One Week To Lift-Off!
Nanowrimo will begin one week from today.
If your plot is outlined, your house is sparkling and your writing space is a thing of beauty, this pep talk is not for you. ( And we all want to know what your secret is!)
For the rest of us, this is about when we start reeling and writhing and fainting in coils.
You know: I hate my novel, my main character is stupid, I have forty seven pages on the War Of The Roses due in ten days, my boss just handed me a project that's due two days before Thanksgiving, ohmigawd Thanksgiving!, my house is a pit why did I even sign up for this stupid challenge anyway?
Or maybe you're more like the folks who are saying: My novel idea this year is soooo good, isn't it November yet? Can't we start even a little bit early? (The answer to this is: No. But you knew that.)
There's plenty to keep yourself occupied this week that will make your Nanowrimo more enjoyable. And it has the added benefit of distracting you from panicking.
One week to go. You could:
* De-frag your hard drive and set up whatever backup methods you've chosen for this year. Check all the cables. Clean your keyboard. Get the can 'o air and blow the dust bunnies out of your machine. Make sure you have the writing software you want ( I use Rough Draft shareware and love it) on any computers you'll be using during Nano. Note on backing up your novel: Just. Do. It. One of the most predicatble things about Nanowrimo is that at some point somebody's computer is going to go 'whrrclickthud' and take their hard earned word count off to the great memory hole in the ether. And people do end up dropping out in despair when it happens. Don't let it be you.
* Set up your writing space and get it all ready to go. Get that desk tidy and those reference books within reach.
* Got music? Got playlists?
* Seriously, if you already know you need forty seven pages on the War of the Roses in ten days, do it now and get it out of the way.
* Got groceries? Snacky foods? Fizzy drinks? Coffee? Meals made ahead and frozen to throw at the family when you're on a red hot writing streak?
* Give your living space a middling serious cleaning, because once November hits you're far less likely to tackle it. Or at the very least takea pledge that if you are procrastinating on your novel you will clean house. Some days the only thing that kept me at the keyboard was not wanting to run the vacuum.
* You are taking your vitamins, right? Getting enough sleep? Pamper yourself this week.
* Spend some time with your family and friends, and remind them that come November you'll be really busy. Schedule something nice for after Nanowrimo.
* Make up a reward list. 1667 words for the day? Gold star on the calendar! 5K word count? Yummy treat and fifteen minutes of that web game you are secretly addicted to (but set a timer!). Heck, make a reward box out of a shoe box and some glitter glue and pictures cut out of magazines if you're crafty and stock it with little goodies and toys.
* Play with your novel idea. What kind of car would your space ninja drive? Which great work of art would your villian be most likely to steal? Go to one of the icon/avatar building sites and make up dollz for all your characters.
* Check the forums at the Nano site. It's an amazing community of diverse people. Make some friends. Get a writing buddy. Get adopted by a veteran, or adopt a newbie. Read the dares.
It's going to be a great year. Looking forward to meeting folks at our first meetup, November 2, 730-930 pm. And pencil in the Write-in on Nov. 12! It'll be fun and a great way to get out of the house and boost your word count at the same time.
Details on the regional forum and in the event calendar.
This pep talk brought to you by your friendly local MLs. It has also been emailed to those who list Oregon: Albany-Corvallis as their home region.
No plot bunnies were harmed in the making of this pep talk.
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Co-ML Oregon: Albany/Corvallis
