Fifty thousand words in thirty days. It’s a test to be sure. But 1667 words a day doesn’t prove so difficult in reality. It’s simply a matter of commitment and consistency.

While many attempt to produce a complete novel that they might publish, I find this to be an unreasonable goal for a NaNo project. My standards are too high and my skillset not efficient enough for that sort of masterful output. I enjoy NaNo for the opportunity to see how serious I am about writing. I like to take on free-writing projects and stories that I want to explore–hobby projects I don’t intend to draft for publication yet.

This year I’ve decided to write vignettes about every moment I can remember from my life that’s of any interest at all. I sat down and actually listed enough scenes to complete probably three or more novels, some of them big enough to be shorts or novellas, so I’m sure I won’t finish them all. However, some should prove interesting enough to expand and, who knows, maybe I’ll cut out a small portion and turn them into something. But the expectation is to explore memories and search for ideas, not to create a finished novel.

Are you doing NaNo? What are your goals? Click the image to add me as a buddy and we can keep each other cranking out the words.

Yes, it’s that time of year again: The month when writers everywhere suddenly loose their mojo and forget how to type letters that accumulate into words.

I was over on Lylurn Enclave and found this lament about writer’s block:

So I’ve been stuck for three days, haven’t written a word. They just wouldn’t come out.

I’m sure none of these will be a paradigm shift for established writers, but I find that confirmation other writers are using a tool encourages me to try them too. Here are some of the ones I’ve employed to success against the November Beast of Writerly Agony:

• Surf the web for images that fit my story; get inspired about some character or locale and write on it for a bit;  flesh out some back story
• Write legends about their great uncles or long dead warriors or cultures they idolize or despise
• Rewrite the current chapter from an antagonist’s POV or a minor character’s ( I tend to neglect the villains most)
• Have a written conversation (because that way it’s not crazy) with one of my characters, if two of them are particularly caustic together, talk to them both at the same time; ask how the story is going and what they think I should do (then do the exact opposite of course)
• Pull out the mood music, get some music that really gets me brooding or pumped up; write whatever comes to mind–poetry, battle scenes, crap that won’t be in the book, who cares
• Start the next book. I know that can sound absurd, but often I write books in series out of order. It gives me great insight to where I want the characters to go in the future (and if they should even live this book).
• Pull out one of my favorite books and read the passages I love most; find some technique or characterization that just absolutely works, get inspired, and then make my current sucky scene work like that (maybe even insert a new scene to do it).

There you have it. The wulfish cure to Black November.

Here’s the low down from NaNo town.

October Recap

Planned events

Twinergy Outline:  I stumbled and fell. I struggled with this all month, but still can’t nail down the middle in any impressive way. This is very bothersome, but sometimes you can’t rush these things. So I have no idea what I’m writing for NaNo (and four days late  )

Book reviews. Took an unexpected business trip this month, so it ate up my hobby time. I will shoot to get these reviews in December instead.

Unplanned

Billboards: A short story about a trucker who gets guidance during a rough time by a most unexpected source–billboards on the side of the road.
Some great potential here!

Water: Prose about a boy fascinated to death with water.
Very lyrical piece, some great imagery.

Gut Feeling: A story about a man who sees signs of his own death everywhere.
A flash with some great conflict and tension building. Sadly, the ending falls far below expectations.

Total Words for October: 5,913

November Preview

Two Poems: I’ll be writing two poems in my writing class. Gnyaah I’m horrible at poetry : (

Twinergy/Other: I hope to whip some plot into shape very quick like and write my NaNo novel this month.

Target word count: 50,000 (yikes!)

Okay, start the cheering and the shin kicking!

So what’s going on here in October? For one, previews. Some call them goals, but preview sounds so much more cinematic.

This month I’ll be finishing up an outline for Twinergy, which I hope to write a large part of during NaNoWriMo this year.

I’ll also be posting two book reviews as I continue the purview of my particular conundrum [video]. What else? What else?? Isn’t that enough for a man with a job getting ready to head into NaNo? Sheesh.