Today is day five of nano, and I had a lot going on today. An assignment I had to finish, an interview to conduct, an appointment, a nap and the dance tonight. So, I fully expected to fall even further behind on my novel. However, I woke up early this morning (hence the nap) and got my other stuff done, so I splurged a little and spent time on nano and got my daily quota of words in after all. Sweet! It partly happened because I spread it out throughout the day--I did 500 this morning when I got up, another 500 or so when I needed a break from other stuff, then the rest of it when I finished my other tasks. I might go do a little more after posting this, but I'm pretty sleepy.
Here's my tip for the day: if you find you don't feel like writing, or you don't know what to write about, make yourself sit down and write just 100 words. 100 words is nothing! However, what happens to me is, I'll do my 100, but then I want to finish the sentence or even the paragraph and it become maybe 167. Then, I want to get to the next round number, so I decide to do a little more to hit 200. The next thing I know, I have 275, so I might as well go for 300. I did some of that today, and it got me through 1670 words when I wasn't sure I'd get more than 500. Even if you do stop at the 100, it's still more than you had before you sat down.
Friday, November 5, 2010
NaNoWriMo day four: tip of the day
Well, I got in my daily quota of words today, and I am just under a day behind. I have 5348 words and should have 6667. That's OK...that's still not that far to be behind! I have a feeling I won't get much done tomorrow, but I'll try to catch up this weekend. The story is coming along pretty well, although I have a little more research I need to do. I have an appointment in that regard next Thursday, so I might have to skip over some details and add them in later.
Here is my tip for today: Don't let yourself get stalled because you're not sure how to handle a scene or you need to research something to add the appropriate level of detail. Sketch in a skeleton for the scene, or even skip it all together, and move on. The difficult part of this is that you have to remember to go back in later and add the stuff you missed, and you might end up adding something that changes details that come after in the story. However, it'll take less time to fix any problems than the amount of time you could lose spinning your wheels. Why lose a whole day just because you're not sure how you want Billy and Jeannie to break up, or how Johnny's death scene should go?
Here is my tip for today: Don't let yourself get stalled because you're not sure how to handle a scene or you need to research something to add the appropriate level of detail. Sketch in a skeleton for the scene, or even skip it all together, and move on. The difficult part of this is that you have to remember to go back in later and add the stuff you missed, and you might end up adding something that changes details that come after in the story. However, it'll take less time to fix any problems than the amount of time you could lose spinning your wheels. Why lose a whole day just because you're not sure how you want Billy and Jeannie to break up, or how Johnny's death scene should go?
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
NaNoWriMo day three: tip of the day
Well, nanoers, it's day three of our crazy quest to write a 50k word novel in one month. By this time some people have already dropped out, thinking they were crazy to want to try this in the first place. Others realized it was harder to write 1,667+ words per day than they thought. Others came up with myriad excuses or had life crises or who knows what.
The rest of us are still here, typing away, having barely begun our novels. Some of us, like myself, are already behind. I JUST caught up to where I should have finished yesterday, because I didn't have a lot of time to write yesterday. That's all right, because there's plenty of time to catch up. I'll get a bit more done tonight, then try to make up a bit a day until I'm caught up and even a little ahead for the next day I don't have time for nano.
So, here's my tip for the day: no matter how busy you are, try to write just a little every day. Even if it's just 100 words, that's more than you had if you did nothing, and you can toss that off in about 5 minutes. Maybe you want to invest a few more minutes, try to knock out 500. Even if you're tired, it won't take that long, and you'll thank yourself later!
The rest of us are still here, typing away, having barely begun our novels. Some of us, like myself, are already behind. I JUST caught up to where I should have finished yesterday, because I didn't have a lot of time to write yesterday. That's all right, because there's plenty of time to catch up. I'll get a bit more done tonight, then try to make up a bit a day until I'm caught up and even a little ahead for the next day I don't have time for nano.
So, here's my tip for the day: no matter how busy you are, try to write just a little every day. Even if it's just 100 words, that's more than you had if you did nothing, and you can toss that off in about 5 minutes. Maybe you want to invest a few more minutes, try to knock out 500. Even if you're tired, it won't take that long, and you'll thank yourself later!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
NaNoWriMo is in full force!
I've been meaning to post some "nano is coming" posts, and time just got away from me. Well, it's here! It's National Novel Writing Month, where we write a whole novel of 50,000 words or more during the month of November. It's not too late to get in on the fun...I started a week late my first year (2007) and I wrote 63k that year. The next year I struggled with tendonitis, and last year I was working about 12 hours a day. I still finished. So, you can do it! All you need is an idea....get going!
I have 2059 words so far. One thing I like to do is write a little in the morning, then more later that night to kind of break it up. If you write every single day, you only need to get in 1,667 words each day. I shoot for 2,000 to give myself some leeway, but if I get more in, great.
I'll try to post some more with different tips, etc., for success. If you have any questions or problems, feel free to post! We're all in this together!
I have 2059 words so far. One thing I like to do is write a little in the morning, then more later that night to kind of break it up. If you write every single day, you only need to get in 1,667 words each day. I shoot for 2,000 to give myself some leeway, but if I get more in, great.
I'll try to post some more with different tips, etc., for success. If you have any questions or problems, feel free to post! We're all in this together!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Author Interview: Aggie Villanueva
Today, we'll learn a little about Aggie Villanueva, author of Chase the Wind
, Rightfully Mine (God's Equal Rights Amendment)
, and, most recently, The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art, No Matter the Genre
. Be sure to read my review of The Rewritten Word and Aggie's guest post on writing for the web, and read all the way to the end of this post to learn how one lucky person will win a free digital version of The Rewritten Word!
Jennifer Walker: Tell us a little about Aggie the professional writer. Why are you qualified to write this book (That's not accusatory, just to direct you :)), your published works, etc.
Aggie Villanueva: Hi Jennifer. Thanks so much for having me. I love how you qualify that this question is "not accusatory." Don't worry, in my opinion it's a perfect question.
And the answer is simple. I wrote The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art No Matter The Genre because I'm a horrible writer who had to learn to perfect the work in the rewrite. I had to discover exactly what rewriting even means. And If I can learn it, anyone can.
I'm not an English major, and I actually know very little about sentence structure and grammar rules. An editor once told me that I have an ear for language, like those who who have an ear for music, i.e. don't know how to read music but can play anyway.
But that doesn't go far when trying to consistently do it right. You need an understanding you can apply to everything you write, and successfully recreate the outcome -- like a science experiment. That's what I share in the The Rewritten Word, as simply and briefly as possible.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about your next writing project.
Aggie Villanueva: Most likely it will be about the craft of marketing your writing. That's what I write about for my blog Visual Arts Junction, and the two marketing blogs I write for regularly, Orange Soda Blog and the BookBuzzr blog. This fits well with my business as an author publicist at Promotion a la Carte. Some authors would rather do their own promotional work, at least for the most part, and I love sharing with them what I've learned along the way.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about Aggie the person. What hobbies you enjoy, your family, etc.
Aggie Villanueva: I guess even in my hobbies, it's the real Aggie who takes over. I love my photographic art and often pack up 60 lbs of camera equipment, my dogs, a few days food and bedding and head for my beloved mountains.
I am blessed this carried over into family -- in September I was so honored to be the photographer for my daughter's wedding. As a landscapist I don't even own indoor lighting equipment. Talk about one nervous wedding photographer! But hopefully I didn't botch it too much.
Jennifer Walker: Why did you decide to write a book about rewriting?
Aggie Villanueva: When first beginning writing I had to translate those how-to-write books by scholars and editors. Literally. At first read they made no sense at all to an average drop out like me. And in the process of translating what they wrote into everyday language, I taught myself how to write with clarity and brevity without even realizing it. Kind of like backwards technology.
Now I finally had some understanding of the process to apply to all my writing. It takes more than just an ear for language to produce quality work. I just wanted to share that simplicity with other writers. There's no reason for how-to books to be complicated or lengthy.
Not to imply that I don't make mistakes. I certainly do. But, you don't have to be a scholar to write well. I have a sixth grade education and have worked hard all my life learning what I need to know for my chosen careers. It's not hard, you just have to work hard at it. And simplify, simplify, simplify.
If you're having a hard time understanding the how-tos of anything, try what I did -- translate their words into understandable ones. You'll be amazed at the advanced understanding you come away with.
As I say repeatedly, if I can learn it, anyone can. I just wanted to share what I've learned, not to imply that it is the be-all and end-all of rewriting.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about how you first got published with your very first book, and how things have changed since then.
Aggie Villanueva: I co-authored my first novel, Chase the Wind, with Deborah Lawrence when I was 28. After we compiled the first three chapters and an outline of the rest we asked an author friend to critique it. She gave us excellent advice that we eagerly took, then sent it to Thomas Nelson, who accepted it. They also accepted my next book, a solo historical/Biblical fiction, Rightfully Mine. When it went out of print, I self-published a second edition of it in the summer of 2009.
Things have changed drastically since my first book, and all for the benefit of the author. Back then there were only two choices: traditional publishing and vanity publishing (not to be confused with modern-day self-publishing).
I wouldn't consider submitting my books to a traditional publisher of any kind now. The access to self publishing (not vanity or subsidiary publishing) is nothing but good for authors on every level, and I hope to take full advantage of the benefits.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us a little about Promotion A la Carte and why you decided to start it.
Aggie Villanueva: When I self-published my novel Rightfully Mine (God's Equal Rights Amendment) in 2009, I was also still promoting my photographic art. Promotion never ends. At my blog, Visual Arts Junction, I wrote what I learned about marketing as I went.
I guess people learned from it, because 10 months after I founded Visual Arts Junction, we were voted #5 at Predators and Editors in the "Writers' Resource, Information & News Source" category for 2009.
One day, about nine months after publishing and continually promoting Rightfully Mine, a marketing friend, Denise Cassino, checked Amazon and told me it had reached top ten sales in three categories. I was so excited I took screen shots to prove it!
My work was finally bearing some fruit.I founded Promotion a la Carte to offer author promotion for those who need a little help of the basic kind I learned while marketing and promoting for myself.
Though I'm a publicist now, I never stop writing about how authors can do all this for themselves. In fact, I recommend they do. There's so much we can all do on our own. And until you've worked it yourself, you don't appreciate what an author publicist does, especially if you don't see immediate sales.
Marketing has nothing to do with sales. Promotion is an area that you can't judge by return on investment (ROI), because the return may not happen for a few years. But it's a sure bet you'll never see any ROI unless you do the continual work of publicizing.
But we all need a little help from our our friends. I'd love to invite readers to consider a few of our services when that time comes for them. We've had some great comments from our clients and some of the top professional writers and reviewers in the business.. See our Clients Testimonials page: http://promotionalacarte.com/clients-testimonials/
Jennifer Walker: What are your favorite genres to read? To write? What draws you to them?
Aggie Villanueva: I like writing just about anything. I love reading fiction of any kind, but have been drawn to the supernatural since I saw my first horror movie at four. I'm sure what draws me is the similarities to the supernatural nature of my Christian faith.
My favorite is vampire stories. But I read very few of them because few are truly excellent. I fell in love with Anne Rice's intellectually and emotionally tortured vampire Louie. I never tire of their debate whether there is salvation for the undead.
For me, fiction must take me to another world and make me THINK and RETHINK.
Jennifer Walker: Do you have any interesting writing habits or quirks? Do you have to have silence, the TV on, your cat by your side, etc?
Aggie Villanueva: I don't know how interesting they are, but probably most would say everything about me is a quirk! I always love my dogs by my side, but who would keep them inside when the mountains call to them outside!
Yes, I like silence, and not just for my writing. But that means so much more than just no TV, music etc. I lived for years in the wilderness with no electricity or water. I learned there is no such thing as silence, but unless you turn off all the noise of civilization, you'll never hear the wondrous sounds of it.
Jennifer Walker: Where is your favorite place in the world to visit...or where would you like to visit most?
Aggie Villanueva: Nothing restores my soul like running to my beloved mountains. As I said above, I live to pack up my photography equipment, dogs, food and supplies and head for the wilderness. And I do it as often as possible. That's where all my photo art originates, and spiritual inspiration and probably most of my creativity.
Jennifer Walker: What is your favorite dessert?
Aggie Villanueva: Wow, that's a hard one. Probably a chocolate root beer float. Thanks, Jennifer, for this time. It was great fun answering these questions. And I look forward to answering or just talking with your readers. Please allow me to offer one of them a free ebook of The Rewritten Word in their choice of 10 electronic formats at Smashwords. You chose the winner, I'll supply it.
And thank YOU, Aggie, for stopping by! It was so much fun getting to know you. You heard her, readers...leave a comment on this post, and you'll automatically be entered in the drawing to get a free download of The Rewritten Word! I'll give you a few days to get in on the fun...make your comment by Monday at midnight, and I'll choose a winner and announce it on Tuesday!
, Rightfully Mine (God's Equal Rights Amendment), and, most recently, The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art, No Matter the Genre. Be sure to read my review of The Rewritten Word and Aggie's guest post on writing for the web, and read all the way to the end of this post to learn how one lucky person will win a free digital version of The Rewritten Word!Jennifer Walker: Tell us a little about Aggie the professional writer. Why are you qualified to write this book (That's not accusatory, just to direct you :)), your published works, etc.
Aggie Villanueva: Hi Jennifer. Thanks so much for having me. I love how you qualify that this question is "not accusatory." Don't worry, in my opinion it's a perfect question.
And the answer is simple. I wrote The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art No Matter The Genre because I'm a horrible writer who had to learn to perfect the work in the rewrite. I had to discover exactly what rewriting even means. And If I can learn it, anyone can.
I'm not an English major, and I actually know very little about sentence structure and grammar rules. An editor once told me that I have an ear for language, like those who who have an ear for music, i.e. don't know how to read music but can play anyway.
But that doesn't go far when trying to consistently do it right. You need an understanding you can apply to everything you write, and successfully recreate the outcome -- like a science experiment. That's what I share in the The Rewritten Word, as simply and briefly as possible.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about your next writing project.
Aggie Villanueva: Most likely it will be about the craft of marketing your writing. That's what I write about for my blog Visual Arts Junction, and the two marketing blogs I write for regularly, Orange Soda Blog and the BookBuzzr blog. This fits well with my business as an author publicist at Promotion a la Carte. Some authors would rather do their own promotional work, at least for the most part, and I love sharing with them what I've learned along the way.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about Aggie the person. What hobbies you enjoy, your family, etc.
Aggie Villanueva: I guess even in my hobbies, it's the real Aggie who takes over. I love my photographic art and often pack up 60 lbs of camera equipment, my dogs, a few days food and bedding and head for my beloved mountains.
I am blessed this carried over into family -- in September I was so honored to be the photographer for my daughter's wedding. As a landscapist I don't even own indoor lighting equipment. Talk about one nervous wedding photographer! But hopefully I didn't botch it too much.
Jennifer Walker: Why did you decide to write a book about rewriting?
Aggie Villanueva: When first beginning writing I had to translate those how-to-write books by scholars and editors. Literally. At first read they made no sense at all to an average drop out like me. And in the process of translating what they wrote into everyday language, I taught myself how to write with clarity and brevity without even realizing it. Kind of like backwards technology.
Now I finally had some understanding of the process to apply to all my writing. It takes more than just an ear for language to produce quality work. I just wanted to share that simplicity with other writers. There's no reason for how-to books to be complicated or lengthy.
Not to imply that I don't make mistakes. I certainly do. But, you don't have to be a scholar to write well. I have a sixth grade education and have worked hard all my life learning what I need to know for my chosen careers. It's not hard, you just have to work hard at it. And simplify, simplify, simplify.
If you're having a hard time understanding the how-tos of anything, try what I did -- translate their words into understandable ones. You'll be amazed at the advanced understanding you come away with.
As I say repeatedly, if I can learn it, anyone can. I just wanted to share what I've learned, not to imply that it is the be-all and end-all of rewriting.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about how you first got published with your very first book, and how things have changed since then.
Aggie Villanueva: I co-authored my first novel, Chase the Wind, with Deborah Lawrence when I was 28. After we compiled the first three chapters and an outline of the rest we asked an author friend to critique it. She gave us excellent advice that we eagerly took, then sent it to Thomas Nelson, who accepted it. They also accepted my next book, a solo historical/Biblical fiction, Rightfully Mine. When it went out of print, I self-published a second edition of it in the summer of 2009.
Things have changed drastically since my first book, and all for the benefit of the author. Back then there were only two choices: traditional publishing and vanity publishing (not to be confused with modern-day self-publishing).
I wouldn't consider submitting my books to a traditional publisher of any kind now. The access to self publishing (not vanity or subsidiary publishing) is nothing but good for authors on every level, and I hope to take full advantage of the benefits.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us a little about Promotion A la Carte and why you decided to start it.
Aggie Villanueva: When I self-published my novel Rightfully Mine (God's Equal Rights Amendment)
in 2009, I was also still promoting my photographic art. Promotion never ends. At my blog, Visual Arts Junction, I wrote what I learned about marketing as I went. I guess people learned from it, because 10 months after I founded Visual Arts Junction, we were voted #5 at Predators and Editors in the "Writers' Resource, Information & News Source" category for 2009.
One day, about nine months after publishing and continually promoting Rightfully Mine, a marketing friend, Denise Cassino, checked Amazon and told me it had reached top ten sales in three categories. I was so excited I took screen shots to prove it!
My work was finally bearing some fruit.I founded Promotion a la Carte to offer author promotion for those who need a little help of the basic kind I learned while marketing and promoting for myself.
Though I'm a publicist now, I never stop writing about how authors can do all this for themselves. In fact, I recommend they do. There's so much we can all do on our own. And until you've worked it yourself, you don't appreciate what an author publicist does, especially if you don't see immediate sales.
Marketing has nothing to do with sales. Promotion is an area that you can't judge by return on investment (ROI), because the return may not happen for a few years. But it's a sure bet you'll never see any ROI unless you do the continual work of publicizing.
But we all need a little help from our our friends. I'd love to invite readers to consider a few of our services when that time comes for them. We've had some great comments from our clients and some of the top professional writers and reviewers in the business.. See our Clients Testimonials page: http://promotionalacarte.com/clients-testimonials/
Jennifer Walker: What are your favorite genres to read? To write? What draws you to them?
Aggie Villanueva: I like writing just about anything. I love reading fiction of any kind, but have been drawn to the supernatural since I saw my first horror movie at four. I'm sure what draws me is the similarities to the supernatural nature of my Christian faith.
My favorite is vampire stories. But I read very few of them because few are truly excellent. I fell in love with Anne Rice's intellectually and emotionally tortured vampire Louie. I never tire of their debate whether there is salvation for the undead.
For me, fiction must take me to another world and make me THINK and RETHINK.
Jennifer Walker: Do you have any interesting writing habits or quirks? Do you have to have silence, the TV on, your cat by your side, etc?
Aggie Villanueva: I don't know how interesting they are, but probably most would say everything about me is a quirk! I always love my dogs by my side, but who would keep them inside when the mountains call to them outside!
Yes, I like silence, and not just for my writing. But that means so much more than just no TV, music etc. I lived for years in the wilderness with no electricity or water. I learned there is no such thing as silence, but unless you turn off all the noise of civilization, you'll never hear the wondrous sounds of it.
Jennifer Walker: Where is your favorite place in the world to visit...or where would you like to visit most?
Aggie Villanueva: Nothing restores my soul like running to my beloved mountains. As I said above, I live to pack up my photography equipment, dogs, food and supplies and head for the wilderness. And I do it as often as possible. That's where all my photo art originates, and spiritual inspiration and probably most of my creativity.
Jennifer Walker: What is your favorite dessert?
Aggie Villanueva: Wow, that's a hard one. Probably a chocolate root beer float. Thanks, Jennifer, for this time. It was great fun answering these questions. And I look forward to answering or just talking with your readers. Please allow me to offer one of them a free ebook of The Rewritten Word in their choice of 10 electronic formats at Smashwords. You chose the winner, I'll supply it.
And thank YOU, Aggie, for stopping by! It was so much fun getting to know you. You heard her, readers...leave a comment on this post, and you'll automatically be entered in the drawing to get a free download of The Rewritten Word! I'll give you a few days to get in on the fun...make your comment by Monday at midnight, and I'll choose a winner and announce it on Tuesday!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Windswept Destiny Publishing Announces Book Signing for Bubba Goes National
Folsom Author Jennifer Walker Signs her Debut Novel, Bubba Goes National
Folsom, CA - Windswept Destiny Publishing, an imprint of Twin Trinity Media, announced today that Folsom resident Jennifer Walker will sign her debut novel, Bubba Goes National, at the Christensen's Saddlery annual sale, 3690 Taylor Road in Loomis, November 12th to the 14th, 2010, from 12:00 to 4:00pm. She will also offer two anthologies that contain her stories, Elements of the Soul and The Ultimate Horse Lover.
Bubba Goes National is about thirteen-year-old Leslie Clark, who lives with her widowed father. She loves horses, but he can’t afford to buy her one. She works for a horse trainer to earn lessons and a little extra money, which she saves up in hope of one day owning her own horse. When she goes on a shopping trip with her father and trainer, she finds an Arabian gelding at a livestock auction and buys him. She names him Lucky, but her teasing father insists on calling him Bubba, much to her chagrin. As Leslie soon discovers, Lucky had been cast off and sold inexpensively at auction because he didn't meet his breeder's standards. However, he is a dream come true for Leslie. Together, they work their way to the Arabian horse National Championships.
Although Bubba Goes National was written for the ten to fourteen-year-old market, it has appeal for horse lovers of all ages. Readers will learn a little about horse care and showing while reading a delightful story about working hard to make one’s dreams come true.
Michelle L. Devon, author and owner of Accentuate Services, says, “Bubba Goes National is a sweet story, but it also tackles some of the more difficult issues teens have to deal with these days, such as: death of a parent, competitive rivalry, overcoming tough obstacles, and working hard to earn something. It’s a story any teen girl who has ever dreamed of having her own horse will want to read, and horse-loving grownup girls will too!”
Bubba Goes National is available at a cover price of $12.95; however, a discount will be offered for books purchased at the signing. Books can also be purchased at Colton Books in Folsom and at Christensen’s Saddlery in Loomis. Additionally, autographed copies can be purchased at http://www.authorjennwalker.com/bubba.html. It is also available through online retailers, like http://www.barnesandnoble.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, and http://www.twintrinitymedia.com/. Wholesale orders can be placed through the major distributors Ingrams, Coutt’s, Baker & Taylor, Blackwell Book Services and Holt Jackson.
Folsom, CA - Windswept Destiny Publishing, an imprint of Twin Trinity Media, announced today that Folsom resident Jennifer Walker will sign her debut novel, Bubba Goes National, at the Christensen's Saddlery annual sale, 3690 Taylor Road in Loomis, November 12th to the 14th, 2010, from 12:00 to 4:00pm. She will also offer two anthologies that contain her stories, Elements of the Soul and The Ultimate Horse Lover.
Bubba Goes National is about thirteen-year-old Leslie Clark, who lives with her widowed father. She loves horses, but he can’t afford to buy her one. She works for a horse trainer to earn lessons and a little extra money, which she saves up in hope of one day owning her own horse. When she goes on a shopping trip with her father and trainer, she finds an Arabian gelding at a livestock auction and buys him. She names him Lucky, but her teasing father insists on calling him Bubba, much to her chagrin. As Leslie soon discovers, Lucky had been cast off and sold inexpensively at auction because he didn't meet his breeder's standards. However, he is a dream come true for Leslie. Together, they work their way to the Arabian horse National Championships.
Although Bubba Goes National was written for the ten to fourteen-year-old market, it has appeal for horse lovers of all ages. Readers will learn a little about horse care and showing while reading a delightful story about working hard to make one’s dreams come true.
Michelle L. Devon, author and owner of Accentuate Services, says, “Bubba Goes National is a sweet story, but it also tackles some of the more difficult issues teens have to deal with these days, such as: death of a parent, competitive rivalry, overcoming tough obstacles, and working hard to earn something. It’s a story any teen girl who has ever dreamed of having her own horse will want to read, and horse-loving grownup girls will too!”
Bubba Goes National is available at a cover price of $12.95; however, a discount will be offered for books purchased at the signing. Books can also be purchased at Colton Books in Folsom and at Christensen’s Saddlery in Loomis. Additionally, autographed copies can be purchased at http://www.authorjennwalker.com/bubba.html. It is also available through online retailers, like http://www.barnesandnoble.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, and http://www.twintrinitymedia.com/. Wholesale orders can be placed through the major distributors Ingrams, Coutt’s, Baker & Taylor, Blackwell Book Services and Holt Jackson.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
NaNoWriMo is just around the corner
It's October already, and you know what that means..it's almost National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)! It starts November 1st, so now is a great time to start thinking about what your novel will be about this year. While you can't get started writing yet, you can figure out your storyline, do an outline if that's your thing, maybe do a character sketch or two. You don't want to sit down at 12:01 on November 1st with no clue what you should write, do you? Unless, of course, you're one of those disgusting people who can sit down with a blank Word document and no forethought and bang out a 50,000 word novel without blinking an eye. If you are, I think I might hate you.
For those of you who don't know what the heck NaNoWriMo is, it's just about the craziest thing a writer (experienced or would-be) can do. During the month of November, you will write an entire novel of at least 50,000 words. It's an awesome way to get your creative juices flowing and get in the habit of writing regularly, even if what you write turns out to be utter crap. It's OK! Embrace the crap and just get it written...that's what NaNo is all about. All you have to do to "win" is write 50,000 words. There's no competition except with yourself, and there's lots of support both online and in many local communities. It's crazy, but it's a lot of fun, so I heartily encourage everyone to give it a shot.
Who's with me?
For those of you who don't know what the heck NaNoWriMo is, it's just about the craziest thing a writer (experienced or would-be) can do. During the month of November, you will write an entire novel of at least 50,000 words. It's an awesome way to get your creative juices flowing and get in the habit of writing regularly, even if what you write turns out to be utter crap. It's OK! Embrace the crap and just get it written...that's what NaNo is all about. All you have to do to "win" is write 50,000 words. There's no competition except with yourself, and there's lots of support both online and in many local communities. It's crazy, but it's a lot of fun, so I heartily encourage everyone to give it a shot.
Who's with me?
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