Prepping for Nanowrimo
In case you don’t know, November is National Novel Writing Month, or Nanowrimo for short, and Nano for even shorter. The idea is that you write a certain number of words (1,700 is a base number; I’m shooting for 2,500) every day for a month, and at the end of the month you have a book.
This year will be my second time participating. Last year I wrote my very first book during Nano, which was The Adventures of the Horse Doctor’s Husband. It’s a collection of stories based on actual things that I’ve been involved in over the last few years. I’ve learned a LOT about writing in the last year, so I have some serious revisions to do before that one is ready to be published.
Over the spring and summer of this year, I wrote my second book, DimWorld: Foundation. This one is a science fiction novel, and the first book in a series that I have planned. It also needs some revisions, but I learned a lot during the process of writing it. I’ve been doing a lot of homework on the process of writing and planning for a book, which has helped me become a better author.
The book that I’m writing this November (DimWorld: The Cacao Insurrection) is going to be the second book in the DimWorld series. I’m going in far more knowledgeable and prepared than I was for either of my previous books. I’ve got a complete outline that I’ve revised and improved several times, I’ve got a full physical and psychological profile on each one of my important characters, I’ve got a map and diagram of the place where most of the action is taking place, and I have an accountability partner to keep me on track.
I’m really excited about this! By this time next year, I plan to have all 3 books available on Amazon, and the next book in the series outlined and ready to write. It’s going to be a busy month, and a busy year next year. Never a dull moment, right?
What about you? Are you writing a book during Nano? If you’ve been thinking about it, this is the time to take action! Don’t worry about doing it badly; that’s what editing is for. Jump in the pool and start swimming. There’s never going to be a better time.
J. Boyd Long is an author, blogger, website developer, and the CFO of Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic. In his spare time (ha!) he likes to paint, read, canoe, and hike in the wilderness. You can subscribe to this blog in the sidebar, and future blogs will be delivered to your email. Subscribing may increase your awesomeness quotient. Please feel free to comment, and share this blog on your favorite social media page! To learn more, please visit JBoydLong.com
