Chris Baty's Blog, page 173
November 25, 2014
"First and foremost, and I cannot stress this enough: do not sit down at the keyboard and write on a..."
And if that happens, there is simply no way, in the long run, to avoid the most lamentable and horrible fate of finishing a novel.”
- Jim Butcher, on the siren call of writing.
November 24, 2014
30 Covers, 30 Days 2014: Day 24 with Designer Jordon Roberts
30 Covers, 30 Days is back! What is 30C30D? We match up 30 professional designers with 30 NaNoWriMo participants, and challenge the designers to create a book cover in 48 hours or less, based solely on that participants’ 2014 NaNo-novel synopsis.
The NaNo-novel: The Way to Jassamine
Elliott Dirk is a gifted video game programmer who has it all—but he has some big problems. He’s agoraphobic. His house, the cocoon that hides him from the world, has mysteriously crumbled. And he’s found out from his friend Gladwin that this same fate will soon befall the entire world.
If that weren’t enough, Gladwin lives in Elliott’s dreams. That doesn’t mean Gladwin isn’t real, but Elliott has a hard time convincing the public of this. Nor do people warm to his proposed solution: move the entire earth into the world of dreams.
Institutionalized and kept incommunicado by a corrupt politician, Elliott must enlist the help of skeptical psychologist Dr. Pelayo to free himself and prevent the apocalypse.
The Genre: Science Fiction
The Author: Sean Igo in USA :: Utah :: Salt Lake County
The Designer: Jordon Roberts is a designer/illustrator based in Phoenix, Arizona who has been creating art ever since being commissioned by his fellow first-grade classmates to illustrate cartoon characters. Those cartoons have turned him into the professional he is today.
High-Resolution Book Art:
5 Tips for NaNoWriMo from Andrea Hannah, Novel Finisher
Need tips for making the most of NaNoWriMo? Every week, we’ll bring you five tips to turn each week of writing into a 100% success. Today, Andrea Hannah, whose debut novel, Of Scars and Stardust, began during NaNoWriMo, shares her tips for finishing a novel:
It’s the home stretch, Wrimos. Whether you’re four or forty thousand words away from the win, I bet you’re feeling the burn right about now. You’re tired. Your social life is a distant smudge on your memory. You have a fresh case of carpal tunnel.
Don’t give up.
I’ve managed to win NaNoWriMo in three out of four years I’ve done it, and only by the skin of my teeth with the help of a few last-minute tricks up my sleeve. Today I’m sharing these five (ridiculous) tips to help you get to that purple bar at the end:
1. Magic.
Magic is the key to getting some bonus words on the page. I’m not talking dragons and unicorns, but the kind of magic you feel in your fingertips when you’re on a roll. That’s your brain telling you that you’ve hit gold, even if your story takes a totally different direction than you’ve planned.
Follow the magic as far as you can. Write what feels good, what’s funny, what’s interesting. Allow yourself to detour from the outline and ride that unicorn into the sunset.
2. Mayhem.
Make a little mayhem for yourself. Purposely constrict your writing time to an hour or two per day (or more if you’re behind and need to catch up, like me). It may seem crazy, but if you have more time, you will waste more time. You’ll lose momentum. Give yourself an hour, and you will cram those words into an hour. Writing Laws of the Universe, yo.
3. Murder.
Kill, kill, kill your darlings. Cannot be more straightforward about that. Give up the idea that your words should be pretty and lovely and, um, make sense. Just crank the music, set the timer, and type away.
You will see some really terrible sentences, and when you go back to revise in December, you will outwardly cringe. And probably cry. But this is November, and this month calls for the very crappiest of words. Worry about that later. Which brings me to…
4. Minimalism.
Write out the bare bones you need to get from Point A to Point B. Right now, you don’t need flowery prose that describes the rolling hills of the South. Or the crashing ocean along the coastline of Miami. You need structure: the basic plot of a novel that tells the story from beginning to end.
Skip all the descriptions and write the juicy stuff: kisses, killings, and all the other terribly wonderful and wonderfully terrible things you’ve decided to do to your characters. It’ll make the writing more interesting, which will bring you to the finish line faster.
5. Mascot.
And here we are back at unicorns. My BFF made me a stuffed unicorn, and it has become my magical word ninja this November. I prop it up next to my laptop when I’m writing, and it’s always a sweet reminder of my friend who believes in me and my writing.
Recruit a mascot, whether it’s a pet or figurine or stuffed animal or picture or real live person. It helps. And you’ll have someone/something special right next to you when you click “Validate” on that novel.
Happy finishing, Wrimos! You’ve got this.
Andrea Hannah lives in the Midwest, where there are plenty of dark nights and creepy cornfields as fodder for her next thriller. She graduated from Michigan State University with a M.A. in special education. When she’s not teaching or writing, she spends her time chasing her sweet children and ornery pug, running, and dreaming up her next adventure. Her debut novel, Of Scars and Stardust, is the product of a caffeine-fueled November. You can find her on Twitter @andeehannah.
Top image background by Flickr user Brooke Anderson.
NaNoWriMo 2014: How to Validate Your Official Win
You’ve spent this month getting words on the page (lots and lots of ’em), punching through writer’s block, and deferring the daily scutwork that plagues creativity. And it’s about time you got rewarded.
As of Thursday, November 20, you can validate your word count to win. Here’s how:
Be sure you’ve created a 2014 novel.
At the top of our site, where you normally enter your word count, click “I am ready to validate my novel.” (You can also find this link on your novel page.)
Copy the entire text of your 50,000-word novel and paste it into the validator box.
Click “Validate.”
If our site recognizes that you’ve got all 50,000 words, you’ll be whisked directly to your winner page—where a few goodies patiently wait, soon to be joined (in early December) by even more winner-only offers.
(A couple of other possibilities to review: why there may be a discrepancy between your count and ours; how to validate if you’re writing by hand.)
After you win (or before), consider a donation to support our nonprofit. Our mission is about worldwide creativity, and we’re helping 500,000 people tell their stories this year. Your contribution will allow us to do even more in 2015.
And then, of course you need a souvenir…
Commemorate your quest with the 2014 “Slay 50K” shirt. Because you showed those 50,000 words who’s boss.
So excited for your imminent win,
Chris Angotti
Director of Programs
November 23, 2014
30 Covers, 30 Days 2014: Day 23 with Designer Traci Moore
30 Covers, 30 Days is back! What is 30C30D? We match up 30 professional designers with 30 NaNoWriMo participants, and challenge the designers to create a book cover in 48 hours or less, based solely on that participants’ 2014 NaNo-novel synopsis.
The NaNo-novel: Ragnarok
It’s been 15 years since the sun disappeared. Some question when the moon will disappear, too. Everyone has their own theories as to why the whole world is suddenly in cold darkness. Maybe the sun just went out. Maybe it’s humanity’s own fault. Maybe it’s right; maybe it’s wrong.
But one thing is for certain, and that’s the fact that the sun will never come back.
The Genre: Religious, Spiritual, & New Age
The Author: Fønix in Europe :: Denmark
The Designer: Traci Moore joined Falk Harrison in 2014 as Creative Director. In 1997, she started her own company, Traci Moore Graphics. In 2003 she began her 11-year stint as a senior lecturer at the Sam Fox School Design & Visual Arts at Washington University. For five years, Traci served as the president of the St. Louis chapter of AIGA. She is one of the founders of St. Louis Design Week. In 2002, Traci co-founded the WashUCity Partnership, a creative mentorship program designed to foster interest in the graphic arts by connecting students from Washington University School of Art and University City High School.
High-Resolution Book Art:
November 22, 2014
30 Covers, 30 Days 2014: Day 21 with Designer Val Lehnerd (Again!)
30 Covers, 30 Days is back! What is 30C30D? We match up 30 professional designers with 30 NaNoWriMo participants, and challenge the designers to create a book cover in 48 hours or less, based solely on that participants’ 2014 NaNo-novel synopsis.
The NaNo-novel: Birdcage
A young woman wakes up in the middle of an old room filled with books and is tasked with reading them all to find the story in which the man who kidnapped her belongs. The only clue she has is that he tends to dress like someone from the 19th century, and forces her to do so as well…
As she starts reading books, she is immersed in different worlds, meeting those who live in said books and searching for what’s really important.
The Genre: Fantasy
The Author: Luna P Black in Central & South America :: Chile
The Designer: Val Lehnerd is a Creative, Visual Communicator, Graphic Designer, Consultant, and Thinker in Las Vegas, Nevada where he is the Principle and Creative of Val Lehnerd Design. Lehnerd has worked with a multitude of clients who need everything from simple stationary systems to complex branding. Lehnerd currently serves as President of the Las Vegas chapter of the AIGA. He also teaches graphic design at the University of Nevada Las Vegas UNLV.
High-Resolution Book Art:
5 Tips for NaNoWriMo from Raine Summers, Doubt Dispeller
Need tips for making the most of NaNoWriMo? Today, Raine Summers, long-term Wrimo and Young Writers Program participant brings us her five best ways to help you banish Doubt and keep your writing going strong:
Welcome to the home stretch of NaNoWriMo!
Now, how is your novel? Have you failed yet? Why are you doing this? You can’t do this. You’re crazy. You should quit while you’re ahead.
You hear that?
That’s the voice of Doubt. It’s annoying, and very rude. And somehow, it knows exactly what you’re doing and how to prevent you from doing it. Doubt whispers at the best of us. Even now, in a dark corner of my mind, that skeptical voice is nagging: Why are you writing a pep talk? You’re just a little girl wearing pumpkin socks. They made a mistake choosing you.
But I don’t believe that voice. And you shouldn’t either. Here are five surefire ways to dispel the Doubt and get you inspired this week:
1. Slip on your pumpkin socks.
Seriously. Make yourself comfortable. Surrounding yourself with things you love will shut down the negativity and encourage your creative side. Don’t comb your hair. Sit down to write with your new notebook in one hand and a plate of cookies in the other. Eat some chocolate. Relax. Whatever makes you the most comfortable, do that.
2. Envelop your muse in encouragement.
Listen to ridiculously upbeat songs. Try “Tomorrow” from Annie or “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles, or whatever makes you feel happy and inspired. Make a playlist. Listen to it on repeat. Read your favorite books, books about writing, and books in your genre. Buy NaNoWriMo t-shirts and wear them with pride. Find people who support you, either in real life or online. Believe that you can do this or, at least, that you can try.
3. Challenge yourself (and your pride).
Pour all your effort into writing. Ask people to hold you accountable to your goal, so that you’ll try harder to make this happen. Participate in countless Word Wars and Word Sprints and Word Crawls. This month, words are your life. So write as many as you can. And just when you think you can’t write any more? Write another hundred.
4. Try something new.
Order a different sandwich. Switch from writing on the computer to writing on paper, or vice versa. Buy and wear a ridiculous hat, and call it your writing cap (bonus points for each stare you receive).
Changing little, regular things in your life can change your perspective on your novel. And maybe that’s just what you need to persevere. Throw in a subplot about a conspiracy, or a teenager from the circus, or your main character discovering their doppelganger. And then thank the writing cap profusely.
5. If all else fails, just keep writing.
Ah, the old standby. The reality is, no one can write this novel except you. You can. And I believe you will. There may be complications—something may come up in the middle of the month, or you’ll discover a gaping plot hole, or your character’s personality will change. So what? Go with it!
Maybe that character is supposed to be different than you’d intended. Maybe you can draw inspiration from the not-so-great things happening in your life to make a fantastic, totally down-to-earth novel. You’ve got this.
In the end, who cares about the word count? You are a writer. You’ve been appointed by the universe to create worlds that can never be destroyed, so long as you decide to populate them with your characters and ideas and dreams.
You only have a month to write.
What are you waiting for?
Raine Summers is a fifteen-year-old someday-author, with a passion for words, music, and comfy sweatshirts. She’s working on a couple novels right now, one of which you can read here. Happy NaNoWriMo!
Top background by Flickr user Sky Noir.
November 21, 2014
30 Covers, 30 Days 2014: Day 21 with Designer Nicole Stumphauzer
30 Covers, 30 Days is back! What is 30C30D? We match up 30 professional designers with 30 NaNoWriMo participants, and challenge the designers to create a book cover in 48 hours or less, based solely on that participants’ 2014 NaNo-novel synopsis.
The NaNo-novel: Never Poke a Broody Hen
A slightly neurotic advertising executive has a nervous breakdown, exchanging high heels and flat whites for gumboots and lamb formula, as she attempts to reinvent herself and figure out what when wrong with her life.
Some days are dark while others are full of sunshine. Some days call for a glass of fine wine, sadly difficult to find at a rural pub frequented by farmers.
The Genre: Chick Lit
The Author: Rose Gold in New Zealand :: Otago-Southland
The Designer: As an Arizona State alumni, Nicole currently works for a studio in Phoenix that specializes in corporate identity, brand development, and advertising. Things that make her happy are optical illusions, hand type, and ice cream. When not designing, she is embracing her Midwest roots and searching for someone that actually wants to play cornhole.
High-Resolution Book Art:
Young Writer Chronicles: Turning Fear on Its Head
Every November, our Young Writers Program works with 100,000 students and educators, and 2,000 classrooms around the world. Today, Christen Logsdon shares how the YWP helped bring a Maryland after-school group together to slay their writing doubts:
Everyone is born with a story to tell and the kids at church and in the classrooms I observe are no exception.
In 2012, I started teaching the Young Writers Program to a group of interested kids I had met through volunteering, my job as a ministry assistant at a church, and my mother’s daycare. We met in a freezing little room used for Sunday School, just the six of us Word Slayers. It was rough going at first. I wasn’t quite sure how to explain NaNoWriMo to them and all of us were fairly new to novel writing. But making use of the online workbooks, discussing writing topics through innovative activities, and keeping our spirits up during weekly meetings brought us together…
That first year, everyone met their word-count goals and, when we had our Thank Goodness It’s Over party on December 1, the group was all smiles. It was easy to see that they knew they had done something worth celebrating. What just a month before had been hard to imagine was suddenly achievable and, not only that, something we had accomplished hand in hand. We were all victorious. We were all writers.
November is the highlight of the year for the Word Slayers, but we do our best to make NaNoWriMo a yearlong event, a unique staple of our group. We stay in touch via phone and Facebook and we meet throughout the year for some shop talk and writing sprints. There are rumors of a Camp NaNoWriMo attempt in 2015 and a trip to the National Book Festival in DC. When I get to hear about their stirring main characters, the plot bunnies that have taken over their stories, how their revisions are going, the friends they’ve invited to participate, the outline of the novel they want to write next year, I always have to grin.
When we first began NaNoWriMo, when I would ask about the kids’ projects, the phrase I would hear the most was: “It’s stupid. You wouldn’t like it.” Of course, there is doubt sometimes. It’s hard to let go of completely. But NaNo teaches us how to push past that doubt and now the phrase I hear the most is, “I cannot wait for NaNoWriMo!”
Christen is a childcare professional, living and working in Maryland. When she’s not writing, you can catch her baking pumpkin-flavored things, watching reruns of The West Wing, and quoting The Big Lebowski out of context.
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