Chris Baty's Blog, page 114

30 Covers, 30 Days 2017: Day Five

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.

Direwoods

A Young Adult novel being written this November by YWP participant Alexis Hart in the United States.

The woods hold mystery. Some find the woods comforting, keeping the darkness of the world from the small town of Hazely; but, perhaps, the woods are the darkness, keeping the light out. Milo and his family move to Hazely, hoping to start a quiet life in the quiet town. 

Everything thought he knew about the small town is questioned when his little sister disappears into the woods. When the authorities refuse to help, Milo turns to his neighbor and her friends to help him find his sister. The five of them venture into the woods…but find more than they expected.

Cover Designed by Jesse Hernandez

Jesse Hernandez is a graphic designer from Los Angeles, living and working in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design where he earned a degree with a double major in design and animation. Currently, he’s working on a variety of logo and branding projects. Clients range from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, higher education, nonprofits, government, and design agencies. When he’s not in the studio he enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with his cats and dogs. For more information, follow his Facebook page, or visit his website.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2017: Day Four

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.

Hallowed Be

An Experimental/LGBT+ novel being written this November by NaNo participant Jessica Trent in the United States.

Growing up in rural Tennessee isn’t easy for Everett. He knows he’s different. It’s not just that he’s one of the few Catholics deep in the Southern Baptist Bible Belt. He’s slowly realizing he might be gay, and he’s definitely in love with his best friend Waylon. As he’s struggling to come to terms with his sexuality, Everett’s dad is killed by a drunk driver and his whole world goes into a tailspin. 

In the midst of his grief, he discovers Waylon is suffering horrific abuse at home at the hands of his own father. Everett would do anything to help, even when Waylon’s desperate plan of escape includes murder. In the aftermath of all the trauma, Everett never anticipated how much things would change between them. He’s helped save Waylon, but now he might lose him anyway. This story is about loss—of loved ones, of religion, of illusions, of self—and rebuilding with the broken pieces on the other side of it all. 

Cover Designed by Kevin Perry

Kevin Perry is a designer, educator and organizational leader. He has a unique blend of strategic thinking and creating a culture of design. Currently at Struck, he aligns perspectives, creates and refines new ideas, and advocates for design’s ability to create organizational change.Kevin speaks around the country and teaches at the University of Utah. His work has been recognized by some of the industry’s most respected organizations and publications including AIGA and Print Magazine. In 2014 he was selected by Graphic Design USA as one of the “People to Watch”. Kevin is the co-founder of Salt Lake Design Week and has held a number of roles within AIGA, the professional association for design, most recently serving on the national board of directors.

How to Use Social Media to Build a Writing Community

One of the best parts of NaNoWriMo is bonding with the community and writing alongside hundreds of thousands other novelists. Today, YWP participant and Teen Authors Journal founder Melissa Torrefranca shares her thoughts on how to use social media to find writing buddies and build a community:

Even if you lack writing buddies in real life, it is easy to find people online who share the same interests. In this post I will be focusing on how to use Instagram to find fellow writers, or even others also participating in NaNoWriMo.

Using Instagram to Connect with the Writing Community

Although the writing communities are active on many social media sites, I found the community on Instagram to be the most prominent. Instagram is centered around visuals—perfect for writers who want to showcase book covers, inspirational quotes, or even writing memes.

If you want to use Instagram to connect with people in the writing community, you will have to do more than liking a few posts. The first step is to do a bit of searching. I recommend exploring hashtags like #writing and #writersofinstagram. This is a great way to find people online who are enthusiastic about sharing their love for writing. Make sure to like and leave comments on posts that interest you. The more you interact with writing posts and accounts, the more people will recognize and reach out to you.

Instagram’s Direct Messaging Feature

If you find a writer who looks like you have a lot in common with, do not hesitate to send them a direct message. You can initiate a conversation by asking questions about when they started writing, how their current manuscript is developing, and if they are also participating in NaNoWriMo. Keep in mind that not everyone is going to reply to you, but the few who do can turn into great friends.

Once you have a few chats with people and know some writers well, you can take things to the next level by creating a group chat. Just like you, these users are also looking to make new writing friends and will appreciate the introductions. Over time you will notice other people including you in group chats as well, and the list of people you know will slowly grow.

Create Posts to Share Your Own Enthusiasm About Writing

When I first started my Instagram writing account, I began by posting quotes I admired and would sometimes share about my current writing struggles. I gave them relative hashtags, and the majority of my followers were all within the writing community. It is not necessary to make your account exclusively about writing, but having a few writing-related posts or sharing that you are a writer in your bio will help more people find and reach out to you.

Another option is to create an Instagram blog account. I personally know many writers who post pictures and blog about their writing progress for that day or week. Here’s an Instagram blog account that does this well.

Being a Supportive Member of the Writing Community

Tuning in with a community through social media is a beautiful thing. The writing community on Instagram in particular is one of the most helpful and motivating niches I have ever experienced through social media. Writers push each other to conquer NaNoWriMo, but also encourage those who fail to meet their goals. Without my online friends, I would not be the same writer I am today. I might not even be a writer at all.

If you are participating in NaNoWriMo and have not yet taken advantage of the Instagram community, I encourage you to use these tips I shared to get involved. It will open the door to a whole new writing experience.

Melissa Torrefranca is the Founder of Teen Authors Journal, an online community for young writers. She has been working on books since she was seven but did not fully immerse herself in the writing community until the age of twelve. She is using NaNoWriMo November 2017 as an opportunity to finish the first draft of her novel and make new writing friends. Visit Melissa’s personal website here.

Top image licensed under Creative Commons from BrickinNick on Flickr.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2017: Day Three

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 Book Keeper

A mystery novel being written this November by NaNo participant K. McCann in the United States.

Books have souls, as do the characters within them.
Unknown to the vast world population, however, there is another dimension where the book worlds and characters can interact outside of their stories.  

Now imagine: if you were a character in, say, a Jane Austen story, playing along to the same tune for the past 200 years, repeating the same lines for millions of readers, you would get pretty bored after a while.  After all, the part you play in a performance isn’t always who you really are.  Wouldn’t you want to take a break? Stretch your legs? Maybe explore a different field of character? 

Enter the character exchange program! It’s a program where characters from different stories across the millennia of fables new and old can switch roles with each other and play the part of another life, another world, another story.
But beware…if you are lost, or if you fall to your doom in a horrific tragedy outside of your own written realm, you have doomed not only your life, but the very life and soul of your story, as well. 

We wouldn’t want that, now…would we? 

Cover Designed by Michael Braley

Michael Braley’s book, brand, package, poster and print design has been recognized internationally. His work is in the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, Denver Art Museum and Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg, Germany. His work has appeared in: British Design & Art Direction, Clio Awards, Global Biennale of Graphic Design: Moscow, Graphis, Type Directors Club, Communication Arts, London International Awards, Art Directors Club, The One Show, Society of Typographic Arts and Print. Braley also lectures and leads design workshops at universities and professional organizations around the nation.

“This is your novel and only you know how to write it.” ––Roxane...

“This is your novel and only you know how to write it.” ––Roxane Gay

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 Roxane Gay’s pep talk here.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2017: Day Two

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.

Mother Nature’s Daughter

A fantasy novel being written this November by YWP participant

Elizabeth Gilroy in Australia.

Terra’s mother is gravely ill, and like most teens who love their mother she is doing all she can to look after her. However, when your mother is Mother Nature herself, and her powers are starting to go haywire, the job requires more than just chicken soup. Can Terra go down into the world of the humans to fix what her mother’s powers have destroyed? Will she have the power to pull back the powers of water, earth and fire or will they consume her? 

Across the world, Mars had been waiting on earth for what felt like eons. Finally, it appears that mother nature is dying, but where is Mars’ father? As the son of the grim reaper, Mars had been Terra’s enemy since before they were born—that was, until they found out that their powers were drawn to each other. Now, on the run from death himself, while trying to fix a world that is collapsing from the inside out, he will learn why opposites attract.

 

Cover Designed by Kayla Schmidt

Kayla Schmidt is a Graphic Designer and Photographer from Minnesota, where she gathers her inspiration. Kayla enjoys many forms of art and design but loves when her work takes her out into nature. She has looked forward to designing a cover for 30 Covers 30 Days for the last 2 years. Currently she is working on getting her firm Cozy Cabin Design and Photography off the ground with the help of her wonderful, beautiful wife. Kayla specializes in layout design and wedding/event packets along with family, animal/farm and nature photography.

November Is Here: NaNoWriMo Has Officially Begun!

Start writing your novel with NaNoWriMo today!

It’s here, writers––the moment you’ve all been waiting for. It’s time to buckle down and start writing those brilliant, magical, powerful stories that have been swirling around in your head.

Don’t forget to create your 2017 novel on the NaNoWriMo website. (Otherwise, you won’t be able to update your word count!) If you’re new to the site, or need a quick refresher on how NaNoWriMo works, here’s how.

You can challenge yourself or your writing buddies to a word sprint, chat with other Wrimos on our forums, or join a Virtual Write-In. If you want to make some in-person writing buddies, be sure to join a region and check out your local events calendar! 

Let’s start writing, Wrimos!

30 Covers, 30 Days 2017: Day One

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.

Mr. Lewis’ Magical Clock Shop

A mainstream novel being written this November by NaNo participant Olga Wild in Russia!

The night before, nothing could break the settled, staid tranquility of Pemberley… but in the morning, a mysterious new shop suddenly opens, reviving the long vacant House-On-The-Hill. No one has ever seen its owner, who, after reading his visitors’ letters, creates magical clocks for them. Clocks which, people say, can take them back into the past. Meet the cast of characters in this place where everything except time is free: oddball lighthouse-keeper Ginny; lost-in-herself Thea, gently smiling with eyes full of sorrow; Chris, the cheerful, inspirational maker of hot tea; and restless, shaggy Berty, who is always underfoot. And right behind the wooden fence (you know, where the cliff is), the magnificent English Channel keeps an eye on old Whitman’s house, enshrouding the excited village with fresh, sea-spattered winds of change… 

Cover Designed by Olivia Orr 

Olivia Orr is a sophomore studying graphic design at the Rhode Island School of Design. This Summer she worked as a graphic design intern for the Denver Art Museum, where she enjoyed learning about environmental graphics and exhibit design. She has also been an active member in the Colorado AIGA chapter, serving as the Student Engagement Chair from 2015 to 2017. She feels very privileged to be able to do what she loves every day, and is excited about her future in design and the opportunities to come.

7 Fun Tips to Write Your Novel With Dropbox Paper

Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. Dropbox, a NaNoWriMo 2017 sponsor, is a connected space to create and ideate together. Today, the Dropbox team shares a few fun tips for writing your novel this November with their new writing platform, Dropbox Paper:

Sometimes the hardest part about writing is just getting started. That’s why you might try using Dropbox Paper—a workspace that traces its roots back to NaNoWriMo. Simple and free from distractions, it’s the perfect place to just start typing, working out early ideas and getting your first few chapters on the page. Here are seven ways Dropbox Paper might make starting your novel a little less scary.

1. Get inspired.

The creative process doesn’t have to start with words on a page. If you need a little inspiration first, Paper can help. Paste a link in a Paper doc, and Paper will magically display the full post or video. Maybe you want to include a tweet from your favorite author, or add a Pinterest board to visualize your novel’s setting. You’re going to procrastinate on Instagram anyway. You might as well take advantage of it.

2. Avoid distractions.

Most of today’s word processors are cluttered with tool bars, formatting choices, and menu options. That’s fine for people with lots of time on their hands, but you’ve got an award-winning novel to write. Paper puts the bells, borders, and whistles aside, making your words look beautiful by default.

3. Get into your flow, and stay there.

If you do want to spruce up your text, Paper provides helpful keyboard shortcuts so you can organize as you go along. Add italics, headers, and section dividers without your fingers ever leaving the keys. Jane Austen didn’t use a mouse. Why should you?

4. Add a to-do list.

With Paper, you can add a checkbox on the fly, simply by typing open and closed brackets. Whether you want to add a 27-item list at the top of your doc, or just a single reminder in the middle of Chapter 3, Paper can oblige. If you’d like, you can also set a deadline and get an email reminder right before a task is due.

5. Stay organized.

Paper gives you simple ways to keep things neat and tidy. You can check your table of contents at any time—automatically generated on the left side of the page, but out of the way until you need it. Did you make a separate doc with a glossary of terms? Link your docs together as you go, simply by typing a plus sign and the name of the other doc.

6. Keep things light, friendly, and fun.

Even if you’re writing a grisly murder mystery, the novel writing process doesn’t have to be dreary. Paper comes complete with emoji (just type a colon to see your options) and room for animated stickers in the margins. Add a friendly wizard to mark the arrival of a wizened mentor, or a dinosaur to flag old sections that still need work.

7. Sleep soundly.

Every Paper doc is automatically backed up to Dropbox in real time, so your draft will stay safe, even if your computer crashes. If your computer starts smoking, you can simply revel in your record typing speed, rather than scramble to save your novel.

The world needs your novel, and Paper is here to help. It’s completely free to use—just sign in to a Dropbox account to get started.

Check out Paper now.

Pro Tips from a NaNo Coach: Break Your Goal Down into Bite-Sized Pieces

NaNoWriMo can seem like a daunting task sometimes, for NaNo newbies and veterans alike. Fortunately, author Emily X.R. Pan is here to share her advice on how to overcome some of NaNo’s obstacles:

There are a few things about NaNoWriMo
that are true for me every single year:

It completely reinvigorates my writing practice.
It challenges me.
It’s absolutely daunting.

The
first point: I always refer to my writing as a practice. It works
your brain just like a muscle training to lift more weight, or to
play a piece on the piano. The more we practice, the stronger our
writing muscle. NaNoWriMo is like a month-long boot camp.

Number
two: No matter how many years I’ve spent writing book-length
projects, it never gets easier. It’s my primary job now, and it’s
still a
struggle. Just like a marathon challenges a runner in good shape,
NaNoWriMo challenges even those who write all the time.

Finally:
We’re all doing this for the same reason. We want to finish a draft
of a novel. Whether it’s your first book or your twentieth, there’s
always the nagging question: Can
I do it? The answer is: Yes,
absolutely. Believing it is half the battle.

I
guess I’m following the rule of threes in this blog post. So here
are my three favorite tips from my years of NaNoWriMo-ing:

Tip #1: Break your goal down into bite-sized pieces.

I gave away my biggest piece of advice in the title of this blog
post, but I think it’s the key that unlocks all doors.

I
swear by this. I almost even believe it’s the only tip you really
need. The end goal is 50,000—or however many—words in one month.
But how do you carry yourself from one word to the next?

Visualize
for a moment that you’re in a spaceship looking down at the Great
Wall of China. You can see almost all of it; you can see just how
daunting it’ll be. But when you’re actually climbing the Great
Wall, you’re zoomed in up close, focused only on just the stretch
of stone immediately ahead and behind. You have
to take it one step at a time.

We
have to stop thinking about those 50,000 words and what they’ll
look like all together. We have to focus on the little steps. I
prefer to approach it in terms of the story—it’s more organic. I
break my story into pieces and use those to set mini-goals. I’ll
tell myself I have to introduce this character before breakfast. I
have to set up a new conflict before I run to a meeting. I get ice
cream once these characters reach the crucial part of their
conversation. In these little chunks of 100 and 200 and 500 words,
you’ll reach the 1667-word daily goal. And day by day, you’ll
inch your way closer to that finish line.

Tip #2: No amount of spare time is
ever ‘not enough time’ to write.

I
always surprise myself with how much I can get done in little
snatches of five or ten minutes. Carry a notebook with you
everywhere: I’ve done so much writing in the time spent waiting for
a friend to arrive at a restaurant, or sitting in a doctor’s
office. For these small, unpredictable periods, why not try setting
the goal of just doing the
smallest something? Even half
of a new sentence might be just what you need to push forward in your
next session.

Tip #3: Pause your writing in a place where you already know what’s coming next.

I live by this trick that apparently was also Ernest Hemingway’s
rule.

It’s
so much quicker for me to find my momentum again if I come back to
work in the middle of a scene and already know how the rest of it
needs to play out. So I try to end each writing session in a place
where I know what’s coming next.

So
there you have it. Get those pens and fingers into position. Ready?
Set. Go!

Emily X.R. Pan is the author of THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER, which comes out on March
20, 2018. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, but was originally born in
the Midwestern United States to immigrant parents from Taiwan. She received her
MFA in fiction from the NYU Creative Writing Program, where she was a Goldwater
Fellow. She is the founding editor-in-chief of Bodega Magazine, and a
2017 Artist-in-Residence at Djerassi. Visit Emily online at exrpan.com, and find her on
Twitter and Instagram: @exrpan.