To NaNo or Not NaNo

July was Camp NaNoWriMo. Writers set a goal and fight to accomplish it before the end of the month.

I spent July pushing toward a goal of 40,000 words in my current WIP. And did I meet it? You bet! Though I went through some serious ups and downs, illustrated by my handy chart below.

During the 31 days of literary abandon, I went through a plethora of emotions:

Determination. July 1st. 40,000 words. Psh, I could totally do this.

                                     

Pride. I'm ahead by 2,000 words. Say whaaat?

                             

Laziness. Yeah, I'm so not writing today. Or... for, you know, four days in a row...

                             

Panic. Needing to catch up ASAP!

                                        

Awesomeness. Keeping a steady pace. You know that's right.

                                           

And, at the end. Pure and utter accomplishment. I couldn't believe I actually wrote 40,000 words!

                               

So, would I recommend Camp NaNoWriMo (or just NaNoWriMo) to writers? Absolutely! Before July, I'd been struggling for months to get myself to write. Camp NaNo gave me the push I needed. I also got to connect with some really supportive writers.

And, okay, getting this certificate at the end was pretty awesome.

Also celebrating with a round of mini golf was great too.

The next time NaNo comes around, I'd heartily suggest that you hop on the writing wagon. It's an awesome experience. The only thing you'll regret is looking back and not participating.

Congratulations to everyone who entered and persevered!

Getting The Right Paint

Writers know exactly how locations should appear in their books. There's a beautiful setting in their minds. Maybe castle, a forest, a bedroom. They just have to "paint the scene."

Easy, right?

                                                      

Where are you right now? Maybe you're in your car. The soft rumbling of the engine is your soundtrack as you read my blog. The heavy scent of bananas serve as a reminder that you really need to clean out your car. Air conditioning whisks out between the vents, slightly too cold. Hello, goosebumps. Through the window, cars of all makes and models are parked. The grocery store beckons, but you're not quite ready to brave the aisle yet. You pull out your gum, tired of the taste of stale mint, and put it in a napkin.

Not the best scene ever, but it shows my point. Now let me tell you (blog post on the lovely war between showing and telling to come).

We have five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. And they all need to be used in writing. Taste is tricky and isn't used as abundantly, but the other four are a must. No, you don't need to jam them all into one paragraph like I did above. Talk about a sensory overload!

They should be interspersed throughout your writing as you set a scene.

So, as you're picture that beautiful bedroom your character is given at her aunt's country estate, consciously think to yourself. What does it smell like? What does your character hear?

 My advice would be to wait to add the sensory bits until you're going back to edit. But do whatever is best for you and your writing.

...On a side note! THREE DAYS until Camp NaNoWriMo is over! I'll give you full update on Thursday and the pros/cons of sprinting it. But where things stand right now?

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna win.

                                      

You Can Use That

The air conditioning broke at my house yesterday. So, after work, I took refuge in my basement with food and a movie. Only no one told me the maintenance man had arrived. Otherwise I definitely would've rethought my Yay-Work's-Over clothes.

                                       

Thankfully my mom gave me enough of a warning before the guy came down the steps. I leaped off the floor and sprinted out the back door. Of course an insane thunderstorm was brewing. Wind, dark sky, the whole shebang. I found myself waiting outside for ten minutes until my sister sent me a "He's gone" text. And then a follow up that said "The AC guy looks like Toby from The Office."

                                      

Though I could've done without the heart attack and mad-dash last night, those moments are awesome for writers. Everything that happens to us is perfect ingredients for our books. Sure, maybe I won't use my almost encounter with the AC guy in my novel, but I'll definitely understand the pure panic associated with needing to hide.

                                     

Writers should use their experiences. Their heartbreaks, challenges, accomplishments, silly moments, characteristics, everything. 

And even if you don't mean to, it sneaks in anyway.

Virginia Woolf puts it best...

"Every secret of a writer's soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind is written large in his works."

When You Hate Writing

I love being a writer.

Making up characters, worlds, and plots. Having a blog, Facebook, and Twitter where I can connect with other authors. Reading book after book and not getting tired of it. But, sometimes?

Sometimes I really hate writing.

                                                

It's exhausting. The words won't come out right. I'm not sure where the plot goes next.

The above sentences sum up my Saturday and Sunday. The words wouldn't come, and I didn't feel like forcing them. But I had to write. I had a word count goal to meet! So I developed a plan of attack to combat my slump. I did the following:

    1.  A form of physical activity. I'm lucky enough to have a pool so I went swimming. Or more like almost-drowning. Terrible swimmer over here.

                                 

    2.  Fueled up. I ate an awesome, healthy snack. No grabbing the chips and chocolate. Resist!

    3.  Went somewhere new. Usually I'll write in my room or on my front porch, but this weekend I sat on my back porch in a lounge chair overlooking the pool.

    4.  Writing sprints! I put myself on a timer. 15 minute writing sprint and then a 30 minute break. And of course I'd announce the sprints on Twitter. Had to hold myself accountable via the World Wide Web.

By the end of all this, I found myself writing for enjoyment. The 15 minute sprint became 20 minutes, then 25, then 30. My imagination swept me away and immersed me in the world of my WIP. It just took some...encouragement... to get there.

Not Anti-Social

Writers have to understand people. Their hopes, desires, frustrations, how they fall in love and out of it, greatest fears, etc. In essence, what makes them... real. So, in turn, we can apply those traits and depth to our characters.

We watch, observe, and remember. 

Then somehow in the world of stigmas and creative internet memes, writers got stuck with the "Anti-Social" stereotype. 

                                                       

Couldn't be farther from the truth. Okay, maybe we don't love parties, meeting new people, or being shoved into a new environment. But it doesn't mean we don't like it. After we're forced to go and then get to come home after thirty minutes.

                                       

In fact, I can't stress the importance of writers going places and doing things. Especially--take a deep breath!--new things.

For example, right now I'm sitting in a building on a community college campus writing this blog. I dropped my sister off at her microbiology class and am stuck waiting while she takes her final (good luck, Maddie!). Last time I dropped another sister (I've got three, haha) off to take a test, I hid in my car for two hours. 

                                        

I had a book, so it wasn't that bad...

Okay, okay, I get it. It was weird.

But I've realized how important people-to-people interactions are. So here I sit in a common area, typing away. Across from me are two guys discussing math, mixing swear words into a conversation of calculus. One is tilting back on his chair, tempting gravity and the other is attempting to multi-task, messing with his phone and talking. 

And of course, because a girl is int heir midst, they occasionally look over at me. Probably has a great deal to do with my really bad hair day, the fact I'm wearing jeans when it's hot outside and keep smiling at my computer screen (these gifs, guys...).

                                        

Maybe the college boys aren't the most obvious source of inspiration for my characters, but understanding human nature, the natural flow of communication and movement, will all weave together to form a novel full of depth and realism (as realistic as a story based off Alice in Wonderland can get!).

                                       

So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself to a coffee shop, a library. Or, if you need to start small, sit on your front porch. Watch and write.

But most importantly, write.

All For Naught

I'm behind on my CampNaNoWriMo word count. That's what happens when you take a three day break.

Woops.

I planned to do some serious catching up last night to the tune of 2k. Did I write that much? Totally. Does it sound good? For a rough draft, yeah. Am I going to keep it? No.

The direction I was trying to take the plot in made no sense. I had my characters trying to get off a train without being seen. They decided to wait until it was moving to crawl out an escape hatch. I got them on top of the train (after a heart-pounding almost fall, of course). Then what? They were stuck! I literally wrote myself into a corner.

                                   

Hello, delete button. Cue throwing self on floor, chucking laptop at wall, and stuffing chocolate in my face. Okay, not really. I wouldn't have minded the chocolate though.

Deleting those 2,000 words wouldn't have been a big deal during a normal month. But July isn't a normal month. It's Camp NaNoWriMo. I have to earn my t-shirt!

At first I wanted to do this:

                                    

But then I realized writing my characters on top of that train had some positives.

  1. I learned where I did not want the plot to go.
  2. I leaned action movies that have characters leaping off moving trains made no sense. (When did they ever?)
  3. Finally, I learned the best direction to take the plot. No daring stunt acts involved.

Sometimes writing in the wrong direction is exactly the thing writers need to get themselves going in the right one. Even if it's totally aggravating and sucks up three hours of your life.

                                  

Trust me.

So worth it.

On a super exciting side-note, my gift card giveaway ended today. The lucky winner is Michelle. Michelle, keep an eye on your email. You'll be getting the gift card shortly.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who participated. Consider connecting with me on other social media. I'll be having more contests in the upcoming months!

Not Just A Hobby

Okay, everyone. Raise your hand if you're a full time writer.

                                                     

Uh, huh. Yeah. Riiight. Put that hand down.

 Chances are, you have to squeeze in time to write. At the end of the day. When you're dead tired, and you'd much rather be sleeping. Yet you write. Why? Because you love it. The way you somehow pull together those perfect words, that clever dialog, that spine-tingling romantic scene... It's like magic.

Very few writers are able to classify writing as their full time job. Half the time it's not even a part time job. More likely it's a "Oh, I have a free hour. Better write!".

Which so totally and completely stinks. Especially since it leads to the idea that writing is just a hobby, something you do for fun on the weekends.

Hello, no! Writing is serious business. It consumes your life. There is no such thing as vacation or "taking a break". It's like walking around with your boss handcuffed to your wrist for the rest of your life.

But a boss that happens to be your best friend who you love more than anything. It's the perfect job. Unfortunately, it's not always do-able. Something called bills and little green rectangles called money get in the way. We can't all be J.K. Rowling or Suzanne Collins.

At least... not yet. They started out unpublished, unknown. Just. Like. Us.

So, if I could have one ultimate career wish? I don't want to be a CEO, a multi-million dollar shareholder. No. If I could?

I'd wish to be a full time writer.

NaNo Nightmares

I've gone camping!

--Figuratively, of course. I'm not one for actual camping. Bugs, behind-that-bush bathrooms, and lack of showers don't have much appeal. For me at least.

This month, I'm cyber roughing it at Camp NaNoWriMo. What is Camp NaNoWriMo, you ask? For those of you too lazy to click the link, it's "An idyllic writers retreat, smack-dab in the middle of your crazy life". You pick your word count and strive to meet it in a month. Camp NaNoWriMo has an awesome cabin system where you're matched with other writers.

My goal for July is to reach 40,000 words, which will finish my current WIP. I've tried to participate in the last three NaNo's: two Camps and one November. I failed each time. Why?

I wasn't dedicated enough!

This time around, I've really gotten involved. I've made use of the cabin chat feature and connected with other writers. I've forced (seriously, forced) myself to at least get 1,000 words written per day. And those cool emails the folks at NaNo send that I used to ignore? Yeah, I actually read those now. I also bought a camp shirt. So a monetary investment and personal guilt trip certainly help matters.

And so far I'm on track, even slightly ahead. Which is an awesome feeling.

Actually, I think I'm a little too obsessed with CampNaNo. In fact, I had a nightmare about it. Apparently this t-rex-like monster would stalk and eventually eat me unless I was able to say a sentence with a certain word count.

                                   

Weird and creepy? Definitely.

What is the point of this post other than bragging and letting you act as a dream psychologist?

To show the importance of apply butt-to-chair and fingers-to-keyboard! I procrastinate sooo much when it comes to writing. CampNaNo is a world-wide writing frenzy that forces me to get on the computer to write. So, whether it be a NaNo activity, a friend keeping you accountable, or giving yourself a personal goal. Write!

Seriously.

                                

Like now.

Just Your Voice

“You can hang your head out the window, if you like.”
“I’m a werewolf, not a golden retriever." ~ Cassandra Clare

Ever get jealous of other writers' snark? The way their characters seem so real and unfairly hilarious? Maybe considered pulling an Ursula and doing some voice snatching?

                                       

Okay, maybe not that extreme. But still.

Writers compare themselves to other writers all the time. We're worse than a group of girls.

In fact, last weekend I was reading Michelle Krys' "Hexed" and was so overwhelmingly jealous. Her main character's (MC's) voice was so strong and wonderfully snarky. Self-doubt swirled in my mind. What if my MC's voice was too bland? Or what if she wasn't clever enough?

Cue descent into Hole of Worthlessness.

                                        

Then I made it tons worse by researching how long it took to publish a book the traditional way. But that's a topic for another post.

I eventually got over my despair of not being as snarky as Mrs. Krys. How? I came to this conclusion: we all have different voices when we write. Why? Because our characters are different. And we as writers are different.

If every writer's voice sounded exactly the same, what would be the fun of reading?

So pick your writerly self-esteem off the floor and straighten your shoulders. You've got an unique voice and a wonderful story to share with the world.

It's Official

First. Post. Ever!

This is pretty much the most exiting thing to happen to me all week. Not that there's much competition. I do work at an accounting firm. But still. Yay!

                                        

Actually, it was pretty ridiculous how thrilled I was to even have my own domain name. It's the little things.

To celebrate my first post on my new blog, I'm doing a giveaway! Check out the nifty PunchTab Giveaway box to your right. $20 Amazon gift card. You know you want to enter. The giveaway will be running from today (July 1, 2014, so you don't have to check your calendar. You're welcome.) to Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 3 p.m. EST.

Self-centered, Emily Layne time. Since you wonderful darlings will (hopefully!) be reading my future posts, you should know a bit about me. Or, really, the "About Me" that you can't find stalking social media sites. Don't worry, I've limited myself to five facts.

1. Emily Layne is actually a pen name.

2. I once ate so many cherries that I had an allergic reaction and got hives. We're talking 100+ cherries in less than 24 hours. Clearly I have a problem.

3. Sunscreen is disgusting. I avoid wearing it whenever I can. Summer started two weeks ago, and I've already been majorly burned four times. I know I need to wear it, but... Bleh. When I was a kid I could throw a temper-tantrum and avoid the sticky stuff. But apparently that's not acceptable anymore.

4. On that note, I love the sun. Scratch that. I love being outside. During my lunch break at work, I will sit in my car with the windows down and eat, even if it's 85 degrees outside.

5. Though I love the traditional flowers: roses, lilies, orchids, my favorite is a weed, typically known as a flowering clover. They smell like summer and can be tied into pretty awesome jewelry.

...Annnnd finished! Not so bad, was it? Now you know how weird quirky I am. But don't let that stop you from entering the giveaway. Or from reading my future posts. This blog will focus on the Journey of Infinite Perils, otherwise known as writing. You'll join my adventure as I finish my current WIP (work in progress), tackle that nasty query letter, and hopefully snag the representation of a fantastic agent.

So, what are you waiting for? Come on! The Journey of Infinite Perils (JIP) awaits!