NaNoWriMo... Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Back on November 1st, I set out to complete a 50,000 word novel. On November 30th, 52,923 words were submitted for my 2010 NaNoWriMo Winner's Certificate! NaNoWriMo 2010 is done...it's over...and I can't wait to do it again next year. This NaNo wasn't really about getting a work of fiction completed, it was about learning how I write and where I can improve environment and lifestyle for self-improvement. Here are a few insights...

I learned that writing a novel is a totally different mindset for me compared to academic or short stories. I normally write during 10PM and 2AM. The house is at its quietest then and I can get thoughts typed out without barking dogs or cats wanting to let me know I am still their prisoner. I found that I typed fastest first thing in the morning for the novel. I mean FIRST thing... wakeup, bathroom, type. If I so much as ventured downstairs for something to drink I would start finding distraction after distraction to slow me down.

I never use outlines for anything. I can't stand them and have always thought they are a complete waste of time...until now. I really think the program I used for NaNo, Scrivener, is responsible for this new way of thinking. One of the features is to create note cards for chapters that include summaries or other notes you need to stay on track. You can also break those summaries down even further into scenes. It really is a very neat program that you can try for free. There is another totally free program called yWriter that has similar functions but I really liked the user interface of Scrivener better.

My biggest surprise was how much I missed blogging! There is a woman sipping tea thinking she told me so right now. I really did miss it and found it was a great way to clear my head or give me a little side project to do between work. I plan to get back into blogging, now as a matter of fact, and continue on with it. Expect a few changes as I plan to put a little more personal stuff into it.

What's next you ask? Getting a new computer, writing some short stories for contests, and a little something called the Order of Scarecrow. We can watch the horror of it all together.

JOE

And Now A Taste of Things To Come...

MORTAL KOMBAT! Those of you who are the Sega Generation should totally understand the title. For Non-Segas you think I misspelled Kombat...I assure you I didn't. Today begins NaNoWriMo and it's time to let the slaughter of my fellow competitors begin.  You want to challenge me to a word war? Bring it! The only thing that motivates me more than a deadline is a challenge.  Please feel free to buddy me on the forums so we can support each other.  My username is JoeTheUndead.

I had a lot of fun the last few weeks going to dinner, weddings, shopping, writer meetings, and finally getting my porch fixed. (Thanks Concrete Guys!)Frequently during the course of coversations at these events I was asked how I could write about so many horrible things. One person even asked how I would know how all the different screams sound that I write about. Well it's simple...I have people chained to the ceiling in my garage and I experiment.

I tried keeping them in the basement but the return air vent is down there and chained up people are smelly people. Take my word for it, it is much easier to spray people off with a hose in the garage where you have a drain in the floor. It also makes loading them in cars easier too. Have you ever carried dead weight up stairs? It's a nightmare. Now don't start thinking you misjudged me. I am the same nice guy you thought I was a couple of paragraphs up...just like every other person you hear a neighbor talking about on the news. : )

Good luck to all my fellow competitors in NaNoLand! I can't wait to see what we all accomplish.
JOE

Current Global Word Count for NaNoWriMo 2010: 807,942