What I learned from FAILING NaNoWriMo 2010

Well, week one was almost too easy.  I was sitting high on my throne, looking down at the common man and laughing.

Ah, such skill.  I won't even need 30 days! I thought to myself.


Then real life rolled over me, backed up and rolled over me again.  Enough of my excuses.  This is what I learned from FAILING NaNoWriMo 2010:

1. Setting goals is good.  Winging it is bad. When I wrote I wrote well, but I allowed myself to begin to slack when I thought it was going too easy.  Sticking to the 1,667+ words a day is an attainable goal...if you hold yourself to it.


2. I sometimes have the attention span of a 5th grader. When I set a goal which requires a consistent output as in NaNoWriMo, I need to remove distraction.  No cell phone beeping incessantly with text and email.  No TV. No Facebook or gaming breaks.  Not until the work is done.


3. I am not a seat of the pants writer, I need an outline. I think the idea of people just writing, letting the words/characters lead them, is an overly romanticized notion.  I'd love for it to work that way, but as well as I did write, I know now it would have gone better if I'd had better focus and direction.  Not that the story won't take a twist or a turn on its own, or even take a new direction entirely, but I need a road map so I at least end up in the right state.

NaNoWriMo 2010, Day 7

Well it's the end of week one.  I haven't kept wholly on task, but I am happy with my progress.  It has been a busy week and I still managed 6500+ words.  I will try and catch up to my original goal next week.






Current Word Count: 6538

Words to Go: 43,500 minus a couple

Cups of Coffee: 1

Hours Spent Writing Today: 1

Number of Breaks Taken: None

Number of Characters Killed: 1

Number of Times Writers’ Block Occurred: None!

Number of Times I Almost Gave Up: Not once.

Number of Chapters: 3

Favorite Character of the Day: Jor still, he was the reason this story developed

My Morality Level: Doing well, wishing we didn't start the bathroom remodel this week, but it was planned.

NaNoWriMo 2010, Day 6

Well, no real update today.  The weekends are hard to fit in writing especially with a bathroom remodel going on.  The one thing I have learned is to plan ahead and write more going into the weekend.  This way I can relax knowing I hit the week's target.  Instead I just feel I'll be playing catch up this week.  Hope everyone else is having a good NaNo week.  As always thanks for all the comments and tweets.

NaNoWriMo 2010, Day 5

Well, I am averaging about 1,200 words a day which isn't as much as I'd like, but its steady.  I am very happy that I haven't been discouraged by the low word count, I feel like this story is going somewhere.  The support from the other writers and NaNo'ers on Twitter has been amazing.  It has kept me going.  So thanks to all of you.  On a side note, the wife wants to start the bathroom remodel this weekend...doesn't she understand its November, lol.


Current Word Count: 6013

Words to Go: 44,000 minus a couple

Cups of Coffee: 0

Hours Spent Writing Today: 1

Number of Breaks Taken: None

Number of Characters Killed: 1

Number of Times Writers’ Block Occurred: None!

Number of Times I Almost Gave Up: Not once.

Number of Chapters: 2

Favorite Character of the Day: Jor, the MC, though I am liking Amaelia more and more

My Morality Level: Still impressed, making good progress

NaNoWriMo 2010, Day 4

Was hoping to get in a little more writing tonight, but forgot me and the wife have a benefit to go to tonight.  I guess I will have to let today stand as it is.







Current Word Count: 5342

Words to Go: To many to think about yet

Cups of Coffee: 1

Hours Spent Writing Today: 1 1/4

Number of Breaks Taken: None

Number of Characters Killed: None yet

Number of Times Writers’ Block Occurred: None!

Number of Times I Almost Gave Up: Not once.

Number of Chapters: 1

Favorite Character of the Day: Jor, the MC, though I am liking Amaelia more and more

My Morality Level: Still impressed, making good progress

NaNoWrimo 2010, Day 3

Worked all night on the graveyard shift, so wrote when I got home.  Was able to churn out 956 quality words.  I was happy with that.  I was worried I'd be too tired, but once I sat my ass in the chair the words just flowed.  Actually had to stop myself so I could get some sleep.  All in all a good word count, always wish it was more, but content for today.




Current Word Count: 3676

Words to Go: Many many

Cups of Coffee: 0

Hours Spent Writing Today: 1 1/4

Number of Breaks Taken: None

Number of Characters Killed: None yet

Number of Times Writers’ Block Occurred: None!

Number of Times I Almost Gave Up: Not once.

Number of Chapters: 1

Favorite Character of the Day: Jor, the MC, though I am liking Amaelia more and more

My Morality Level: Happy, making good progress

Quotes To Get Me Through NaNoWriMo

My morning reminders as I start my NaNoWriMo writing today:

"You can fix everything but a blank page" - Nora Roberta

I have to remember to keep writing.  That this is a first draft.  I need to get the story on paper.  I can come back in December and develop witty banter and elegant prose.  For right now, just write!

"The first draft of anything is shit" - Ernest Hemingway

Ya, that one speaks for itself and I agree.  Stop over thinking what I've written.  Stop telling myself I can do this or that better.  I'm right I can, it just isn't going to get fixed now.

Ok...deep breath...time to write.

NaNoWriMo 2010, Day 2

Was happy I had the day off.  Made up some of the writing I should have done yesterday.  Very happy with my scribblings today as a whole.  Thanks to all the Tweeters who keep me going through the day.






Current Word Count: 2658

Words to Go: Um...a lot still

Cups of Coffee: 2

Hours Spent Writing Today: 2

Number of Breaks Taken: None

Number of Characters Killed: Just started, come on!

Number of Times Writers’ Block Occurred: None!

Number of Times I Almost Gave Up: Not once.

Number of Chapters: 1

Favorite Character of the Day: Jor, the MC

My Morality Level: Happy, made up for the slow start yesterday

NaNoWriMo 2010, Day 1

I stole this format a while back, copied and pasted it into a word document so I could use it for NaNoWriMo, but I forgot whose it is so I can give them credit.  So if anyone wants to claim it feel free, sorry I can't remember.

Anyways here goes...



Current Word Count: 560

Words to Go: Um...a lot

Cups of Coffee: 1

Hours Spent Writing Today: 30 min

Number of Breaks Taken: None, typed on my phone at lunch

Number of Characters Killed: Just started, come on!

Number of Times Writers’ Block Occurred: None!

Number of Times I Almost Gave Up: Not once.

Number of Chapters: 1/2

Favorite Character of the Day: Jor, the MC

My Morality Level: Sad I couldn't get a stronger start today.

Scrivener - Free Windows Beta

Looking for great writer's software for this year's NaNoWriMo? The writer's tool - Scrivener, originally only for the Mac, is now available for windows.  Now available a s free download, this program will help you organize with editor, corkboard, and outline views.  The beta will remain free (for windows users) until a commercial client is released, while the Mac version is free until December 7th.  If you successfully complete NaNoWriMo 2010 you will be able to buy the software for %50 off!

From the Scrivener website:

Scrivener is a word processor and project management tool created specifically for writers of long texts such as novels and research papers. It won't try to tell you how to write - it just makes all the tools you have scattered around your desk available in one application.

So why not try out a free copy of Scrivener now!

Free New Author Promo

Budding writers have a hard enough time gaining recognition amongst already established authors.  To help what little I can here is a standing offer.  If you have a recently released or soon to be released book send me the info and I'll post on it.  My posts then get tweeted, hopefully helping to spread the word of your success.  All I need is an email to seanmworth@gmail.com with the following :

Pen name
Release date (if known)
Your website
Link to cover art
Book synopsis (250ish words)
If you'd like an honest review and can donate a book, note that also.

Just my way of giving back what I can.  If I get enough responses I'd love to make it a weekly column.

Nanowrimo just around the corner

With Nanowrimo kicking into full gear in less than three days I have decided to throw my hat into the ring.  Now we'll see if I can juggle the day (actually night) job, my freelance writing and Nanowrimo.  I should have my hands full for the month of November.  Feel free to follow my ramblings over the course of the month as I sink to the inevitable delirium of over-worked, sleep deprived, caffeine induced narcosis.   You can find me on twitter @SMWorth.  Follow me and send a tweet if you want to be followed to, I'll try to keep up with everyone's progress.  If nothing else it'll be a confidence boost seeing how Nanowrimo is going for you all.