com/2012/09/scene-from-current-project.html


This class focused on the literary form that is a Zine. For those of you that don't know, a Zine is ,according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, "a small magazine that is written by people who are not professional writers and that usually has stories about a particular subject".
Now, I agree with the opening, and ending, but I do not agree with the "Professional writers". What I think they meant by  the term "professional" is that the people making Zines are usually every day people like you and me. If we happen to sell them, great, but they are not usually made for profit. Typically they are hand made, and only a few exist of each version. Now of course there are exceptions, this a generalization of the form of writing for the purpose of introducing the topic.


During the class we were to basically produce a Zine every two weeks. We focused on themes for each one, which will be reflected in the blog posts on this site during that time. The professor also instructed us to start a blog, using whichever server you chose, and that we were to post 3 times a week. Sometimes we would be assigned something specific to write about, and sometimes we simply had to post anything. He wanted us to experiment not only with Zine writing, but other alternative forms of writing/communication including blogging, vlogging, podcasts, and Zine's. This was really where I first came across the concept of self publishing.


The class was great and I learned a ton about writing, editing, publishing, and collaborating. The community in that room was fantastic, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. But after it ended, and I was looking into building up my online presence as an author, both for traditional and self publishing, I decided to keep the blog.
I revamped the look way back 2012 after the class ended, and started try to post regularly. At times that was an epic fail, but I was learning about myself and my writing process. There are a few random topics, simply because I was trying to post often. But most of my posts revolve around my life as a writer- with all it's ups and downs.
Recently I revamped the background again, and with some help from my writing/editing buddy, placed some tabs at the top so that it functions more as a website than just a blog. I really like how long I've been able to continue blogging, and look forward to where I am headed.
And OF course, keeping you all updated along the way ;)


Until next time, keep writing my friends!

NaNo Survival Kit!- WuW

It's that time of year again!! Just a few days until the sound of furious keystrokes, and scribbles across paper will fill the air. I thought in honor of the challenge starting in just a few days, I would post what I have in my NaNoWriMo survival kit!

*Tea and assorted sweeteners of choice
*Selection of music to fit the type of story being written- Every year I splurge on one new soundtrack, and this year it was the track to the movie Pacific Rim
*Hoodies, Blankets, and Sweatshirts...Oh my! Basically anything comfy and warm.
*My inspiration Pinterest Board(s)

https://www.pinterest.com/Onadragonswing2/inspiration/
https://www.pinterest.com/Onadragonswing2/incalescent/

*SNACKS!-These vary from healthy to very unhealthy
*Rewards for mini goals (IE food, or going to a park once the words are done for the day...GASP the outside!)
*Timer for word sprints- I usually have 30 minute soundtracks as I've found that amount of time is the most productive for me
*Write In's! They really help create more motivation, and increase word counts! (Make some new friends too!)
*NaNo Forums. For inspiration and camaraderie
*Twitter Hashtags for commiseration (#NaNoWriMo, #amwriting, #nano2015 etc)
* Kristina Horner's NaNoWriMo music video and previous year's adventures in novelling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78mvUeBw7MM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khkOmZG36Rk

*Last but not least- all the prep work I do before hand.


I'd love to hear what everyone else has in their survival kit, or if they have one!

NaNo Prep!

How does one prepare for the madness that is NaNoWriMo? (National Novel Writing Month - for those that don't know, is a challenge to write a 50K novel in 30 days. It amounts to 1667 words a day.) Should one even prepare ahead of time?
There are several thoughts on this, and my answer is pretty middle of the road.


I have been a "Pantser" before, and I've been a "Planner" in previous challenges. My answer to which is better, sounds like a cop out, but I do a combination of both!
For my Ryder Chronicles, where there is so much to keep track of, I tend to plan and plot, and do a lot more prep. On the flip side, when I wrote my romance set in Ireland last year, I only had a very rough outline and names of people and places.


Since this year I'll be writing the fifth in my Ryder Chronicles (The second in the next trilogy) I'm firmly in the "Planner" side of things.
So how do I do it? How do I plan to write a 50K plus word novel in 30 days?


Vewwy, Vewwy carefully. (Hah, made myself laugh :)


But really. I have what some writers refer to as a "book bible". I have a black, multi-functional binder full of character sketches, hand drawn maps, notes, world building information- anything that I may need to flesh out the world and story. I just call it my "binder o' magic". I also have two little notebooks for jotting down notes on the go, and plotting. One is larger and one is pocket sized. There is something about writing an outline by hand, drawing arrows, and crossing things out that a computer just doesn't have!

But it doesn't stop there! The one thing that I do that not many writers I know personally do, is I make what I call "scene" cards. These are little index cards that I take, and write out the POV I'm in, what number the scene is, and any action, dialogue, characters that are there, and information I need specific to that scene. Again, I take it one step further, and color code using paper clips for at a glance reference on who is getting "screen" time. Many people scoff when they see me pull them out at a write in, but they are the best ever! It's like I've envisioned the story already, and am just following what's already there. (There is of course wiggle room within these scenes, its just a more detailed "outline" if you will)

The last thing that I do to prepare, and it's mixed into the above, is I actively daydream. What do I mean by that?
I mean that I take the time to listen to some epic music, and zone out while directing my thoughts on the story and characters. This allows me to envision scenes, dialogue, and plot points that I need to happen. Often I "find" things that need to be added. I simply let my mind play out scenes from the outline (or maybe I haven't done one yet, and that's what this is for) like a movie. Every now and then I stop and make notes of something that needs to be added, or remembered when I come back to write. It's time to let my imagination roam through the story and work on whatever it happens to stumble across.


How do you prepare for a large project? Or just the NaNo challenge? I'd love to hear your thoughts!