First, though, I have to share that last week I was given an award from the awesome, wonderful Kelly Louise, the Gene Pool Diva of Diminishing Gene Pool. The rules of the award are to thank the person who gave it to you and link back to them (Hi, Kelly!), then list some of your favorite blogs.
I told Kelly I would post this last Sunday and I didn't because I can't seem to list my favorite blogs. I mean, I've told you before who they are, I ask many of them to be Savvy Sensations. And the others that I read - oh, it's so many. Hundreds. I'm mostly a lurker and comment very little - which goes totally against marketing advice - but it's me. Now to narrow down those blogs to a handful to pass this award on to? I'm having trouble. And I hate it when people say, "Just take the award if you want it." So here are simply the first ten in my Google Reader. They are lovely and deserve an award (as do all of you!) Check them out:
- Chandara Writes
- Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire
- Paper Mountain
- Perfecting the Craft
- Amie Kaufman
- Robin Weeks
- The Submission Process
- Callie Kingston
- Life By Chocolate
- Michelle Dennis Evans
Now Face Myself Friday - Here's what I learned from NaNo:
- I'm not a fast writer.
- That's ok.
- I like to write in spurts - a week of focus, then a week or so off.
- That's ok, it's just my style.
- I edit while I write.
- That's ok, too. Isn't it?
- My first draft takes a while, but when it's done, it is closer to a second or third draft because I'm such an editor.
- I think that's better than ok.
- So, obviously, I failed NaNo.
- But that's ok because I realized things about myself as a writer and I am happy with those things.
How about you? Did you finish? What did you learn about yourself through NaNo?
42 comments:
I think NaNo was invented to promote the joy of writing, but it seems to make a lot of people feel like failures at the end -- and that can't be right!
I never participate in NaNo -- partly because November is a busy month for a teacher -- and partly because that's not how I write either. I might write every single day, but much of it is recursive, looking back at previous chapters, tweaking, editing. I brainstorm and I research. Right now, chapter 3 of my current WIP is held up while I research the perfect automobile for a young man to be driving between 1900 and 1910. (See, haven't even decided on the exact year of this story yet.)
My first drafts can't be done in 30 days, and that's okay. I could do revisions on a completed draft in 30 days, but that's not part of the rules.
My suggestion: Make up your own rules.
I do think it's all OK, because you have to use what works for you! I too write better ins spurts, but don't edit my first draft! I didn't do Nano, but I think one of its benefits is discovering how we do work.
I've never participated in NaNo. The timing's off (I'm usually in the middle of edits), and I don't like to have self imposed word counts like that. I write everyday. Some days I write more than others. But I do admire those who participate--as long as they don't start querying December 1st. Especially if I'm querying at the same time. ;)
People like us need a specific badge -- "I failed NaNoWriMo and I am okay with it!" which we could then link to a post describing why we are perfectly okay or even quite happy with the outcome despite having failed the wordcount goal.
Congrats on the award! It's always nice to be recognized by others. :) And I'm very much like you in the writing department. Slow and steady with a bit of editing as I go. That's why I've never done NaNo. I just don't think it would work for me.
Yay!! Thanks for the blog award (and congrats on yours!).
And did you really fail NaNo? I consider writing anything a success. You participated, you wrote some, you edited some. I read yesterday on twitter or someone's blog that those words are words you didn't have a month ago...so...Yay!
Congratulations on the award - and I know Robyn at Life by Chocolate very well.
Last year I learned that I don't write very fast either. Actually, I type even slower. Sad!
I had a NaNo catastrophe back in '09. I never really think it's a failure. I just don't think the challenge suits some of us ... or that's what I tell myself. Since that "incident" in '09, I have chosen challenges very carefully. :)
I didn't do NaNo, but it sounds like it was well worthwhile for you!
Instead of NaNo I did Picture Book Idea Month, which I failed but made a good pass at. I have sixteen or seventeen great ideas for picture books and I was supposed to have thirty, one for each day in November. It was a hard choice but I knew I would fail Na No If I tried to do it..
Congrats on your award.
Hey, that's great you learned those important things about how you write! That's good that you're ok with not "winning" at NaNo. I edit a little as I write too!--I don't like writing with a mess behind me. I have to see where I've been. Not polished, but at least clean. :)
I learned a mostly opposite list. I write fast and don't edit on the first draft. If I write excessively in one day, I don't want to write for several other days. I do agree that what I learned about myself is very valuable, so it was worth doing it even though I didn't get to 50K.
Tonja at http://tonjasmusings.blogspot.com
Sounds like something I'd do. I still enjoyed NaNo. I never took it too seriously :)
That was definitely the best part of NaNo. I never would have known I was like this if I hadn't attempted. Thanks for the comment.
I admire NaNoers too. They're a different breed :)
A more positive badge might say: NaNoWriMo Rebel. Oh,hey, look - mine already says that! That's actually because I rebelled from day one. I didn't start a new MS - I was attempting to complete an old one. Maybe I messed with NaNo karma because I wasn't following the rules from the beginning. Silly me.
Good for you at acknowledging that about yourself. Maybe we need a NaNo year. Lol!
So true. I don't feel like a failure at all. I learned a lot about myself. Great Twitter quote!
I haven't even been by to tell them I gave them awards - doesn't that suck of me?
Yeah, sometimes I think deadlines are too intimidating. It should be about running with the creative ideas, right?
LOL! Catastrophe - makes me wonder what happened :) Yes, this challenge isn't for me. Now I know!
It was!
I've toyed around with doing Picture Book Month. Maybe I'll give it a go some time. Sounds fun!
I actually find when I edit some of the mess behind me (not line edits, mind you) that it makes the rest come out easier. I can see the path more clearly when the past is cleaner.
Isn't that interesting? Maybe it should be called "Learn How You Write Month". :)
Yay! Thanks for the award! I don't have that one, yet. :)
For NaNo, I learned that I can write really fast if I put my mind to it. I can turn off the internal editor (mostly), and just get the first draft done. I think that's mostly valuable when I have no idea how to get from point A to point B. I could agonize over it for days or weeks... or I can just write. Somehow, I get there.
Naturally, my rough draft is very rough, but it's a heck of a lot better than the blank pages I had on October 31! :)
We all have our own writing styles. Different strokes for different folks :) Thanks for coming by and getting your award. You're lovely and you rule!
Thank you, thank you (1) for the award and (2) for this post. I really appreciate it. There are so many amazing blogs. To be picked is a true honor.
Alas, yes, someone who acknowledges it's okay to edit when drafting. Why not? That's when I do my best editing. You've gotta edit at some point. Why not when the ideas are fresh? I won't even try NaNo. Phew. I appreciate this validation and am adverse to people who state there's one way to do things.
xoRobyn
I agree. There are so many wonderful blogs out there. It is hard to pick. =) Thank you for the award. I didn't participate in nano this year. Maybe next year.
Congratulation!!!! And thank you for passing it on to me Sayers
Year, I did finish 50000words in November ... But I wouldn't show it to anyone LOL
Oh so funny ... iPad auto correct... Squee changed to Sayers hehe
Thank you for the Lovely Blog Award, and for commenting on my blog instead of just lurking! And good on you for attempting NaNoWriMo. I'm a weekend warrior and late night writer, but can't commit to a regular word count with my work and family schedule. Ah, limits.
Thanks for the award! I write in spurts as well -- furious bursts of activity followed by a few days of thought.
I'm so glad I'm not alone. Right now I'm in this place in my WIP that just doesn't feel right yet and I can't go on until it does. How can I possibly know where the story's supposed to go from here if this section isn't working yet?
Thanks for the support!
I'm not sure I'll try NaNo again. Actually, that's not true. I think if I were writing something a little lighter, I might. Good luck if you do and your welcome on the award!
Congratulations on finishing!!
LOL!! I was like...what is she talking about? until I read this :)
Yes, my family and work schedule are also a huge part of why I can't write consistently. As long as we write, though, right? It doesn't matter how we do it :)
A fellow spurter! Awesome :)
Ooooo that's a pretty one :) Thanks! And if it makes you feel any better, I have never, ever NaNo'ed. I know that I would fail. I'm a fast writer, but I'm not consistent with my writing... which I guess qualifies me as a spurter!
Yay! A fellow spurter!! Thanks for the support :)
All those things are definitely okay! And congrats on the award. I feel honored that you passed it onto me :) Thanks!
You're welcome!
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