Yes, I'm back! And once again, I'm offering a free download of the popular NaNo for the New and the Insane book. This is a collection that includes ideas and tips for the pre-NaNo work, for how to get the most out of your November writing, and even some thoughts on after NaNo. NOTE: The book was written a few years ago, and some of the functions of the NaNo boards have changed, but overall, the book still offers a lot of helpful hints. Download it early so that you have time to read it before November!
It also includes the Woodle Pooves story (Author Vs. Character), which I orginally wrote for the NaNo boards many years ago. (It has apprently become my most popular story, since it's the one I hear the most about!)
If you would like a copy got to my website:
You'll find the book listed on the right side with the NaNo09 Graphic.
(Yes, yes, I could send you straight ot the download page, but this way I at least get to see some new hits on my website!)
I hope you guys find it helpful again this year! And no matter what, remember to have fun!
...Zette
Here is the Table of Contents to the book:
INTRODUCTION TO THE INSANITY
What is this Madness?
The First Step in a Crazy Journey
How to Go Crazy Once a Year
Why I Wrote This Book
The NaNo Question for Zette
An Interview with Chris Baty
PREPARING FOR NANO
Attitude
Challenges
Pre-Writing Work and NaNo
Outlining for Fun
Phase Outlines and NaNo
Characters and Other Nuisances
The Time and the Place
The Last Steps to Getting Ready!
FORUMS, BLOGS AND WEBSITES
Forums are Good -- and Evil
Posting Fiction on Open Boards
Forward Motion and Other Writing Sites
Helpful Sites
GOALS AND KEEPING THEM
The Actual Writing
Four Steps for Working up Openings
Easy Daily Goals: Moving Ahead with the Story
A Different Goal: Moving up the List
Almost Random Events
Keep Writing to The End
Don’t Stress
Why Do You Bother?
It's Not Your Fault If They Quit
Prolific Writers and NaNo
THE AFTER NANO BLUES
Writing for Publication -- and the Dread of Editing
"It's a dull word," she said.
Hints from a Small Time Publisher
The Question of Publication
JUST FOR FUN
The Angst of Hero Naming
Author versus Character
A Few Books on Writing
----------
Lazette Gifford
http:/lazette.net
Ninth Year NaNo Participant
NaNo Blog: http://zette.blogspot.com/
27,136 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 15 32
The woodle pooves never get old.
Thanks so much, Zette! This book has been very helpful to me, and I hope it will be helpful to many more NaNo'ers this year!
15,239 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 15 34
I was wondering how long it would take before this thread popped up. If I hadn't read it twice already, I'd give it another shot.
It's good to see a familiar-from-afar face. (... Which is not to say that I stalk your wordcount religiously to inspire copious plot-producing jealousy. Not at all.)
----------http://www.nanowrimo.org/NanowrimoUtils/MyMonth/95590-goal=200000-pc-day...
Ideal Goal: 200k
Minimum Goal: finish Only Child
27,136 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 15 50
Heh. I really feel your pain.
Is it bad that I feel better frequenting the forums now that it looks like I have the same wordcount as posters like Zette and Kateness?
15,239 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 15 53
XD If it's bad, I'm bad too. I did a double-take at one of Kateness's posts earlier today, because it's the only time I've ever seen the wordcount bar not full.
----------http://www.nanowrimo.org/NanowrimoUtils/MyMonth/95590-goal=200000-pc-day...
Ideal Goal: 200k
Minimum Goal: finish Only Child
106,253 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 16 13
This has some great advice even for veteran NaNoers. Everyone could benefit from giving this a read.
-------------
Witty signature feature broken. Please try again later.
http://www.sushimustwrite.com
40,669 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 16 20
Thank you, Zette. Just grabbed the dl. Looking forward to it--been nano for 4 years, never took the opportunity before.
----------Random is good.
www.house-of-jorob.com
116,373 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 18 00
Yay, it's up! I love this book. Every so often I get it out and read it again just for a writing boost. Funny, helpful, practical with great tips. And free! Can't beat that. :)
----------***
Julieann Dreamer
http://jamarlow.com
Nano 2009: Into the Forest Shadows
Nano 2008: The Phoenix Eggs: WON
Nano 2007: The String Weavers: WON!
152,093 / 50,000
Oct 2, 2009 - 18 02
(Waves to DC) Talk to you in chat. LOL
----------Lazette Gifford
http:/lazette.net
Ninth Year NaNo Participant
NaNo Blog: http://zette.blogspot.com/
38,380 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2009 - 01 13
Thanks for the guide, downloaded it just before the wipe, was waiting for this to pop up again :P Would you mind if I gave this link to people on the Newbie forums?
----------75,182 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2009 - 03 33
That is great!
Thank you very much for the link!
The more you can read about NaNo as a newbie the better it is :D
I'm so excited! :)
----------www.twitter.com/BellaBronte
152,093 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2009 - 11 30
I don't mind at all. You might want to link to this thread incase they have questions.
----------Lazette Gifford
http:/lazette.net
Ninth Year NaNo Participant
NaNo Blog: http://zette.blogspot.com/
16,681 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2009 - 11 51
Thanks a lot, hoping it will help a newbie like me :)
39,246 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2009 - 12 12
Thanks! I love your book, especially the phase outline how-to. I'm not a planner by nature, but after last year's plot fizzled out in December, I'm making myself plan this year. You really helped me learn a technique that I'm able to do! I read it a few months ago, and I'm about to give it another read before November. Thanks again!
----------------------------------
'08 Nano: Identity-- WON! (but unfinished)
'09 Nano: as yet untitled... I'm crap at thinking up titles...
11,248 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2009 - 13 09
Hey Zette! I have the NaNoBook on my laptop since year 2007, and I keep re-reading it every once in a while, because it has some usable info not only on writing under NaNo-ish circumstances, but also on writing in general.
----------Nevertheless, The Angst of Hero Naming is my absolute favourite among humorous poems :) Thank you so much for the work you've put in it!
There is nothing better than a deadly disease.
43,384 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2009 - 17 59
Thank you for the download, Zette. I'm a complete newbie (just signed up!) and I'm sure this will help immeasurably. I look forward to your explanation of my sudden fit of madness.
----------NaNo '09: Door to the Future
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
--Confucius
42,213 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2009 - 21 12
thanks zette - i just downloaded it!! looks good
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ziva: I'm driving. Tony: I'm dead.
37,009 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2009 - 09 22
Thanks Zette! I have to download your book again since I have a new computer without the copy I downloaded last year. And yes, the woodle pooves story is still one of my favorites.
45,584 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2009 - 21 07
Hello again, Zette! Good to see you here again. Great book, by the way!
----------Linda Jo Martin
My blog: Perspectives on Writing
NaNoWriMo Notations
152,093 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2009 - 23 16
Hello! Haven't seen you around for a long time!
----------Lazette Gifford
http:/lazette.net
Ninth Year NaNo Participant
NaNo Blog: http://zette.blogspot.com/
152,093 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2009 - 23 17
I'm glad everyone seems to enjoy the book and find it useful! the most important thing, though, is to remember to enjoy NaNo!
----------Lazette Gifford
http:/lazette.net
Ninth Year NaNo Participant
NaNo Blog: http://zette.blogspot.com/
2,122 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2009 - 23 52
Hey Zette
Thank you for this. ^.^. It's my first year at NaNoWriMo, and I got some really good tips from the book as to what to expect and how to best prepare, etc. It's got me all pumped up for Nov 1! Now I can't wait :D.
----------Jay says RAWR!
75,182 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2009 - 01 23
I just finished it!
It is really good and helpful!
I love your system of Phases. I want to try that too!
----------www.twitter.com/BellaBronte
10,699 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2009 - 16 13
Hello Zette!
I really like your NaNo book, it helped me prepare a lot last year! I remember making a plan with 30 points to write about each day. As it worked out, I never got off the first point and ended up writing a brilliant, character-exploring prequel to the novel I planned to write, but having a plan meant I knew exactly where I was going when I was writing about all my new ideas! :D.
I'm reading it again this year too. Thank you for publishing it for free! I'm a poor student so I really appreciate it ^_^.
----------2008: The Wisdom of Children (won!)
38,387 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2009 - 23 15
looks like it could be helpful! Thanks.
8,711 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 06 28
This is a really fun and helpful book, thank you!
My favorite line so far (laughed right out loud): "For some reason a number of people seem to think that writing has to be an elite, higher calling to which only the most dedicated, cut-your-wrists-and-write-in-your-own-blood few can join" (p.96)
Thank you for keeping things in perspective, and I love all the tips and strategies to keep the novel rolling (finally a use for my husband's old D&D dice!)
Cheers
32,908 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 15 37
thank you for the book - I feel a bit comforted by having a friendly guidebook to help along the way.
----------"There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
W. Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965)
15,014 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 19 57
Oh, I'm so glad I found this again! My printed copy ended up under some piles and a little worse for the wear, and I couldn't find the saved file.
----------32,403 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 20 52
As a first timer for this whole shebang, this was very useful to read. I really didn't want to work with outlines before I read this, and now I realize that I don't have anything to lose by at least TRYING them, and you saying that they merely work as a guide and not as something to be strictly followed did lessen my aversion towards them. I don't think I'll use them for any of my non-NaNoWriMo's, but an outline will definitely help for this, since my worst enemy when it comes to writing is getting stuck and not knowing what else to write about. So when that happens, I'll have an outline to come back to.
Anyway, thank you for writing such a helpful guide!
----------32,015 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 08 00
It's okay, I'm feeling the exact same way. There was some serious word count jealousy going on last year.
And thanks for the book Zette! Gotta love the woodle pooves ;)
----------Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
152,093 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 10 07
I understand about the word count stuff, but I've always taken a different approach to NaNo. First, I want to make it a challenge for me, and 50k would not be a challenge. So I took the challenge at its name and decided I would write a full novel. The problem is that I am so fired up by the time November hits that I usually write very fast for the first few days. It's sort of my vacation, in an odd way. It's allowing me to do the one thing I really love, and if I'm lucky, I have cleared away most of my real life work for the first week. I know I have a limited amount of time to really fly, so I end up writing a novel quite quickly. I could stop there. I did the first year. The next year I decided I could do more. So I have written at least two novels a year since then.
It's just fun for me. However, I do write novels I am going to edit and submit at some later date, so that stops me from writing words just to make a word count that is even higher. My goal has always been the story, not the word count. From the NaNo books, I have had one electronic sale, one small press sale -- due out in 2011 -- and a couple nibbles on Kat Among the Pigeons, but nothing definite yet! Another one about to go out ... I should have done more of them by now, but truthfully, between Forward Motion, Vision, website work for the local county, weekly newsletters for DAZ 3D -- well, it's hard for me to get the work done that I'd like to be doing. I'd probably be dangerous if I didn't have all that other stuff to do! Editing isn't difficult (with the right attitude and approach), but it does take longer than writing, at least for me. And I do have other things I write, so the work to get edited and go out does tend to get backlogged.
Anyway, the point is that NaNo isn't just a 'write words' exercise for me. It's part love of writing and part applying myself to my chosen career.
----------Lazette Gifford
http:/lazette.net
Ninth Year NaNo Participant
NaNo Blog: http://zette.blogspot.com/