Prepping for NaNoWriMo

Fall is off to a busy start!

I’m getting ready for November, which is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), http://nanowrimo.org/. I signed up for NaNoWriMo Camp this past July. I didn’t finish but I was able to develop some new ideas for my novel. Several months ago, I purchased Scrivener, a software program for writers. I worked with it during the camp, but wanted to learn more about the program. Currently, I’m taking a class, taught by Gwen Hernandez, author of Scrivener for Dummies. The book was published in 2012. The class is offered a few times a year. It’s giving me a better understanding of all the things Scrivener can do.You can learn more about the class and the book at Gwen’s website, http://gwenhernandez.com.

Last December, I decided I was going to read one book each week of 2013. For the most part, I have been doing this. I have only missed a few weeks. Two of these books (I’ve read one and am reading the second) concern novel writing. No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days was written by Chris Baty, the founder of NaNoWriMo. Ready, Set, Novel!: A Workbook, by Lindsey Grant, Tavia stewart-Streit, and Chris Baty, will help you plan and plot your novel. I recommend both of these books.

Next month is the annual free online writing conference, The Muse. The conference dates are Oct 7 – 13 and registration ends October 1. There are many workshops, taught by authors, agents and others in the industry. I highly recommend “attending” this event. It’s great for any writer, no matter what the genre. http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/.

An FYI -- A new website for The Muse went live earlier this month. If you registered prior to the new website going up, I suggest logging in to make sure your account was transferred to the new database. Glitches sometimes happen. I discovered that my account, which I created a few years ago, and my conference registration, had disappeared.You must have an account and register for the conference before the deadline, in order to attend. If you don't register, you won't get access to the conference. My advice is to double check your account and registration if you originally created that account and/or registered for the conference on the old site.

I’m looking forward to The Muse and NaNoWriMo and I hope to see you there!

Debbie A. Byrne has a B.S. in Mass Communication with a minor in History. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and is working on her first children’s book.

Prepping for NaNoWriMo

The Muse Online Writers Conference recently ended. There were many workshops to choose from to help you be a better writer. The workshops were also helpful for NaNoWriMo participants. Some of these workshops included topics such as: research, dialogue, characters, tension, creating fantasy worlds, and point of view. (Mark your calendar for next year’s conference, which is October 7-13. http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/)

Some of the things I have been doing to get ready for NaNoWriMo:

 

-Writing down ideas for my novel/outlining for my novel/outlining

-Cutting photos from magazines

-Downloading lists and forms from various writing websites 

-Downloading novel writing software

-Talking to my writers group 

-Stocking up on food, beverages, and lots of chocolate 

-Making homemade meals to fill the freezer 

-Perusing books on fiction writing 

I also have a zippered binder filled with paper, pockets, dividers, etc., where I keep hard copies of anything I want to save. It’s my story bible (something I learned at the Muse Online Writers Conference last year). 

Will I make the 50K word minimum before the deadline? Will I survive NaNoWriMo? Will I write a best-selling novel?

How about you? 

What are you doing to prepare for NaNoWriMo? 

Debbie A. Byrne has a B.S. in Mass Communication with a minor in History. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and is currently working on her first children’s book.

Writing and Marketing with The Muse Online Writers Conference

Every year in October writers have the opportunity to learn and grow through writing and marketing workshops and chats in the Muse Online Writers Conference. And, they have the even bigger opportunity to pitch their books to agents and publishers.

While you might be thinking you can't afford a week-long conference, you'd be wrong.


The Muse Online Writers' Conference is absolutely FREE!

Whether you're a newbie or your experienced, whether your book is published or your just writing it, whether you're going the traditional route or the self-publishing route, there's something in this conference for you.

I co-instructed a marketing workshop last October with Maggie Ball and the attendees got some great information that they were able to use right away. All the workshops are geared to help you move forward.

The conference starts October 8th and runs through the 14th. So, if you're not registered yet, do it right now - the extended registration ends September 30th. Don't dilly-dally.

Just click on the link (registration is on the left sidebar):
http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com


Hope to see you there!

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Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer
Writer’s Digest Website of the Week, June 25, 2012

Karen Cioffi Professional Writing Services
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/