Yes, it's Week Four.

You know how I said don't panic last week? I've changed my mind.

PANIC.

Go insane. Yell! Go on a coffee and chocolate binge. Pull your hair. Talk to the cat. Or the dog. Or the parakeet.

Done...? Good.

Now let's get back to business. This is the final stretch of NaNoWriMo, and it's time to buckle down and go for the win. Unless you're already a winner, in which case - well done, but why are you reading this? Make room for the rest of us panicked fools! The link to the congratulatory post will come next week, you can go wait for that!

Over the past few weeks I've given advice on how to write, overcome muse problems, so on and so forth. This week I've decided to do something a little different. I'm not going to tell you how to write to get through this week. Instead, I'm just going to give you a reason to find that will to finish in yourself.

I'm going to remind you of why we started doing this in the first place.


1. You Want To Write A Novel
For most of us, that's why we started - because we want to write a story and we want to get to the end and say "Look, I've written that. I wrote a novel, and I wrote this draft in only 30 days!". It's a badge of honour - tiny, for many insignificant, but for us who are doing this for the first (or second or fifth time even) it holds great personal meaning. We want to write a novel, and we are going to!


2. You Love Writing
I've said it before and I'll say it again - if you don't love it, why are you writing in the first place? What you need to do as you sit there, wondering why on earth you started this madness, is to remember just how much you love it. How much you love sitting down every chance you get and, instead of doing something else, you write. You bleed your thoughts, your emotions, stories that have to be told, onto the page. And you love it - even when you hate it. That love is still there - just take a few minutes and remember it.


3. Because You Are A Writer
It's what you do. It's all you want to do. And if you are writing, for NaNo or any other time, and you can't stop, then you are a writer. "If you wake up in the morning, and writing is the first thing you can think about - then you are a writer!"


4. To Express Your Creativity
Maybe you are just feeling very creative. Maybe you have a story you want to tell, or a thought you want to express. Then just think back to the first moment you had your idea, remember how inspired you felt in that moment, and how desperately you wanted to get it onto a page - even if the only person who ever read it was you.

Now go write.


5. Insanity
Yes, that counts. Just about every writer I'v met happily agrees - we are not sane. It's pretty much the first requirement on the list of 'What It Takes To Be A Writer'. So people may see us as odd, unstable, maybe a bit disturbed. And that's ok. Comes with the package - be proud! And if it's that insanity that made you start NaNoWriMo this year, then revel in it!


Yes, there are many reasons why we can or should write, but that's not what matters. The only thing that matters is why you chose to write, why you chose to do NaNoWriMo. And when you finish, you will still feel that sense of accomplishment. You might not have the best document in history, you might barely have finished. But you did finish. And if, in the process, you remembered just how much you loved doing it, then my job is done.

May you always find your love of the written word.

It's Week 3!

If you're anything like me, this generally is the point where we start panicking, where doubt falls on your shoulders like a laser guided missile and you begin to wonder "Why am I doing this?". I'm not going to tell you why you should be writing - that's up to you - but here are a few tips as we enter the next milestone in this WONDERFUL ADVENTURE!

1. Just Write!
I know, it sounds much easier than it is. You feel like banging your head against the typewriter or keyboard every time you sit down, and nothing seems to inspire you to write. But sometimes it isn't so much about the muse and the inspiration - it's about remembering that you committed to doing this (for yourself!) and that you have everything you need to complete your story. To quote Stephen King - "The Magic is in you."

And if you still have your doubts, then think about it this way - just write one word at a time.

2. Don't Plan Too Much
It's an easy trap to fall into. Every time you hit a wall you think "Back to the drawing board, I need more planning!" Or worse, you do a ton of research and try to work all of it into your story. This is a weakness of mine - I LOVE doing research. And once I have pages and pages of juicy facts that have sweet-bugger-all to do with my story, I keep trying to find ways to work them in. The fact is that too much planning can keep you stuck in front of the drawing board and away from writing, and too much research can boost your word count but slow your story down so much that you get bored writing it.

Keep it simple!

3. Eliminate Distraction

“There should be no telephone in your writing room, certainly no TV or videogames for you to fool around with. If there’s a window, draw the curtains or pull down the shades unless it looks out at a blank wall... You could do worse than strip your television's electric plug-wire, wrap a spike around it, and then stick it back into the wall. See what blows, and how far. Just an idea.” - Stephen King

Yes, yes, I know I quote him a lot, but can you truly think of a better way to say 'Avoid distraction' than 'Blow Up Your TV'? I didn't think so. I know it's tempting to watch your favourite series, or play your favourite game. So make it a bit easier - take the distraction out of the equation completely. For a gamer like myself, being on the computer typing is temptation enough. I'm only lucky I don't have a television to blow!

4. Accept Bad Writing
You are writing a novel in 30 days - Give yourself permission to write badly! I've reminded you before (and I'll do it every time I post until NaNoWriMo is over) that the point of this madness is to get your first draft on paper. It's not easy, hell, sometimes it's downright painful! Especially when you take a minute or two to quickly read what you've written. Some of us can even feel our eyeballs bleed as we read the horror that our story has become!

But that's not the point.

Dig, dig, and for heaven's sake, BURY that inner editor so far down that you have to go Editor Hunting (a close relative of Muse Hunting) once your story is done. Right now, just enjoy the flow of words as you get them down, and reward yourself for that step.

Allow yourself to write badly!

5. Sometimes You Need a Break
It's true. It sounds horrible, especially here in Week 3, but if you keep pushing yourself to the limits, you might find yourself starting to hate what you love. That's normal, of course, and bound to happen at some point. And there are times when you need to push through and past it. But there are also times when you need to settle down with a hot cup of coffee, some good music and a great book.

Reading is actually a great way to take a break - ask any published author, and they will tell you that they read quite a bit themselves. It's not only a good way to relax, but also a way to get inspired and learn a few tricks from an author you admire for free!

6. Most important - "Write For Yourself, Write To Be Happy."
Write because you LOVE it. Write because it's the first thing you think of when you wake up, and you can't imagine yourself doing anything but write for the rest of your life. Don't write to be famous, don't do it for money or recognition and fame. Maybe that will come, maybe it won't. But every time you sit down to write, feel the bubbles of joy (or love-hate, whichever) inside you as you imagine the world your about to create.

If you do that, then nothing can stop you!




What are you going to do to get yourself through this week? Are there any things you like to do, things that inspire you? How do you feel when you write?

Let me know!

T -3 Hours and Counting!

Ok, T -x, depending whatever timezone you're in...

“You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.” - Stephen King