#NaNoWriMo – Jean's Writing

How to find the right motivation to finish

Published on October 16, 2018October 27, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell6 Comments

Not all motivators are created equal.

Recently a friend shared with me how she stayed motivated to finish her novel. She joined a group that encouraged and offered her positive feedback. Results, she finished! Congrats to her.

So, I decided to follow suit. I joined, signed in and began the challenge to write 10,000 words in 30 days. This sounded just like what I needed. I was ready to rock n roll.

The first day, in pops email, reminding me to write and post the number of words on the website. Okay, done. Next day, in pops another email… Don’t forget! Post words.

Alright already, I stop what I’m doing which by the way was paying bills and log in to update word count. By day five, I was yelling at the website to leave me alone. On day six, I gave them the finger, closed my computer and didn’t write for 3 days.

I guess you see where I’m going with this. Instead of encouraging me to write, I felt as if I had my own personal nagging tormentor.

Needless to say, I now ignore all incoming emails from the website. I’ll remove myself from membership when I get a minute.

However maybe you, like my friend, enjoy the ~~nagging~~ encouragement to finish your book or project. So down below I’ve added a few links to help or drive you crazy.

I’m sure there are many more out in the world-wide-web, so do share any I’ve missed.

Do you have a favorite that encourages you to write more and faster?

Do you enjoy being accountable to someone other than yourself?

What motivator works best for you?

Or are you like me, hate the pressure of a ticking clock?

Chapter Buzz

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) begins in November

NaNo Rebels

EBookWriMo

A Round Of Words In 80 Days

Continuous Creation Challenge

PLEASE TAKE ANOTHER MINUTE AND LOOK ME UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY CLICKING ON THESE LINKS. FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AMAZON, PINTEREST, STUMBLEUPON

AND DON’T FORGET TO STOP BY JEAN’S WRITING ANYTIME, I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

Writers, did you make it to the finish line?

Published on December 1, 2017December 2, 2017 by Jean M. Cogdell17 Comments

Did you write during the NaNoWriMo challenge?

I’ve never participated in NaNoWriMo but I’m curious about those who have. Knowing how other writers handle the pressure of spitting out 50k words in 30 days fascinates me. Because I agonize over every sentence and rewrite too many paragraphs. Y’all gotta tell me your secret. How do you manage to write so fast?

You’ve probably heard about the terms, plotter, and pantser, but me I’m a plodder. Often taking one step forward and two steps back. I write one word at a time, plodding along as if I’ve all the time in the world. Sigh…

I really need to learn how to speed up my writing and not get squirrelly over every jot and tiddle.

Do tell!

How many words do you write every day?

Did you finish the challenge?

Did you quit? Why?

How do you manage to balance life responsibilities and the pressure of NaNoWriMo? Especially over the holidays!

Did participating in NaNoWriMo lead to a successful novel?

Don’t want to write a long comment?

That’s okay. Just type- “I DID.”

I’m also curious as to how many writers participated in NaNoWriMo, successfully or not.

See, I have lots of questions, and can’t wait to hear about your experience.

For those of you who’ve been living under a rock and don’t know what NaNoWriMo is all about, I’ve added a few links.

National Novel Writing Month

Online Creative Writing Courses for NaNoWriMo Participants …

Participating in NaNoWriMo 2017? Caution! – Jerry Jenkins

NaNoWriMo Is Big for Writers—and It Helps Publishers, Too

I HOPE YOU’LL TAKE A MINUTE TO FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST CLICK ON THE BUTTONS BELOW. I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

How to speed up your word count

Published on November 6, 2017November 3, 2017 by Jean M. Cogdell7 Comments

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this month?

Well, congrats! You’re a week in now.

Not doing NaNoWriMo but still, need to write a lot more words every day?

Although I’m not participating this year, I’m here to cheer you on! And to help you up that word count, check out this post by Louise Foerster.

Ways to Thrive During NaNoWriMo: Bolstering Word Count

When the clock is ticking, and your muse isn’t talking, this article may help move your story along.

What I gleaned from this article?

All you need is words, so type some.
Remember a good editor can fix a lot of mistakes.
Use techniques and tools other writers have provided.
- What tools or techniques?
- Quotes from other publications. Prose, comments, verses or documents.
- Send your characters into the world and show what they see and hear. Don’t forget to add their reactions.
- Let your characters talk. You never know what they might say or where it will lead.
- Use cringeworthy tricks.
  - You have to read her article for these.

Like I said, I’m not doing NaNoWriMo but, I plan on using some of her ideas for my writing.

What do you think? Are these tips helpful?

Do you need to write faster?

I really want to know so leave me a comment.

Also, if you can please stop by my other locations and say “hey!” I’ll leave a light on.

OR CLICK THE “WRITE ME” TAB AND SEND ME AN EMAIL.

Is it possible to complete a novel in one month?

Published on October 25, 2017October 23, 2017 by Jean M. Cogdell31 Comments

If you’ve managed this amazing feat, I’m impressed.

But not me, I break out in a sweat just thinking about writing a novel from beginning to end in thirty days.

Emails are pouring in for NaNoWriMo. Have you signed up?

Well, it’s that time of year, and the deadline is fast approaching. Almost time to start your engines, I mean computers.

If you decide to go for it, here are a few great tips from Bridget at Now Novel. The big takeaway from Bridget’s post is to plan, prepare and plan some more before you start writing.

Guess this is where I mess up. I’m a bit of a crossover between pantser and plotter, using a little of both to write a story, and planning is not one of my strengths. So for you super organized writer, good luck, and Godspeed.

Writing a novel in a month: 10 tips for plotters and pantsers

But, if you’re like me and hives appear with the arrival of each email pressuring you to write 50,000 words in thirty days, check out the following post and feel better about deleting those pesky emails.

Better yet, DON’T write that novel by Laura Miller

Laura makes some valid points. This is not for everyone. And if you’re worried about spewing out 50,000 words of crap, passing on NaNoWriMo might be the best decision. For me, I’m gonna go the way of the turtle. Slow and steady wins the race.