Chris Baty's Blog, page 112
November 16, 2017
5 Tips for Getting Your Novel Unstuck with Swoon Reads
Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. Swoon Reads, a 2017 NaNo sponsor, is a young adult imprint that gives new authors a great debut. Today, Ashley Woodfolk and Lauren Scobell share five expert tips for making it through the month’s muddy middle:
Here at Swoon Reads, we really believe that anyone who has a great story to tell can become a published author. In fact, Swoon Reads is a young adult imprint dedicated to discovering new bookish talent in the unlikeliest of places. Nearly all of the YA books we’ve published since our inception four years ago have been written by debut authors.
National Novel Writing Month really embodies the spirit of Swoon Reads—of starting a story no matter where or who you are, and finishing strong. That said, the middle is often when finishing seems impossible; where you feel the most stuck. You’re beyond the excited honeymoon stage of the beginning, but you’re not yet close enough to your final word count goal see that there is an end in sight.
We know there are lots of reasons the “muddy middle” is the hardest part of NaNo. So we thought some insight from authors who started their careers right where you are now might be just what the doctor ordered. Below, we’ve outlined the top 5 reasons writers get stuck, and paired those with advice from our authors for how to push through:
Reason #1: You notice a gaping plot hole that you don’t know how to fix.“This is probably overstated, but sometimes the first draft really can be about quantity over quality—certainly during NaNoWriMo! Just take your idea and write about it! You can make it beautiful later, but for now, just get the words on the damn page. Don’t edit as you go!”
—Lydia Albano, author of Finding You
Reason #2: Writing so much is making you lonely.“The magic of Nanowrimo is knowing that tons of people all over the world are working towards the same goal you are, all at the same time. When you feel frustrated, blocked, or tired, remember all those people, churning out words. Take heart. Keep going. We’re all in this together.”
—Sandy Hall, author of A Little Something Different, Been Here All Along, and A Prom to Remember
Reason #3: You’ve gotten so far behind that you want to give up.“Set a new goal for yourself. Go through what’s left your November and figure out which days you can write more, which days you can write less. Set specific word count goals and celebrate as you achieve them. You can do it!”
—Nikki Katz, author of The Midnight Dance
Reason #4: No one will care if you don’t finish.“Find your accountability buddies! This could be friends through the website, writers participating in sprints on Twitter, or IRL writing friends who you meet up with during the month. Going through NaNo with a support system will set you up for success!”
—Maggie Ann Martin, author of The Big F and The Struggle is Real
“I wish someone had told me during my first NaNoWriMo that my first draft was going to suck. That it wasn’t going to look the way I saw it in my head, and that that’s totally okay. November is not for masterpieces, it’s for freeing the novel in your head!”
—Vicky Skinner, author of How to Breathe Underwater
Whatever you are feeling, just know you are not alone. These are the normal feelings of being a writer. And you are a WRITER. So keep going. Finish that draft. Then come back and make it better. We have some resources for that.
Hopefully, one day we’ll see your manuscript up on swoonreads.com. You never know, it could be you giving advice to future aspiring authors next year.
As Director of Swoon Reads, Lauren Scobell gets to work on a little bit of everything—editing, managing the website and blog, and getting to partner with all of Macmillan’s internal teams (such as marketing and publicity) as they build authors and publish books. She is always reading, loves to write, and hopes to see your book on Swoon Reads someday.
Ashley Woodfolk is a marketing manager at Macmillan Children’s Books, and describes herself as a consumer ‘in every sense of the word’. At any given moment, she could be shopping, watching indie movies, reading all kinds of books, listening to music, and eating just about anything. She writes YA novels in her abundance of “spare” time, but asserts that there aren’t enough hours in her days for all the things she loves.
30 Covers, 30 Days 2017: Day Sixteen
Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.
30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman. Read more about these NaNoWriMo 2017 novels-in-progress, and the cover designers, below.
Effiong’s DoorA Fantasy novel being written this November by YWP participant Layla M. Gholston in the United States.
Vahane Effiong (”Vin” for short) is dying of a terminal illness at the age of 17. His father is a Bridge Scientist—one who studies the obscure science of the world’s teleporting doors—a job that is no longer revered as before. He decides to give his son one more chance by agreeing to put him through one, hoping it will offer him a brighter future.
Vin wakes up to a world he doesn’t understand where he is forced into a Blood’s Oath in order to save the life of not only himself but a dying would-be prince. This now obligates him to join the prince’s gang of merry men to help him take back Asmerom, his dead father’s stolen kingdom in the vast, African-inspired empire: The Aysianne.
Fate doesn’t seem to be on their side as their prophesied savior and love of the prince betrays him for her usurper relative before Vin even shows up. Not only this, but the emperor doesn’t seem to be looking out for the Asmerom prince. The true problem for Vin isn’t navigating this new world of strange creatures, magic and oath brothers or understanding his new role as a Keeper of the Doors like his father. Instead, he must ask: how can a person who has no ties to a conflict pick sides when both sides have wronged each other for the sake of “what’s right?”
Cover Designed by Emily Weiland
Emily Weiland is a recent New York native who journeyed from Sumter, South Carolina. She graduated from Anderson University to take the role as Director of Operations and Graduate Advisor at the first ever Masters in Branding Program at The School of Visual Arts.
November 15, 2017
“I can promise you moments. Lots of little magical storytelling...
“I can promise you moments. Lots of little magical storytelling moments.” ––Julie Murphy
Our amazingly multi-talented Customer Service Captain, Wesley Sueker, has illustrated quotes from this year’s Pep Talks! Check out Wesley’s other work on DeviantArt, and read the rest of Julie Murphy’s pep talk here.
30 Covers, 30 Days 2017: Day Fifteen
Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.
30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman. Read more about these NaNoWriMo 2017 novels-in-progress, and the cover designers, below.
The Star We FollowAn Adventure novel being written this November by YWP participant Ashleigh Cooper in the United States.
Stella Hunter’s father died a little over a year ago, and she’s struggling to deal with her grief. One day, while running through the woods, she bumps into a mysterious, glowing boy. The boy tells her that there is a way to get her father back. Stella agrees, and they set off on a journey to bring her father back to life. But once they reach their destination, it turns out that the boy, Orion, must stay a life for a life, a star for a star. Stella reluctantly agrees, and they return home- without Orion—but Stella thinks comes up with a way to get him back.
Elisa Watson is a Print Creative Director based in Baltimore, Maryland. Her agency and in-house experience span national and regional brands, but her heart lies with non-profits - which is now her main focus and client base. Her work has been recognized by local, national, and international design awards. When she isn’t designing you can find her creating art with her daughter Ryan or running with her husband Mike and dog Henry. Catch up with her on Instagram or visit her website to learn more.
November 14, 2017
Pro Tips from a NaNo Coach: Give Yourself a Break!
We’re nearing the halfway mark on NaNoWriMo, and whether you’re on par, full speed ahead, or feel like you’re falling behind, it’s important to remember to take care of yourself. Today, author and NaNo Coach Jasmine Guillory shares her thoughts on the importance of taking some time away from the page:
As
I write this, I’m in the middle of making soup. See, I wasn’t
sure exactly what to say to you all, and what would be best for you
to hear this week to help you through the hump of the third week of
NaNoWriMo. You all have been writing flat out for weeks now, and if
you’re anything like me, right around now is the time when you
might be hitting a few speed bumps. You’ve hit that time when
the exciting beginning of the book, the part that you knew exactly
how to write, runs out, and you’re trying to figure out what comes
next. That’s a hard time.
I
was thinking of all of the writing advice I’ve gotten, and what to
tell you to encourage you to keep going, and I had no idea where to
start. So I took a break to make some soup. And I realized that’s
exactly what I need to talk to you all about: taking breaks, and how
creatively important and rejuvenating they are.
I
have had so many writing breakthroughs when I’ve been away from my
laptop. Sometimes, stepping away from the words on the screen is
exactly what you need. I wrote the first half of the first draft of
The Wedding Date, my debut novel, during Camp NaNo, and my story and
my characters were never far from my mind. But it was often when I
wasn’t actively working on the book when I had an epiphany about
it.
What
should your break be? That depends on what works best for you.
Whether it’s cooking, or listening to music, or taking a shower, or
going for a run, or [fill in the blank], the key is to give your mind
a break from actively thinking about something, and give your
subconscious the time and space to meditate on your story. For me,
deciding to sleep on something often helped: that time right before
falling sleep, when my mind wanders, somehow makes everything click
for me.
Sometimes
things that feel like a waste of time can be a gift in the long run.
This summer, while working on a first draft, I procrastinated by
making a huge playlist of songs that made me think of my plot and my
characters. But at least a dozen times as I drove around listening to
the playlist, I said “Oh, that’s
what I need to do!” out loud. I’m not saying all procrastination
is good…but not all of it is bad, either.
Most
importantly: always have something with you so you can jot down your
stroke of genius! I’ve forced myself to wake up on countless
occasions so I could grab my phone and type out a few lines in the
Notes app so I wouldn’t forget my ideas in the morning (I learned
that the hard way). Have a dry erase board in your kitchen so you can
make notes while you cook, get one of those water proof note pads if
you’re a shower thinker, keep a tiny notebook in your back pocket,
do whatever you need to do.
Congratulations
on all that you’ve accomplished this month already! I just took a
look back at my word count spreadsheet from the first draft of The Wedding Date, and at this point in the month, I was running well
behind on word count, and I had no idea if I would make it to 50K by
the end of the month. But I believed in my book, and I was having a
ton of fun writing it, and I knew no matter how difficult certain
parts of the writing process were, I wanted to keep going.
I’m
cheering you on to write as many words as you can, and to take
writing breaks in order to refresh yourself and make your words the
best they can be.
Jasmine Guillory is lawyer and a writer who lives in Oakland, California. She has towering stacks of books in her living room, a cake recipe for every occasion, and upwards of 50 lipsticks. Her debut novel, The Wedding Date, comes out in February 2018.
30 Covers, 30 Days 2017: Day Fourteen
Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.
30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman. Read more about these NaNoWriMo 2017 novels-in-progress, and the cover designers, below.
Lost in DreamlandA Historical novel being written this November by NaNo participant Angeline Walsh in the United States.
Constance, a 20-year old runaway who has been part of a mysterious performing troupe in Coney Island’s Dreamland park for 3 years, finds herself developing a strange relationship with the leader of the troupe after accidentally uncovering secrets of his past - and confronting her own.
“I am a graphic designer.
I think conceptually and create visual solutions
with a desire to engage the viewer.
I hope they get the joke, or look more closely at the details.
I want them to feel the type and taste the colors.
My goal is to create a visual experience.”
November 13, 2017
Dear NaNo Diary... (Week Two)
NaNo can be thrilling, challenging, frustrating, and revitalizing––sometimes all at once. This November, we’ve asked NaNo participants to share their daily thoughts in a new series, Dear NaNo Diary. Here are some entries from the second week of NaNoWriMo:
Dear NaNo Diary,
Just when I think I might dislike it I fall in love with my story and NaNoWriMo all over again. There is something magical about writing and plotting all at once…through sickness and pain the community continues to hold me up. This community is wonderful. No one has ever told me in the two years I have done NaNo that I’m too young for it, even as the rest of the world says that only the old and wise have stories to tell. Weary or not, this November with its writing has been much more special than usual. And that, even with all the difficulty that comes with it, is a gift…a gift that I’m happily enjoying.
Signed,
Dear NaNo Diary,
I have come to the conclusion that this month, you are the reason for my insanity. But a little insanity is all and well. I get up at five in the morning and begin to write, then get ready for work, get to work and hour and a half early and continue to write, work, then on my lunch break write, work again until the end of the day, then while taking the bus write, eat dinner right, then be a hobbit and write in the sanctuary of my room. My parents think I have lost my mind, and have gone crazy. Maybe I have. But I do blame you for my insanity. Thank you.
Signed,
Dear NaNo Diary,
I admit it. The month was not a strong start. Well, it actually wasn’t any start….I despaired that, well, if I hadn’t even started I was probably doomed anyways. How pathetic, to have signed up and been so confident only to walk away with nothing….but then I thought to myself, wait. I can still write enough to get there. 1,700 words isn’t unfathomable per day, in fact when you really go for it and look at your word count after being sucked into writing for a few hours it’s not unreasonable to write 2000 at once. Or 3000. Or more! If I just push myself to write like a crazy lady every day I can still get back on track…yesterday I hit the goal to stay on track. Relief! Today? I’m already pushing past it. So to everyone else out there who may have gotten off to a rough start like me, there’s hope! Just don’t stop, and together we can all finish. The most important part is to not give up on your story, it wants to be told and who else can tell it but you? Good luck everyone and let’s keep writing together!
Signed,
November 8:
Dear NaNo Diary,
I am proud of managing so many words in one day when my brain is all in a fog of depression and anxiety. I am proud that my thoughts aren’t of giving up, but of “how am I going to accomplish this?” I am scared that I’m not going to hit 50k this month. I am scared that I’ll never hit 50k no matter how many NaNos I try to write. But I’m going to try. I am going to mind my mind. And I am going to write, little by little, until I have told my story in its entirety. Even though I know it’s not a very accessible story. Even though it’ll never be published (probably), and will never be adapted into a movie franchise. I have let go of the idea of having an audience. I am my audience. I’m doing this because I want to make myself proud. Not because I need other people to be proud of me. My pride in myself is valid and real and that’s what’s going to see me through.
Anxiously yours,
November 9:Dear NaNo Diary,
Being almost 80 years old, my day is going to the gym to walk a mile on the treadmill and write. Writing as a rebel; a personal account of my life and what I know about my sons life, who died last year on December 18. This is in his honor.
Signed,
Dear NaNo Diary,
This is my 4th attempt to “win” NaNoWriMo. I put quotes on “win” because I haven’t made it even close to 50k, yet. Today, I’m starting to watch my daily word count slipping under the diagonal line on the Stats page, again….I’m using NaNoWritMo as social therapy this year. It’s really very nice to not be alone in my cave. The good news, and why I’m writing this Dear NaNo Diary entry is, it’s working! The NaNo challenge is like having a dead car battery (that is my brain being low, angry and depressed) and I got a jump start, from the collective consciousness that is all of you. One aspect I love about social media, in general, is knowing you are not alone in your struggles. So, if for any reason, you also feel angry or depressed this year, I say hello to you…Go, write it all out, kick ass, Word Vomit, as someone else in this thread shared. Yep, and thanks for being out there, doing this with “me” too.
Signed,
November 10:Dear NaNo Diary,
Been having pretty good writing days so far, binge writing on my days off, but this morning just finds me staring at the screen and sneaking off into the forums to procrastinate. Why do I suddenly hate my characters? I liked them just fine yesterday. Maybe I’m just hungry. I think I’ll make myself something to eat and try again afterwards……
Signed,
November 11:Dear Nano Diary,
Its week two, and, Diary, I fell so far behind this week I almost gave up. The real world and all of its demands were so challenging, I did not write a word for 4 days. Today, I did not give up. My butt in the chair, Walter moved forward in his journey across the Pacific. He might not be quite where I had hoped by now, but that’s just fine, ever forward, Walter, just keep on going, tomorrow the ship will sail again.Today, I believe it is possible again. Yesterday I was not so sure. Thanks all you Wrimos. You make a believer out of me.
Signed,
Dear NaNo Diary,
I think I may have overestimated how well I could do NaNoWriMo this year. Ah, who knows, maybe I just need to have a fifth “second cup of tea.” Still, the life of a writer sure is a whirlwind, between random mealtimes, lack of socializing, and the constant yelling at your scraggly fingers to type as fast as your thoughts can go. :P But… I’m still going to win this. I’m a writer– it’s a sacred obligation. 50,000 words is hardly anything, pfft. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy…Right?
Cordially,
November 12:
Dear NaNo Diary,
I am still behind. I have surpassed 13k words and will be surviving on coffee and word sprints until I catch up. It’s cold here on the couch, mostly because my cheap husband won’t turn the heat past 64 degrees. I’ve become so irritable and desperate I killed a character. It was amazing, like hitting that nitro switch in the fast and furious. The words just poured out of me. I felt a mixture of relief and guilt. I feel guilty that I’m relived to no longer have to remember they/them pronouns which is what that character preferred. RIP Micah, I’m sorry you couldn’t have lasted longer, perhaps you would’ve helped normalize they/them for the world. My poor frazzled brain was so scared of misgendering you that you just had to go. Fly high friend, you will always have a place in my heart as the first character I ever killed.
Until next time,
We’ll post more NaNo Diary entries as November (and our novels!) progress. In the meantime, you can share your NaNo Diary entries on the official forum post.
Good luck, writers!
30 Covers, 30 Days 2017: Day Thirteen
Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.
30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman. Read more about these NaNoWriMo 2017 novels-in-progress, and the cover designers, below.
Farewell, Mr. TilbeyA Satire/Humor novel being written this November by NaNo participant Celeste Miller in Canada.
The world was scheduled to end on September 1st of that not-so-distant-year by the cataclysmic strike of the moon-sized meteor named “Alice.”
Apparently, Alice missed the memo.
When the apocalypse inexplicably puts itself on hold, with Alice somehow halting just inside Earth’s orbit, the citizens of the tiny, nondescript northern town Brittlebridge are by equal measures ecstatic, baffled, and oddly put-out. For the perpetually lost life coach and college drop-out Colin Barber, this means breaking off his apocalypse-inspired engagement, and bumbling his way through trying to sort out what to do with an existence that was supposed to be uncomplicatedly obliterated. The only silver lining: his coaching business revenue has tripled, thanks to the various existential crises taking place around town. He merrily continues to dole out advice pulled from the pages of the self-help book he stole from his mother in his teens.
When the Mayor and city council come to him for advice on how to unite the town under a “business as usual” positivity, Colin urges them to go forward with their annual “Person of the Year” community-friendly contest, all too happy to be their bastion of carrying on as though nothing had happened or changed. However, when a professor from their small college establishes a doomsday-dwelling cult, and clashes between them and the Person of the Year competitors escalate beyond reason or control, Colin can’t help but wonder at the consequences of his advice and stance on all matters relating to Alice. And as the contest careens to a finale, and Colin is yanked unwittingly into competing, he may just be forced to confront Alice head on…whether or not Brittlebridge survives the melee.
Inspired by her company’s commitment to sustainability, Michelle Hobbs leads an in-house creative group at Vermont Energy Investment Corporation in Burlington, Vermont. Prior to her work in energy efficiency, she managed a design studio in Burlington, specializing in branding, packaging design and corporate identity for healthcare, specialty foods and non-profit clients. Michelle is past president of, and still active in, the Vermont chapter of AIGA. She can be found hiking, watching Little League games and drinking the world’s best craft beer on the shores of Lake Champlain (sometimes in that order).
November 12, 2017
30 Covers, 30 Days 2017: Day Twelve
Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.
30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman. Read more about these NaNoWriMo 2017 novels-in-progress, and the cover designers, below.
SinkingAn Experimental/Other Genre novel being written this November by NaNo participant Jade Cipriano in Brazil.
There is a fishermen’s village in the beautiful Brazilian coast where the waters are the deepest on Earth. There, people revere the Mother of Waters, the goddess that protects the men from storms and bring them safely back to the shore after a hard day at the sea. This beach is the home of exotic fishes, dangerous sharks and manta rays as well as a freediver who can hold his breath for half an hour and talk to Mother despite utter disbelief from the rest of the community. Considered mentally ill by some and a true hero by others, the fishman - as he is called - quickly becomes a celebrity attracting the most beautiful lady as a gilfriend and a hardcore hippie as best friend. Together, they form an unbreakable bond. However, when the fishman disappears in the middle of a freediving competition leaving behind a small potion of unknown substance, people start wondering if somebody would have killed him or if the local witch made him drown. Uncovering the truth is a task to skeptical detective Lawrence and his assistant who come from the capital to solve the enigma, but in a village that is immersed in superstition and fishermen’s stories, this might be a little tricky…
Sinking is not only the love story between a man and the sea, it is a story about how those with a watery heart can survive in a society that has become as dry as a desert. Deep diving is not for the shallow!
Bernardo is a creative director based in Philadelphia. He holds a Design MFA from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, and is a Type@Cooper alum. His work experience includes small and large studios, multinational entertainment groups, and clients ranging from non-profits, universities, medical groups, and many more, in the USA and abroad. His work has been awarded and shown across the globe. He enjoys typography, lettering, designing patterns and color. In addition to heading This Makes Me Happy, Bernardo is a podcast host, educator, crafter, knitter, polyglot, foreigner, and middle child. To learn more about his work, visit his website or follow him on Instagram
November 11, 2017
30 Covers, 30 Days 2017: Day Eleven
Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.
30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman. Read more about these NaNoWriMo 2017 novels-in-progress, and the cover designers, below.
The Orpheus CageA Horror/Supernatural novel being written this November by NaNo participant Nancy Chase in the United States.
One cryptic text message. Six words. A single sentence that changed Patrick Gresham’s life—because that message came from his dead brother.
Two years ago, 28-year-old Patrick Gresham was an award-winning photojournalist who traversed the globe documenting the aftermath of natural disasters and terrorist attacks. His compassionate, haunting photos of victims and survivors stirred viewers around the world to send help and work for change…until the day he accidentally photographed a ghost. When the image went viral, it sparked a vicious controversy that demolished his career. Hounded by outraged accusations of fraud and exploitation and threatened by anonymous detractors, Patrick retreated into obscurity.
Now, shattered by a botched suicide attempt and the subsequent death of his twin brother Alex, Patrick plunges into grief and guilt. When he gets a mysterious text message that seems to be from Alex, he first suspects a hoax and then questions his own sanity. Is Alex really trying to contact him from beyond the grave? Faced with mounting evidence, but unable to decipher his brother’s wishes, Patrick suspends his skepticism and joins a team of researchers working on an invention meant to enable direct, face-to-face communication with the dead.
But the Orpheus Project is more dangerous than it seems. Crossing into the land of the dead in an electromagnetic cage, Patrick quickly learns that not all spirits are benevolent, and the other team members have agendas of their own. With the project’s funding running out and Alex’s ghost growing ever angrier, Patrick races against the worst denizens of the underworld to uncover long-hidden secrets and find the answers he seeks before more innocent lives are lost.
Joshua
Ege is an Assistant Professor of Visual Communication at Texas
A&M University-Commerce. Over
his career, he has
worked as a Designer and Art Director at variety of creative
companies including ad agencies, design boutiques and in-house design
departments. Joshua has served on the board of directors of the
Dallas Society of Visual Communications (DSVC) for 13 years and is
the current the Vice President of the DSVC Foundation. His
work has been recognized by Print Magazine, HOW, GD USA, Art
Directors Club of Houston,
DSVC,
Logo Lounge, Communication Arts and Harper Collins publications among
others.
He can occasionally be found on twitter @joshege.
Chris Baty's Blog
- Chris Baty's profile
- 62 followers
