Chris Baty's Blog, page 135

Happy Friday, Wrimos! Even if you missed Double-Up Donation Day...

Happy Friday, Wrimos! Even if you missed Double-Up Donation Day this year, you can still take this weekend to catch up on your word count if you’re behind. To help, here are some out-of-this-world writing prompts. You can also use our writing sprint tool to set personal timed goals, or create a group word sprint to write with your friends. May the words be with you! [Help, we’re running out of space puns over here.]

30 Covers, 30 Days 2016: Day Ten

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 2016 novels-in-progress, and the cover designers, below.

The Future Grind

A mainstream/realistic novel being written this November by participant Sam Chau in the United States.

Alex Chang doesn’t mind being a barista. The tips are good, he goes back to his apartment smelling like coffee (instead of the frying oil at his last gig), and they’re willing to work around his class hours. It also means he gets to help people, and not just by giving them their needed caffeine fix. 

It turns out your coffee order says a lot about you, and not just the level of basic. Alex not only has a knack for knowing exactly much foam you want on your latte, but also what your fondest wish is. He has a peculiar way of steering you towards the door and onto the rest of your day. You should probably listen to the man in the purple apron.

Cover Designed by Steve Hartman

Steve Hartman is Creative Director at Falk Harrison, a branding agency in St. Louis, MO. Steve is a former national board member of AIGA, The Professional Association for Design, and has taught design at four universities around St. Louis. Steve is a 1992 graduate of Eastern Illinois University.

From Our Young Writers: ‘One of the Best Things That Ever Happened’

In addition to the main event every November, NaNoWriMo provides free creative writing resources to educators and young participants around the world through our Young Writers Program. This month, we’ve asked some of our young writers to share their own words of wisdom. Today, participant Gwenyvere Smith shares how novel writing changed her life:

NaNoWriMo was one of the best things that ever happened to me. 

Before the fourth grade, I thought I hated writing. It was understandable, since all I had ever written were essays for school. It wasn’t until I was nine years old that my father decided that my homeschooling education was not encompassing everything it should. He started giving writing prompts for short stories–stories that I got to use my imagination to write. 

Suddenly, the universe was at my fingertips. As the months and years progressed, I daydreamed about writing a whole book, but I never looked at the possibility as something feasible. However, the summer before I entered the sixth grade, my dad was out of ideas–or so I thought. “We should write a book!” I joked. Little did I know that he would take these words to heart. 

That September, my dad was excited. “Guess what? We’re going to write a novel!” As he explained his plan, I realized he was serious. I was intimidated. I couldn’t believe that he expected me, a twelve-year old with barely any writing experience, to write a whole entire book. Nevertheless, using Randy Ingermanson’s “Snowflake Method,” and with my father ready to help me whenever I needed him, I developed a plot and characters I was proud of. 

That Halloween, I signed up for the Young Writers Program of NaNoWriMo. How fun it was to join the socially-inept Raymond Cooper and his confident, sarcastic companion Doris Mitchell in their struggle to save Earth from an alien invasion! For the first time, I knew what it was like to know a story so well it began to write itself, and to fall in love with my characters. Even Bakari, my misguided villain, held a special place in my heart. 

“We’re a family. Writing is a gateway. It is something that brings people of all different backgrounds and cultures and upbringings and beliefs together.”

As the month wore on, I wasn’t sure I would be able to make my hefty goal of 30,000 words. Though by some miracle, and my determination to stay awake as long as it took, I reached my word count goal at approximately 11:30 P.M. on November 30th. I wrote 6,000 words that day. The realization of what I had done was a satisfaction that I had never felt before. I knew then that this was what I wanted to do with my life. Losing myself in a story was something new. Something wonderful. Even though I didn’t know it at the time, that was just the beginning. 

A few months after NaNoWriMo of 2012, I met the person who would soon become my best friend at a conference. While we bonded over many things, writing was the one subject that really helped us to grow our friendship. We lived across the country from one another, and she joined NaNoWriMo that summer. Through the forums, we grew closer, and I have made a few other wonderful friends whom I never would have met if we hadn’t had a similar passion to write. We’re there for each other, not just through our struggles in dealing with writer’s block, but during real life problems too. Lives have been saved because of our love. 

We’re a family. Writing is a gateway. It is something that brings people of all different backgrounds and cultures and upbringings and beliefs together. Even though we differ, and even if we have never met in real life, NaNoWriMo has helped dozens of people become friends over a common interest:
 To tell a story. 

Gwenyvere is a junior in high school who discovered her love of writing at a young age. She has participated in three NaNoWriMos since 2012. This year she is looking forward to writing a short prequel to a novel she plans to write in April for Camp NaNo. She likes writing stories in the fantasy/science fiction genre especially, and draws influence from her father and mentor, Aaron Smith, and authors such as Eoin Colfer, J.K. Rowling, and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Top photo by Flickr user cushmok.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2016: Day Nine

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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 2016 novels-in-progress, and the cover designers, below.

The Clockbreaker

A thriller/suspense novel being written this November by participant Ichabod in the United States.

Quentin Fox is a high school junior, the best chemist in his class, and a genius in his own right—but when a girl named Sunday tumbles into his window late one night, claiming to be insane and insisting that they must save the world from an unknown danger, he is forced to question his strict logic. Sunday sees colors that do not exist. She predicts future events. And when she says she must save the world, maybe—just maybe—she is telling the truth.

Soon Sunday’s forgotten history returns to haunt her in the shape of a time-obsessed lunatic, a strange house in Sienna, and a golden pocket watch. Quentin must sift through the secrets in order to stop the deadly countdown of the last clock the world may ever see.

Cover Designed by Bethany Whitlock

Bethany Whitlock is a Designer from Atlanta, Georgia. She loves all things type and design and thrives on new challenges.When she’s not designing you can find her at home taking care of her plants and furry cat children, Tegan and Darwin, or dragging her husband to her favorite antique shops.

What to Do When You Don’t Feel Like Writing Any More

All through National Novel Writing Month, published authors will take the whistle, take over our official Twitter account for a week, and act as your NaNo Coach. This week’s NaNo Coach, Nita Tyndall,

moderator for The Gay YA and a social media coordinator for WeNeedDiverseBooks, shares a few words of encouragement to keep you writing during week two:

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling burnt-out lately.

Between it getting dark early and other factors, I’ve lost my motivation to write. I know this is typical around Week 2 (and I know I’m not alone), so I want to talk about how to keep going when you don’t feel like writing.

We’ve all been there—the feelings of frustration, of falling out of love with a story, of feeling like you have no inspiration or you’re stuck on the same scene and your novel is going nowhere. Or, maybe extraneous circumstances are causing you to feel lousy—your job is stressful, you have a paper due next Thursday, your apartment isn’t clean.

Sometimes, life gets in the way of writing.

I know it’s tempting to beat ourselves up when that happens, especially during NaNoWriMo, when word count is so important. During NaNo, it’s so tempting to put writing ahead of everything else.

But it’s also important to take time to practice self-care during the month, and take breaks when you find yourself feeling burnt out. Your mind—and your novel—will thank you.

So here are my two main tips for when you simply don’t feel like writing anymore:

1. Break up your writing into manageable chunks. Don’t look at the word counter that says you’re 4,000 words behind your daily goal, or that you need to write 3,000 a day to finish. Shut it off. Instead, break your writing sessions up into small, manageable chunks: 200 words here, 300 words there. It’s a lot easier to dash out words when you don’t have to worry about hitting a big goal. Even if your goal is 50 words, it’s still 50 words you didn’t have before.

2. Make a list of what you love about the piece you’re working on, or about writing in general. This is perhaps my favorite and most-touted piece of advice, and I learned it from one of my CPs. Whenever you’re feeling stuck, or bored, pull that list out and look at it and remind yourself why you love writing, and why you’re the only one that can tell this story.

At the end of the month, life will still be there. You can fix your novel in December. But this month? This is the time to create without thinking, to join in a community of people all doing the same thing as you.

How often are you going to get that chance?

Nita Tyndall is a tiny Southern queer with a deep love of sweet tea and very strong opinions about the best kind of barbecue (hint: it’s vinegar-based.) In addition to being a YA writer, she is a moderator for T he Gay YA and a social media coordinator for WeNeedDiverseBooks . You can find her on tumblr at nitatyndall where she writes about YA and queer things, or on Twitter at @NitaTyndall . She lives in North Carolina.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2016: Day Eight

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 2016 novels-in-progress, and the cover designers, below.

The Hide Away

A fantasy novel being written this November by YWP participant Didi Sterne in the United States.

Ever since Tovah was a little girl, she’s been best friends with Senka. Their friendship is mostly typical–except for one thing: Senka is a goddess. All her life Tovah has been able to ignore her problems. Her Hideaway–Senka’s world, where anything is possible–has let her do that. 

The Shadow World is perfect. Senka can solve all of her problems, right? But when those around her begin to fall away, she’ll learn if she has what it takes to step out of the shadows.

Cover Designed by Kayla Schmidt

Kayla Schmidt is a freelance graphic designer from Minnesota.  She loves working on various types of projects but enjoys layout design the most.  Much of her inspiration comes from nature and her surroundings, as Minnesota is filled with beautiful landscapes and scenery.  Along with graphic design, Kayla loves photography and being able to capture special moments for her clients. She is a Boxer Mom for two adorable dogs, has three cats, and an amazing spouse. Life couldn’t be better!

Artist and author Jenny Williams has hand-lettered quotes from...

Artist and author Jenny Williams has hand-lettered quotes from this year’s Pep Talks! Check out her work at www.jennydwilliams.com, or follow her on Instagram @stateofwander. Read the rest of Alexander Chee’s pep talk here.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2016: Day Seven

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 2016 novels-in-progress, and the cover designers, below.

My World in Black and White

A romance novel being written this November by participant Sarah Appel in the United States.

Eliza’s one goal in life is to find her soulmate, the one that will change her world from black and white to color. She knows the odds are stacked against her, but it’s all she’s ever dreamed of.

Lucas, her friend since they were six, is much more cynical. He’s found his soulmate already, but has little to no interest of locating her. He already has color, why would he want to actually find his soulmate? Somehow, he finds himself agreeing to Eliza’s crazy van-stealing, cross-country driving plan. On their way, Eliza finds a book filled with illegal material– from the old days, when people had to find love for themselves. Maybe soulmates aren’t all they’re cracked up to be…

Cover Designed by Lena Heller

Lena Heller is a film student who has lived in many places, but is currently located in San Francisco. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, short walks on the beach, and being the editorial intern for NaNoWriMo.

Choosing the Best Writing Platform for You: Why Simpler Is Better

Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. Ulysses, a NaNoWriMo 2016 sponsor, is a

professional writing environment for macOS and iOS—and winner of the 2016 Apple Design Award. This year, they’re offering Wrimos the chance to write your NaNo novels on their software for free. Today, they’ve shared with us some reasons why simpler is better for writing platforms:

The first story I finished was a homework assignment in 5th
grade, and I wrote it on my mom’s old typewriter. I just sat down and started
banging into those keys, lost in the sound of the striking head pressing the
letters onto the soft paper. Just a few years later, in 1994, I wrote a
riveting (or so I thought) short story during my summer break, this time with
just a pencil and an old notebook. Fourteen years later, that dusty draft
became the foundation of my first NaNoWriMo, which was an exhilarating
experience that left me craving for more!

But while writing had been fun, organizing my content was more
of a nightmare. Before the next NaNoWriMo I desperately needed a better system,
so I went looking for the perfect tool. Unfortunately, I fell into the trap of
equating “perfect tool” with “tons of features”.

Within several years I had tweaked my writing setup to within
an inch of its life. I was using pro apps, and I had beautifully formatted
outlines, color coded digital index cards, and fluidly-scrolling timelines. I
thought it was working. But whenever I got stuck, I started to tweak my
settings again, and before long I realized I was spending more time fiddling
around than actually writing. I was frustrated and couldn’t fathom why all
these powerful apps wouldn’t empower me to finish another NaNoWriMo.

It was a chance conversation with a colleague that suddenly
made me realize the obvious: more features were not the answer I was looking
for. Back in 5th grade, it never occurred to me that my typewriter wasn’t
giving me enough “options”. During my summer break, I never once had thought
that my notebook and pencil were not “powerful” enough. The only thing I cared
about was telling my story— I’d have carved it in stone if necessary!

“Ulysses provides what’s essential to the creative process: it’s a tool that is as distraction-free as a pencil and a notebook, but with the power of modern-day technology.”

To do more I needed less. That was when I first came across
Ulysses. After five years with apps that devoted almost as much screen space to
settings as they did to an actual writing area, my first reaction was: it’s so
empty! All I saw was a cursor on a blank screen – blinking patiently, waiting
for me to take it on an adventure.

Ulysses provides what’s essential to the creative process:
it’s a tool that is as distraction-free as a pencil and a notebook, but with
the power of modern-day technology. It was liberating to stop worrying about
project settings, outlines, or formatting options. Whenever I have an idea that
needs to be recorded, I simply open the app and… write.

As I continued to use Ulysses, I discovered features that had
been lurking in the background: a simple but powerful folder structure to
organize my growing content; Markdown XL to add more to my sheets without
losing the simplicity of plain text; defining word goals for writing
assignments; adding notes and attachments to sheets; and of course syncing to
the mobile app and publishing my blog posts directly to WordPress. It seemed as
if the team behind the app was anticipating my every need, and Ulysses
naturally met them as my workflow developed.

Today, I am using Ulysses for all of my writing—personal and
professional—and even though there’s potential for complete disarray, the app
keeps everything gracefully under control. At its core, it’s still the simple
and lightweight app I fell in love with years ago.

Thank you, Ulysses, for making telling stories easy and fun. I
wouldn’t want to do it without you!

Julia Altermann is a support analyst by day and avid paper crafter at night, and lives in Dresden, Germany. She is participating in her fifth NaNoWriMo this year, and is using Ulysses for the fourth time to write her novel.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2016: Day Six

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 2016 novels-in-progress, and the cover designers, below.

All the Time in the World

An adventure novel being written this November by YWP participant Julian Hall in the United States.

A young man’s life changes in the blink of an eye. 

As Zayden Daniels crosses the street, he hears car horns and sees headlights coming at him. He freezes like a deer, and braces for impact that never comes. When he opens his eyes he sees, not a car crash, but everything motionless. Zayden just realized with a blink, he can stop everything, everywhere.

Cover Designed by Cary M. King

Cary M. King is a professional designer and outdoor enthusiast from Alaska. He has over 20 years experience in the visual communications industry. He is also the co-owner at Red Carrot Design and founder, past president, and advisor at AIGA Alaska.