NaNoWriMo Tip #26: Don’t Beat Yourself Up

So here we are, and as I’m reading the blogs and testing the waters, I’m finding several blog posts about people giving up hope of ever reaching 50,000 words by Friday.  Many of the posts opine their sorrow of not finishing, feeling like their writing skills are sub-par, lamenting the coveted goal of winning the

NaNoWriMo Tip #18: Focus on the Intent

One thing that is very difficult at this stage in the NaNoWriMo project is the daily grind.  Some writers find it difficult to crank out a scene or will bog down in telling the story or moving the action along.  Where to go next, you ask? One thing that I do that helps me to

NaNoWriMo Tip #12: The Regimen

It is necessary for any writer to write on a schedule, writing every day at least a little.  If you are participating in the NaNoWriMo and do not stick to a regimen of writing, you will soon find yourself way behind the goals you have set for yourself. Peter Straub rises every morning, dresses in his

NaNoWriMo Tip #10: Wordiness (Part 1)

  Over the next few posts, I will comment on the problem of wordiness and how to avoid it.   As writers we try to create the most prolific prose imaginable, but then again some of us try way too hard.  Here are some ways to avoid it:   1.  Speak Your Lines – Read

NaNoWriMo Time Management Tip #3: Outlining

There may be many of you who write like Stephen King, who have a general idea where you are going with your novel but have decided to “wing it” every day during the NaNoWriMo, relying on your instincts to get you through this massive project.  If you are able to do this, and be consistent