Lisa M. Collins's Blog, page 13

Race Report: Sharae Bryant’s Memorial 5K Run/Walk

lisacollins:

So many people, local businesses, and the wonderful members of Faith Baptist Church came out today to support Sharae’s children.

Originally posted on Wookiees for Cookies:

The Wookiees had the most amazing time at the #RememberSharae 5K.

Cabot, Arkansas has such a loving and generous community. The 5K began with just a group of friends who wanted to honor Sharae by doing a run in Sharae’s favorite length (3.1 miles), but as word got out more and more people wanted to join in. And join in they did. Over 600 people checked in on the Facebook event.

So many people, local businesses, and the wonderful members of Faith Baptist Church came out today to support Sharae’s children. A local market provided fruit, one hot dogs, hamburgers, and polish sausages; another water, and the whole community came together to cover the complete cost of t-shirts. The t-shirts were then sold and 100% of all donations go to the trust-fund set up for Sharae’s four kids. You can donate here.

The course was wonderful. We left Faith Baptist…

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Lunch @ Iriana’s Pizza in the River Market

lisacollins:

Bonnie and I had lunch at Iriana’s Pizza the day before the Little Rock Marathon- Half. It was my first time in this iconic Little Rock locale and I was in store for some serious eats!

Originally posted on Tea and Cornbread:

Bonnie

and

I

had lunch at

Iriana’s Pizza

the day before the

Little Rock Marathon

- Half. It was my first time in this iconic Little Rock locale and I was in store for some serious eats!

Iriana’s is like going to eat at Cheers. You know the old TV show…I felt right at home like everyone really did know my name. The dining area is divided into cozy sections that give the seating a down home feel. One of my favorite radio stations (94.1) was playing lightly in the background. There are lots of windows and the sun streams in during the day and at night gives diners a view of the great Little Rock River Market nightlife.

But you are here to see the food! OK, twist my arm.

Bonnie and I started with Cheese bread sticks. Sounds standard but they were anything…

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I was nominated for a Liebster Award…Thank You!

I was nominated for the Liebster Award by thecoffeefox @ Falling Down the Creative Well blog. Thank you so much Coffee Fox! What is the Liebster Award? It is a blogger award that is by bloggers and for bloggers! How cool is that. I think it is pretty awesome.

So who am I?

My name is Lisa M. Collins. I am a native Southerner; educated at the University of Arkansas in The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. I received a BA history. I reside with my husband and a cat named, Baby Girl, in a sleepy little Arkansas town.

My non-fiction has been published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the Dead Mule School of Southern Literature. My writing interests are as vast as the stars in the night sky. I copy edited and researched on Understanding Global Slavery by University of California Press, and I proofread and edit for Metahuman Press.

I am the 2013 & 2014 President of ACFW Arkansas. I began writing fiction as an adult, and my current projects include a series of Science Fiction romance novels and a cookbook for the Tea and Cornbread Blog.

I would like to be the empress of The Verse & a onna-bugeisha tiger warrior…but if that doesn’t workout I’ll strive to be a better writer.

Why do you write?

I write because I get a vision in my head of new places that I haven’t been before, wondrous, futurific places that I want to discover and share. My imagination runs away with me and most days I get lost in my own imaginings. Writing gives me a map back to the places I’ve seen. Without writing those new and exciting places would disappear and the world would be poorer for it.

Who or what do you like to read?

I love to read science fiction, Shifter, Vampire, Romance in all genres, Military histories, Ancient texts by leaders like: Plato, Homer, Tacitus, Confucius, the Bible…I love the written word and to pick out a favorite would be to miss out.

What gives you inspiration?

The short answer…everything. Long answer…books, movies, overheard conversations, tweets off of Twitter, lots of things can spark my imagination. Probably the main thing that makes my inner writer want to clap in glee is quotation from ancient texts.

What is one thing you would like someone who reads your blog to know about you?

That I really do care about my readers. Most of us are chained to desks in our nine-five and the rest of the time we sit either in front of computers or TVs. Even Though this is a blog about writing, books, and authors; I am also very much concerned with the health of writers.

What is your favorite color? (Seriously.)

Blue. And not just any blue but Hawaii ocean blue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

Perhaps, you should ask Google since their 5x the speed of CPython didn’t solidify. Or watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Do you like your given name, and if not what would you change it to?

Yes. But my mom wanted to name me Donya Lee…Thank you Daddy! LOL

What is the dumbest or least favorite question someone has ever asked you? 

Is it really that hard to be a writer? Of course it is. If it were easy everyone would do it.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Spain. Because who wouldn’t want to go to place where Siesta, Tapas, and Flamenco dancing happen on a daily basis. Olé!

What is your favorite cartoon character?

Morally Ambiguous Honey Badgers by ursulav

Now for my nominees:

Bonnie J. Sterling for her blog Bonificia

Sandy Anders for her blog It’s A Herd Mentality…

Ann Cooper McCauley for her blog Morning Glory: When God Whispers

Phyl Campbell for her blog Author, Mother, Dreamer

Ursula Vernon for her art blog on deviantART

Here are your questions, Ladies:

Tell us who you are and what you do?
Why do you write/create?
Who or what do you like to read?
What gives you inspiration?
What is one thing you would like someone who reads your blog to know about you?
What is your favorite color? (Seriously.)
If you had to choose a universe based on a Science Fiction book, TV show, or movie what would it be like and why?
Do you like your given name, and if not what would you change it to?
What do you want most out of life?
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
What is your favorite cartoon character?

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The Official Rules Of The Liebster Award

If you have been nominated for The Liebster Award AND YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT, write a blog post about the Liebster award in which you:

1. thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog.

2. display the award on your blog — by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a “widget” or a “gadget”. (Note that the best way to do this is to save the image to your own computer and then upload it to your blog post.)

3. answer 11 questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.

4. provide 11 random facts about yourself.

5. nominate 5 – 11 blogs that you feel deserve the award, who have a less than 1000 followers. (Note that you can always ask the blog owner this since not all blogs display a widget that lets the readers know this information!)

6. create a new list of questions for the blogger to answer.

7. list these rules in your post (You can copy and paste from here.)

Once you have written and published it, you then have to:

8. Inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it (they might not have ever heard of it!)

Interview with Chantal Noordeloos — Coyote: The Outlander

Chantal Noordeloos (born in the Hague, and not found in a cabbage as some people may suggest) lives in the Netherlands, where she spends her time with her wacky, supportive husband, and outrageously cunning daughter, who is growing up to be a super-villain. When she is not busy exploring interesting new realities, or arguing with characters (aka writing), she likes to dabble in drawing.




Interview with Author Chantal Noordeloos 
author of Pride.
2/13/2014

I was wondering where you get your story ideas?

I get my story ideas everywhere, even the strangest places. Because I’m a very visual person, I tend to be inspired by things such as pictures, buildings and even random people I see in the street. We were recently in a German theme park and my husband turned to me and said “You’re world building, aren’t you?”

I was. I love it when objects tell me stories. Books can inspire me too, though not as much as visuals do. There are books that will trigger something in me, and I will want to work with that. That’s why I always have a notebook (or a phone in which I can take notes) with me, so I can always write down what I come up with.

I find it hard to switch this off, and it’s not always fun for the people around me, because I can get very distracted.

What is the usual process for your fiction writing? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I so desperately try to be a plotter. There are even times that I try and write out each chapter, but as I start writing, I forget to check the chapters, and I let the story guide me. I’m not a complete pantser though, I need to know certain steps, and I need to know the ending.

In a way I feel like a time lord *chuckles*, there are certain steps in time that can’t be changed… everything else is fair game.

Once you have an idea that sparks your imagination do you research your idea or do any world-building exercises, or do you just begin to write and see where the Muse takes you?

I do world building. If it’s a complicated world, I’ll even run my ideas by other people, because I want it to really work, and will need a second and even third opinion. I am also a big advocate of research.

What is your daily writing like?

I’m boring as hell. I tend to get up around 8 am, then I work until my daughter comes home at 3:30 pm. Unless I have to pick her up from school, then I have to stop at 2:30 pm. I eat my lunch behind my computer. I don’t get a lot of work done after Elora is home, so I tend to do a bit more PR than actual writing. Then when she goes to bed at 7 pm, I get back to work and work until I’m too tired and then I go to bed. This is an average routine. In the weekends I work less hours.

Are you a full time writer? If so when did you make the decision and what factors led to the decision? If you are not a full time writer…Is your plan to one day being a full time writer?

Yes I write fulltime. I made the decision 3 years ago to quit my job, but I only seriously started writing 1 ½ year ago. Before that I was doing all these little jobs here and there, because I was too scared not to have a solid income. Then I let it go and focused on writing.

What lead me there? Well, we could afford to live of one job after my husband got a promotion. He told me that I supported him when he wanted to study, so now it was my turn to live my dream. And I did, I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was fifteen.

Can you tell us about your experience working with your current publisher? (Any other publishers?) (Or your self-publishing experiences?)

Working with Tip My Hat is great. I’m somewhere in between small press and self published. Daan, my husband, wanted to try his hands on publishing because he is a marketing expert, and I’m his first experiment. He has great ideas about ‘new publishing’, and that’s the reason why I agreed to go along. I’ve had some experiences with Indie presses before, but working with Daan is very different. At the same time, it’s not as ‘easy’ for me as people may think, I can’t just get away with what I want, the same way self publishers do. I don’t have a say in everything, and I know very little about the actual publishing part of it. I don’t know what my sales figures are or anything like that.

Tip my Hat works with great people who are very professional. I’m absolutely in love with the skills of my editor, Apple Ardent Scott. She knows how to point out the parts in my work that could be better, and she gives me enough freedom to rework them so that the work doesn’t lose my ‘voice’.

What is your current release and (without spoilers) tell us about the new book or series. Can you tell us about some of your other writing and any appearances or signings that you have planned?

The most recent release that’s out there is Deeply Twisted, my horror collection. It’s currently on the ballot for the Bram Stoker Awards (Superior Achievement in a Fiction Collection), so I’m really hoping I’ll get at least a nomination. Fingers crossed

The next release will be ‘Pride’, which is the first story in the ‘Even Hell has Standards’ series. There will be seven stories of various sizes that will make up the series, each story will present one of the sins. I’m working with my personal concept of Hell, which is a little different, and I want to really put the emphasis on the horrors of humanity, rather than work with ghosts etc. Though there will be demons of course, but I like to think they are original too.

While I’m working on Pride (which is now in the editing round) I’m working on a dark fantasy YA story called Alleria. It’s at the proofreaders at the moment, because I feel I need to do more with the story, and fresh perspectives can give me the right inspiration.

Other than that I’m working on the second novel for the Coyote series. This one will follow Coyote: The Outlander, and be called ‘Coyote: The Clockwork Dragonfly”

As an author what inspiration or advice would you give to a writer who is working to make the transition to Author?

The first thing I always say is: If you want to be a professional, then act professional. Writing is a sensitive job, and it’s often very ego driven. People put their heart and soul into work, but in order to be part of the writing world, you need to be able to accept critique and look at your work with a professional eye. I’m a big advocate of editors, I really think it makes all the difference. Make sure you have a good editor too. It’s annoying when there is work out there that is filled with mistakes, it can turn off your readers. Make your work as good as you can make it. Don’t rush it. If you doubt, don’t publish, work on it some more. It’s very hard to get rid of a bad reputation, once you built one.

Another thing I think is important: be nice to people. Despite that most of writing feels like a solitary job, it really isn’t. You need formatters, editors, but most of all… you need readers. Without them, a writer is really nothing. Treat people with respect, don’t freak out when you get a bad review, don’t argue with people who don’t like your work. Just take from it what you can and move on.

Who is your favorite author, and can you recommend a book by that author?

Neil Gaiman. He’s my hero. I have several others but he’s my absolute fave. Neverwhere is my favorite book by him, but I love the Sandman graphic novels with almost the same passion.

If you would like more information about Chantal Noordeloos you can find her books on  Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Blog, and on her website. Also Coyote has interactive content through the second screen site: www.coyotethebooks.com

Interview with Paul Bishop — Fight Card: Swamp Walloper

A thirty-five year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, Paul Bishop’s career has included a three year tour with his department’s Anti-Terrorist Division and over twenty-five years’ experience in the investigation of sex crimes. His Special Assaults Units regularly produced the highest number of detective initiated arrests and highest crime clearance rates in the city. Twice honored as Detective of the Year, Paul has also received the Quality and Productivity Commission Award from the City of Los Angeles.

As a nationally recognized interrogator, Paul starred as the lead interrogator and driving force behind the ABC TV reality show Take The Money And Run from producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Based on his expertise in deception detection, he currently conducts interrogation seminars for law enforcement, military, and human resource organizations.

Interview with Author Paul Bishop
author of Fight Card: Swamp Walloper
2/5/2014

I was wondering, where you get your story ideas?

My snarky answer is Wal-Mart, but the reality is I get my ideas mostly putting a different slant on real life situations. Something may come up in the news or real life (especially when I was still on the job with LAPD) and my writer’s brain kicks in and starts playing the What If game.

What is the usual process for your fiction writing? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I used to be a plotter, working from very detailed outlines. Now, with a whole slew of books under my belt, I’m happy to be more of a pantser – trusting the story will unfold for me as I go along.

Once you have an idea that sparks your imagination do you research your idea or do any world-building exercises, or do you just begin to write and see where the Muse takes you?

An idea has to have a fairly long gestation period. My current work-in-progress, Lie Catchers, has been kicking around in my head for two years. I wrote a whole other book, Swamp Walloper, with Lie Catchers running around in the background of my brain. When I started putting words down for Lie Catchers a lot of it was already fully formed and ready to go. The characters especially had already become good friends. I’d been running a Pinterest board for Lie Catchers for the past year, putting in photos I felt applied to the characters of LAPD detectives Ray Pagan and Calamity Jane Randall.

What is your daily writing like?

Usually it’s a slog. I try to get 500 words down after the gym and before breakfast. Then another 1000 words before grabbing a light lunch and running errands. I then usually answer email, do some editing work on the next book in the Fight Card series, and work promotion. Then I go for a run, shower, eat dinner, watch an hour of TV then head back to the computer for hopefully another 500 to 1000 words.

Are you a full time writer? If so when did you make the decision and what factors led to the decision? If you are not a full time writer…Is your plan to one day being a full time writer?

After 35 years of being a professional writer and a full-time LAPD detective (30 years as a sex crimes detective and 15 years running a sex crimes unit and being on-call every other week), I retired from LAPD in 2012. During that time, I wrote twelve novels, a dozen or so hours of produced network episodic television, a feature film, an uncountable projects that went nowhere.

Now, I write full time while keeping my hand in the world of law enforcement by teaching week long courses in interrogation, deception detection, and sex crime investigation.

Can you tell us about your experience working with your current publisher? (Any other publishers?) (Or self-publishing experiences?)

My first twelve books were published by traditional legacy publishers in both hardback and paperback. After struggling for years to break out of the mid-list, I moved away from novels and into television writing. Now, I’ve come back to novels and am loving the freedom of the e-book self-publishing revolution. Fight Card, the series I write for and edit, is now up to 30 titles … not one of which would have found a home at a legacy publisher. However, in the world of self-publishing the series is flourishing and constantly expanding its horizons.

What is your current release and (without spoilers) tell us about the new book or series.

Swamp Walloper is my latest Fight Card tale. It’s the sequel to Felony Fists and takes my LAPD boxer, Patrick Felony Flynn, from the streets of LA to the back alleys of New Orleans.

Currently, I’m putting the wrap on Lie Catchers, the first book in a new series for a new e-book publishing venture called Bookxy (www.bookxy.com). Lie Catchers makes use of my extensive experience as an interrogator, following the cases of LAPD detectives Ray Pagan and Calamity Jane Randall.

I’m also editing a new series of pulp anthologies from Pro Se Press called Pulse Fiction. The first volume will be available in the next couple of weeks.

Can you tell us about some of your other writing and any appearances or signings that you have planned?

All of my books are currently back in print as e-books and can be found on my Amazon page. These include the five books in my LAPD Detective Fey Croaker series and several stand alone mysteries.

As an author what inspiration or advice would you give to a writer who is working to make the transition to Author?

I’m not sure I consider myself an author. I think author is a label reserved for somebody whose body of work has had a profound impact. I’m just a guy who loves putting words on paper and telling stories with them.

Becoming an author is something you can’t make happen. Be a writer. Write the best books you can. Write the best backs of cereal boxes you can. If you do those things, the author part will take care of itself.

Who is your favorite author, and can you recommend a book by that author?

Nevil Shute is an author who is somewhat forgotten, although he was a force to be reckoned with in his time. He is best remembered for his books A Town Like Alice and On The Beach, but Trustee From The Toolroom is a particular favorite of mine and Round The Bend had a profound effect on my life.

Somerset Maugham’s The Razor’s Edge and Thoreau’s Walden Pond were huge influences on me as a teen along with Rafael Sabatini’s Scaramouch.

If we’re looking at more contemporary authors then Dick Francis (The Danger, Whip Hand) and Robert B. Parker (Early Autumn, Love & Glory) are at the top of my must read list.

If you would like more information about Paul Bishop you can find his books on Amazon, and updates about his writing on Twitter, Facebook , Pinterest, blog, and his website.

You can also sign up on Paul’s Amazon page to get alerts when new titles are added.

Wookies Lacing Up For The Little Rock Half-Marathon

Wookies Lacing Up For The Little Rock Half-Marathon.

Healthy Writer: Aches and Pains? Let’s Fix them!

Why is it so important to be strong if you are a writer?

What do writers do most of the time? They sit. What is one of the worst things that you can do for your health? Any guesses?

That is right Ladies and Gentlemen…Sitting is killing you. But what is a writer to do?

Lift weights and do mobility exercises that offset what sitting does to the body. I have written and will write more about the mobility exercises that I do that help me so much as a writer. Since I sit in my comfy chair with my laptop in my lap, like most of y’all—bad, bad, Lisa. Here is a quick list of the mobility exercise and movements that I love.

Thoracic Mobility – for that deep back ache, you know the one you get when you are hunched over for hours and hours on end.
Double Handcuffs – this one is amazing for tight shoulders and rushes blood to the backbone.
Goblet Squats – for when you think your hips might actually be stuck in the seated position.
Farmer Walks –this one really lengthens the achy muscles of the arms, shoulder and back.

These movements can be done as a series or just when you are feeling tight. Try them out; I think you will find that they relieve the tension and stress your body is harboring.

Now I’ve said this before. “It takes dedication to your cause (fitness) and daily effort toward your goal (movement)…Flexibility takes just that P.A.T.I.E.N.C.E.  Time + Dedication = Results.” You can do this. You can be a Healthy Writer!

Healthy Writer: StrongLifts 5×5 and the New Year’s Challenge

I lift weights. Now I’m not talking about pink Barbie sized weights that weigh less than my purse. I lift heavy weights. Heavy is relative to you, so you have to experiment a bit. I started with an empty 7ft. standard weight bar. Then I added 5lb plates on each side…and continued that way until I could not, with good form, complete the lift I was trying to do.

After a year of working out on a mostly regular schedule (life sometimes gets in the way) of Monday, Wednesday, Friday evenings. I can bench press100#, Back Squat 135#, and Deadlift 205#.  I have made several goals for the New Year and I plan to get there using the best lifting workout that I have discovered over my year of looking for just the right plan.

The plan that works the best in my opinion for new lifters is StrongLifts 5×5. WHY? There are several reasons, but let’s break down the main reasons.

simplicity
the workouts are quick
you only have to work out 3 times a week

Those 3 reasons are enough, but you will quickly gain strength that you would not have believed you had in your power. Also, as a woman, the workout has the added benefits of giving you more confidence, freedom, and better bone density all without adding bulk. And that last point is so important to so many of my fellow female writers. They want to look fit, not look all manly. I promise this workout will not make you bulky if you are female.

Part of the New Year’s Healthy Writer Challenge is to do 15 mins of exercise a day. But if you are feeling like working out 5 days a week is just too much, try 3 days a week of StrongLifts 5×5. It will take around 20-30 mins per day. You do Workout A then Workout B. Then repeat.

Healthy Writer: New Year’s Challenge

Most of the writers I know say that they need more time to write. That time is their enemy…an enemy that takes no prisoners. With that in mind I have been reading all the posts floating about the web that claim to share the “perfect” list, cure, or worksheet to get you on track for 2014. I call it a resolution overload. How many lists and formulas does a person need to get their act together? I don’t know about you, but I want to take a simpler solution to my dealings in the new year.

One of the ways that I have simplified my life is by adding exercise. Now wait, I know that you are busy and think you don’t have time to add anything to your schedule, but trust me. Take a moment to hear me out and then make up your mind. Last year I started working exercise into my weekly schedule. I took it slow and easy. I used the things I had on hand to help me get fit and made a commitment to my plan.

In my first few months I only scheduled 15 mins a day for exercise. That’s right fifteen mins is all it took to start me down a path to lifelong fitness. And you know what? It made all the difference in the world. I got up 15 mins early sat down on my exercise bike and peddled. Each day I tried to beat the mileage I did the day before in my allotted time.

The first week I hated every moment of the workouts, but I committed to do it. I thought about how sad it would be if I couldn’t commit to that short period of time…I want to be an author, not just a writer. I want to be one of those people who go to conventions and other appearances for publicity. And if that is the life I want, then I knew it would be WAY more enjoyable if I could take a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing or walk from one side of a convention hall without the need to sit down to rest.

So I stuck to my plan and for months I did just 15 mins of exercise each weekday–that’s all. But an amazing thing happened. Something very unexpected. I, a grade A couch potato, started to love exercise. I know that if you had told me in 2012 that I would become one of those “exercise lovers,” I would have told you, “You’re crazy!” You know the type, all they do is post about how many miles they ran that day or how sore they are from their last workout or post recipes for stuff like Brussels sprouts and green smoothies. So far I’ve managed to avoid that type of constant harping on fitness, but I am guilty of posting some tips that I hope have been helpful to my fellow writers.

Now how did the addition of exercise help simplify my life? Honestly, it showed me the power of time. How each minute is a gift. If just 15 of them could change me from bonafide couch slug to exercise lover then what could they do for my writing?

So here is my challenge to you, writer friend: Take up the 15 min exercise challenge.

Do something–walk, bike, swing a kettlebell, do jumping jacks–just do some type of movement for 15 mins 5 days a week. That’s it. When you look back on 2014 you just might discover what I did in 2013…exercise is a writer’s friend and exercise will open the door to you being able to see the value in each minute of your day.

For those of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook you know that I now do much more than 15 mins, but I swear by the challenge. It changed my life. But I still keep it simple. My next Healthy Writer article will be on the weight lifting routine that is the core of my current workout plan, and it is so easy. So stick to your 15 min routine for a few months and let me know how you feel. I look forward to seeing all my writer friends healthy and happy in the New Year!

November is National Novel Writing Month!

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 p.m. on November 30. Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought fleetingly about writing a novel. 

How It Works

 

During NaNoWriMo, you write 50,000 words in the 30 days of November. The challenge may be hard, but the logistics are not! Here, let us guide you through ‘em.

 

1. Sign up for our website with that big, blue “Sign Up!” button on the homepage.You’ll get an email validation link a few minutes later.

 

2. As part of the sign-up process, you’ll choose a home region for in-person events near you. This is totally optional, but we think it’s a pretty awesome part of the NaNo experience.

 

3. Our user dashboard will usher you through the rest of your account set-up stuff.Click on the grayed-out badges to fill out your profile, say hello in our forums, and add writing buddies.

 

4. On October 1, you’ll be able to add information about your upcoming novel to your profile. Giving your work a title or brief synopsis gets you 225% more pumped for November. It’s a fact.

 

5. You can also use October to read past author pep talks, grab participant web badges, meet folks in the forums, and learn more about our nonprofit.

 

6. At midnight on November 1, start writing. Work on your manuscript using any method where you can track your word count. Word-processing program, notebook, typewriter, stone slab: they all work.

 

7. Update your word count whenever you can. Some like every day; others prefer a few times a week. No matter when, you can do it in that word-count update menu at the top of every page on our site.

 

8. Stay motivated with pep talks (we’ll send them to your on-site inbox and your email), forum chatter, and in-person events in your region. There’s also a big world of NaNo out there in social media: find us on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, and Pinterest.

 

9. Starting on November 25, you can validate your novel to win. If it’s over 50,000 words, paste the text into the word-count validator. A few robotic calculations later, we’ll declare you an official NaNoWriMo winner! From there, you’ll be able to collect a few prime novelist goodies.

 

10. If you enjoy your NaNo experience, please donate to support our mission. We believe in making this a more creative world, and we’d love your help getting there. (Here’s more about why others donate, as well as additional ways to give.)

 

Learn more about NaNoWriMo.

Join me and write that novel you alway wanted!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

all the above from: http://nanowrimo.org/how-it-works