Ten Reasons Why I Won’t be Doing NaNoWriMo
Every one in my writing communities is asking me if I will be doing NaNoWriMo this year. For those that don’t know, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month. The idea is that you start, and complete a novel in November. It is actually a great idea. Especially if you need a quick kick in the ass to get writing that novel you’ve been telling yourself you’d write for years.
I won’t be participating this year. When I tell my fellow authors that, they all want to know: Why? I can even hear some of them looking down upon me for my choice to exclude myself. So I put together my ten reasons why I won’t be doing NaNoWriMo. You may call them “excuses” but the word “reasons” makes me feel better about myself. Besides, every now and then I like to put something together that is a little tongue in cheek.
1. November is a production month for Plasma Frequency:
Yep, that is right. I run this magazine and Issue 3 has to be ready December 5th. That means that I will be spending much of my non-day job hours working on getting Plasma Frequency laid out and ready for print. Not to mention designing ads for the issue (you should get an ad to advertise the novel you finish during NaNoWriMo). And since I likely will be paying for most or all of Plasma Frequency‘s stories and artwork out of my own pocket, I’ll also need to pick up some extra hours at my day job.
2. I have to work my day job.
Believe it or not my writing doesn’t pay all my bills. I have to work a day job to try to pay my bills. A day job that doesn’t even pay enough to pay my monthly rent. So that also means I will be needing to pick up any extra hours I can. Since I have to pay my rent, phone, internet, power, water, and Plasma Frequency‘s running costs. In all, I have to put up a lot of hours at work to try to make ends meet. Those extra hours are all hours I normally reserve for writing, editing, and family time.
3. My family needs me too.
Yep, I am throwing them under the bus here. But it is true. And there are a lot of family events happening in November. My birthday and Thanksgiving being two of them. These are often all day events in my family so that means two more lost days in the tight schedule.
And since my birthday is in November, I don’t have to do NaNoWriMo. I think it is in the rules. If it isn’t in the rules, than I am adding it to my own personal NaNoWriMo rules.
4. I have volunteer commitments
I volunteer on the Board of Directors for my local soccer league. And, I coach in that league. And, two of my three boys play in that league. The season ends in November. So there are two year end parties to attend. And there is one weekend ate up to the end of season tournament. So there are four more days that NaNoWriMo can’t have.
5. I already started a Novel.
I have already started a novel. My second novel is already in the works. And in NaNoWriMo you are supposed to start and finish in November. So if I participated, I would be cheating. And no one likes cheaters. I could start the sequel for Dissolution of Peace, but I am not a person that can write two novels at once. I can edit one and write another. I can even write a short story while doing a novel. But I just can’t do two novels at once. It is my writing style.
6. I didn’t participate last year.
I didn’t do NaNoWriMo last year, in fact I have never done it. I don’t need to explain myself for past years, those are past years. But, I am far to busy to start something new in November.
7. I don’t want to sacrifice quality for speed.
I get that you don’t have to have a print ready manuscript by the end of November. The point is to have the first draft done. But the first draft is the foundation for that final manuscript. You have to have something to work with or the story is lost. At least that is my opinion. And as you can see I already have a lot of things taking up my time. I bet I probably could still throw 50,000 words down in the time I have left, but I don’t think they would be worth the paper, or disk space, they are written on. I would feel like I am sacrificing quality just to get it done on time because of my crowded schedule.
8. I don’t want to be another blogger spending all of November blogging about NaNoWriMo.
Every year the writing blogs fill up with constant talk about NaNoWriMo. Or even worse, they virtually shut down for a month. Both, I don’t wish to do. Sometimes my schedule is so crowded that these posts are the only writing I get done for weeks or months. And I don’t want to take a break for writing my novel, to tell you about how NaNoWriMo is going. I’d prefer to be the destination my followers can come to read a post or two that is away from the topic of NaNoWriMo. Don’t get me wrong, if you participate in NaNoWriMo, you may want to read about the progress of others. I just don’t feel like blogging about it, and/or not blogging for a month.
“But Richard,” you say. “You are blogging about NaNo right now.” To those people I say, this doesn’t count. It is still October.
9. I have a current novel to promote
We have established that my schedule is tight. Well, Dissolution of Peace needs to sell. And it won’t sell with out someone marketing it. That someone is me. My October sales have slowed drastically, and I hope to kick it into high gear for November and December. That means more free time used to find reviewers, advertising, and self marketing. Maybe even trying to set up a book signing or two. That all takes time. So rather then starting a third novel (just yet), I need to market the first one.
10. I have nothing to wear.
You heard me correctly. No one wants to see me sitting around naked in my office writing a novel. What does one wear to a virtual writing gathering anyway? Is it a virtual black tie? Or is virtual business casual okay? Perhaps a virtual suit is sufficient. That’s the thing, I simply don’t know. And to save myself the embarrassment, I simply won’t attend. Besides, I heard it was a Sadie Hawkins event and no one has asked me.
NaNoWriMo is a good thing
Sure, I am not attending. But NaNoWriMo is a great event. And perhaps one year I will be able to do it. But that year is not 2012. If you have time and want to do it, I suggest you check out the website. There is no better way to stimulate your writing glands and put together something great. If you are stalling to start writing, but just haven’t done it, NaNoWriMo is a great way to jump in. At the very least, check it out. Every year I do. And as I said before, one year I will do it.
Perhaps I will have my own personal NaNoWriMo. Who says November has to be the only month you write a novel in? If you are like me, perhaps you make January your month, or even July. And even though I joked about the NaNoWriMo related blogs, I tend to learn a lot more about writing when NaNo is going on than I do other times of year. Authors are always willing to help each other out. So even if you don’t participate, you are bound to learn something this November.
“The End” Doesn’t Really Mean The End
So many of you made a point of letting me know that I forgot my weekly blog post this past Sunday. I didn’t forget, in fact I let my Facebook and Twitter followers know exactly why I didn’t post. I was finishing my novel.
Of course, by finish I mean putting ### (The End) on the first draft of my novel manuscript. It is in no way finished. But it sure felt nice to say it was finished. I let myself bask in the fact that I had completed my novel for a few days. And now, reality has struck. “The End” on paper doesn’t really mean the end.
Many of us can write. Most of us can write enough to create a short story. A few less can write enough to create a novel. But far fewer can keep following though on all the steps after “The End” to really finish a novel (or even a short story). I’d like to see a few more people reach the real finish line.
When it comes to writing works for publication (even self publication) there are steps you have to take to reach the finish. I’m going to clue you in on some steps so that you know what to expect after you type “The End” on your manuscript. I’m new to the Novel steps, but they are the same as those for a short story, just longer (and maybe harder).
Let it Rest
You have to let the story rest in your head for awhile. That is, you have to forget about it a little. If you finish the first draft and then start edits the next day, you’re bound to miss things because the ideas and words you typed are still fresh in your head.
How long is enough time? Well that is really up to you. I know fellow writers who wait months to touch a short story and years for a novel. I know others who can wait a week on a short story and two weeks on a novel. There is no right answer when it comes to time.
For my short stories, I post the first 13 lines (or the hook) in my writer’s group. I give them a week to ten days to share their thoughts and offer to read the story. After that I move to my second step. With this novel, I plan to wait until March to start the next step. I think it will be enough time for me. If not, I’ll give myself more time after the next novel.
You don’t need to forget the story as a whole. If you are like me that could be impossible. It’s just enough time to allow you to forget enough of the gritty details that you will see things like inconsistencies, grammar errors, missing words, POV errors, and other things.
Self Edit
Next, you will need to read your entire manuscript and self edit. Check for errors that don’t fit the story line. Maybe you typed a chapter thinking you’d go one direction and now it no longer belongs in the story. Perhaps another area needs more development to increase the story. Go though and edit all these things. If you find grammar errors, punctuation mistakes and typos fix those too, but that isn’t the main focus here. They point here is to begin to smooth out the story. Cutting out unneeded areas, and beefing up areas that need it. Once you are done with that, you’ve got a second draft.
Trial Readers
Once you are done with that second draft you need some trial readers. You need someone who will give you HONEST thoughts on your story. This isn’t likely to be a family member or even a close friend. No one wants to hurt anyone’s feelings, especially not those of a friend. Friends and Family are best left to read the final product, not your drafts.
This is where a writers group is very handy. You can get honest thoughts and critiques on your work from other trusted readers who also know a bit about the business. I’ve planned a blog post for later this month on critiques. Watch for it.
Now, you are likely to get responses at different times. One reader might be done in a week, the other might take two. Since you definitely need to have more then one trial reader, here in my suggestion: Don’t read any critiques or change anything until you get a response from all your trial readers. Otherwise you may change something one reader hated, but the other four readers loved. So save yourself the extra work and go through each critique after you have them all.
Self Edit: Part 2
Look at all these suggestions your trial readers gave you. Some of them you will find completely useless and you should ignore those. However, if all the readers point out the same trip up, you might want to fix it (even if you think it is fine the way it is). But remember, this your work not theirs. And only you know what is best.
You may really like a scene, but your readers have trouble with it. Rewrite it then, or cut it. That is up to you. But again, this isn’t about grammar and punctuation. You will be polishing this into a even better story. Soon, you will have something resembling a third draft.
Proofreading
Unless you made major story changes, it is time to move on to the final draft. I am a firm believer in four drafts and done (the done being the fourth). It keeps you out of the endless rewrite circle. I have a friend who is on their twelfth draft of a novel. As I have told that friend, that novel will not be published. They have become obsessed with making it perfect. It won’t happen.
Now, with my short stories my proofreader is my wife. She catches most, if not all, my typos, grammar mistakes, and punctuation screw ups. And for a short story that is enough.
There are proofreading services out there. I haven’t use any, but I may use one when it come to my novel. I miss things, and a professional shouldn’t. Now, some people don’t feel comfortable with that. It is entirely a choice that is up to you. I see no reason to do it for short stories. But, my novel is 67,000 words. So after my wife reads it she may miss some things. If the rate is reasonable I will use one. Otherwise, I am an author that has no money. I won’t spend a lot on it.
However, no matter how you do your proof reading this is the time to go grammar cop. Fix all those little mistakes. Look for those rather then anything to do with the story. Fix them. Once they are fixed you have your forth draft and your completed manuscript.
THE END
You are done with your novel, right? Well not exactly. You want to see it published. That involves a lot more work. It is really a blog topic in itself. But you have already accomplished much more then the average person who sets out to write. You have a completed manuscript. Pat yourself on the back. Go get a snack, and then start working to get it published.
Writers Groups
What is a writers group?
Well a writers groups or workshops come in many forms, but the idea behind them is the same. A writers group is a group of writers (yea no kidding the name sorta implies that). The group learns from each other, practices writing skills with each other, and share resources. The overall goal is to better the writing abilities of everyone in the group.
The fear of mockery, rejection, and stolen ideas
Before we talk about writers groups, I have to bring up why a lot of aspiring authors avoid them when they start out. Its not a good reason, but we all fear rejection and mockery. And new authors often think everyone is out for their ideas.
For years no one but my wife knew I wrote. I hid the fact I wrote as if I was part of some illegal underground organization. I would close all my blinds, darken the house, and then write. And if anyone saw me I would minimize the window and say I was just reading the news. That’s a little dramatized, just a little, but I hid it for one reason:
I didn’t want people to make fun of me. I had it in my head that people would laugh and say “You write! HA! That’s such a joke. Who does that?” or worse “You don’t have what it take so to be a writer.”
After I passed the fear of being mocked, I still worried I wasn’t good enough. Perhaps I wasn’t then, I don’t know. But, I do know that I will never know if I was good enough or not because I never shared with anyone else. A fear of rejection is natural, but if you can not face that fear you won’t do well in this business. Rejection is the name of the game when it comes to trying to get published. The reason is, every editor has a different style. The fact is, everyone has different tastes. I am sure you have read a book or two that was horrible, but your friends loved it. It suited their style and not yours. Same goes with our fellow authors and even editors. I don’t know of a single author that was published on the first try. It is just the name of the game. It doesn’t mean you are a bad writer, just that editor didn’t like that particular story. Writers groups help you work out the kinks in your writing so you become confident in your prose.
So now I told people I wrote, and expected rejection but was okay with it. I worried one of the people in a writers group would steal my ideas. There are many ideas out there, so odds are someone will think of something similar to yours.
I had a great idea for a story in which investigators were sent back in time to try to try and stop a terrorist attack from happening. Then three weeks later, as I was still trying to formulate the story in my mind, I see the previews for Source Code (2011). I cursed, yelled, and told my wife someone stole my idea. Truth is no one stole my idea. It just happened that they had a similar one. I still intend to tell my story, because I will tell it my way and therefore make the idea my own.
Of course, I would be lying if I said no one has ever completely stolen an entire story from someone else. Your writers groups should have strong rules against that. I am no expert of copyrights either, but I have been told your works are yours when you lay it on the paper. Stealing it is unacceptable, but it can happen. It hasn’t happened to me yet. I have, on the other hand, heard of very talented writers’ careers being ruined because they stole a story from another person and go it published. When it was discovered he stole the story he was effectively black listed as a writer. Not the best way to go about realizing your dreams of being published.
You will find that over 99.99999999999% (statistics not guaranteed to be accurate) of the authors out there want to be published for their own ideas, not yours.
Knowing all this it dawned on me: Worrying about someone stealing your ideas is a lot like worrying about death. You should do the correct things to protect yourself from it, but you can’t let it rule your life.
Why do you need a writers group?
So you are not scared anymore of rejection or mockery. But, you ask “Why do I even need a writer’s group?”
Well frankly you are not perfect. Sorry if that was a news flash, but none of us are. Writers groups give you a chance to learn from other people and them a chance to learn from you. Each member has something to offer the group. The group works together to learn something, prompt writing ideas, and look over each others work.
I have learned more from critiquing fellow writers works then getting my own works critiqued. I have also learned more from writers groups then I have from any of the writing books I have read. Don’t get me wrong the books are great but nothing beats practice.
Writers groups will share resources with you as well. It could be a good article they read, the opening of a new market, a good book to read, and much more.
To be a good writer, you need the help of other writers. Not just professional authors, but writers of all levels.
How to find a writers group
Writers groups come in many shapes and forms.
First, you have in person writers groups. These groups meet in person and usually follow some schedule. They may meet at the local library, the college campus, or Starbucks. Personally I prefer in person groups that meet some place quiet. Finding in person groups is easier then you might think. First, ask other writers in your local area about their groups. Check listings on websites for writers groups. But the best way I found was asking around the college or my local library.
Next, you have the forum type of writers groups. I have been a part of one for about a year. The biggest thing with these is it requires some discipline on you part. There is usually no scheduled meeting time, so you have to make sure you regularly participate. Otherwise you won’t get any benefit from them. We have a number of people who join our group (its fairly open to join), they post a segment of their writing for us to review, then we never hear from them again.
Last, and one I just recently tried, is what I will call an eGroup. Google+ is great for this, but it can be done in a variety of ways. This is where writers meet up virtually at a scheduled time. Web cam meetings are best, but it could simply be in a chat room. These work a lot like the in person groups do, just over the net.
The advantage to the forum and eGroup is that you can get people from all over the world. You would be amazed how the different perspectives of the world will help you write.
What to look for.
You need to look for a couple of things in a writers group before you join:
- Will this group be able to help you in your genre of writing? If you write SciFi like me, a romance novel group will do you little good.
- The group needs to have hard rules and someone should be designated the moderator. There has to be be rules that are understood by all members of the group. These include rules about how the time will be used, how critiques will be done, acceptable writing content, how much of any one work is allowed to be shared at a time (especially true of electronic forums because of first electronic rights ect), and other rules. It should be up to the moderator how to handle rule violators . There has to be rules.
- Is the group civilized? Critiques should be limited to the work in progress not each other. Any group that allows personal attacks on fellow writers should be avoided.
- Does the group’s schedule work for you? If you will miss a lot of meeting because they meet on a day that doesn’t always work for you, then you should find another group. If you have a schedule that in odd or fluctuates a lot, I suggest a forum group because you can sign on when you can. But remember you need to be on regularly.
- What does the group do with it’s time? Is this more of a research group that talks about the craft, or is it a group that spends most of its time writing? I suggest finding a balance between the two. Most follow a pattern of 15-30 minutes talk, followed by 45-60 minutes writing. They may repeat this a couple of times before a final discussion and calling it a day. With forums, the writing time is up to you.
- Are you comfortable there? If you are not comfortable with the writing group, you won’t learn much from it. Make sure these are people you are comfortable with, but not too comfortable either. If you are all friends it won’t work either. Which leads to my next topic:
When is it time to leave a group?
You should leave any group that attacks other writers or you become uncomfortable in. But you may also want to leave a group, or at least find other groups, if your group starts to become friends. Sure, you may still hang out and discuss writing. But friends eventually may not critique your work as hard as they should simply because they don’t want to hurt your feelings any more.
Think of it this way. Watch the try outs for American Idol or America’s Got Talent. They always show that singer who is horrid and makes you cry in desperation for it to end. What made them even think they could try out? That they were ready for big time? Their friends and family who where to afraid to break their hearts and say “YOU CAN’T SING, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF MAN KIND STOP SINGING!” Of course, a writers group will help you learn to be a better writer versus tell you to stop, but the point in the same. Family and friends will always soften the blow.
Don’t abandon the friends you make in these groups, but seek a second opinion if you feel friendships are effecting the critiques you get back.
In the end, writers groups are the most effective way I have found to share ideas and learn. I have never been disappointed with any group I have worked with. Your results may vary.
