P.J. Schnyder's Blog, page 4
December 6, 2013
Quick Update
The first round of edits on Survive to Dawn have gone back to my editor. This is the third book in the London Undead series, due to come out in April 2014.
Is it the last?
Good question. I don’t like to leave cliff hangers if I can possibly help it, so the trilogy is a complete story arc. There’s room in the world of the London Undead for more stories, though. So we’ll see.
In the meantime, I’m very excited to have Fighting Kat continue the Triton Experiment series. Release day is coming soon, January 13 2014. And with the holidays, I’ve got a bunch of fun giveaways and sneak peeks planned.
I’m also …
Actually, there’s enough updates going on, I might send out a newsletter to tie up the year. Yes. That might be better. Have you signed up for it yet? I only send one out once a quarter, sometimes less frequently. I always run an exclusive giveaway. How about signing up? I’m off to get that ready.
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December 3, 2013
Spotlight: Daughters of the Nile
From critically acclaimed historical fantasy author, Stephanie Dray comes the long-awaited new tale based on the true story of Cleopatra’s daughter.
After years of abuse as the emperor’s captive in Rome, Cleopatra Selene has found a safe harbor. No longer the pitiful orphaned daughter of the despised Egyptian Whore, the twenty year old is now the most powerful queen in the empire, ruling over the kingdom of Mauretania—an exotic land of enchanting possibility where she intends to revive her dynasty. With her husband, King Juba II and the magic of Isis that is her birthright, Selene brings prosperity and peace to a kingdom thirsty for both. But when Augustus Caesar jealously demands that Selene’s children be given over to him to be fostered in Rome, she’s drawn back into the web of imperial plots and intrigues that she vowed to leave behind. Determined and resourceful, Selene must shield her loved ones from the emperor’s wrath, all while vying with ruthless rivals like King Herod. Can she find a way to overcome the threat to her marriage, her kingdom, her family, and her faith? Or will she be the last of her line?
Read the Reviews
“A stirring story of a proud, beautiful, intelligent woman whom a 21st century reader can empathize with. Dray’s crisp, lush prose brings Selene and her world to life.” ~RT Book Reviews
“The boldest, and most brilliant story arc Dray has penned…” ~Modge Podge Reviews
“If you love historical fiction and magical realism, these books are for you.” ~A Bookish Affair
Read an Excerpt
Below me, six black Egyptian cobras dance on their tails, swaying. I watch their scaled hoods spread wide like the uraeus on the crown of Egypt. Even from this height, I’m paralyzed by the sight of the asps, their forked tongues flickering out between deadly fangs. I don’t notice that I’m gripping the balustrade until my knuckles have gone white, all my effort concentrated upon not swooning and falling to my death.
And I would swoon if I were not so filled with rage. Someone has arranged for this. Someone who knows what haunts me. Someone who wants to send me a message and make this occasion a moment of dread. My husband, the king must know it, for he calls down, “That’s enough. We’ve seen enough of the snake charmer!”
There is commotion below, some upset at having displeased us. Then Chryssa hisses, “Who could think it a good idea to honor the daughter of Cleopatra by coaxing asps from baskets of figs?”
The story the world tells of my mother’s suicide is that she cheated the emperor of his conquest by plunging her hand into a basket where a venomous serpent lay in wait. A legend only, some say, for the serpent was never found. But I was there. I brought her that basket. She was the one bitten but the poison lingers in my blood to this day. I can still remember the scent of figs in my nostrils, lush and sweet. The dark god Anubis was embroidered into the woven reeds of the basket, the weight of death heavy in my arms. I can still see my mother reach her hand into that basket, surrendering her life so that her children might go on without her. And I have gone on without her.
I have survived too much to be terrorized by the emperor’s agents or whoever else is responsible for this.
If it is a message, a warning from my enemies, I have already allowed them too much of a victory by showing any reaction at all. So I adopt as serene a mask as possible. My daughter blinks her big blue eyes, seeing past my facade. “Are you frightened, Mother? They cannot bite us from there. The snakes are very far away.”
I get my legs under me, bitterness on my tongue. “Oh, but they’re never far enough away.”
###
Available now in print and e-book!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Powells | IndieBound | Goodreads
Available now in print and e-book!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Powells | IndieBound | Goodreads
STEPHANIE DRAY is a bestselling, multi-published, award-winning author of historical women’s fiction and fantasy set in the ancient world. Her critically acclaimed historical series about Cleopatra’s daughter has been translated into more than six different languages, was nominated for a RITA Award and won the Golden Leaf.
Her focus on Ptolemaic Egypt and Augustan Age Rome has given her a unique perspective on the consequences of Egypt’s ancient clash with Rome, both in terms of the still-extant tensions between East and West as well as the worldwide decline of female-oriented religion. Before she wrote novels, Stephanie was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the transformative power of magic realism to illuminate the stories of women in history and inspire the young women of today. She remains fascinated by all things Roman or Egyptian and has-to the consternation of her devoted husband-collected a house full of cats and ancient artifacts.
November 29, 2013
Guest Post: Ruth A. Casie on Mistletoe and Magick in the Timeless Keepsakes anthology
With Thanksgiving over we’re running head long into the Christmas holidays. Like many, I love this time of the year. It’s a time for family, friends and traditions.
I have a group of friends Lita Harris, Emma Kaye, Nicole S. Patrick, and Julie Rowe that I absolutely adore. We are at different stages in writing and in our lives but we love romance. We love to write romance. An idea surfaced at the Romantic Times Convention in Kansas City. The ultimate project. We would write and publish a book together. Each of us would write a holiday short story and together we would self-publish them in an anthology before the end of the year.
We decided to use a common theme to tie the stories together, a Christmas ornament or keepsake. The central point of my story, Mistletoe and Magick, is the sacred mistletoe and a druid grand master’s quest to find his soul mate.
Mistletoe was held in great regard by the Druids. They believed that tea made from the plant made any animal fertile and was an antidote for poison. During the Winter Solstice, the Chief Druid would cut the sacred plant from the oak using a golden knife. To prevent the sacred plant from touching the ground, a bad omen to be sure, women stood under the tree holding out great sheets to catch the plants. The Chief Druid would divide the branches into sprigs and give them to the people who hung them over their doorways as protection against evil. The Chief Druid designated one of the young initiates to go round with branches of the mistletoe and announce the beginning of the New Year. The old custom survives today. Mistletoe is given a special place of honor in the decorations we display in our homes at Christmas.
Our tradition of kissing under the mistletoe may originate in ancient Norse mythology. According to the myth, the goddess Frigg had a son, Baldr. When he was born she made all plant unable to hurt him. She overlooked mistletoe. The mischievous god, Loki, tricked another god to make a spear of mistletoe and kill Baldr. The god bring Baldr back to life and Frigg declares that mistletoe would only bring love rather than death to the world.
With a little poetic license, I used the sacred mistletoe folklore as a basis for my short story. My Druid Grand Master, Maximillian, must tell the Ancestors in the Otherworld that the sacred plant has died before he could find his soul mate. Or has it?
Mistletoe and Magick
After a year of searching, Maximilian, the druid Grand Master, finds the sacred mistletoe destined for his soul mate shriveled and dead. He must journey to the Otherworld and tell the Ancestors of his failure.
Ellyn of Brodgar is an exceptional healer. But each healing kiss depletes her energy and brings her closer to death. Ellyn needs to find her own healing power before it’s too late.
Max and Ellyn are tossed into the Otherworld and have until the third sunset to appeal to the Ancestors or be lost forever. Together they find love, and as the last rays of the third sunset slip away, both are willing to sacrifice their hopes, dreams, and lives for the other. Do they have what it takes to escape the Otherworld and begin their life together?
Author Bio
Ruth A. Casie is a seasoned professional with over twenty-five years of writing experience but not necessarily writing romances. No, she’s been writing communication and marketing documents for a large corporation. Over the past years, encouraged by her friends and family, she gave way to her inner muse, let her creative juices flow, and began writing a series of historical fantasies. She lives in Teaneck, New Jersey, with her husband. They have three grown children and two grand-children.
Discover strong men and empowered women as they face unexpected challenges. Watch their stories unfold as they encounter magic, danger, and passion. Join them as they race across the pages to places where love and time know no bounds. Ruth hopes they become your favorite adventures.
Book Title: Timeless Keepsakes
A Collection of Christmas Stories
Short Story Title: Mistletoe and Magick
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/HEDzvM
Web site: www.ruthacasie.com
Blog: www.ruthacasie.blogspot.com
Twitter: @RuthACasie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RuthACasie
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ruthacasie/boards/
November 26, 2013
Cover Reveal! Fighting Kat
I’m so glad to continue the Triton Experiment series with a full length novel: Fighting Kat. For fans of Kaitlyn and Rygard, it’s been a long wait, but I’m finally able to give you the next book in what will hopefully be a continuing series (with less of a gap between releases).
And what can we say about this incredible cover? OMG.
The hero on the cover is gritty and broad chested with heavy musculature, wielding a firearm. Whereas the heroine is in a bare-handed fighting stance. This so perfectly illustrates the difference in Rygard and Kaitlyn’s fighting styles! I love it.
Book two of the Triton Experiment
Intergalactic mercenary Kat Darah has been ordered to keep her shape-shifting ability a secret from everyone but those closest to her, for her own safety. She’s learned how to control the feral rage…for the most part. But when Lieutenant Rygard’s military unit goes missing, she’ll use every skill she has to find her man.
Lt. Christopher Rygard has witnessed his girl shift, and he still wants her. After Kat rescues him from alien clutches, he’d like nothing more than to wrap her in his arms again, but his first duty is to his men. And half of them have been shipped off-planet to be sold as slaves.
Kat and Rygard will need to form a new team to go deep undercover, posing as gladiators and learning to fight together in order to survive. In the arena, it’s all about who is the strongest predator…
See how it all began in Hunting Kat.
82,000 words
Available at Carina Press on January 13, 2014
and Amazon.com preorder
and Barnes & Noble preorder
Giveaway: Because I’m in love with this cover and super excited to have Fighting Kat coming out in just over a month, who would like the chance to win a bundle (or two) of ebooks on Cyber Monday?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 25, 2013
Guest Post: Rebecca Crowley – NaNoWriMo: Expect the Unexpected
I’m a big fan not only of NaNoWriMo but its sister events, Camp NaNoWriMo, which happen in the spring and summer. NaNo got me back into writing after a hiatus and got me into the rhythm of creating a daily word count. Last year I was raring to go, determined to get 50K of an eventually 65K-word romantic suspense novel finished in the month. I plotted extensively, did all my background research, wrote up my characterizations, outlined my pivotal scenes – you get the idea. November began and I flew through the first 15,000 words…
…and then I hit a brick wall.
I knew exactly what was supposed to happen next, but I couldn’t write it. Not even a word. Soon I was so blocked that I could barely bring myself to open the Word document. The days were ticking past and my little NaNo word count bar was slipping further and further below where it needed to be.
There was nothing wrong with what I’d written – in fact a lot of it was pretty good. It was coherent, vivid, well-paced. But for whatever reason, my muse was done. I couldn’t take that story any further. And if I wanted to hit my NaNo goal, I had to think of something else very quickly.
A few weeks earlier I’d seen a special submissions call from Carina Press, asking for holiday-themed novellas for release in 2013. I’d never written something novella-length (around 35,000 words), nor had I ever read one, and out of all of the requested themes, the only one that mildly appealed was “military homecoming”. It wasn’t one of those insta-lightbulb submission calls by any stretch – in fact the whole thing was way out of my normal frame of reference. But I needed a new project, and I needed it fast. My hometown is a stone’s throw from an army base and 35,000 words was exactly what I had left to write for the month. So I opened a brand new Word document with only the faintest of concepts in mind, and began to write.
And couldn’t stop.
When the clock struck midnight on December 1st, I had a completed, 35,000-word novella. The story poured out of me like never before, and I was so emotionally invested in it that I was practically in tears when I submitted it in early January, terrified that this rejection would hurt like none other. The wait was excruciating, but in mid-April – halfway through Camp NaNoWriMo, in fact – I got the news that it had been accepted. And then I did cry!
Hero’s Homecoming released from Carina Press on November 21st, as half of the Gifts of Honor holiday duology, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect. If it weren’t for the self-imposed pressure of NaNoWriMo, I never would’ve tackled Carina Press’s novella submission call – in fact I might still be stuck on the first third of that romantic suspense! That this novella releases in those final, stressful throes of NaNoWriMo will, I hope, offer a tiny bit of encouragement to everyone racing to make up their word count. It can be done! Keep the faith, fellow WriMos. J
–
Rebecca Crowley writes contemporary romance with smart heroines and swoon-worthy heroes, and never tires of the happily-ever-after. Having pulled up her Kansas roots to live in New York City and London, Rebecca recently relocated to Johannesburg, South Africa.
Hero’s Homecoming is available now from:
As half of the Gifts of Honor duology http://ebooks.carinapress.com/F8B25811-D925-43C6-9B2A-6787F3CF96F2/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=4BD66530-C43C-4ADE-86E2-F9E6A1A7909C
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFPO444
Amazon UK http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFPO444
Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heros-homecoming-rebecca-crowley/1116394197?ean=9781426897481
November 22, 2013
Guest Post: Susanna Fraser – I’m not doing NaNoWriMo this year
I’m not doing NaNoWriMo this year. Unless I get to the point where I can afford to quit my day job and write full time, I never will again.
Don’t get me wrong, I think NaNo is a wonderful thing, and I’m always excited by the writerly energy in the air at this time of year. But I also want to grab everyone and warn them to be careful that they don’t let one month of writing do permanent damage to their bodies. Let my tale of woe be a lesson to you all.
I’ve attempted NaNo twice. The first time I completed the challenge, getting 50,000 words into a manuscript that eventually became the 100,000-word alternative history that is my personal Book Under the Bed. One of these days I’ll dig it out, revise it, and submit it again.
But the second time, in 2010, ended up being one of the biggest mistakes I ever made. You see, I had this new desk in my writing office. It was beautiful and elegant, made of dark wood with all these clever little compartments for my office supplies and to conceal hidden built-in outlets. It was a grown-up’s desk that had never seen the inside of an IKEA warehouse. It was a serious writer’s desk. I was going to create the most beautiful stories there.
Unfortunately, what it wasn’t was comfortable. No matter how I tried, I never found a way to sit at it that didn’t feel awkward and strained. But I was stubborn, and I figured my body would adapt. Even when I developed severe pain in my left shoulder and down into my arm and hand, I pushed onward. I’d committed to NaNo, and I hated to go back on my word to myself and my writer friends. Besides, I wasn’t sure the pain was the desk’s fault. A few days before the pain flared up I’d been carrying my sleeping then-6-year-old daughter and had to jerk to catch her when she lolled off my shoulder.
After a week of hearing my complaints and seeing me wince and whimper, my husband staged a mini-intervention. He reminded me my health was more important than meeting an arbitrary goal and begged me to step away from the computer for a few days. I did, even going so far as to take that Thursday and Friday off from my day job to give myself four whole days of rest.
Sadly, it was too little, too late. My shoulder didn’t improve, and my left hand went almost entirely numb. It got so bad that one day in December I reached into the fridge for a soda and thought, “Funny. I put these in 8 hours ago. Why aren’t they cold?” I switched the can into my right hand and realized the soda was just as it should be—but I’d lost most of the sensation of temperature in my bad hand.
I won’t go through my whole medical saga of the next six months, but I was ultimately diagnosed with a pinched nerve, likely caused by poor ergonomics, though the incident carrying my daughter didn’t help.
With physical therapy and massage, I got much better. My left hand distinguishes hot and cold just as well as the right, and after a year of PT I was able to write at a decent professional pace again. But I’ve had to accept that I’ll never again have the healthy neck and shoulder I had in October 2010. I feel some degree of pain and stiffness in my left shoulder and arm almost every day. My physical therapist and I are buddies. I carefully dole out the 16 massage appointments my insurance will cover over the course of the year to keep my perpetually tight muscles functional. I never sit down to watch TV without pulling a couple bags of frozen corn out to soothe my sore spots while I relax.
And I sold that beautiful desk and replaced it with a simple wooden table from IKEA that allows me to mount a keyboard tray at just the height and angle the ergonomics specialist who set up my desk at work recommended. When I write at home, I stay at the keyboard for half an hour, then get up for at least 15 minutes to stretch or walk or do chores—anything to change my body position. I can’t quite do that at the day job, but I make time for regular stretches and look for reasons to get up and walk around the office.
Learn from my mistake. PLEASE. It’s getting down to the last week of NaNoWriMo, and I know you want to push yourself to the limit. And you can push your creativity, push through sleep deprivation, spend all of Thanksgiving weekend in front of your computer, whatever, but do NOT try to write through severe physical pain.
Listen to your body. Believe me, it’s FAR better to have only 40,000 words at midnight on December 1 than to push yourself to 50,000 at the cost of such damage to your body that you’ll never be able to write that fast again. Because I can’t. I know better than to try. This month I’m doing a half-NaNo, trying to get to 25,000 words on my newest manuscript. That’s a worthy accomplishment in itself, just like a half marathon is a damned impressive piece of running, but I wish I’d been more careful in 2010 and spared myself a chronic injury.
I wish all of you NaNo-ers the best of luck, but at the risk of sounding like my mom, be careful. You’ve only got one body—be kind to it and use it wisely.
Susanna Fraser lives in Seattle with her husband and nine-year-old daughter. When not busy writing or at her day job, she enjoys trying new recipes and singing—this December she intends to hit not one, not two, but THREE Messiah sing-alongs. She grew up in Alabama and is an avid fan of the Auburn Tigers, but she’s recently jumped on the Seahawks’ bandwagon as well.
She is the author of four historical romances. Her first time travel romance novella, Christmas Past , releases this coming Monday, November 25, 2013.
Website: http://www.susannafraser.com/
Blog: http://authorsusannafraser.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @susannafraser
November 18, 2013
Guest Post: Susan Edwards – To Nano or Not
I can’t believe November is upon us, and with it, the ever-popular NaNoWriMo, or more affectionately in my mind, Nano. (To learn about Nano, go to http://nanowrimo.com). My determination to participate in this crazy, yearly ritual always leaves my husband very confused. I always get the “why?” Along with the look that says I must be nuts. And maybe I am but so are a whole lot of other people!
Every year, my competitive spirit compels me to make the commitment to write a book during November even though I have yet to finish an entire book during this month. A few years ago, I started Autumn Dreams during Nano. I didn’t finish it but the intense time spent at the keyboard meant I ended up with more written than I would normally write in a month. I’m pleased to say that this book is being released as an e-book this month. As I contemplate this year’s Nano, I know I won’t be able to write an entire book, not with a book out in November and another one, White Christmas, in December. My to do lists for these books is a mile long . J
However, I made a discovery in writing that makes every month a Nano writing experience.
Power Writing
What is Power Writing? It’s like Nano but not confined to November and you don’t have to withdraw from life, lock yourself in your office and tell the world (and your family) to go away for an entire month. Power Writing involves asking the world (your family, your pets, your social media distractions, etc.) to leave you in peace for one hour. That’s it. One measly hour that you make sacred and write.
The rules are simple: write for one hour.
Warn your family that you are taking an hour—JUST ONE HOUR—to write.
No interruptions
No stopping to research
No going on the internet to check facts
No Facebook, Twitter or e-mail
No phone calls
No computer games to help you “get your thoughts in order”
No running off to clean house or scrub your toilet
No distractions period
For one hour, you write. THIS IS SO SIMPLE.
I first tried this with a new book. I didn’t have a complete plot, an outline or even a name for my hero. But here I was, day one of Power Writing with an awesome group of authors. I stared at that empty page on the monitor and was very tempted to just plot and look up names for my hero. But because I had committed to write, told everyone I was starting at page one, I pulled a name out of the air for the hero and began. And at the end of an hour I not only had the first scene, I had the hero’s previously unknown conflict. I wrote White Christmas in less than 3 months using this method. I know, not the book in a month of Nano but much better than taking six months or more to write one book. That is the idea behind Nano: to focus, produce and see results.
I proved to myself that with three Power Hours, I could write faster and be more productive without closing myself off from life. Power Writing forces me to sit and write without all the ploys, excuses, and distractions. This intense focus shoots my brain into high gear.
Now that Nano is once again upon me, do I need this month of intense writing? Not really. I’m making the same good progress that I do in November with each Power Hour. Am I going to participate? You bet. I still have that competitive spirit, and I have a new book waiting to be written and this is a great excuse to get started. However, this year I am going to be realistic in my goals. My schedule is just too crazy to take on a commitment that I know I will not be able to keep so here’s my plan:
Ignore Nano for the first two weeks and take care of my priorities: my two upcoming books.
Sneak some plotting time on my new series during the two first two weeks, an hour a day.
Then, on the 15th, jump in and start Power Writing.
Even though I won’t get a book written in a month, I pledge to Power Write my way through the rest of November and who knows, come next November, I will have had a year of writing faster and better behind me and might be ready to Power Write an entire book in November.
So how about you? Are you taking part in this yearly ritual? Do you go all in? Do you modify Nano to fit your own needs? Or do you simply ignore the whole Nano thing?
Leave a comment. One commenter will win a free copy of Summer of the Eagle, book one in the Seasons of Love Series.
Susan Edwards Delivers Magic, Myth & Wonder
Breathing Life into the Past with her White Series Seasons of Love: Paranormals with a Twist
Autumn Dreams Nov 2013 ***** White Christmas Dec 2013
Follow Susan at:
Susan’s Website Facebook Twitter Susan’s Blog
November 15, 2013
Guest Post: Vivi Dumas
NaNoWriMo is like an insane cult initiation for writers. I drank the Kool Aide three years ago and have been taking the plunge ever since. Of the three years I’ve try NaNo, I’ve only succeed one year (well this year will make two). It’s a difficult challenge for someone like me.
My first NaNo barrier is being a pantser. As much as I loathe plotting, in order to succeed the craziness of writing a whole novel in one month, one must do some thinking and plotting of the story. The last two years, I participated in the Savvy Authors NaNo Boot Camp with Entangled Publishing. I had to develop a synopsis for my story. I fleshed out the plot points. Although my story still tends to veer off course here and there, thinking through the story arc does help to push through the difficult moments.
Time is the biggest obstacle for NaNo. I have a hectic day job. It can take up a lot of hours or drain my brain power. Trying to fit in everything you have to do in a day plus writing can seem impossible some days. I tend to schedule my time very tight. If something throws me off, it interferes with my productivity. Late nights are a must. It was much easier when my hubby worked at night. I find it an interesting challenge having him home with me now. To overcome some of the time issues, I carry my laptop or a copy of the story with me to work. If I have time for lunch, I try to write. You have to carve out time whenever you can find it.
The other problem standing between me and winning NaNoWriMo is resisting the urge to research and edit. I have a tendency to spend much needed writing time looking up details for the setting or some fact that’s triggered an interest in something. In my current NaNo project, it’s drugs, guns, and undercover work that constantly taps my curiosity on the shoulder. I’m working hard to push through the writing. Sometimes I put generic descriptions of streets and places or put in a placeholder for something I’m not sure about. That way, I keep focused on moving the story forward.
This year, I’m determine to beat NaNoWriMo. I’ll hit my 50K words. Then in December, I’ll go back and right all the wrongs of speed writing a book in a month. I’ll look up all the lovely details and incorporate them into the story. And I’ll layer in anything missing. It’s not much different from editing any other book, but it’s more cleanup than I usually have to do. Once all that tweaking and editing is done, hopefully the book will find a happy home with a publisher.
So, for all those out there who drank the Kool Aide with me, good luck and may the words be with you.
Thanks for allowing me to visit PJ!
Website Although Vivi Dumas grew up an Army brat, she calls Louisiana home, but have endured the hot summers and cold winters of Maryland for the last 16 years. She is a graduate of Mount St. Mary’s University with an MBA in Finance and Marketing. Her analytical side has honed a career in the financial industry for almost twenty years. To balance her logical, numerical day job, she unleashes her creativity in her writing.
Vivi pens multicultural paranormal romance, mixing the two genres she loves. Her steamy paranormal romances indulge in worlds inhabited by demons, werewolves, vampires, and other supernatural beings. She has published works with Decadent Publishing, Ravenous Romance, and Breathless Press.
November 11, 2013
Guest Post: Joely Sue Burkhart – “Winning” NaNoWriMo Doesn’t Have to Be 50K
But let’s face it. 50K can be tough to get in a month (and plenty of years I’ve had to work November 1st and couldn’t stay up until all hours of the night writing anyway).
A nice pace for me is about 1K a day, though I can push harder and get more words. Other days, it’s all I can do to muster 500 words. We all have jobs, families, and real life crises that frankly couldn’t care less if we’re trying to get our 50K in November. I even planned out my work schedule for the year so I could take 9 days of vacation in November — only to find out that there’s a good chance I’ll have to take a business trip for the Evil Day Job the week of November 18th.
Great. Now what?
Well, there are other ways to “win” at NaNoWriMo even if you’re afraid 50K is out of reach.
Set a concrete goal and use the energy of NaNoWriMo to plow your way to completion. Maybe you need to finish a wip that’s stalled. Or you have a hard edit pass hanging over your head. Technically you’re supposed to start a brand new project from scratch for NaNoWriMo, so these goals aren’t going to win you an official winner’s badge. But if you can set a goal and then FINISH it, that’s a win. One year I missed the 50K word count, but I finished three outstanding projects. It was great to clear those things off my plate!
Increase your daily word count. Say 500 words a day is your normal pace. If you’re terrified of trying to hit 1666 a day for an entire month, just try doubling your word count. You’re still going to come out way ahead than if you’d done nothing and I always count several extra thousand words a victory.
Try something new. Use the excitement of NaNoWriMo to explore a new genre, quick start a new project/series, or just explore something that’s fun. Sometimes as working writers we get so bogged down in deadlines and series and commitments that it’s nice to write something just for me for one month. It’s a gift to myself and feeds my creative side. And who knows, that “something new” might just pan out to be a terrific sale (an inspiring NaNoWriMo victory from Lynn Viehl).
I participate in NaNoWriMo each year with the full intention of writing something that’s publishable at some point, even if I’m starting something for myself with no strings attached. What’s the value in hitting 50K and “winning” if you’re disappointed in the final project and have no idea how to salvage it? I’d much rather miss the word count…but have a salable project at the end of November. I don’t always hit 50K — but I’ve been able to take several completed NaNoWriMo projects and publish them. Now that’s a win!
So don’t be afraid of the 50K word count. Set a goal that works for your life and start your engines on November 1st! Who knows what great story lies inside you just waiting for the opportunity to find its way onto the page?
Joely Sue Burkhart has always loved heroes who hide behind a mask, the darker and more dangerous the better. Whether cool, sophisticated billionaire, brutal bloodthirsty assassin, or simply a man tortured by his own needs, they all wear masks to protect themselves. Once they finally give you a peek into the passionate, twisted secrets they’re hiding, they always fall hard and fast. Dare to look beneath the mask with delicious BDSM in a wide variety of genres with Joely on her website, Twitter and Facebook. Be sure to check out her free reads! Lord Regret’s Price will be available Dec. 17th from Samhain.
Joely is offering an early ARC of her upcoming Samhain release in any e format. Comment for a chance to win!
November 8, 2013
Guest Post: Joya Fields – NaNoWriMo: Week Two Means Keep Up the Great Work
Stay strong, flex those wrists and…keep writing!
It’s the second week of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Your goal is 50,000 words and where do you stand so far? Maybe you’re ahead of your projected word count (yay you!) and raring to write more. Maybe you’re dragging your feet, trying to get a feel for the story that isn’t coming out as fast as you’d planned (no worries you can do it!).
Congratulations. You’ve finished the “ready, set, go!” part of NaNoWriMo. There’s no right or wrong way to feel after the first week, there’s only this: keep going. Even if you write your grocery shopping list over and over again. Even if your characters start to do really stupid things and you want to stop the story and figure it out. Nope. Keep going. Stop thinking. Whatever you do, don’t backspace.
One way to stop over thinking your writing is to type with your eyes closed and keep your fingers moving. It might feel weird at first, but there’s a good chance that your closed eyes will help you visualize the characters and their setting more clearly. This works well, especially if you’re a visual person, because whether you write at a coffee shop or the seclusion of your office, it blocks out all of the stimuli of distractions around you. All you see is your story. A quick caution: peek at the screen every once in a while, otherwise your fingers could be on the wrong keys and you won’t be able to decipher this awesome page of incredibly creative writing later.
NaNoWriMo is about two things: setting goals and letting go. You’ve joined NaNo (if not…there’s still time: NaNoWriMo Website), so you’ve set that goal of 50,000 words by the end of November. So there! Go you! You get a gold star in the goal department. NaNo site even does all of the math for you so you know how many words you have to write every day to meet your monthly word count goal. So all you have to do is write.
Which is where the other side of NaNo comes into play: letting go. Proper spelling? Uh-uh…ditch it. Do you hear your elementary school teacher yelling as you blast out words so fast that you forget commas and periods? Picture her with duct tape on her mouth and shut her up (sorry teachers…we’ll remember what you taught us later… in the editing phase). Let the words pour out of your head and through your fingers without censor. Write so fast that the thought appears on your screen before you even consciously realize what happened. Write without caution.
Caution stilts us. That inner editor who wants everything to be perfect in the first draft. What will my family/friends/critique partners think of this? This is crap. Who cares! They won’t see it until you fix it (later…much later. Definitely not during November). It’s you and your book. You and your characters. And they’re the only ones who matter.
Here’s hoping that your hands hit the keys as fast as the ideas pop into your head. Keep going. Keep writing. Hang on to that goal and reach it. Know you can do it and you will. My last release was a NaNoWriMo book. I wrote it in a month. You can too!
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