Countdown: One week to get LAFFN!

July LAFFN is just one week away! You have one week left to set yourself up for success. I'm going to start working on some graphics you can post on your blogs, websites, forum signatures, etc. Sooo...if you want one of these nifty things, stop by http://accentuatewriters.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=89 and proclaim your intent to participate and what your goal is. We'll have a participant graphic and a winner graphic...whee!

Just two more weeks until we get LAFFN!

I meant to post this yesterday, but didn't instead...we have just two weeks until LAFFN (Let's All Finally Finish a Novel), where we pledge to finish our works in progress during the month of July! Remember, the rules are simple: make LAFFN about whatever is most beneficial to you, as long as you're writing. You can finish a NaNoWriMo novel, or that treatise on the effect of the Vietnam War on the local economy, or that book of essays. Maybe your plan is to write a 200,000 word book, so you just want to get 50,000 done in July. Heck, you could even write an entire book during the month if you don't have a WIP to finish. Whatever floats your boat, man, it's all good. Just write! Time to stop sitting around and saying how you OUGHT to finish that book...time to DO it!

Get involved with other LAFFers at http://accentuatewriters.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=89

What can you do right now to ensure your success, you ask? Here are some suggestions:

1. Reread your WIP to refresh yourself on what it's about, timelines, important details, etc.

2. Brainstorm on plot elements, story lines, the ending, and so on. Outline it, if that helps you.

3. Unlike NaNo, you're allowed to work on your book before LAFFN actually starts. If throwing a few words on the page now will help you cross the finish line by July 31, go for it.

4. Warn your family and friends that you will be busy in July and to be prepared not to bother you. You have important stuff going on!

5. Recruit your family and friends to join you, so you're not the only one going through this madness. See if you can set up some write-ins, where you all set up shop at someone's house, a cafe, etc. and all write together. You can do word wars, etc., to egg everyone on.

Any other suggestions?

Blog Talk Radio shows for writers and readers

I recently discovered some Blog Talk Radio shows that I thought my writer friends might want to look into for promotional opportunities, and my reader friends might enjoy to find new authors and books. It's called Red River Radio, and they have several shows every month. These are generally talk show format type of shows where there is a guest author or two and on some of them book club members join in a discussion with the guests to ask about their books, their writing process, etc.

I have been asked to be an assistant for one of the hosts, Fran Lewis, in her book club discussions the third Wednesday of every month at 10AM Pacific. My job will be to answer the phone and monitor the chat room for questions. My first show is next Wednesday, the 16th, and I'm very excited! I hope you all will listen in...and check out the other Red River Radio shows. You just might find your new favorite author or get the opportunity to talk about your own book live on the air.

Suite101 Spring into Summer Challenge

Suite101 is having a challenge this month to write 20 articles in 30 days. Everyone who does it will be entered in a drawing for one of 30 prizes of $101! Complete details are at http://www.suite101.com/pages/contests.cfm. I'm going to do it...even if I don't win, it'll be good incentive to get me writing. Oh, and then there will be the added revenue from having more articles! I only have to post five more before I get a 10% income bonus on my revenue share, so this will put me over the edge. It's a win-win. Who's with me?

Are you ready to get LAFFN?

My plan was to have LAFFN (Let's All Finally Finish a Novel) twice per year: January and July. July is just around the corner, so it's time to start gearing up! I didn't get very far in January, but now that I don't have a day job anymore, I'm ready to finish the first sequel to Bubba Goes National. It's called Bubba to the Rescue, and I have 51,104 words in it so far. I think another 20k or so will do it. I'm still working on reading everything I'd already written since I'd forgotten since the previous NaNo and editing/adding as I go. My goal for June is to finish that, decide where the story is going and maybe add a couple more chapters so I'm well set to finish this sucker in July. I would like to get it published by November 1st, so I'll need to get right on editing, rewriting and formatting and all the rest of it.

As an extra incentive, I'm going to give all participants a prize: a graphic you can post on your blog, facebook, writer's forums, etc. "Winners" will get a second, equally special, winner graphic! How can you pass this up? And all for free, folks. Magical.

OK, LAFFers, what's your goal? Are you with me?

Don't know what the heck I'm talking about? Read my blog post about it to get the scoop.