Guest Post: Susan Edwards – BOOK IN A WHAT??
Why Do Book in a Month?
When I told my husband that I was going to participate in NanoWriMO (Book in a Month), he asked why? I explained that I needed a push to start writing a new series and that the goal was to "vomit 50-60K words onto paper–to just push yourself to get as much of your story written, no matter how bad a draft it is.
Again, I got that "okkkaayyyy" look followed by another "why?" In his mind, there isn't a purpose or point to writing something that I couldn't sell and it is just a waste of time and energy.
So I explained that I wouldn't be tossing those words, that my participation in Nano wasn't a waste of time. It is a way of getting a rough draft of a book written, and that editing, rewriting and clean-up came after. As I was telling him of this, I was also reminding myself that the purpose of Nano is to get the foundation of my book written.
Normally, I write a chapter or two then go back. And edit, rewrite, edit some more, then I write another chapter or two and once again, I take a couple steps back. I call it Sue's Staircase To Success (or insanity!) method. Two steps up toward that goal of a finished book, then one step back, a few more up, a couple more back.
You see, for me, writing is like taffy pulling. The more you pull, the weaker the center gets. But once you smush it all back together and do a bit of kneading, you can start pulling again. And once more, the center grows thin and bits of stringy goo separate and dangle in thin air. For me, this method keeps me from losing sight of the goals, going down too many dead-end paths etc.
This method of writing makes succeeding in Nano's Book in a Month very difficult for me yet I sign p nearly every year. Why? Because any amount of words, any push forward on a book is a damn good thing.
Even knowing that I most likely won't get from beginning to end in a month, I'm more than satisfied that I'll be further along in the story than I would have had I not made a commitment to finish a book.
Plus, there is that something extra called a deadline. A deadline means I'll push myself, strive to put the old way of writing behind me and try my hardest to make my goal of a 50k rough first draft.
So this year's Nano is nearly upon me. I have a new book/series nearly plotted out and a few more days to do more pre-writing then come November, I'll put the housework on hold as much as I can, make the animals fend for themselves and the husband as well, or at least as much as I can. In fact, I'll put much of my life on hold and devote myself to putting words, lots and lots of words to paper.
It will be a challenge, especially this year because I have 4 of my backlist of books coming out in E-format so I'll be hip-deep in marketing and promotion and new to me this time around, Blogging!
Still, come December 1st, where will I be? A lot further toward typing those sweet, wonderful words The End. So wish me luck and for my fellow writers out there, the best of luck to you as well.
Links to purchase above titles Available 11/21/2011 through Amazon.com
White Dawn — http://tinyurl.com/3clgomd White Dusk — http://tinyurl.com/3keu8y3
White Shadows — http://tinyurl.com/3djbb3j White Wind — http://tinyurl.com/3ut3hhc
