Happy Post Halloween!

Or Happy All Saints Day!

And for those of you who are writers - Happy NaNoWriMo!

There are a few topics I could potentially cover in this weeks exciting addition to Fickle 'N Freelance Forever. After some debate (mostly with myself), I've decided to focus on writing.

At one point in your life you have sat down and written a short story. At one point, you have attempted to write a book. And at one point we all try our hand at novel writing. It's a fun exercise in using your imagination, using an idea from a random source, and a chance to finally use all of those SAT words we were all forced to memorize (or remember until the test, forget, then come back to years later).

First things first: What is NaNoWriMo?

    Na (National) No (Novel) Wri (Writing) Mo (Month)

Basically you write 50,000 words - which is the equivalent of writing a novel.

You can go over this number count, but it is the basic goal hundreds of thousands of people strive to meet each November.

NaNoWriMo - the link here will take you to the main page of the event. From here you can read more about the challenge, sign up and track your progress, read pep talks from actual published authors (James Patterson did a pep talk one year), and find a group close to you and meet with fellow writers.

There are always events going on in whichever region you sign up with. Each year there are at least four "Write-In's" round about where I live.

A "Write-In" is where a bunch of writers congregate in a specified location (sometimes Ikea), and sit in a large space (the cafeteria) and write for a few hours.

Writing with others is beneficial, as you can interact, bounce ideas off others, and help them with blocks or other writing things.

Not only is WriMo an excellent opportunity to meet fellow writers, but it's a way to set new boundaries for yourself. Try it - see what sort of stretchniess occurs when you attempt, and finish a 50,000 novel in the course of 30 days.

Now - 50,000 is a daunting number. The site breaks it down to a simple format.

    1,667 words a day X 30 days = 50,000

Simple, right?

I prefer to use 2,000 words a day - that way if  I fall behind I already have a few hundred in my arsenal (as getting sick each November is always in the works).

Have an idea you've been mulling around in your mind? Something interest you that you've always wanted to write about? Now's the time!

You are writing a FIRST draft here - it doesn't have to be professional. It doesn't have to have perfect grammar, perfect editing. It is a ROUGH draft.

The whole point of this is to get the idea down. Get in locked in place - save all the revisions and editing for December.


How about it? Care to join me on a writing journey this month?

I will be participating this year, if you want a friend: CatherineSilver