Rochelle
asked
Shannon Messenger:
Hi! Thank you for writing such beautiful books! I know how much work it takes to produce something so amazing. Which brings me to my question: have you ever participated in NaNoWriMo? If so, do you have any tips? I gave NaNo a try last year and while I reached my word count goal, I wasn't proud of what I had written. This year I want to strive for something much better. Oh no! I'm running out of characters! NOooooo...
Shannon Messenger
I haven't participated in NaNoWriMo specifically, only because I'm usually on tour that month. I've also never written an entire book in one month before, but only because my books are much longer than 50,000 words.
But when I'm on deadline, I do tend to write somewhere between 40-60,000 words in a 4 week period. So I guess I NaNo in spirit?
Here's the thing: the real point of NaNo is to get you to learn how to set a writing goal, come up with a schedule, and try to stick to it. It's also about finding a community of writers to cheer you on . But none of that should come at the expense of good writing. Some chapters take longer. Some plot threads take time and brainstorming to work through. And if you need to slow down to get through them, you absolutely should (hence why I average a word count range, rather than a consistent number). It's about finding the right balance.
It's also important to keep in mind that completing a book is only the beginning. Writing is all about re-writing--especially when you're still learning. So just because that first NaNoBook isn't perfect right now doesn't mean you can't make it perfect by revising it--and then revising again and again.
But when I'm on deadline, I do tend to write somewhere between 40-60,000 words in a 4 week period. So I guess I NaNo in spirit?
Here's the thing: the real point of NaNo is to get you to learn how to set a writing goal, come up with a schedule, and try to stick to it. It's also about finding a community of writers to cheer you on . But none of that should come at the expense of good writing. Some chapters take longer. Some plot threads take time and brainstorming to work through. And if you need to slow down to get through them, you absolutely should (hence why I average a word count range, rather than a consistent number). It's about finding the right balance.
It's also important to keep in mind that completing a book is only the beginning. Writing is all about re-writing--especially when you're still learning. So just because that first NaNoBook isn't perfect right now doesn't mean you can't make it perfect by revising it--and then revising again and again.
More Answered Questions
A Goodreads user
asked
Shannon Messenger:
have you read the giver? If so, what jobs do you think the main characters (Sophie, Dex, Keefe, Fitz, Biana, Stina, Grady, Edaline, etc,) would have?
Rachel Dolphin
asked
Shannon Messenger:
Hi! I'm Rachel Dolphin. I love ur keeper of the lost cities books. I was just wondering, since I'm a huge feminist, that there r a few things in there that r a tiny bit sexist. Did u rite them because u just didn't realize that they were sexist, u didn't care, or did u think it was important for the story and the time or place it was taking place? Or some other reason that I didn't just write?
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